Abstract: A hydrostatic pump assembly having a casing which encloses a pumping mechanism, and including a housing, and an endcap attached to the housing. The endcap has at least one lateral exterior surface, and a first system fluid passage having a pair of system ports located in the endcap lateral exterior surface, and a second system fluid passage having a pair of system ports located in the endcap lateral exterior surface, each of the first and second system fluid passages being in fluid communication with the pumping mechanism. In one embodiment, the pair of system ports of the first system fluid passage are located opposite each other in the endcap lateral exterior surface. The pair of system ports of the second system fluid passage may also be located opposite each other in the endcap lateral exterior surface.

Abstract: A powertrain module for a zero turn radius vehicle, such as a tractor or mower, the powertrain module generally including a structural member or mounting plate to which an engine, a pair of hydrostatic transmission modules, and a pair of axle drive units are attached to form a self-contained powertrain module which may be shipped as a single packaged unit for installation into the zero turn radius implement. The mounting plate provides structural rigidity between the powertrain components attached thereto, and the mounting plate of the powertrain module may be attached directly to the frame of the vehicle, or alternatively, may itself serve as a structural frame member for the vehicle.

Abstract: A hydrostatic transaxle including first and second hydrostatic transmission modules and an axle drive housing. Each module includes a transmission housing, a rotating fluid pump and a rotatable fluid motor with the pump being of variable displacement and the motor being rotated at various speeds and in forward and reverse directions in response to changes in pump displacement. The axle drive housing contains first and second gear trains and a pair of axles. One of the axles is operably coupled to the first transmission module motor through the first gear train, and the other of the axles is operably coupled to the second transmission module motor through the second gear train. Each of the hydrostatic transmission module housings is detachably fixed to the axle drive housing.

Abstract: A walk-behind string trimmer including a frame, an engine mounted on the frame, a rotary cutter carried by the frame and selectively engaged with the engine, a pair of ground engaging wheels, a transmission mounted by the frame and engaged with the engine, and a steering mechanism. The transmission has an output shaft and the steering mechanism includes a ratchet member driven by the output shaft, wherein the ground engaging wheels are selectively drivingly coupled to the transmission through the ratchet member.

Abstract: A hydrostatic transmission including a variable displacement pump including an input shaft and a pump cylinder barrel rotatably coupled to the input shaft, the pump cylinder barrel having a plurality of cylinder chambers arranged in parallel with other and distributed about the input shaft axis of rotation. Each cylinder chamber has a reciprocating piston therein which bears against a pivotable swashplate, the displacement of the pump being varied in response to changes in the position of the swashplate. A gerotor motor is attached to the pump and has an output shaft. The motor includes an engaged pair of inner and outer members, the outer member being eccentric relative to the inner member. The inner member is rotatably driven relative to the outer member by fluid received between the inner and outer members from the pump, the inner member being drivingly connected to the output shaft.

Abstract: A powertrain module for a zero turn radius vehicle, such as a tractor or mower, the powertrain module generally including a structural member or mounting plate to which an engine, a pair of hydrostatic transmission modules, and a pair of axle drive units are attached to form a self-contained powertrain module which may be shipped as a single packaged unit for installation into the zero turn radius implement. The mounting plate provides structural rigidity between the powertrain components attached thereto, and the mounting plate of the powertrain module may be attached directly to the frame of the vehicle, or alternatively, may itself serve as a structural frame member for the vehicle.

Abstract: A hydrostatic transaxle including first and second hydrostatic transmission modules and an axle drive housing. Each module includes a transmission housing, a rotating fluid pump and a rotatable fluid motor with the pump being of variable displacement and the motor being rotated at various speeds and in forward and reverse directions in response to changes in pump displacement. The axle drive housing contains first and second gear trains and a pair of axles. One of the axles is operably coupled to the first transmission module motor through the first gear train, and the other of the axles is operably coupled to the second transmission module motor through the second gear train. Each of the hydrostatic transmission module housings is detachably fixed to the axle drive housing.

Abstract: A hydrostatic transaxle having a hydrostatic transmission module including a transmission housing, a rotating fluid pump and a rotatable fluid motor, the pump being of variable displacement, the motor being rotated at various speeds and in forward and reverse directions in response to changes in pump displacement; an axle drive unit including a housing and a speed reduction gear train having an input and an output disposed in the axle drive housing, the motor being operably coupled to the gear train input; a differential assembly having a rotating casing, the rotating casing being external to the transmission housing and axle drive unit housing; and a pair of axles extending from the differential assembly casing.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an implement, including providing a first group of engine types and a second group of transmission types at a common, first manufacturing facility, selecting a desired module configuration, selecting a desired engine from the first group, a desired transmission from the second group, connecting the selected engine and transmission together in the desired module configuration to provide a base of the implement, transporting the base to a second facility, providing a working device at the second facility, and connecting the working device to the base of the implement at the second facility.

Abstract: A mulching rotary lawn mower that cuts and returns grass clippings to a lawn wherein the proportion of grass clippings that are finely cut by the rotating cutter blade can be selectively increased or decreased by provision of a collection chamber at the rear of the housing containing the rotating cutter blade, the collection chamber having a mulcher plate with a plurality of openings which can be pivoted from a substantially vertical position wherein the plate is tangential to the circle described by the cutting tips of the blade or moved rearwardly about a 45.degree. angle, thus effectively enlarging the collection chamber while closing the openings therein, so that a greater proportion of the grass clippings cut by the blade are received in the collection chamber, but which clippings, on the average, have been cut a lesser number of times and therefore are coarser than when the plate is in the vertical position. The position of the mulching plate is controlled by a handle readily available to the operator.

Abstract: A walk-behind power driven lawn mower having a transverse handlebar rearwardly of the mower, a pair of hand operated control levers located forwardly of and adjacent to the handlebar and extending generally parallel thereto for establishing the drive and applying the brakes to a pair of driven wheels of the lawn mower. A park brake lever is mounted between said control levers for simultaneously applying the brakes to the driven wheels through a connection between the park brake lever and the control levers. A releasable latch mechanism releasably holds the park brake lever in the braking position. Another control lever in the form of a bail is mounted to be pivoted rearwardly relative to the handlebar for engaging idler pulleys when the transmission is shifted to provide reverse movement. Each drive to the wheels includes a drive pulley and belt and another idler pulley for engaging the belt to establish drive when the transmission is shifted for forward movement.

Abstract: A bearing assembly housing having at least one pair of spaced-apart bearing races surrounding a heavy duty drive shaft of a commercial lawn mower is provided with a critically located single grease fitting for introducing a lubricant to the housing to thereby allow the lubricant to enter at the top of the upper bearing race and migrate by force of gravity to the lowermost bearing race, thereby insuring sufficient lubrication of all the bearings in the housing.