Granted Patent B2

US 7,051,641 · App. 10/896,802 · Granted May 30, 2006

Abstract

Claims (8)

1. A control arm assembly for pivoting a control shaft of a drive element, the drive element having a centered shaft position, and the control arm being controlled externally of the drive element and urged to an arm centered position, the control arm assembly having a first arm portion fixed to the control shaft, and a second arm portion moveably mounted relative to the first arm portion and fixable in position relative to the first arm portion, the second arm portion being moveable shifts an outer end of the second arm portion relative to a radial reference line extending from a pivot axis of the control shaft, wherein the second arm portion comprises a first arm plate mounted on the control shaft, and a second arm plate fixedly mounted over the first arm plate, the second arm plate having at least one flange depending therefrom and aligned with and spaced from a side surface of the first arm portion, an adjustment screw passes through an opening in the flange and threading into a bore in the side surface of the first arm portion.

2. The control arm assembly of claim 1 and the adjustment screw that threadably adjusts a relative position between the first and second arm portions.

3. The control arm assembly of claim 2 and further comprising an external control link connected to an end of the second arm portion.

4. The control arm assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second arm portion is mounted over an outer end of the control shaft, and is movable about a central axis of the control shaft, and an adjustment slot on the second arm portion, a clamp screw, a threaded bore in the first arm portion aligned with the adjustment slot for receiving the clamp screw, the clamp screw passing through the adjustment slot and being threadable into the aligned threaded bore in the first arm portion to clamp the second arm portion relative to the first arm portion.

5. The control arm of claim 4 , wherein said first and second arm plates forming the arm portions have generally planar mating surfaces that clamp together.

6. A centering system for a hydrostatic drive on a vehicle, said hydrostatic drive having a controllable output that is controlled in response to a position of a rotatable trunion shaft, the output comprising a drive to propel the vehicle, a steering link for controlling movement of the trunion shaft to control the direction and speed of the output, an arm assembly mounted on the trunion shaft and extending outwardly therefrom, said arm assembly comprising a first arm portion and a second arm portion, the first arm portion being connected to drive the trunion shaft, the second arm portion being mounted on the first arm portion and moveable relative to the first arm portion about a central axis of the trunion shaft, the first and second arm portions being releasably clampable together, said steering link connected to an outer end of the second arm portion, an adjustment screw coupled between the first and second arm portions for adjusting the relative positions between the first and second arm portions such that when the outer end of the second arm portion is held in a reference position by the steering link, and the adjustment screw is rotated, the first arm portion is moved relative to the second arm portion to move the trunion shaft to a desired position, and a clamp screw separate from the adjustment screw, passing through a slot in the second arm portion, which overlies the second arm portion, the clamp screw being threaded into a bore in the first arm portion, and being releasable to permit the first and second arm portions to move relative to each other and threadable to clamp the first and second arm portions together.

7. The centering system of claim 6 , wherein the second arm portion has a flange that overlaps a side of the first arm portion and said adjustment screw comprises a screw rotatably coupled to the flange and threadable into an adjustment bore in a side surface of the first arm portion, to adjust the relative positions of the arm portions.

8. A centering system for a hydrostatic drive on a vehicle, said hydrostatic drive having a controllable output that is controlled in response to a position of a rotatable trunion shaft, a link for controlling movement of the trunion shaft, an arm assembly mounted on the trunion shaft and extending outwardly therefrom, said arm assembly comprising a first arm portion and a second arm portion, the first arm portion being connected to drive the trunion shaft, the second arm portion being mounted on the first arm portion and moveable relative to the first arm portion about a central axis of the trunion shaft, the first and second arm portions being releasably clampable together, said link being connected to an outer end of the second arm portion, and an adjustment screw for adjusting the relative positions between the first and second arm portions such that when the outer end of the second arm portion is held in a reference position by the link, and the adjustment screw is rotated, the first arm portion is moved relative to the second arm portion to move the trunion shaft to a desired position, said adjustment screw comprising a screw threadable into a bore in a side surface of the first arm portion, said adjustment screw having a fixed radial collar spaced from a head of the adjustment screw to form an annular slot adjacent the head of the adjustment screw, flange on the second arm portion that overlaps and aligns with the bore in the side surface of the first arm portion, the flange having a slot that fits over the adjustment screw with surfaces of the flange in the slot on the adjustment screw so that the adjustment screw moves the flange when the adjustment screw is rotated in either one of two directions of rotation.

Assignments (16)