Patent ID: 7458311

Claim:
A return to neutral mechanism for a dual hydrostatic transmission having first and second hydrostatic pumps with first and second trunion shafts, comprising: a first pair of return to neutral control arms mounted on an axis that is coaxial with and independent of the first trunion shaft, one of the first pair of return to neutral control arms pivoting in a first direction if the first hydrostatic pump is in forward, and the other of the first pair of return to neutral control arms pivoting in a second direction if the first hydrostatic pump is in reverse; a second pair of return to neutral control arms pivoting on an axis that is coaxial with and independent of the second trunion shaft, one of the second pair of return to neutral control arms pivoting in a first direction if the second hydrostatic pump is in forward, and the other of the second pair of return to neutral control arms pivoting in a second direction if the second hydrostatic pump is in reverse; springs biasing the return to neutral control arms toward a neutral position; and first and second switches mounted to one of the first pair of return to neutral control arms and one of the second pair of return to neutral control arms respectively, the first switch being in a first state only if the first pair of return to neutral control arms are in the neutral position, and the second switch being in a first state only if the second pair of return to neutral control arms are in the neutral position; wherein the springs extend between one of the first pair of return to neutral control arms and one of the second pair of return to neutral control arms.