Patent attributes
An integrated assembly useful for controlling a variable speed drive having a housing and a control shaft projecting therefrom. The control assembly consists of a control arm fixed on the control shaft to effect its rotation; a return to neutral mechanism disposed about the control shaft to bias the control shaft to a neutral position; and a rotary, viscous fluid damper integrated with the return to neutral mechanism, the damper having a rotor engaged to the control shaft and a stator fixed to the housing of the variable speed drive to moderate, or slow the rotational movement of the control shaft under the influence of inputs from the control arm and the return to neutral mechanism. The neutral arm of the return to neutral mechanism is integrally formed with the external case of the rotary, viscous fluid damper, creating a compact control mechanism.