Patent ID: 7114333

Claim:
An axle driving apparatus comprising: a housing; a fluid sump formed by said housing; a hydraulic pump disposed within said housing; a hydraulic motor fluidly connected to said hydraulic pump through a closed fluid circuit so as to drive an axle; a bypass mechanism for selecting whether said closed fluid circuit is opened to said fluid sump or isolated from said fluid sump; a rotary shaft rotatably supported by said housing, said rotary shaft including an inner end disposed within said housing and an outer end disposed outside of said housing, wherein said rotary shaft is operatively connected at said inner end thereof to said bypass mechanism; an arm provided on said outer end of said rotary shaft, wherein said arm is rotated around a center axis of said rotary shaft so as to be shifted between an open position for opening said closed fluid circuit to said fluid sump and a closed position for isolating said closed fluid circuit from said fluid sump; a first projection provided on an outer surface of said housing, wherein said first projection cooperates with said arm so as to retain said arm disposed at either said open position or said closed position; and a second projection on said arm that contacts said first projection on said housing, wherein said second projection prevents said first projection form being shifted beyond one of said open position and said closed position.