Patent ID: 8327639

Claim:
A drive apparatus comprising: a housing forming a cavity; a primary input shaft driven by a prime mover and extending into the cavity of the housing, the primary input shaft having a first axis of rotation; a first gear disposed on and driven by the primary input shaft; at least one transmission input shaft having a second gear disposed thereon and engaged with the first gear such that the at least one transmission input shaft is driven by the primary input shaft, and the at least one transmission input shaft has a second axis of rotation perpendicular to the first axis of rotation; and a pair of independent transmissions driven by the primary input shaft and capable of providing independent rotational outputs, each independent transmission comprising: a first rotatable transmission element disposed in the cavity and on the second axis of rotation; a second rotatable transmission element driven by the first rotatable transmission element and having a third axis of rotation parallel to the second axis of rotation; a control mechanism capable of continuously varying the transfer of rotational speed from the first rotatable transmission element to the second rotatable transmission element; and an output shaft driven at least in part by the second rotatable transmission element and disposed on the third axis of rotation.