Snow chains for your car that switch on and off

Record ID: 165461

  • Title: Snow chains for your car that switch on and off
  • Date: 25th January 2017
  • Summary: AUTOMATIC SNOW CHAIN COMPUTER 3D GRAPHIC
  • Embargoed: 8th February 2017 13:00
  • Keywords: Automatic snow chains Czech Republic
  • Location: OVCARNA SKI RESORT, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • City: OVCARNA SKI RESORT, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Reuters ID: LVA00460KX6QJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Fitting snow chains to your car tyres in winter could save your life, but it's a tedious task normally performed in the freezing cold.
    But now, Czech engineer Petr Gross has developed an automatic plastic snow chain system that folds and unfolds around car tyres at the push of a button.
    Gross makes parts for the automotive industry and decided to develop a simple solution to the problem after struggling to fit traditional snow chains middle of the night.
    Three years on and he has an easy-to-fit system ready to market.
    "The anti-sliding function is located here on the grabs and has steel spikes that are used for hard-packed ice and plastic ones which are used in soft snow," Gross said.
    The mounting base is fitted to each wheel at the start of winter, allowing the snow chains to be attached when required. The system is activated by wireless remote control.
    Each chain consists of four retractable 'grabs' per wheel. They are engaged by extending out of the centre hub to grip the tyre. They return to the centre hub when the road surface no longer requires them.
    "We see a future use of the chains mainly for trucks and buses because those vehicles mostly have only summer tyres and no special tyres for the winter, and the use of some anti-slips or chains is crucial for them. This device is very simple to put on and easy to handle and that's why we think it has a great future," said Gross.
    Gross holds the patent for his automatic snow chains in the Czech Republic and has applied for it in other countries as well. He plans to market them in Europe, Russia, the U.S. and Canada.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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