Abstract: An expandable cup holder for a golf cart includes a support member forming a substantially planar top surface for the cup holder. The support member is fastened to a vehicle with the support member top surface oriented substantially horizontal. The top surface forms a top aperture large enough to receive a plurality of cup sizes. A plurality of flexible fingers are spaced apart from each other around the perimeter of the aperture. The fingers extend conically downwardly toward each other below the top surface, to form a slotted, frustum-shaped member that flexibly contacts and frictionally retains a plurality of cup sizes therein. Front and side walls on the support member surround and support the frustum-shaped member. The front wall includes apertures for retaining golf tees.

Abstract: A carrier member for carrying the drive train components of a small, off-road, gasoline-powered vehicle. The carrier is a sheet metal structure having a base panel for carrying a small engine, a rear panel for carrying a transaxle that includes axle shafts extending to the rear drive wheels, and a front panel for receiving a front mount adapted to engage the vehicle frame at a transverse frame cross member. The carrier and associated drive train components constitute a unitized drive train assembly that is suspended from the frame by a pair of leaf springs or a pair of coil springs. Optionally, a torsion bar can be provided to minimize roll of the vehicle during turns. One embodiment of the suspension system includes a Watts link arrangement for minimizing side-to-side movement of the drive train assembly, and a ball-type front mount for connection of the drive train assembly with the vehicle frame in a manner to minimize transfer to the frame of vibrations and torque from the drive train assembly.

Abstract: A towing arrangement for towing vehicles, such as golf cars. A pivotable, elongated towing bar is carried at the rear of a vehicle for pivotable movement about a horizontal pivot axis between an outwardly extending, towing position, and a retracted, upwardly extending, storage position. A towing bar gripper is attached to the car adjacent the rear end for releasably gripping the towing bar in the storage position. The gripper is formed by a resilient, generally U-shaped frame having a pair of opposed, spaced apart arms that form a slot into which a gripper bar is frictionally inserted and retained.

Abstract: A cam for axially shifting the pulley faces of a variable width, torque sensing V-belt pulley in a variable speed, belt-type transmission system. The cam includes a plurality of cam lobes that extend in an axial direction at a predetermined radial distance from the pulley axis. Each cam lobe is triangular and is symmetrical about a cam lobe axis that is parallel with the pulley axis, and each cam lobe includes two cam surfaces that engage with respective cam followers to change the pulley face spacing as the load on the belt changes. The cam surfaces are convex and are in the form of circular arcs. The transmission system incorporating the cam structure is particularly suitable for vehicular use, and it provides improved performance by reducing engine overspeed upon initial acceleration and provides a smoother backshift when climbing hills.

Abstract: A pencil holder and accompanying score card entry panel assembly is provided for mounting on the steering wheel of a golf cart. Pencils of various sizes and constructions are held by the pencil holder in a readily accessable position for manual retrieval and use by means of a resilient o-ring, which resiliently and frictionally grasps the pencil body. The pencil holder and an accompanying golf scorecard holder writing surface panel mate to form a clip-in assembly on a golf cart steering wheel assembly. The pencils are guided into the o-ring by means of grooves extending on either side to accomodate right or left handed users. A hooded cover extending over the grooves and the groove entry path protects the pencil point extending from the o-ring so that it does not get inadvertently damaged during storage, withdrawal or use of the cart and steering wheel.

Abstract: A vent valve for use with a liquid-containing tank, particularly a gasoline tank carried by a vehicle that customarily travels over hilly terrain. The valve includes a cylindrical housing, within which a check ball and a float ball are each positioned for limited movement within the housing. The check ball and float ball are adapted to be in contact with each other, and the check ball is movable toward and away from a vent aperture provided at the top of the housing. A plurality of guide ribs are provided interiorly of the housing to confine the movement of the check ball to axial movement toward and away from the vent aperture. The check ball is preferably made from a material that has a specific gravity that is substantially greater than that of the liquid contained in the tank, and the float ball is preferably made from a material and is constructed such that is has a specific gravity substantially less than that of the liquid in the tank.

Abstract: An engine-drive train subassembly for a golf cart has a generally triangular engine mounting subframe with the engine cantilevered about the rear axles and with a single position front engine mount at the apex of the triangle mounted to permit the rear axles to rotate relative to the cart body, thereby permitting the cart to travel over rough terrain without tilting the cart body. A rubberlike flexible grommet surrounds a pivotable front mount member. This grommet simply rests on a cart frame member in a boltless coupling, and thereby permits movement of the engine frame when the flexible grommet is elastically distorted including a pivoting action caused when one of the rear wheels enters a rut, etc. The rear engine mount is coupled to the cart frame by a pair of springs mounted to the axles adjacent the rear drive wheels. The engine is cantilevered about the rear axles and partly extends therebelow for a low center of gravity.

Abstract: An air intake assembly for a golf cart engine provides an air inlet port in a passenger compartment shielded from road dust for introducing clean air for combustion into the carburetor located in the rear mount engine compartment, as connected by flexible air flow tubing. A special choke mechanism located in the passenger compartment eliminates the need for a butterfly valve in the carburetor and the need for a choke cable extending between the two compartments. Thus, choking is achieved by manually operating a biased open valve in the form of a cover cap on the air inlet port to restrict air inlet flow at a convenient location in the passenger compartment, rather than by a complex and critical butterfly assembly in the carburetor connected by a cable to a driver accessible location. The air inlet mount includes an intake air tuned silencer to remove audio frequency intake noises.

Abstract: Windshields are mounted on rod frameworks from the front by means of an extruded resilient plastic member defining two perpendicularly disposed U-shaped cavities respectively for frictionally engaging and holding the windshield edge and the framework rods.To retain the windshield on the vehicle against accidental dislodging by a blow etc., a retainer in the vehicle cowling at the bottom of the windshield in the form of a removable clip is provided. A canopy top is mounted on the framework with an overlying rim that similarly retains the top edge of the windshield.