SOLVED: WTH # 186 - Walking Tractor concept model by Meredith Thring

[sixtee5cuda]

What is this, and who created it?

[sixtee5cuda]

Experts?

Up!

[D-type]

Is it a model, as opposed to the full-sized beast?

[sixtee5cuda]

It is a working model, not a full-sized tractor

[4popoid]

When I was designing robots back in the late '60's and early '70's, there were all sorts of people (academics, designers, engineers, and kooks) working on anthropomorphic machinery, with extension to animal forms as well as human.  With the passage of time I have forgotten most of these proposals, but, seeing this picture, called up some distant memories, and I was able to dig up a little information on this proposal.   

The puzzle is a "walking" tractor by Meredith W. Thring from 1982/'83.  It was proposed (I doubt that it was ever built) as a possible replacement for draft animals (oxen, etc.) in underdeveloped countries.  This proposal has two "legs' and two wheels, but a four "legged" version was also proposed.

[sixtee5cuda]

A point goes to 4popoid, for an informative, correct answer.

[Carnut]

To complete the animal imitation philosophy they should also have designed in was some lights that looked that they were eyes from a cockerel.  That way they could have really called it a cock-eyed proposal...