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 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 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.