Seat actuated fluid drive neutralizing arrangement

Claim 1

In a vehicle of the type having an operator's seat movable between a raised unoccupied position and a lowered occupied position, an engine, a wheel drive line, and a fluid drive arrangement shiftable to forward, neutral and reverse drive conditions and including an overcenter variable displacement fluid pump driven by the engine and a fluid motor drivingly connected to the drive line, an auxiliary source of pressurized fluid, and hydraulic actuator means operatively connected to the fluid pump for establishing the forward and reverse drive conditions when actuating fluid from the auxiliary source of fluid is directed thereto and for establishing the neutral position when the flow of actuating fluid thereto is blocked, wherein the improvement comprises: solenoid operated valve means disposed between the auxiliary source of fluid and the hydraulic actuator means and having an energized fluid supplying position for directing actuating fluid from the auxiliary source of fluid to the hydraulic actuator means and a de-energized fluid blocking position for blocking pressurized fluid from the hydraulic actuator means; a source of electrical energy; a conductor connecting the source of electrical energy to the solenoid operated valve means; and an electrical switch disposed within the cnductor and having a closed position for completing an electrical circuit to energize the solenoid operated valve means and an open position for de-energizing the solenoid valve, the electrical switch being disposed beneath the operator's seat in a position to be engaged by the seat and actuated to its closed position when the seat is moved to the lowered occupied position and is actuated to its open position when the seat is moved to the raised unoccupied position.