I do not think the originals were segmented; rather they were a leather belt which just had one connecting link.
In the UK I hear the segmented belting called Brammer belting. In the USA, at industrial supplies, I have heard it called Link Belt (not sure if that is a trade name, think it is.) Not sure if the Brammer belt is especially strong, but the Link Belt is rated at but a fraction of the power transmission of the same section continuous V-belt. Which make me wonder how such survives on belt drive motorcycles, thought I know folks do use it. We have found the USA industrial version to be not quite up to the task of driving the water pump and generator on Model A and B series Fords. It was forever stretching and one wonders if someday it would have been reduced to the proverbial single link wrapped around the pulleys! The Link Belt is a nylon cord reinforced rubber compound, much like a standard V-belt, and I suspect the Brammer Belt is the same.
-Doug