Patent ID: 7798939

Claim:
A drive assembly for a working vehicle having an engine that powers at least one drive wheel through a transmission drive unit, the transmission drive unit being controlled with a speed input mechanism, wherein the drive assembly has a cruise control feature used to maintain a specified vehicle speed thereby eliminating the need for constant application of pressure to the speed input mechanism in order to keep the vehicle moving at the desired rate of speed, and the drive assembly also has a parking brake feature that locks a brake input mechanism in its brake engaged position, the drive assembly comprising: a speed and direction control linkage operatively connecting the speed input mechanism with the transmission drive unit; a braking linkage operatively connected to the brake input mechanism for selectively slowing or stopping the movement of the drive wheel; and a cruise control/parking brake engagement linkage interacting with said speed and direction control linkage and said braking linkage when the speed and direction control linkage and the braking linkage are in select conditions, wherein the cruise control/parking brake engagement linkage has a single cruise control/parking brake operating lever that, upon actuation, locks the braking linkage in the brake engaged position to engage the parking brake feature when said braking linkage is in the brake engaged position and locks the speed and direction control linkage in a position corresponding to a desired speed to engage the cruise control feature when said speed and direction control linkage is in said position for the desired speed such that the cruise control/parking brake lever is the only input mechanism required to engage the parking brake and cruise control features.