초록 ▼

A vehicle which has a pair of end rolls and an endless track guided around the end rolls is provided at its endless track with a central substantially non-stretchable region cooperating with the endless track structure to render the latter substantially rigid at the ends of the track which extend ar

A vehicle which has a pair of end rolls and an endless track guided around the end rolls is provided at its endless track with a central substantially non-stretchable region cooperating with the endless track structure to render the latter substantially rigid at the ends of the track which extend around the end rolls to prevent any slipping of the track with respect to the end rolls particularly when at least one of the end rolls is swung about an upright axis to enable the vehicle to execute a turn. On opposite sides of its central endless region the endless track has a pair of opposed lateral regions capable of automatically expanding and contracting when the vehicle executes so that the inside lateral region contracts while the outside lateral region expands during a turn, and the manner of contraction and expansion of these lateral regions of the endless track is such that together with a curving of the central non-stretchable region the endless track assumes a smooth, substantially uniform curved configuration when the vehicle executes turns.

대표청구항 ▼

In a vehicle, endless elongated track means extending longitudinally in the general direction of the travel of the vehicle for assuming at either one of a pair of opposed side regions of the endless track means a contracted condition while assuming an expanded condition at the other side region when

In a vehicle, endless elongated track means extending longitudinally in the general direction of the travel of the vehicle for assuming at either one of a pair of opposed side regions of the endless track means a contracted condition while assuming an expanded condition at the other side region when executing turns with the side region which contracts and the side region which expands being determined by the direction of turning and with said endless track means assuming in its entirely a curvature corresponding to the direction of turning of the vehicle, a pair of end roll means partially surrounded by and engaging said endless track means at opposed ends thereof for guiding said endless track means during travel of the vehicle with turns of the vehicle being brought about by turning of at least one of said end roll means about an upright axis, and length-limiting means forming part of said endless track means for limiting the arcuate lengths of those portions of said endless track means which at any given instant extend around said pair of end roll means for engaging said end roll means with portions of said endless track means which do not slip with respect to said end roll means and in effect form substantially rigid entities therewitH, said track means assuming said contracted and expanded conditions with its own inherent structure, said length-limiting means including an elongated substantially non-stretchable endless band extending centrally along and fixed to said endless track means substantially midway between said opposed side regions thereof to provide said endless track means with taut arcuate portions extending around and engaging said end roll means, said non-stretchable band being flexible in a substantially vertical plane for conforming with the remainder of said endless track means to the curvature of said end roll means, said endless track means including transversely extending elongated track elements having central portions fixed to said band which forms said length-limiting means, said transversely extending track elements each having opposed elongated edge regions extending transversely of said track means and respectively overlapping preceding and following track elements and said overlapping track elements engaging each other at opposed edge regions thereof at the arcuate portions of said track means which at any given instant extend around said pair of end roll means for contributing to the rigidity of the endless track means at its portions which extend around the end roll means.