Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Anthony E Kirn

Robert W Untz

Marvin E Beyers

Brent C Bargfrede

Brian D McFeeters

An endless elastomeric belt includes a plurality of longitudinally separated guide blocks each having a longitudinally extending slot in a tip portion thereof. The slot reduces the mass of the guide block at a location most effective for reducing acceleration forces generated in the belt at a position where the belt separates from the entrained wheels at high rotational speeds. Reducing the acceleration forces reduces fatigue failures tending to occur in the bond joint between the guide block and a belt body.

Endless elastomeric belt

Spaced elastomer ribs cooperating with the outer cylindrical surface of a flexible track belt within the confines of each track shoe site with a sufficient volume of elastomer in each rib will, when a track shoe is attached to the sites, be deformed to increase the stiffness of the belt in the flexing area between adjacent track shoes and improve the resistance to the ingress of dust and the like between the belt and the underside of each track shoe due to the resiliency of the elastomer in the ribs, allowing them to maintain continuous contact with the underside of the track shoe and the cylindrical belt.

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Pekin, IL, United States of America

Anthony E Kirn