Tread for motor-driven vehicle

Claim 2

A driving track for a vehicle or the like adapted for direct engagement by parallel spaced driving engagement means, comprising a belt having a flat inner surface and an outer gripping surface, a longitudinal median portion, and longitudinal edge portions bordering the median portion, longitudinal rows of spaced-apart mating engagement means defined in each edge portion to accommodate the driving engagement means, the rows being parallel to each other, the longitudinal edge portions being thicker than the median portion; the belt including a plurality of spaced-apart gripping ribs extending laterally of the gripping surface, and the sections of the edge portions between said gripping ribs being provided with a plurality of closely spaced lateral supporting ribs, whereby a relatively rigid inner surface is provided along said edge portions to receive the idler wheels.

Claim 3

An endless driving track as defined in claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the median portion is provided with studs disposed in a staggered pattern.

Claim 4

A driving track as defined in claim 1 including a plurality of reinforcing members of flat cross section having a central portion with terminal end portions defined by an intermediate step deformation, said reinforcing members extending transversely of the track and imbedded therein, the reinforcing members having a portion imbedded intermediately between the inner and outer belt surfaces and the remaining portions exposed at the flat inner surface of the belt with said step deformation located where the belt edge portions border the median portion.

Claim 5

A driving track for a track-laying vehicle for direct engagement by parallel driving means comprising a belt having a flat inner surface and an outer gripping surface, said belt including a longitudinal median portion and longitudinal edge portions bordering the median portion, said edge portions each including a row of spaced-apart mating engagements means, the rows being parallel to each other for accommodating parallel driving means, the longitudinal edge portions being uniformly thicker across the entire width thereof than the median portion and providing a relatively rigid inner surface along the entire surface thereof for distributing the load of the vehicle substantially uniformly thereover; and a plurality of reinforcing members of flat cross section having a central portion with terminal end portions defined by an intermediate step deformation, said reinforcing members extending transversely of the track and imbedded therein, the reinforcing members having a portion imbedded intermediately between the inner and outer belt surfaces and the remaining portions exposed at the flat inner surface of the belt with said step deformation located where the belt edge portions border the median portion.

Claim 6

A driving track for a track-laying vehicle for direct engagement by parallel driving means comprising a belt having a flat inner surface and an outer gripping surface, said belt including a longitudinal median portion and longitudinal edge portions bordering the median portion, said edge portions each including a row of spaced-apart mating engagements means, the rows being parallel to each other for accommodating parallel driving means, the longitudinal edge portions being uniformly thicker across the entire width thereof than the median portion and providing a relatively rigid inner surface along the entire surface thereof for distributing the load of the vehicle substantially uniformly thereover; and a plurality of reinforcing members of flat cross section having a central portion with terminal end portions defined by an intermediate step deformation, said reinforcing members extending transversely of the track and imbedded therein, the reinforcing members having a portion imbedded intermediately between the inner and outer belt surfaces and the remaining portions exposed at the flat inner surface of the belt with said step deformation located where the belt edge portions border the median portion.

Claim 7

An endless belt used for a driving track for a vehicle as defined in claim 4 wherein at least one reinforcing ply is embedded in the edge portions adjacent one side of the reinforcing members, and at least one ply is imbedded in the resilient material in the median portion on the side of the reinforcing member opposite to the side on which said reinforcing member is located in the edge portions.

Claim 8

A belt as defined in claim 4 wherein the rows of mating engagement means includes rows of spaced-apart openings defined in each edge portion of the belt for accommodating sproCket teeth.

Claim 9

An endless driving track as defined in claim 6 wherein wear-resistant clips are provided between the sprocket openings of the belt around the exposed portion of the reinforcing member.