Patent ID: 7891447

Claim:
A vehicle with a track mechanism and independently operated wheels, comprising: a main frame structure; a track assembly that includes a center track drive wheel mounted with respect to the main frame structure and an endless center track that extends in a vehicle driving direction; a pair of driving wheels mounted on opposing lateral sides of the track assembly in flanking relation, each of the driving wheels including a ground engaging traction surface spaced laterally from the endless center track and oriented generally in the vehicle driving direction; two independently operated motors attached with the main frame structure, each motor arranged to supply power to only one corresponding driving wheel; a differential gear set operatively connected to each of the two motors and to the center track drive wheel, the differential gear set including gears that are formed to drive the center track drive wheel in the vehicle driving direction when both motors are concurrently operated to drive the pair of driving wheels in the vehicle driving direction; and wherein the differential gear set is further formed to impart a driving force to each of the driving wheels that is greater than a driving force imparted to the center track drive wheel when each of the motors are operating to drive the pair of driving wheels in opposing directions, thereby causing the vehicle to turn.