Steering mechanism for track vehicles

In a vehicle, a pair of end roll means extending transversely of the direction of travel of the vehicle and endless track means extending between and around said pair of end roll means to be guided thereby, said endless track means having a substantially non-stretchable central elongated endless region which is flexible and capable of assuming a curvature in accordance with turns which are executed by the vehicle when at least one of said end roll means turns about an upright axis, said endless track means having on each side of said central elongated region thereof a lateral elongated endless region for automatically contracting when said lateral region is on the inside of a curve executed by the vehicle and expanding when the lateral region is on the outside of a curve executed by the vehicle, said lateral regions of said endless track means automatically expanding and contracting while said central region assumes a curved condition to cooperate with said central region for providing said endless track means with a smooth, substantially uniform curvature substantially throughout its length when the vehicle executes turns, each lateral region of said endless track means on each side of said elongated endless central region thereof having relatively weak portions spaced uniformly along said endless track means for yielding during expansion and contraction of said lateral regions, and said relatively weak portions being separated from each other by relatively rigid portions of each lateral region which are situated between said relatively weak portions thereof.