Elastomeric tire for a tracked vehicle

A wheel assembly for a tracked vehicle comprising:

• a wheel having a circular mounting flange with a wall extending radially outwards and circumferentially therefrom, and a peripheral rim connected to an outer edge of the wall, the peripheral rim having an outer surface;
• and
• a tire having:
• an inner layer forming a first tube sized to substantially cover and contact the outer surface of the peripheral rim,
• at least one intermediate fabric carcass layer bonded to an outer surface of the inner layer, the at least one carcass layer comprising first and second outer fabric layers and a central fabric layer interposed therebetween,
• a first elastomer layer separating the first fabric layer and the central fabric layer, and a second elastomer layer separating the second fabric layer and the central fabric layer, and
• an outer layer forming a second tube and bonded to an outer surface of the at least one carcass layer, the outer layer having a smooth, treadless, outer surface adapted to contact a track of a vehicle;
• wherein the at least one intermediate carcass layer provides tensile and impact strength to prevent crack propagation from reaching the inner layer of the tire thereby prolonging the useful life of the tire and reducing the frequency of replacement of the tire;
• and
• wherein the inner and outer tire layers encapsulate the carcass layer to protect it from an environment of use.

A method of forming a tire assembly for a wheel of a tracked vehicle comprising:

• providing an inner tire layer as a first tube about a rim of a wheel, the inner tire layer sized to substantially cover and contact an outer surface of the rim;
• positioning an outer tire layer about the inner tire layer as a second tube with a larger diameter than the first tube, the outer tire layer having a smooth, treadless, outer surface adapted to contact a track of a vehicle;
• interposing at least one carcass layer between the inner and outer tire layers and in contact with the inner and outer tire layers, the at least one carcass layer providing tensile and impact strength to prevent crack propagation from reaching the inner tire layer of the tire assembly thereby prolonging the useful life of the tire assembly and reducing the frequency of replacement of the tire assembly, the at least one carcass layer comprising first and second outer fabric layers and a central fabric layer interposed therebetween;
• and
• separating the first fabric layer and the central fabric layer with a first elastomer layer, and separating the second fabric layer and the central fabric layer with a second elastomer layer;
• wherein the inner and outer tire layers encapsulate the carcass layer to protect it from an environment of use.