Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

Compagnie Générale Des Etablissements Michelin-Michelin & Cie

Michelin & Cie

Gilbert Gauthier

Gilbert Menard

A process for manufacturing a track formed from a circumferentially continuous belt made of elastomeric material and including an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is provided with a plurality of drive blocks uniformly arranged on the circumference. The process includes a step in which a cylindrical inner mold formed by first and second cylindrical die-halves is assembled, the two die-halves being movable relative to each other in an axial direction to come into contact with each other at a joint surface. The inner mold includes a radially external laying surface provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced cavities for molding the drive blocks, each cavity being delimited in the axial direction by respective side walls of the first and second die halves. The joint surface of the two die-halves is axially closer to one side wall than to the other side wall. A device for stripping the track from the inner and outer molds is provided.

Process for manufacturing a track and stripping device

A caterpillar made from elastomer material and having a plurality of guide teeth projecting from the inside surface of the caterpillar, the said guide teeth having lateral faces and front and rear faces in the longitudinal direction of the caterpillar, with at least one insert arranged inside each guide tooth, the caterpillar being characterized in that each insert located inside each guide tooth has a generally hollow shape enclosing a free volume to absorb in large measure the expansion of the elastomer material of the guide tooth during the molding and cross-linking of the material.

Growing community of inventors

Cournon-d'Auvergne, France

Gilbert Gauthier