Abstract: A belt drive arrangement is provided which employs a variator to interconnect a powered drive belt and a belt driven to operate either a transaxle or a transmission of a ground-engaging vehicle. The variator is secured to a pivotally mounted support member. The support member is joined to a speed control shaft which is rotatable in response to the actuation of either a foot pedal or a handle. Rotation of the speed control shaft repositions the variator with respect to idler pulleys associated with the driven belt so as to alter the vehicle's speed. Means are provided to rotate the speed control shaft by actuation of the pedal independently of the position of said handle.

Abstract: A single pedal is employed to control the clutching and braking of a powered tractor. The mechanism involved also includes a hand-operated handle which may be manipulated independently of the actuation of the pedal to effect braking.

Abstract: A speed control assembly is provided particularly for use in controlling the position of a hydrostatic transmission. An operator controlled lever is mounted for rotation about a shaft, and a portion of the lever is mounted for linear reciprocation with respect to the shaft. The shaft includes a disc cooperating with an annular electromagnet, the electromagnet when energized acting on the disc to latch the shaft so that it cannot be moved. When the control lever portion is reciprocated with respect to the shaft, the electromagnet is de-energized and the shaft may be rotated to act through a lever assembly to control the position of a hydrostatic transmission. Electric switches are mounted responsive to the driver's seat occupancy and to application of the brakes so that if the driver's seat is vacated or the brakes are applied the electromagnet is de-energized. When the electromagnet is de-energized, springs bias the control lever to a neutral position.

Abstract: An assembly for effecting driving or braking of a rotatable working element hich tube may be operatively connected to the powered rotary shaft, and passes through a central bore in the adaptor plate and has a collar that is dimensioned so that it cannot pass through the central bore. A spring biases the adaptor plate and drive plate apart. When the adaptor plate is connected to a working element, such as a rotary lawn mower blade, and the adaptor tube and drive plate are connected to the rotary shaft, by moving the adaptor plate with respect to the drive plate and a stationary housing portion in a direction parallel to the rotary shaft, braking or clutching is provided by engagement of a friction ring with the housing portion or drive plate, respectively. The adaptor tube, actuation plate, adaptor plate, and drive plate comprise a subassembly for ease of construction and mounting.

Abstract: A belt drive arrangement is provided which employs a variator to interconnect a drive belt operated by a power source and a driven belt which operates a wheel drive of a ground-engaging vehicle. The variator is mounted on a pivotally movable arm whereby the position of the variator is selectively altered to vary the speed of the driven belt and thus the ground speed of the vehicle. A single pedal is linked via cam means to the variator-supporting arm. Depression of the pedal pivots the arm to reduce drive belt tension until the driven belt no longer is moved and additional linkage is actuated to brake the wheels of the vehicle. An idler assembly is operatively related to the driven belt and is responsive to the force exerted by the driven belt to actuate the brakes when the vehicle's power source is turned off with the variator at a high speed setting. A hand-operated parking brake also is provided to brake the vehicle independently of the variator operation and depression of the pedal.

Abstract: A pair of centrifugally movable shoes are pivotally mounted to a mower blade support. Drive bands are supported by the respective shoes and are positioned so as to be engageable with a source of rotational movement whereby such movement is translated to the blade by the bands, the shoes and the blade support. A brake band selectively engages the shoes to decelerate them thereby braking the blade. Additionally, engagement of the brake band with the shoes moves the latter in opposition to the centrifugal force applied to the shoes during rotation. This results in the drive bands being moved out of engagement with the rotational source.

Abstract: A cantilevered spring is supported proximate the transaxle of a piece of power equipment so as to be operatively related to the shift lever used to actuate the transaxle. The cantilevered portion of the spring comprises a main resilient section and an extension at its outer end which lies in a plane angularly related to that of the main section of the spring. The extension is provided with an elongated slot having a major axis which extends parallel to the plane of the spring's main section. The shift lever is received in the slot whereby actuation of the lever in a direction normal to the slot's major axis is resisted by the spring.