Track laying toy vehicle

A motorized toy vehicle comprising:

• a. a chassis;
• b. spaced first and second movable support means attached to said chassis and supporting same for movement thereof on a supporting surface;
• c. a reversible drive motor mounted on said chassis;
• d. means for energizing said motor;
• e. drive means drivingly connecting said motor to said first and second support means and individually disengageable therefrom to alternatively operate said vehicle in a first mode wherein said motor is drivingly connected to only said first support means, a second mode wherein said motor is drivingly connected to only said second support means, or a third mode wherein said motor is drivingly connected to both said first and second support means;
• f. switch means on said vehicle operable for controlling the energization of said motor to effect forward and reverse movement of said vehicle;
• g. a control member mounted on the exterior of said vehicle for manual manipulation thereof by an operator, said control member being movable forwardly and rearwardly with respect to said chassis to actuate said switch means for corresponding forward and reverse movement of said vehicle and also being axially rotatable toward various desired directions of vehicular travel;
• and
• h. linkage means on said vehicle interconnecting said control member to said drive means for shifting same between said first, second, and third modes in response to axial rotation of said control member so that when said drive motor is energized for forward movement of said vehicle, the direction of travel of said vehicle is controllable by rotating said control member toward the desired direction of vehicular travel.