Patent ID: 7908850

Claim:
A vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame; an operating system mounted on the vehicle and comprising a first and a second operating state; a plurality of wheels operatively connected to the vehicle; and a drive apparatus driven by a prime mover and drivingly engaged to at least one of the wheels, the drive apparatus comprising: a variable drive mechanism located within a housing; a control device comprising a first arm coupled to the variable drive mechanism to control the output thereof and a second arm comprising a bearing mounted thereon and in contact with the first arm, wherein the first arm is movable among a plurality of reverse positions and a plurality of forward positions; and an actuator assembly mounted to the first arm and selectively engaged to the bearing, wherein the actuator assembly is connected to the operating system to instruct the operating system to be in the first operating state when the first arm is moved to any of the forward positions, and the actuator assembly instructs the operating system to be in the second operating state when the first arm is moved to any of the reverse positions.