Benjamin Holt (January 1 1849, Concord, New Hampshire – December 5 1920, Stockton, California) was an American inventor who developed David Roberts' design for one of the first practical continuous tracks for use in tractors. The continuous type track is used to spread the weight of heavy agricultural and engineering vehicles out over a large area to prevent the vehicle from sinking into the mud. He acquired the patent from Richard Hornsby & Sons...
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Benjamin Holt (January 1 1849, Concord, New Hampshire – December 5 1920, Stockton, California) was an American inventor who developed David Roberts' design for one of the first practical continuous tracks for use in tractors. The continuous type track is used to spread the weight of heavy agricultural and engineering vehicles out over a large area to prevent the vehicle from sinking into the mud. He acquired the patent from Richard Hornsby & Sons of Grantham in 1914.
He was the youngest of four brothers with his family owning a sawmill. His older brothers moved to San Francisco in 1864 to form a timber company. Benjamin stayed in Concord to help run the business from there. The Stockton Wheel Co. was formed and Benjamin moved to California in 1883.
Sinking into the mud was a common problem on farmland surrounding Stockton, California where Holt made his residence. Continuous tracks allowed practical cultivation on an industrial scale on the rich farmland. Holt's tractors had a...
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