Patent ID: 7290459

Claim:
A transmission for a dune buggy comprising a transaxle adapted to be attached to two drive wheels of the dune buggy; a transmission gear assembly mounted rotatably around the transaxle, adapted to be rotated by a motor of the dune buggy and having an outer gear mounted rotatably around the transaxle; and an inner gear connecting securely to and rotated by the outer gear and mounted rotatably around the transaxle; a casing mounted around the transaxle and having a first opening; and a second opening; a forward bevel gear mounted rotatably around the transaxle in the casing near the first opening and having an inner end; a gear end; an outer extension protruding from the first opening in the casing and connecting to and rotated by the inner gear of the transmission gear assembly; and a recessed forward drive gear formed in the inner end of the forward bevel gear; a reverse bevel gear mounted rotatably around the transaxle in the casing near the second opening, being a counterrotating gear to the forward bevel gear and having an inner end; a gear end; and a recessed reverse drive gear formed in the inner end of the reverse bevel gear; a counterrotation bevel gear mounted rotatably in the casing and meshing with the gear ends of the forward and reverse bevel gears; a sleeve mounted on the transaxle in the casing, sliding longitudinally on the transaxle, selectively engaging one of the recessed forward drive gear and the recessed reverse drive gear and having an inner surface; an outer surface; a forward end; a reverse end; a forward gear formed on the forward end of the sleeve and selectively engaging the recessed forward drive gear of the forward bevel gear to drive the transaxle in a forward direction; and a reverse gear formed on the reverse end of the sleeve and selectively engaging the recessed reverse drive gear of the reverse bevel gear to drive the transaxle in a reverse direction; and a gear shifting lever assembly connecting to and pushing the sleeve to move and protruding from the casing.