Two treads, or grousers, on Curiosity's left middle wheel are broken.
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Grousers say gourmet meals once on offer are now finger foods, and beverages are more likely to be guzzled than sipped.
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Subsequent tests showed that at the stage where three of the raised treads, called grousers, are broken, a wheel will have attained about 60 percent of its useful lifespan.
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Each wheel is equipped with 19 of these zigzag-shaped grousers, which have to bear the weight of the rover, and provide traction as the wheels traverse over sand and jagged rocks.
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Developed during World War I, external track extensions — often called "grousers" or "duckbills" — were added to the outside edges of the trackshoes on armored fighting vehicles such as tanks, widening the track for improved performance in snow or mud. Track segments (i.e., trackshoes) that incorporate grouser bars are known as grouser shoes, and typically include one to three grousers. Grousers are commonly used on construction vehicles such as bulldozers, loaders, and excavators.
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Grousers may be permanently attached to, or formed as a single piece with, the track shoe, or they may be bolted onto the track shoe for ease of replacement as they become worn. While grousers are usually straight, they may have more complex shapes, including spikes and involute curves, depending on the type of terrain and the performance requirements of the vehicle. Grousers are typically made of metal, such as forged steel, and are not designed for use on paved roads. Various devices, with names such as road bands, have been developed to temporarily cover grousers/cleats in order to allow a vehicle to travel on paved roads.
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The carriage was a large box-trail design with four non-steerable wheels. The wheels were fitted with detachable grousers designed by major Crispino Bonagente for traction on soft ground and was towed in one piece by a Pavesi- Tolotti artillery tractor. When not on the move the grousers were removed and the steel wheels rode on an inclined set of steel rails when in firing position. The steel rails were mounted on a firing platform made of wooden beams which allowed the gun 360°of traverse.
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Grousers have been used in such exotic environments as the deep sea floor, and the surfaces of the Moon and Mars. Snowmobiles once used cleated tracks, but racing snowmobiles are banned from using cleated track for safety reasons and instead use rubber tracks. Protrusions molded into rubber tractor tire treads are known as lugs, as are cleats for round wheels, which perform a similar function. Unlike metal grousers, these rubber tire treads or crawler-track shoes/pads may be more suitable for driving on roads.
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The carriage was a large 4-wheeled box-trail design with two non-steerable wheels on the front and two castering wheels at the rear. The wheels were fitted with detachable grousers designed by Major Crispino Bonagente for traction on soft ground and was towed in one piece by a Pavesi-Tolotti artillery tractor. When not on the move the grousers were removed and the steel wheels rode on an inclined set of steel rails when in firing position. The steel rails were mounted on a firing platform made of wooden beams which allowed the gun 360° of traverse.
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A pair of bulletproof pneumatic steering wheels was located in the front while another pair of bulletproof pneumatic wheels was placed at the rear axle. Two pairs of metal wheels with grousers were attached in the center of the hull to improve cross country performance. They could be raised when driving on roads. The hull was elongated.
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These consisted of twelve rectangular plates connected with elastic links and are visible in many photographs of World War I artillery from all of the combatants. The combination of Bonagente grousers and ramps were usually enough to handle recoil for field use. For towing the tail of the gun hooked onto a limber for towing by a horse team or artillery tractor.
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To facilitate towing on soft ground the wheels were often fitted with Bonagente grousers patented by the Italian major Crispino Bonagente. These consisted of rectangular plates connected with elastic links and are visible in many photographs of World War I artillery from all of the combatants. For transport, the 28 cm Haubitze L/14 i.R. could be broken down into two or three separate wagon loads for the barrel and carriage.
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The early model Tucker Sno-Cats all utilized a unique steel track that revolved around a steel pontoon, the steel pontoons were eventually replaced by fiberglass pontoons. As the models evolved, the steel tracks were replaced with a suspension system that employed rubber belts that were carried by a series of small wheels. Fastened to the exterior of the rubber belts are cleats, also called grousers, made of metal, to offer traction on the snow.
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However, enough test models were produced to arm two four-gun batteries. To facilitate towing on soft ground the wheels were often fitted with Bonagente grousers patented by the Italian major Crispino Bonagente. These consisted of rectangular plates connected with elastic links and are visible in many photographs of World War I artillery from all of the combatants. For transport, the Versuchmörser 06 could be broken down into two separate wagon loads for the barrel and carriage.
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The four central wheels have aluminum rims with steel grousers, separated by rubber blocks; with all eight wheels deployed, ground pressure is only per . The 1954 model improves armaments with a lengthened 75 mm barrel, giving a muzzle velocity of 1000 m/s. Finally, the 1963 version further strengthens firepower with a 90 mm gun. An armoured personnel carrier derivative known as the Engin Transport de Troupes (ETT) was produced for export, but only 28 were ever produced (for Portugal).
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LVT-2 Water Buffalo with Marines bound for the beaches of Tinian Island, 1944 This was an improved version of LVT-1. It featured a new powertrain (To save time and to simplify production it was the same as that in the M3A1 light tank) and torsilastic suspension. The aluminium track grousers were bolted on, making changes much easier since they wore out quickly on land and even more so on coral. Hard terrain performance was much better compared to the LVT-1.
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After producing half-tracks in World War II for the Canadian Army, the company experimented with new forms of track systems and developed an all-tracked, heavy duty vehicle designed for logging and mining operations in extreme wilderness conditions, such as heavy snow or semiliquid muskeg. They produced it under the name Muskeg tractor. Each track is composed of two or more rubber belts joined into a loop. The loops are held together with interior wheel guides and exterior cleats, commonly called grousers.
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The 82-link steel tracks are 635 mm wide Diehl 570F and for additional traction, up to 18 of the rubber road pads on each track can be replaced with steel grousers. Vehicle braking is provided by a retarder and two oil cooled disc brakes. Mobility parameters include the ability to climb a gradient of at least 60%, and to traverse a side slope of at least 30%. A vertical step of 920 mm can be surmounted, and a ditch of 3 m width can be crossed.
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The tracks are driven by a large drive sprocket that engages the grousers in sequence and causes the track to rotate. Two belt tracks were common on early model Bombardiers and muskeg machines. For deep-snow use, wider tracks, employing additional belts, are used for added flotation over the snow. The research for the track base made it possible to produce a relatively small, continuous-rubber track for the light one- or two-person snowmobile the founder of the company had dreamed about during his teen years.
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Gendron-Somua AMR 39 First Prototype In 1934, Mr Gendron designed the first prototype of the Gendron-Somua AMR 39 and Somua produced it. As Mr Gendron noted that the French Army did not have the budget to buy expensive armored vehicles, he decided to maximise the price quality ratio by creating an unusual wheel configuration of 3x1 for the prototype. 2 pneumatic steering wheels were at the front while a single pneumatic wheel was at the back. An additional metal wheel with grousers was connected to the side to enhance cross country performance.
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A set of wooden ramps were also placed behind the wheels and when the gun fired the wheels rolled up the ramp and was returned to position by gravity. There was also no traversing mechanism and the gun had to be levered into position to aim. A drawback of this system was the gun had to be re-aimed each time which lowered the rate of fire. To facilitate towing on soft ground and lessen recoil the wheels were often fitted with Bonagente grousers patented by the Italian major Crispino Bonagente.
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A set of wooden ramps were also placed behind the wheels and when the gun fired the wheels rolled up the ramp and was returned to position by gravity. There was also no traverse so the gun had to be levered into position to aim. A drawback of this system was the gun had to be re-aimed each time which lowered the rate of fire. To facilitate towing on soft ground and lessen recoil the wheels were often fitted with Bonagente grousers patented by the Italian major Crispino Bonagente.
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The carriages were tall and there was an opening behind the breech to allow high angles of elevation. To facilitate towing on soft ground the wheels were often fitted with Bonagente grousers patented by the Italian major Crispino Bonagente. These consisted of rectangular plates connected with elastic links and are visible in many photographs of World War I artillery from all of the combatants. A set of wooden ramps were placed behind the wheels and when the gun fired the wheels rolled up the ramp and the gun was returned to position by gravity.
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There was also no traversing mechanism and the gun had to be levered into position to aim. A drawback of this system was the gun had to be re-aimed each time which lowered the rate of fire. To facilitate towing on soft ground and lessen recoil the wheels were often fitted with Bonagente grousers patented by the Italian major Crispino Bonagente. These consisted of twelve rectangular plates connected with elastic links and are visible in many photographs of World War I artillery from all of the combatants.
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In the late thirties, there had been several projects to improve the Renault R35 light infantry tank. One of these was directed to the improvement of the horizontal rubber spring suspension system that, apart from being less reliable than originally hoped for, caused an uncomfortable ride, high track and tread wear and an unfavourable weight distribution. The type tended to get stuck in soft terrain. Several solutions were proposed, among them an overdrive, new wheel tyres, a freewheel in the gear box, the fitting of grousers or studs on the existing tracks, or the adoption of a new track type.
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The rear of the cradle could then be hooked up to a limber so the mortar could be towed by a horse team or artillery tractor. To facilitate towing on soft ground the wheels were often fitted with Bonagente grousers patented by the Italian major Crispino Bonagente. These consisted of twelve rectangular plates connected with elastic links and are visible in many photographs of World War I artillery from all of the combatants. Once on site the axle could be removed and a set of small wheels could be fit to the front of the cradle.
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The rear of the cradle could then be hooked up to a limber so the mortar could be towed by a horse team or artillery tractor. To facilitate towing on soft ground the wheels were often fitted with Bonagente grousers patented by the Italian major Crispino Bonagente. These consisted of twelve rectangular plates connected with elastic links and are visible in many photographs of World War I artillery from all of the combatants. Once on site, the axle could be removed and a set of small wheels could be fit to the front of the cradle.
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The Leopard 2 has a torsion bar suspension and has advanced friction dampers. The running gear consists of seven dual rubber-tyred road wheels and four return rollers per side, with the idler wheel at the front and drive sprocket at the rear. The tracks are Diehl 570F tracks, with rubber-bushed end connectors, which have removable rubber pads and use 82 links on each track. For use in icy ground, up to 18 rubber pads can be replaced by the same number of grousers, which are stored in the vehicle's bow when not in use.
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When the howitzer fired the recoil was partially absorbed by two hydraulic recoil buffers at the front of the cradle with the remaining recoil transmitted to the wheels of the carriage which rolled up a set of inclined steel rails and then back into firing position by gravity. For travel, the howitzers on De Stefano mounts could be broken down into two loads. A tow bar could was attached to the castoring wheels on the rear of the carriage and towed in one piece by an artillery tractor. The wheels could be fitted with detachable grousers designed by the Italian major Crispino Bonagente for traction on soft ground and these consisted of eight rectangular plates connected with elastic links and are visible in many photographs of World War I artillery from all of the combatants.
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