Control assembly for drive system

A variable speed drive device, comprising:

• a transmission disposed in a housing and comprising a rotatable cylinder block, a swash plate for controlling the output of the rotatable cylinder block and a control shaft engaged to the swash plate and extending from the housing, wherein rotation of the control shaft moves the transmission between a neutral position and a plurality of drive positions;
• a control arm disposed external to the housing and engaged to the control shaft to move the transmission among the neutral position and the plurality of drive positions;
• a plate having a first surface and second surface opposite the first surface, wherein at least a portion of the first surface is secured to an external surface of the housing so that the plate does not rotate with respect to the housing, wherein the control shaft extends through an opening in the plate without engaging the plate;
• a stator fixed to the second surface of the plate in a non-rotatable manner, wherein the control shaft extends through an opening in the stator without engaging the stator, the stator further comprising a first plurality of frictional rings formed thereon;
• a rotor fixed to and rotatable with the control shaft, the rotor comprising a second plurality of frictional rings engaged to the first plurality of frictional rings;
• and
• a return to neutral mechanism engaged to the control shaft to provide a return force to return the control shaft to the neutral position when the control shaft is moved to one of the plurality of drive positions.

A method of assembling a control assembly for a variable speed drive having a control shaft projecting from a drive housing, the method comprising:

• separately assembling a damper cover to a backing plate to form a damper subassembly, the damper subassembly further comprising a damper stator having a first rotatable damper element therein and a damper rotor having a second rotatable damper element therein;
• separately assembling a bi-directional scissor return subassembly comprising a pair of scissor return arms, each scissor return arm rotatable about a common point and having a separate contact surface, and a return spring connecting the pair of scissor return arms;
• connecting the damper subassembly to the drive housing;
• connecting a control arm to the control shaft adjacent the damper subassembly;
• and
• connecting the bi-directional scissor return subassembly to the control shaft, whereby the control arm is disposed between the damper subassembly and the bi-directional scissor return subassembly.