Abstract: A combination of a belt fastener having upper and lower plates joined by arcuate hinge loops and staples preassembled in apertures formed in the upper plates is provided with the staples cooperating with the plates to capture an end of a belt between the plates. The edges of the apertures provide the staples with vertically spaced areas of interference fit with the combination of the preassembled staples and fasteners being effective to reduce the time required to install these plate-type fasteners on bell ends while also holding the staples in an upright, pre-set position against forces that would otherwise cause the staple to slide against the aperture edges until a sufficient driving force is applied for driving the legs through belt material to attach the fastener on a belt end.

Abstract: A vibration absorbing track wheel having one or more different natural frequencies. The wheel body has a wheel flange with one or more resonance absorbers on the wheel flange. Each resonance absorber comprises at least two tongues and an intermediate layer of damping material between each of the two adjacent tongues, and each tongue is turned to a different natural frequency of the wheel.