Abstract: A transaxle driving apparatus for a small-sized vehicle such as a grass-mowing lawn tractor, formed from a two-piece housing to encapsulate a hydrostatic transmission with associated reduction gearing and mechanical differential member. One housing element is provided with a vertical input shaft which is drivingly engaged to the hydraulic pump of the hydrostatic transmission by means of bevel gearing. A hydraulic motor of the hydrostatic transmission is provided with a motor shaft, a speed reduction shaft, and a differential gear unit attached to the axle shafts, all shafts other than the input shaft being disposed horizontally along the plane containing the longitudinal axis of the transaxle for economy and compactness.

Abstract: The present invention is a neutral shifting mechanism for a hydrostatic transmission. A motor track ring has a groove and cam slot for receiving a control rod of the transmission, with the control rod having a cam portion for engaging the cam slot to lock the track ring in a position concentric with the pintle of the hydraulic motor, i.e. a neutral position. In the normal position, the cam portion positions the track ring eccentrically, allowing a speed control shaft to shift the hydrostatic transmission by pivoting the pump track ring about the control rod.