Master link and half link for same configured for stress de-concentration

A half link for a master link comprising:

• a link body including a shoe-side surface and a rail surface opposite the shoe-side surface, a clamping surface extending vertically between the shoe-side surface and the rail surface and fore-aft between a link body end and a link strap having an inboard-outboard bore formed therein;
• the clamping surface including a descending slope, an ascending slope, and a tooth set arranged between the descending slope and the ascending slope;
• the ascending slope having a varied width forming a link lateral thickness transition, and a varied gradient forming a slope gradient transition;
• and
• the link lateral thickness transition defines a first stress concentration location, and the slope gradient transition defines a second stress concentration location and is spaced from the link lateral thickness transition.

A track link assembly comprising:

• a plurality of track links coupled together end-to-end to form a track chain and including a master link having a first half link and a second half link;
• the first half link including a first clamping surface having a first tooth set, and the second half link including a second clamping surface having a second tooth set;
• the first clamping surface further including a descending slope extending between the first tooth set and a first vertically-facing link surface, and an ascending slope extending between the first tooth set and a second vertically-facing link surface;
• and
• the first clamping surface further including a link lateral width transition, and a slope gradient transition spaced from the link lateral width transition.