Abstract: A seat suspension system includes a rigid support plate angled downwardly and pivoted to a supporting vehicle at the plate's forward end. A bucket seat is connected to the plate by hand screws that extend through slots in the plate to provide leg room adjustment. One end of the coil spring is adjustably attached to the seat support plate by a connector extending through a slot in the plate to provide forward and rearward adjustment, independent of the seat adjustment, thereby comfortably supporting operators of different heights and weights between about 100 and 400 pounds. A safety interlock switch prevents operation of the tractor unless an operator is in the seat, and a latch is provided to latch the seat in an inclined position when the tractor is not in use.

Abstract: The foot-operated speed control shaft for the hydrostatic transmission of a garden tractor is provided with an operating handle which is pivoted on the shaft for fore and aft movement, and is slightly flexed laterally. This flexure energizes a friction block which is secured to the handle and slides across a fixed braking surface to arrest the control shaft in any selected rotative position. The upper part of the operating handle includes a tube enclosing a spring-loaded plunger and rod. The rod has a lower end extending past the edge of a quadrant which is secured to the control shaft. According to the position of the plunger, the rod end can be either seated within a notch in the edge of the quadrant, or can be locked out of contact with the notch. Since the quadrant is attached to the control shaft, the two control systems, i.e.

Abstract: A vehicle mounted lift assembly having latch mechanisms for latching pivoted lift arms in an uplift position whereby an implement, particularly a powered rotary mower, connected to the lift arms can be automatically latched in an elevated position while other implements are being raised or lowered by the lift assembly. The latch mechanisms each include a pivotal and an axially translatable bolt having a non-circular end portion which is slidably received in a complementary non-circular opening when in an arm latching position. The bolt is manually movable to an unlatched position with the non-circular portion moved axially out of engagement with the non-circular opening, and with the bolt then being pivoted about its axis to preclude registration of the non-circular portion with the non-circular opening.