Driving apparatus for speed changing and steering of a vehicle

A riding lawn mower, comprising:

• a vehicle chassis;
• a seat supported by said vehicle chassis;
• a prime mover supported by said vehicle chassis;
• a mower unit supported by said vehicle chassis and driven by said prime mover;
• a caster supported by one of front and rear portions of said vehicle chassis;
• a pair of drive wheels supported by the other of said front and rear portions of said vehicle chassis;
• a steering means disposed in front of said seat;
• a speed controlling means;
• and
• a pair of first and second transmissions supported by said vehicle chassis and drivingly connected to said prime mover,
• wherein said first transmission drives said pair of drive wheels forwardly and backwardly at various speeds according to said speed controlling means, and
• wherein said second transmission changes speeds of said drive wheels differentially relative to one another according to operation of said steering means.

A riding lawn mower, comprising:

• a vehicle chassis;
• a seat supported by said vehicle chassis;
• a prime mover supported by one of front and rear portions of said vehicle chassis;
• a mower unit supported by said vehicle chassis and driven by said prime mover;
• a caster supported by either a front portion or a rear portion of said vehicle chassis;
• a pair of drive wheels supported by either a front portion or a rear portion of said vehicle chassis, said pair of drive wheels being nearer to said prime mover than said caster;
• a steering means disposed in front of said seat;
• a speed controlling means;
• and
• a transmission supported by said vehicle chassis and drivingly connected to said prime mover,
• wherein said transmission is constructed such that said pair of drive wheels can be driven forwardly and backwardly at various speeds according to operation of said speed controlling means, and that speeds of said drive wheels can be differentially changed relative to one another according to operation of said steering means.

A riding lawn mower, comprising:

• a vehicle chassis;
• a seat supported by said vehicle chassis;
• a prime mover supported by a rear portion of said vehicle chassis;
• a mower unit supported by said vehicle chassis and driven by said prime mover;
• a caster supported by said vehicle chassis;
• a pair of drive wheels supported by said vehicle chassis, said pair of drive wheels being nearer to said prime mover than said caster;
• a steering means disposed in front of said seat;
• a speed controlling means;
• and
• a transmission supported by said vehicle chassis and drivingly connected to said prime mover,
• wherein said transmission is constructed such that said pair of drive wheels can be driven forwardly and backwardly at various speeds according to operation of said speed controlling means, and that speeds of said drive wheels can be differentially changed relative to one another according to operation of said steering means.

A riding lawn mower, comprising:

• a vehicle chassis;
• a seat supported by said vehicle chassis;
• a prime mover supported by said vehicle chassis;
• a mower unit supported by said vehicle chassis and driven by said prime mover;
• a caster supported by one of front and rear portions of said vehicle chassis;
• a pair of drive wheels supported by the other of said front and rear portions of said vehicle chassis;
• a steering means disposed in front of said seat;
• a speed controlling means;
• and
• a pair of first and second hydrostatic stepless transmissions supported by said vehicle chassis and drivingly connected to said prime mover,
• wherein said first hydrostatic stepless transmission changes speeds of said drive wheels differentially relative to one another according to operation of said steering means so as to drive said pair of drive wheels differentially, and
• wherein said second hydrostatic stepless transmission changes speed of said drive wheels so as to drive said pair of drive wheels at the same speed and in the same direction.

A riding lawn mower, comprising:

• a vehicle chassis;
• a seat supported by said vehicle chassis;
• a prime mover supported by said vehicle chassis;
• a mower unit supported by said vehicle chassis and driven by said prime mover;
• a caster supported by one of front and rear portions of said vehicle chassis;
• a pair of drive wheels supported by the other of said front and rear portions of said vehicle chassis;
• a steering wheel disposed in front of said seat;
• a speed controlling means;
• and
• a transmission supported by said vehicle chassis and drivingly connected to said prime mover,
• wherein said transmission is constructed such that said pair of drive wheels can be driven forwardly and backwardly at various speeds according to operation of said speed controlling means, and that speeds of said drive wheels can be differentially changed relative to one another according to operation of said steering means.