Abstract: A clutch/brake assembly for a vehicle, such as a lawn tractor, includes left and right drums rotatable with left and right drive axles of the vehicle. The assembly is responsive to vehicle steering input to resist rotation of one drum and, thereby, to slow the drive wheel associated with the one drum. Further steering input provides braking capabilities. The assembly has no differential action. The housing for the assembly is a split housing having a plurality of bearing supports aligned along transverse axes. On each one of the split housing pieces, all the bearing support surfaces are finished simultaneously with one punching operation.

Abstract: A vehicle drive assembly includes a directional control transmission assembly and a variable speed drive assembly. A transmission drive belt extends between the variable speed drive assembly and the directional control transmission assembly to transmit force from the variable speed drive assembly to the transmission assembly when the transmission assembly is in a forward drive condition and when the transmission assembly is in a reverse drive condition. A main drive belt extends between the variable speed drive assembly and a source of power to transmit force to the variable speed drive assembly. The drive assembly includes a linkage assembly operable to move the variable speed drive assembly toward the directional control transmission assembly to change the variable speed drive assembly from a first condition in which the directional control transmission assembly is driven at a relatively low speed and a second condition in which the directional control transmission assembly is driven at a high speed.

Abstract: A variable speed pulley assembly (10) for use with a drive belt (30) having a V-shaped cross-sectional configuration for transmitting driving force to the pulley assembly and a driven belt (32) having a V-shaped cross-sectional configuration for transmitting force driving force from the pulley assembly. The pulley assembly (10) includes a plurality of pulley halves (90-98) which are welded to a constant diameter portion (62) of a shaft (50). The shaft (50) rotates about its axis (44) to enable the pulley halves (90-98) to rotate. A sleeve (120) on the constant diameter portion (62) of the shaft (50) is movable axially in opposite directions along the shaft. The center pulley (94) is fixed for rotation with the sleeve (120). The first ratio of the length of the sleeve (120) to its diameter is at least 1 to 1. The ratio of the outer diameter of the drive belt (30) on its pulley, to the first ratio, is preferably less than 4 to 1.