Method for making composite sections for use as crawler tracks and the like

Claim 1

A METHOD OF MAKING AN ENDLESS BELT HAVING IMPROVED STRENGTH AND WEAR-RESISTANT CHARACTERISTICS FROM A PLURALITY OF COMPOSITE, SEGMENTAL SECTIONS TO BE APPLIED TO TRACK LAYING VEHICLES OF THE TYPE INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE WHEEL OR THE LIKE, THE STEPS COMPRISING, PROVIDING A LOWER MOLD MEMBER AND AN UPPER ENGAGEABLE MOLD MEMBER WHICH TOGETHER DEFINE A MOLD CAVITY, SAID MOLD CAVITY HAVING A RADIUS JOF CURVATURE WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLLY GREATER THAN THE RADIUS OF CURVATURE OF THE WHEEL TO WHICH THE BELT IS TO BE APPLIED, ATTACHING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED METALLIC INSERTS AT ONE END IN LATERALLY SPACED, STATIONARY RELATIONSHIP TO SAID LOWER MOLD MEMBER, APPLYING TENSION TO THE OTHER END OF SAID INSERTS IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO DRAW SID INSERTS DOWNWARDLY INTO SPACED, PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WITHIN THE CAVITY OF SAID LOWER MOLD MEMBER, SUPPORTING SAID TENSIONED INSERTS IN PREDETERMINED SPACED RELATIONSHIP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAVITY OF SAID LOWER MOLD MEMBER, FILLING SAID CAVITY WITH RUBBER-LIKE MATERIAL, ENGAGING SAID UPPER MOLD MEMBER OVER SAID LOWER MOLD MEMBER, VULCANIZING THE RUBBERIZED MATERIAL AROUND SAID TENSIONED INSERTS UNDER HEAT AND PRESSURE WHEREIN THE TENSION ON SAID INSERTS AND THE REACTIVE FORCE IMPARTED THERETO BY THE RADIUS OF CURVATURE OF THE CAVITY IN SAID LOWER MOLD MEMBER COACT TO MAINTAIN THE INSERTS IN SAID SPACED, PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO PROVIDE A COMPOSITE, SEGMENTAL SECTION, AND SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVING SAID SECTION FROM BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER MOLD MEMBERS AND JOINING A PLURALITY OF SUCH SECTIONS TOGETHER IN END-TO-END RELATIONSHIP TO PROVIDE AN ENDLESS BELT.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF MAKING AN ENDLESS BELT HAVING IMPROVED STRENGTH AND WEAR-RESISTANT CHARACTERISTICS FROM A PLURALITY OF COMPOSITE, SEGMENTAL SECTIONS TO BE APPLIED TO TRACK LAYING VEHICLES OF THE TYPE INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE WHEEL OR THE LIKE, THE STEPS COMPRISING, PROVIDING A LOWER MOLD MEMBER AND AN UPPER ENGAGEABLE MOLD MEMBER WHICH TOGETHER DEFINE A MOLD CAVITY, SAID MOLD CAVITY HAVING A RADIUS JOF CURVATURE WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLLY GREATER THAN THE RADIUS OF CURVATURE OF THE WHEEL TO WHICH THE BELT IS TO BE APPLIED, ATTACHING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED METALLIC INSERTS AT ONE END IN LATERALLY SPACED, STATIONARY RELATIONSHIP TO SAID LOWER MOLD MEMBER, APPLYING TENSION TO THE OTHER END OF SAID INSERTS IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO DRAW SID INSERTS DOWNWARDLY INTO SPACED, PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WITHIN THE CAVITY OF SAID LOWER MOLD MEMBER, SUPPORTING SAID TENSIONED INSERTS IN PREDETERMINED SPACED RELATIONSHIP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAVITY OF SAID LOWER MOLD MEMBER, FILLING SAID CAVITY WITH RUBBER-LIKE MATERIAL, ENGAGING SAID UPPER MOLD MEMBER OVER SAID LOWER MOLD MEMBER, VULCANIZING THE RUBBERIZED MATERIAL AROUND SAID TENSIONED INSERTS UNDER HEAT AND PRESSURE WHEREIN THE TENSION ON SAID INSERTS AND THE REACTIVE FORCE IMPARTED THERETO BY THE RADIUS OF CURVATURE OF THE CAVITY IN SAID LOWER MOLD MEMBER COACT TO MAINTAIN THE INSERTS IN SAID SPACED, PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO PROVIDE A COMPOSITE, SEGMENTAL SECTION, AND SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVING SAID SECTION FROM BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER MOLD MEMBERS AND JOINING A PLURALITY OF SUCH SECTIONS TOGETHER IN END-TO-END RELATIONSHIP TO PROVIDE AN ENDLESS BELT.