Exhibit 10(f)



                              INVACARE CORPORATION





                             Note Purchase Agreement






                          DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 27, 1998









          $80,000,000 6.71% SERIES A SENIOR NOTES DUE FEBRUARY 27, 2008
          $20,000,000 6.60% SERIES B SENIOR NOTES DUE FEBRUARY 27, 2005


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                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                            PAGE

1.       AUTHORIZATION OF NOTES..............................................  1

2.       SALE AND PURCHASE OF NOTES..........................................  2

3.       CLOSING.............................................................  2

4.       CONDITIONS TO CLOSING...............................................  2
         4.1      Representations and Warranties.............................  2
         4.2      Performance; No Default....................................  2
         4.3      Compliance Certificates....................................  3
         4.4      Opinions of Counsel........................................  3
         4.5      Purchase Permitted By Applicable Law, etc..................  3
         4.6      Sale of Other Notes........................................  4
         4.7      Payment of Special Counsel Fees............................  4
         4.8      Private Placement Numbers..................................  4
         4.9      Changes in Structure.......................................  4
         4.10     Proceedings and Documents..................................  4

5.       REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.......................  4
         5.1      Organization; Power and Authority..........................  4
         5.2      Authorization, etc.........................................  5
         5.3      Disclosure.................................................  5
         5.4      Organization and Ownership of Shares of Subsidiaries;
                    Affiliates...............................................  6
         5.5      Financial Statements.......................................  6
         5.6      Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, etc...............  7
         5.7      Governmental Authorizations, etc...........................  7
         5.8      Litigation; Observance of Agreements, Statutes and Orders..  7
         5.9      Taxes......................................................  8
         5.10     Title to Property; Leases..................................  8
         5.11     Licenses, Permits, etc.....................................  8
         5.12     Pension Plans..............................................  9
         5.13     Private Offering by the Company............................ 10
         5.14     Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations........................ 10
         5.15     Existing Debt; Future Liens................................ 10
         5.16     Foreign Assets Control Regulations, etc.................... 11
         5.17     Status under Certain Statutes.............................. 11
         5.18     Environmental Matters...................................... 11

6.       REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PURCHASER.................................... 12
         6.1      Purchase for Investment.................................... 12
         6.2      Source of Funds............................................ 12

7.       INFORMATION AS TO COMPANY........................................... 13
         7.1      Financial and Business Information......................... 13
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                           TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont.)

         7.2      Officer's Certificate...................................... 16
         7.3      Inspection................................................. 16

8.       PREPAYMENT OF THE NOTES............................................. 17
         8.1      Required Prepayments....................................... 17
         8.2      Optional Prepayments of Notes with Make-Whole Amount....... 17
         8.3      Allocation of Note Partial Prepayments..................... 18
         8.4      Notes; Maturity; Surrender, etc............................ 18
         8.5      Purchase of Notes.......................................... 19
         8.6      Offer to Prepay upon Change in Control, etc................ 19
         8.7      Make-Whole Amount.......................................... 21

9.       INTEREST ON THE NOTES............................................... 22
         9.1      Series A Notes............................................. 22
         9.2      Series B Notes............................................. 22

10.      AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS............................................... 22
         10.1     Compliance with Law........................................ 23
         10.2     Insurance.................................................. 23
         10.3     Maintenance of Properties.................................. 23
         10.4     Payment of Taxes and Claims................................ 23
         10.5     Corporate Existence, etc................................... 24
         10.6     Pari Passu Obligations..................................... 24

11.      NEGATIVE COVENANTS.................................................. 24
         11.1     Transactions with Affiliates............................... 24
         11.2     Merger, Consolidation, etc................................. 24
         11.3     Maximum Amount of Consolidated Debt........................ 25
         11.4     Incurrence of Priority Debt................................ 26
         11.5     Consolidated Net Worth..................................... 26
         11.6     Liens...................................................... 27
         11.7     Sale of Assets, etc........................................ 30
         11.8     Line of Business........................................... 32

12.      EVENTS OF DEFAULT................................................... 32

13.      REMEDIES ON DEFAULT, ETC............................................ 34
         13.1     Acceleration............................................... 34
         13.2     Other Remedies............................................. 35
         13.3     Rescission................................................. 35
         13.4     No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, etc.......... 36

14.      REGISTRATION; EXCHANGE; SUBSTITUTION OF NOTES....................... 36
         14.1     Registration of Notes...................................... 36
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                           TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont.)

         14.2     Transfer and Exchange of Notes............................. 36
         14.3     Replacement of Notes....................................... 37

15.      PAYMENTS ON NOTES................................................... 37
         15.1     Place of Payment........................................... 37
         15.2     Home Office Payment........................................ 37

16.      EXPENSES, ETC....................................................... 38
         16.1     Transaction Expenses....................................... 38
         16.2     Survival................................................... 38

17.      SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; ENTIRE AGREEMENT........ 38

18.      AMENDMENT AND WAIVER................................................ 39
         18.1     Requirements............................................... 39
         18.2     Solicitation of Holders of Notes........................... 39
         18.3     Binding Effect, etc........................................ 39
         18.4     Notes held by Company, etc................................. 40

19.      NOTICES............................................................. 40

20.      REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS........................................... 40

21.      CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION............................................ 41

22.      SUBSTITUTION OF PURCHASER........................................... 42

23.      ADDITIONAL NOTE PROVISIONS.......................................... 43

24.      MISCELLANEOUS....................................................... 43
         24.1     Successors and Assigns..................................... 43
         24.2     Payments Due on Non-Business Days.......................... 43
         24.3     Severability............................................... 43
         24.4     Construction............................................... 43
         24.5     Counterparts............................................... 43
         24.6     Governing Law.............................................. 44


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                                     SCHEDULES:


         SCHEDULE A        --       Information Relating to Purchasers

         SCHEDULE B        --       Defined Terms

         SCHEDULE C        --       Payment Instructions at Closing

         SCHEDULE 4.9      --       Changes in Corporate Structure

         SCHEDULE 5.3      --       Disclosure Materials

         SCHEDULE 5.4      --       Ownership of the Company; Affiliates

         SCHEDULE 5.5      --       Financial Statements

         SCHEDULE 5.8      --       Certain Litigation

         SCHEDULE 5.11     --       Licenses, Permits, etc.

         SCHEDULE 5.12(g)  --       Certain Pension Plans

         SCHEDULE 5.14     --       Use of Proceeds; Margin Stock

         SCHEDULE 5.15     --       Existing Indebtedness

         SCHEDULE 11.6     --       Existing Liens

         SCHEDULE B-C      --       Competitors

         SCHEDULE B-MT     --       Management Team





                                    EXHIBITS:


         EXHIBIT 1A        --       Form of 6.71% Series A Senior Note due
                                        February 27, 2008

         EXHIBIT 1B        --       Form of 6.60% Series B Senior Note due
                                        February 27, 2005

         EXHIBIT 4.4(a)    --       Form of Opinion of General Counsel of the
                                        Company

         EXHIBIT 4.4(b)    --       Form of Opinion of Special Counsel for the
                                        Company

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                              INVACARE CORPORATION
                                One Invacare Way
                               Elyria, Ohio 44035

          $80,000,000 6.71% SERIES A SENIOR NOTES DUE FEBRUARY 27, 2008
          $20,000,000 6.60% SERIES B SENIOR NOTES DUE FEBRUARY 27, 2005




                                                   Dated as of February 27, 1998


[Separately addressed to each of
  the Purchasers identified on Schedule A]


Ladies and Gentlemen:

         INVACARE CORPORATION,  an Ohio corporation (together with its permitted
successors, the "Company"), hereby agrees with you as follows:

1.       AUTHORIZATION OF NOTES

         The Company will authorize the issue and sale of

                  (a)      $80,000,000  aggregate  principal amount of its 6.71%
                           Series A Senior Notes due February 27, 2008 (the
                           "Series A Notes") and

                  (b)      $20,000,000  aggregate  principal amount of its 6.60%
                           Series B Senior Notes due February 27, 2005 (the
                           "Series B Notes").

The term "Series A Notes" as used in this Agreement  shall include each Series A
Note  delivered  pursuant  to  this  Agreement  and  the  Other  Agreements  (as
hereinafter defined) and any such notes issued in substitution therefor pursuant
to Section 14 of this Agreement or the Other Agreements,  and the term "Series B
Notes" as used in this  Agreement  shall  include  each Series B Note  delivered
pursuant to this Agreement and the Other Agreements and any such notes issued in
substitution  therefor  pursuant  to Section 14 of this  Agreement  or the Other
Agreements. The term "Notes" as used in this Agreement shall include each Series
A Note and each  Series B Note.  The Series A Notes and the Series B Notes shall
be substantially in the forms set out in Exhibits 1A and 1B, respectively,  with
such changes therefrom,  if any, as may be approved by you, the Other Purchasers
(as hereinafter defined) and the Company. Certain capitalized terms used in this
Agreement are defined in Schedule B;  references to a "Schedule" or an "Exhibit"
are, unless  otherwise  specified,  to a Schedule or an Exhibit attached to this
Agreement.
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2.       SALE AND PURCHASE OF NOTES

         Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company will
issue and sell to you and you will  purchase  from the  Company,  at the Closing
provided  for in  Section  3,  Notes in the  principal  amount and of the Series
specified  below your name in  Schedule A at the  purchase  price of 100% of the
principal amount thereof.  Contemporaneously  with entering into this Agreement,
the Company is entering  into  separate  Note  Purchase  Agreements  (the "Other
Agreements")  identical with this  Agreement  with each of the other  purchasers
named in Schedule A (the  "Other  Purchasers"),  providing  for the sale at such
Closing to each of the Other  Purchasers of Notes in the principal amount and of
the Series specified below its name in Schedule A. Your obligation hereunder and
the obligations of the Other  Purchasers  under the Other Agreements are several
and not joint  obligations  and you  shall  have no  obligation  under any Other
Agreement and no liability to any Person for the performance or  non-performance
by any Other Purchaser thereunder.

3.       CLOSING

         The sale and purchase of the Notes to be purchased by you and the Other
Purchasers  shall occur at the  offices of Chapman  and  Cutler,  at 10:00 a.m.,
local  time,  at a closing  (the  "Closing")  on March 4, 1998 or on such  other
Business  Day  thereafter  as may be agreed  upon by the Company and you and the
Other  Purchasers.  At the Closing the Company  will deliver to you the Notes of
the Series to be  purchased by you in the form of a single Note (or such greater
number of Notes in denominations of at least $500,000 as you may request), dated
the date of the  Closing  and  registered  in your  name (or in the name of your
nominee),  against  delivery by you to the  Company or its order of  immediately
available funds in the amount of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of
immediately  available  funds for the  account of the  Company as  indicated  on
Schedule C. If at the Closing the Company shall fail to tender such Notes to you
as  provided  above in this  Section 3, or any of the  conditions  specified  in
Section 4 shall not have been fulfilled to your satisfaction, you shall, at your
election,  be relieved of all further obligations under this Agreement,  without
thereby  waiving  any  rights  you may have by  reason of such  failure  or such
nonfulfillment.

4.       CONDITIONS TO CLOSING

         Your  obligation to purchase and pay for the Notes to be sold to you at
the Closing is subject to the fulfillment to your  satisfaction,  prior to or at
the Closing, of the following conditions:

          4.1      Representations and Warranties

         The  representations  and  warranties of the Company in this  Agreement
shall be correct when made and at the time of the Closing.

          4.2      Performance; No Default

         The Company shall have  performed and complied with all  agreements and
conditions contained in this Agreement required to be performed or complied with
by it prior to or at the Closing and,  after giving effect to the issue and sale
of the Notes (and the  application of the proceeds  thereof as  contemplated  by
Schedule  5.14 ) no  Default  or Event of Default  shall  have  occurred  and be

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continuing.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary  shall have entered into any
transaction  since the date of the Memorandum that would have been prohibited by
Sections  11.1  through 11.3 or Sections  11.5  through  11.8 had such  Sections
applied since such date and, with respect to Section 11.4, a Subsidiary shall be
able to borrow at least One  Dollar of Debt under  said  Section  11.4 as of the
date of Closing.

          4.3      Compliance Certificates

                  (a) Officer's  Certificates.  The Company shall have delivered
         to you  an  Officer's  Certificate,  dated  the  date  of the  Closing,
         certifying  that the conditions  specified in Section 4.1,  Section 4.2
         and Section 4.9 have been fulfilled.

                  (b) Secretary's Certificates. The Company shall have delivered
         to  you a  certificate  of  its  Secretary  or  one  of  its  Assistant
         Secretaries,  dated  the  date  of the  Closing,  certifying  as to the
         resolutions  attached  thereto  and other  proceedings  relating to the
         authorization,  execution and delivery of the Notes, this Agreement and
         the Other Agreements.

          4.4      Opinions of Counsel

         You shall have received opinions in form and substance  satisfactory to
you, dated the date of the Closing,

                  (a) from Thomas R.  Miklich,  General  Counsel of the Company,
         substantially  in the form set out in Exhibit  4.4(a) and covering such
         other matters incident to the transactions  contemplated  hereby as you
         or  your  counsel  may  reasonably  request  (and  the  Company  hereby
         instructs its counsel to deliver such opinion to you),

                  (b) from  Hebb &  Gitlin,  special  counsel  for the  Company,
         substantially  in the form set out in Exhibit  4.4(b) and covering such
         other matters incident to the transactions  contemplated  hereby as you
         or  your  counsel  may  reasonably  request  (and  the  Company  hereby
         instructs its counsel to deliver such opinion to you) and

                  (c)  from  Chapman  and  Cutler,   your  special   counsel  in
         connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

         4.5      Purchase Permitted By Applicable Law, etc.

         On the  date  of the  Closing  your  purchase  of  Notes  shall  (a) be
permitted  by the laws and  regulations  of each  jurisdiction  to which you are
subject,  without recourse to provisions (such as section  1405(a)(8) of the New
York  Insurance  Law)  permitting  limited  investments  by insurance  companies
without  restriction as to the character of the particular  investment,  (b) not
violate  any  applicable  law  or  regulation  (including,  without  limitation,
Regulation  G, T or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal  Reserve  System)
and (c) not subject you to any tax,  penalty or  liability  under or pursuant to
any applicable  law or regulation,  which law or regulation was not in effect on
the date of your execution and delivery of this Agreement.  If requested by you,
you shall have received an Officer's  Certificate  certifying as to such matters
of fact as you may  reasonably  specify to enable you to determine  whether such
purchase is so permitted.

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          4.6      Sale of Other Notes

         Contemporaneously  with the Closing the Company shall sell to the Other
Purchasers and the Other  Purchasers shall purchase the Notes to be purchased by
them at the Closing, as specified in Schedule A.

          4.7      Payment of Special Counsel Fees

         Without limiting the provisions of Section 16.1, the Company shall have
paid on or before the  Closing,  the fees,  charges  and  disbursements  of your
special  counsel  referred  to in  Section  4.4 to  the  extent  reflected  in a
statement  of such  counsel  rendered to the Company at least one  Business  Day
prior to the date of the Closing.

          4.8      Private Placement Numbers

         A Private  Placement  Number  issued by Standard & Poor's CUSIP Service
Bureau (in  cooperation  with the  Securities  Valuation  Office of the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners) shall have been obtained for each Series
of the Notes.

          4.9      Changes in Structure

         Except as specified in Schedule 4.9, the Company shall not have changed
its jurisdiction of incorporation or been a party to any merger or consolidation
and shall not have succeeded to all or any  substantial  part of the liabilities
of any other entity, at any time following the date of the most recent financial
statements referred to in Schedule 5.5.

          4.10     Proceedings and Documents

         All corporate and other proceedings in connection with the transactions
contemplated  by this  Agreement and all documents and  instruments  incident to
such transactions shall be satisfactory to you and your special counsel, and you
and your special counsel shall have received all such  counterpart  originals or
certified  or other  copies  of such  documents  as you or they  may  reasonably
request.

          REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

         The  Company  represents  and  warrants  to you, as of the date of this
Agreement, that:

          5.1      Organization; Power and Authority

         The Company is a corporation,  duly organized,  validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of  incorporation,  and is duly
qualified as a foreign  corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction
in which such  qualification is required by law, other than those  jurisdictions
as to which the  failure  to be so  qualified  or in good  standing  could  not,
individually  or in the  aggregate,  reasonably  be  expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect. The Company has the corporate power and authority to own or hold
under lease the  properties it purports to own or hold under lease,  to transact
the business it transacts and proposes to transact,  to execute and deliver this

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Agreement,  the Other  Agreements  and the Notes and to perform  the  provisions
hereof and thereof.

         5.2      Authorization, etc.

         This  Agreement,  the Other  Agreements  and the  Notes  have been duly
authorized by all  necessary  corporate  action on the part of the Company,  and
this Agreement  constitutes,  and upon execution and delivery  thereof each Note
will  constitute,   a  legal,  valid  and  binding  obligation  of  the  Company
enforceable  against the Company in  accordance  with its terms,  except as such
enforceability  may  be  limited  by  (i)  applicable  bankruptcy,   insolvency,
reorganization,  moratorium or other similar laws  affecting the  enforcement of
creditors' rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of
whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law or
in respect of specific performance).

          5.3      Disclosure

                  (a) The Company,  through the Placement Agents,  has delivered
         to you  and  each  Other  Purchaser  a copy of a  Confidential  Private
         Placement Memorandum,  dated January 1998 (the "Memorandum"),  relating
         to  the  transactions   contemplated   hereby.  The  Memorandum  fairly
         describes, in all material respects, the general nature of the business
         and principal properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Except as
         disclosed  in  Schedule  5.3,  this  Agreement,  the  Memorandum,   the
         documents,  certificates  or other  writings  delivered to you by or on
         behalf of the Company in connection with the transactions  contemplated
         hereby and the financial  statements listed in Schedule 5.5, taken as a
         whole,  do not contain any untrue  statement of a material fact or omit
         to state any material  fact  necessary to make the  statements  therein
         (taken as a whole) not misleading in light of the  circumstances  under
         which they were  made.  Except as  disclosed  in the  Memorandum  or as
         expressly  described  in  Schedule  5.3,  or in one  of the  documents,
         certificates or other writings  identified therein, or in the financial
         statements  listed in Schedule 5.5, since December 31, 1996,  there has
         been  no  change  in the  financial  condition,  operations,  business,
         properties  or  prospects  of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  except
         changes that  individually  or in the aggregate could not reasonably be
         expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no fact known to a
         Senior  Financial  Officer that could  reasonably be expected to have a
         Material  Adverse  Effect that has not been set forth  herein or in the
         Memorandum or in the other  documents,  certificates and other writings
         delivered to you by or on behalf of the Company specifically for use in
         connection with the transactions  contemplated hereby, provided that no
         representation is made as to general economic conditions.

                  (b) The material  assumptions  used in the  preparation of the
         projected  information with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries
         included in the Memorandum,  taken as a whole, were made in good faith,
         were believed to be reasonable when made and the Company  believes such
         assumptions  continue to be reasonable.  All material  assumptions  and
         principles  of  accounting  on which  such  projections  were based are
         disclosed therein. Such projections were prepared in good faith, have a
         reasonable basis and represent the good faith opinion of the Company as
         to the  projected  results of the  operations  of the  Company  and its
         Subsidiaries  after  giving  effect  to the  transactions  contemplated
         hereby. The estimates of future performance and financial condition set

                                       5
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         forth in such  projections,  taken as a whole,  are,  in the  Company's
         opinion,  reasonable;  however,  actual  events or  results  may differ
         materially  from  such  estimates.  There is no fact  known to a Senior
         Financial  Officer  that has  occurred  since the  preparation  of such
         projections that could materially affect such projections,  except such
         facts that the Memorandum or other written statements  delivered to you
         disclose have occurred or may occur.

          5.4      Organization and Ownership of Shares of Subsidiaries;
                  Affiliates

                  (a) Schedule 5.4 contains  (except as noted therein)  complete
         and correct lists (i) of the  Company's  Subsidiaries,  showing,  as to
         each  Subsidiary,  the correct name thereof,  the  jurisdiction  of its
         organization  and the percentage of shares of each class of its capital
         stock or similar equity interests  outstanding owned by the Company and
         each other  Subsidiary,  (ii) of the Company's  Affiliates,  other than
         Subsidiaries, and (iii) of the Company's directors and senior officers.

                  (b) All of the outstanding  shares of capital stock or similar
         equity  interests  of each  Subsidiary  shown in Schedule  5.4 as being
         owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are
         fully paid and  nonassessable  and are owned by the  Company or another
         Subsidiary free and clear of any Lien (except as otherwise disclosed in
         Schedule 5.4).

                  (c)  Each   Subsidiary   identified   in  Schedule  5.4  is  a
         corporation or other legal entity duly organized,  validly existing and
         in good standing (to the extent such concept is  recognized)  under the
         laws of its  jurisdiction of  organization,  and is duly qualified as a
         foreign  corporation  or other legal entity and is in good  standing in
         each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other
         than those  jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or
         in  good  standing  could  not,   individually  or  in  the  aggregate,
         reasonably  be expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect.  Each such
         Subsidiary  has the  corporate  or other power and  authority to own or
         hold under lease the  properties it purports to own or hold under lease
         and to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact.

                  (d) No Subsidiary  is a party to, or otherwise  subject to any
         legal  restriction  or any agreement  (other than this  Agreement,  the
         agreements listed on Schedule 5.4 and customary  limitations imposed by
         corporate law statutes)  restricting  the ability of such Subsidiary to
         pay dividends out of profits or make any other similar distributions of
         profits to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that owns outstanding
         shares of capital stock or similar equity interests of such Subsidiary.

          5.5      Financial Statements

         The Company has delivered to you and each Other Purchaser copies of the
financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 5.5.
All of said financial  statements  (including in each case the related schedules
and notes) fairly present, in all material respects,  the consolidated financial
position  of  the  Company  and  its  Subsidiaries  as of the  respective  dates
specified in such Schedule and the consolidated  results of their operations and
cash flows for the  respective  periods so specified  and have been  prepared in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods involved except

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as set forth in the notes thereto (subject, in the case of any interim financial
statements, to normal year-end adjustments).

         5.6      Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, etc.

     The  execution,  delivery and  performance by the Company of this Agreement
and the Notes will not

                  (a)  contravene,  result in any  breach  of, or  constitute  a
         default under,  or result in the creation of any Lien in respect of any
         property  of  the  Company  or any  Subsidiary  under,  any  indenture,
         mortgage,  deed of trust,  loan,  purchase or credit agreement,  lease,
         corporate charter,  bylaws or other constitutive document, or any other
         agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is bound
         or by which the Company or any  Subsidiary  or any of their  respective
         properties may be bound or affected,

                  (b)  conflict  with or result in a breach of any of the terms,
         conditions or provisions of any order,  judgment,  decree, or ruling of
         any court,  arbitrator  or  Governmental  Authority  applicable  to the
         Company or any Subsidiary, or

                  (c)  violate  any  provision  of any  statute or other rule or
         regulation of any Governmental  Authority  applicable to the Company or
         any Subsidiary.

         5.7      Governmental Authorizations, etc.

         No consent,  approval or authorization  of, or registration,  filing or
declaration with, any Governmental  Authority is required in connection with the
execution,  delivery  or  performance  by the Company of this  Agreement  or the
Notes.

          5.8      Litigation; Observance of Agreements, Statutes and Orders

                  (a) Except as disclosed in Schedule 5.8, there are no actions,
         suits or  proceedings  pending  or, to the  knowledge  of the  Company,
         threatened  against or affecting  the Company or any  Subsidiary or any
         property  of the Company or any  Subsidiary  in any court or before any
         arbitrator of any kind or before or by any Governmental Authority that,
         individually or in the aggregate,  could reasonably be expected to have
         a Material Adverse Effect.

                  (b) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default under
         any term of any  agreement or  instrument  to which it is a party or by
         which it is  bound,  or any  order,  judgment,  decree or ruling of any
         court,  arbitrator or Governmental  Authority or is in violation of any
         applicable  law,  ordinance,  rule or  regulation  (including,  without
         limitation,  Environmental Laws) of any Governmental  Authority,  which
         default  or  violation,   individually  or  in  the  aggregate,   could
         reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

                                       7

          5.9      Taxes

         The Company and its  Subsidiaries  have filed all tax returns  that are
required to have been filed in any  jurisdiction,  and have paid all taxes shown
to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes and assessments levied
upon them or their properties,  assets, income or franchises, to the extent such
taxes and  assessments  have  become due and payable and before they have become
delinquent,  except for any taxes and assessments (a) the amount of which is not
individually or in the aggregate  Material or (b) the amount,  applicability  or
validity of which is  currently  being  contested  in good faith by  appropriate
proceedings and with respect to which the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case
may be, has established  adequate  reserves in accordance with GAAP. The Company
knows of no basis for any other  tax or  assessment  that  could  reasonably  be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  The charges,  accruals and reserves
on the books of the Company and its Subsidiaries in respect of Federal, state or
other  taxes for all  fiscal  periods  are  adequate.  The  Federal  income  tax
liabilities  of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  have been  determined  by the
Internal  Revenue  Service and paid for all fiscal years up to and including the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1994.

          5.10     Title to Property; Leases

         The  Company and its  Subsidiaries  have good and  sufficient  title to
their respective  properties that individually or in the aggregate are Material,
including all such properties reflected in the most recent audited balance sheet
referred to in Section 5.5 or purported to have been  acquired by the Company or
any Subsidiary  after said date (except as sold or otherwise  disposed of in the
ordinary course of business), in each case free and clear of Liens prohibited by
this  Agreement.  All leases that  individually or in the aggregate are Material
are valid  and  subsisting  and are in full  force  and  effect in all  material
respects.

         5.11     Licenses, Permits, etc.

         Except as disclosed in Schedule 5.11,

                  (a) to the best knowledge of the Company,  the Company and its
         Subsidiaries  own  or  possess  all  licenses,   permits,   franchises,
         authorizations,  patents,  copyrights,  service  marks,  trademarks and
         trade names, or rights thereto,  that  individually or in the aggregate
         are Material, without known conflict with the rights of others;

                  (b) to the  best  knowledge  of the  Company,  no  product  or
         practice of the Company or any  Subsidiary  infringes  in any  material
         respect  any  license,  permit,   franchise,   authorization,   patent,
         copyright,  service mark, trademark, trade name or other right owned by
         any  other  Person,  which,  individually  or in the  aggregate,  could
         reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

                  (c) to the best knowledge of the Company, there is no Material
         violation  by any Person of any right of the Company or any  Subsidiary
         with respect to any patent, copyright,  service mark, trademark,  trade
         name  or  other  right  owned  or  used  by the  Company  or any of its
         Subsidiaries.

                                       8

          5.12     Pension Plans

                  (a) The Company and each ERISA  Affiliate  have  operated  and
         administered  each  Plan  (other  than  any   Multiemployer   Plan)  in
         compliance  with all  applicable  laws  except  for such  instances  of
         noncompliance  as have not  resulted  in and  could not  reasonably  be
         expected to result in a Material  Adverse  Effect.  Neither the Company
         nor any ERISA  Affiliate  has incurred any liability in the nature of a
         penalty,  excise tax or fine  pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the
         penalty or excise  tax  provisions  of the Code  relating  to  employee
         benefit  plans  (as  defined  in  Section  3 of  ERISA),  and no event,
         transaction  or condition has occurred or exists that could  reasonably
         be expected to result in the  incurrence  of any such  liability by the
         Company or any ERISA Affiliate, or in the imposition of any Lien on any
         of the  rights,  properties  or  assets  of the  Company  or any  ERISA
         Affiliate, in either case pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or to such
         penalty or excise tax provisions or to section 401(a)(29) or 412 of the
         Code, other than such liabilities or Liens as would not be individually
         or in the aggregate Material.

                  (b) The present  value of the  aggregate  benefit  liabilities
         under  each of the  Plans  subject  to Title IV of  ERISA  (other  than
         Multiemployer Plans), determined as of the end of each such Plan's most
         recently  ended  plan  year on the basis of the  actuarial  assumptions
         specified  for funding  purposes  in such Plan's most recent  actuarial
         valuation  report,  did not exceed the  aggregate  current value of the
         assets of such Plan allocable to such benefit  liabilities by more than
         $10,000,000 in the case of any single Plan and by more than $10,000,000
         in the aggregate for all Plans. The term "benefit  liabilities" has the
         meaning  specified  in  section  4001 of ERISA and the  terms  "current
         value" and "present  value" have the meaning  specified in section 3 of
         ERISA.

                  (c) The Company  and its ERISA  Affiliates  have not  incurred
         withdrawal  liabilities  (and are not subject to contingent  withdrawal
         liabilities)  under  section  4201 or  4204  of  ERISA  in  respect  of
         Multiemployer Plans that individually or in the aggregate are Material.

                  (d) The unfunded expected  postretirement  benefit  obligation
         (determined  as of the last day of the Company's  most  recently  ended
         fiscal year in accordance  with Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board
         Statement  No.  106,  without  regard to  liabilities  attributable  to
         continuation  coverage  mandated  by section  4980B of the Code) of the
         Company and its Subsidiaries is not Material.

                  (e) The  execution  and  delivery  of this  Agreement  and the
         issuance  and  sale  of  the  Notes  hereunder  will  not  involve  any
         transaction that is subject to the prohibitions of section 406 of ERISA
         or in connection with which a tax could be imposed  pursuant to section
         4975(c)(1)(A)-(D) of the Code. The representation by the Company in the
         first  sentence of this  Section  5.12(e) is made in reliance  upon and
         subject to the accuracy of your representation in Section 6.2 as to the
         sources of the funds used to pay the purchase  price of the Notes to be
         purchased by you.

                  (f) All Non-US Pension Plans have been established,  operated,
         administered  and  maintained  in  material  compliance  with all laws,
         regulations and orders applicable thereto,  except where any failure to

                                       9
<page>
         so comply could not,  individually  or in the aggregate,  reasonably be
         expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect.  Except  where they could
         not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
         Material  Adverse  Effect,  all premiums,  contributions  and any other
         amounts required to be paid pursuant to applicable  Non-US Pension Plan
         documents or applicable  laws  governing such Non-US Pension Plans have
         been paid or accrued as required.

                  (g) The Multiemployer Plans in respect of which the Company or
         any  ERISA  Affiliate  makes  contributions  or has  any  liability  or
         obligation are set forth on Schedule  5.12(g).  The Plans  constituting
         "defined  benefit  plans" (as defined in section  (3)(35) of ERISA) are
         set forth on Schedule 5.12(g).

          5.13     Private Offering by the Company

         Neither  the  Company  nor anyone  acting on its behalf has offered the
Notes or any similar  securities  for sale to, or solicited any offer to buy any
of the same from, or otherwise approached or negotiated in respect thereof with,
any  Person  other  than you,  the Other  Purchasers  and not more than 77 other
Institutional  Investors,  each of which has been offered the Notes at a private
sale for  investment.  Neither the  Company nor anyone  acting on its behalf has
taken,  or will take,  any action that would subject the issuance or sale of the
Notes to the registration requirements of section 5 of the Securities Act.

          5.14     Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations

         The  Company  will apply the  proceeds  of the sale of the Notes as set
forth in  Schedule  5.14.  No part of the  proceeds  from the sale of the  Notes
hereunder  will be used,  directly or  indirectly,  for the purpose of buying or
carrying  any margin  stock  within the meaning of  Regulation G of the Board of
Governors  of the  Federal  Reserve  System (12 CFR 207),  or for the purpose of
buying or carrying or trading in any securities  under such  circumstances as to
involve the Company in a violation of Regulation X of said Board (12 CFR 224) or
to involve any broker or dealer in a violation of Regulation T of said Board (12
CFR 220).  Margin  stock  does not  constitute  more than 5% of the value of the
consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the Company does not
have any present intention that margin stock will constitute more than 5% of the
value of such assets.  As used in this  Section,  the terms  "margin  stock" and
"purpose of buying or carrying" shall have the meanings assigned to them in said
Regulation G.

          5.15     Existing Debt; Future Liens

                  (a) Except as described  therein,  Schedule  5.15 sets forth a
         complete  and correct list of all  outstanding  Debt of the Company and
         its  Subsidiaries  as of December 31, 1997,  since which date there has
         been no material change in the amounts,  interest rates, sinking funds,
         installment  payments or  maturities of the Debt of the Company and its
         Subsidiaries  except as described in Schedule 5.15. Neither the Company
         nor any of its  Subsidiaries  is in default and no waiver of default is
         currently in effect, in the payment of any principal or interest on any
         Debt of the Company or such Subsidiary and no event or condition exists
         with respect to any Debt of the Company or such  Subsidiary  that would
         permit  (or that  with  notice  or the  lapse of time,  or both,  would
         permit)  one or more  Persons  to cause  such  Debt to  become  due and

                                       10
<page>
         payable  before its stated  maturity or before its regularly  scheduled
         dates of payment.

                  (b) Except as disclosed in Schedule 5.15,  neither the Company
         nor any  Subsidiary  has agreed or  consented to cause or permit in the
         future (upon the  happening of a contingency  or otherwise)  any of its
         property,  whether now owned or hereafter acquired,  to be subject to a
         Lien not permitted by Section 11.6.

         5.16     Foreign Assets Control Regulations, etc.

         Neither the sale of the Notes by the Company  hereunder  nor its use of
the proceeds thereof will violate the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or
any of the foreign  assets  control  regulations  of the United States  Treasury
Department  (31  CFR,  Subtitle  B,  Chapter  V,  as  amended)  or any  enabling
legislation or executive order relating thereto.

          5.17     Status under Certain Statutes

         Neither the Company nor any  Subsidiary is subject to regulation  under
the  Investment  Company Act of 1940,  as amended,  the Public  Utility  Holding
Company Act of 1935, as amended, the ICC Termination Act of 1995, as amended, or
the Federal Power Act, as amended.

          5.18     Environmental Matters

         Neither the Company nor any  Subsidiary  has  knowledge of any claim or
has  received any notice of any claim,  and no  proceeding  has been  instituted
raising any claim against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
respective real  properties now or formerly owned,  leased or operated by any of
them or other assets, alleging any damage to the environment or violation of any
Environmental  Laws,  except,  in each  case,  such as could not  reasonably  be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as otherwise  disclosed
to you in writing,

                  (a) neither the Company nor any  Subsidiary  has  knowledge of
         any facts  which would give rise to any claim,  public or  private,  of
         violation of Environmental Laws or damage to the environment  emanating
         from,  occurring  on or in any way  related to real  properties  now or
         formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or to other assets or
         their  use,  except,  in each  case,  such as could not  reasonably  be
         expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

                  (b) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has stored
         any  Hazardous  Materials  on real  properties  now or formerly  owned,
         leased  or  operated  by  any  of  them  in a  manner  contrary  to any
         Environmental Laws and has not transported or disposed of any Hazardous
         Materials in a manner contrary to any  Environmental  Laws in each case
         in any manner that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material
         Adverse Effect; and

                  (c) all buildings on all real properties now owned,  leased or
         operated by the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  are in  compliance

                                       11
<page>
         with  applicable  Environmental  Laws,  except where  failure to comply
         could not  reasonably  be  expected  to result  in a  Material  Adverse
         Effect.

          REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PURCHASER

          6.1      Purchase for Investment

         You represent that you are purchasing the Notes for your own account or
for one or more separate accounts maintained by you or for the account of one or
more  pension or trust  funds (or  commingled  pension  trust  funds) or for the
account of one or more "accredited investors" within the meaning of Regulation D
under the Securities Act for whom you are acting as investment manager, agent or
investment adviser,  and not with a view to the distribution  thereof,  provided
that the disposition of your or their property shall at all times be within your
or their control.  You understand that the Notes have not been registered  under
the  Securities  Act  and  may be  resold  only if  registered  pursuant  to the
provisions  of  the  Securities  Act or if an  exemption  from  registration  is
available,  except under  circumstances where neither such registration nor such
an  exemption  is  required  by law,  and that the  Company is not  required  to
register the Notes.

          6.2      Source of Funds

         You  represent  that at least  one of the  following  statements  is an
accurate  representation  as to each source of funds (a  "Source") to be used by
you to pay the purchase price of the Notes to be purchased by you hereunder:

                  (a) the Source is an "insurance  company  general  account" as
         defined in Department of Labor Prohibited Transaction Exemption ("PTE")
         95-60 (60 FR 35925, July 12, 1995) and in respect thereof you represent
         that there is no "employee benefit plan" (as defined in section 3(3) of
         ERISA and section 4975(e)(1) of the Code, treating as a single plan all
         plans  maintained  by the same  employer  or employee  organization  or
         affiliate  thereof)  with  respect to which the  amount of the  general
         account  reserves and liabilities of all contracts held by or on behalf
         of such plan exceed 10% of the total  reserves and  liabilities of such
         general  account  (exclusive  of  separate  account  liabilities)  plus
         surplus,  as set forth in the NAIC  Annual  Statement  filed  with your
         state of domicile; or

                  (b) if you are an  insurance  company,  the  Source  does  not
         include assets allocated to any separate  account  maintained by you in
         which  any  employee  benefit  plan  (or  its  related  trust)  has any
         interest,  other than a separate  account that is maintained  solely in
         connection  with your fixed  contractual  obligations  under  which the
         amounts  payable,  or credited,  to such plan and to any participant or
         beneficiary of such plan  (including any annuitant) are not affected in
         any manner by the investment performance of the separate account; or

                  (c) the  Source  is either  (i) an  insurance  company  pooled
         separate  account,  within the meaning of PTE 90-1 (issued  January 29,
         1990), or (ii) a bank collective investment fund, within the meaning of
         the PTE 91-38 (issued July 12, 1991) and,  except as you have disclosed

                                       12
<page>
         to the Company in writing  pursuant to this  paragraph (c), no employee
         benefit  plan or  group  of  plans  maintained  by the  same  employer,
         affiliate of such employer or employee  organization  beneficially owns
         more than 10% of all assets  allocated to such pooled separate  account
         or collective investment fund; or

                  (d) (i) the Source  constitutes assets of an "investment fund"
         (within  the  meaning  of Part V of the QPAM  Exemption)  managed  by a
         "qualified professional asset manager" or "QPAM" (within the meaning of
         Part V of the QPAM  Exemption),  (ii) no employee benefit plan's assets
         that are  included in such  investment  fund,  when  combined  with the
         assets of all other employee benefit plans established or maintained by
         the same  employer  or by an  affiliate  (within the meaning of Section
         V(c)(1) of the QPAM Exemption) of such employer or by the same employee
         organization  and managed by such QPAM,  exceed 20% of the total client
         assets managed by such QPAM,  (iii) the conditions of Part I(c) and (g)
         of the QPAM  Exemption  are  satisfied,  neither  the QPAM nor a person
         controlling  or  controlled  by the QPAM  (applying  the  definition of
         "control"  in  Section  V(e) of the QPAM  Exemption)  owns a 5% or more
         interest  in the  Company  and (iv) the  identity  of such QPAM and the
         names of all employee  benefit  plans whose assets are included in such
         investment fund have been disclosed to the Company in writing  pursuant
         to this paragraph (d); or

                  (e)      the Source is a governmental plan; or

                  (f) the Source is one or more  employee  benefit  plans,  or a
         separate  account  or  trust  fund  comprised  of one or more  employee
         benefit  plans,  each of which has been  identified  to the  Company in
         writing pursuant to this paragraph (f); or

                  (g) the Source does not include assets of any employee benefit
         plan, other than a plan exempt from the coverage of ERISA.

As used in this Section 6.2, the terms  "employee  benefit plan",  "governmental
plan",  "party in interest" and  "separate  account"  shall have the  respective
meanings assigned to such terms in section 3 of ERISA.

          INFORMATION AS TO COMPANY

          7.1      Financial and Business Information

         The  Company  shall  deliver  to  each  holder  of  Notes  that  is  an
Institutional Investor:

                  (a)  Quarterly  Statements  -- within 50 days after the end of
         each quarterly  fiscal period in each fiscal year of the Company (other
         than the last  quarterly  fiscal  period  of each  such  fiscal  year),
         duplicate copies of

                           (i)      a consolidated  balance sheet of the Company
                  and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter, and

                           (ii)  consolidated  statements  of earnings  and cash
                  flows for the Company and its  Subsidiaries  for such  quarter
                  and (in the case of the  second  and third  quarters)  for the
                  portion of the fiscal year ending with such quarter,

                                       13
<page>
         setting  forth in the case of the  consolidated  statements of earnings
         and cash flows in  comparative  form the figures for the  corresponding
         periods in the  previous  fiscal year of the Company and in the case of
         the consolidated  balance sheet in comparative form the figures for the
         then most recently  completed  Fiscal Year,  all in reasonable  detail,
         prepared in  accordance  with GAAP  applicable  to quarterly  financial
         statements  generally,  and certified by a Senior Financial  Officer as
         fairly presenting,  in all material respects, the financial position of
         the companies  being  reported on and their  results of operations  and
         cash flows,  subject to changes  resulting  from year-end  adjustments,
         provided that delivery within the time period specified above of copies
         of the Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q prepared in compliance
         with the  requirements  therefor  and  filed  with the  Securities  and
         Exchange Commission shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this
         Section 7.1(a);

                  (b)      Annual  Statements  -- within 90 days after the end
         of each fiscal year of the  Company, duplicate copies of

                           (i)      a  consolidated  balance sheet of the
         Company and its  Subsidiaries,  as at the end of such year, and

                           (ii)    consolidated    statements    of    earnings,
                  shareholders'  equity  and cash flows of the  Company  and its
                  Subsidiaries for such year,

         setting  forth in each case in  comparative  form the  figures  for the
         previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail,  prepared in accordance
         with GAAP, and accompanied

                                    (A) by an  opinion  thereon  of  independent
                           certified public  accountants of recognized  national
                           standing,   which   opinion  shall  state  that  such
                           financial  statements present fairly, in all material
                           respects,  the consolidated financial position of the
                           companies  being  reported upon and the  consolidated
                           results  of  their   operations  and  cash  flows  in
                           conformity  with GAAP,  and that the  examination  of
                           such  accountants  in connection  with such financial
                           statements has been made in accordance with generally
                           accepted  auditing  standards,  and that  such  audit
                           provides a  reasonable  basis for such opinion in the
                           circumstances, and

                                    (B) by a  certificate  of  such  accountants
                           stating that in making the examination  necessary for
                           their opinion they obtained no knowledge of a Default
                           or an Event of  Default,  or, if they are aware  that
                           any such  Default  or Event of Default  then  exists,
                           specifying  the nature  and  period of the  existence
                           thereof (it being  understood  that such  accountants
                           shall not be liable, directly or indirectly,  for any
                           failure to obtain  knowledge  of any Default or Event
                           of  Default  unless  such  accountants   should  have
                           obtained  knowledge  thereof  in  making  an audit in
                           accordance with generally accepted auditing standards
                           or did not make such an audit),

                                       14

         provided that the delivery  within the time period  specified  above of
         the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for such fiscal year (together
         with the Company's  annual  report to  shareholders,  if any,  prepared
         pursuant to Rule 14a-3 under the Exchange  Act)  prepared in accordance
         with the  requirements  therefor  and  filed  with the  Securities  and
         Exchange  Commission,   together  with  the  accountant's   certificate
         described  in  clause  (B)  above,  shall  be  deemed  to  satisfy  the
         requirements of this Section 7.1(b);

                  (c) SEC and Other  Reports --  promptly  upon  their  becoming
         available, one copy of (i) each financial statement,  report, notice or
         proxy  statement  sent  by the  Company  or any  Subsidiary  to  public
         securities  holders  generally,  (ii) each regular or periodic  report,
         each  registration  statement  (without  exhibits  except as  expressly
         requested  by such  holder),  and each  prospectus  and all  amendments
         thereto filed by the Company or any Subsidiary  with the Securities and
         Exchange  Commission  and  (iii) all other  statements  made  available
         generally  by the Company or any  Subsidiary  to the public  concerning
         developments that are Material;

                  (d) Notice of Default or Event of Default -- promptly,  and in
         any event within 5 days after a  Responsible  Officer  becomes aware of
         the existence of any Default or Event of Default or that any Person has
         given any notice or taken any action with respect to a claimed  default
         hereunder  or that any  Person has given any notice or taken any action
         with  respect to a claimed  default of the type  referred to in Section
         12(f), a written  notice  specifying the nature and period of existence
         thereof  and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with
         respect thereto;

                  (e) ERISA Matters -- promptly, and in any event within 10 days
         after a Senior Financial Officer becomes aware of any of the following,
         a written notice  setting forth the nature  thereof and the action,  if
         any,  that the  Company  or an ERISA  Affiliate  proposes  to take with
         respect thereto:

                           (i) with respect to any Plan, any  reportable  event,
                  as  defined in  section  4043(c) of ERISA and the  regulations
                  thereunder,  for  which  notice  thereof  has not been  waived
                  pursuant to such  regulations  as in effect on the date of the
                  Closing; or

                           (ii) the taking by the PBGC of steps to institute, or
                  the threatening by the PBGC of the institution of, proceedings
                  under  section  4042 of ERISA for the  termination  of, or the
                  appointment  of a trustee  to  administer,  any  Plan,  or the
                  receipt by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate of a notice from
                  a  Multiemployer  Plan that such  action has been taken by the
                  PBGC with respect to such Multiemployer Plan; or

                           (iii) any event,  transaction or condition that could
                  result in the  incurrence  of any  liability by the Company or
                  any ERISA Affiliate  pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the
                  penalty  or excise  tax  provisions  of the Code  relating  to
                  employee  benefit  plans,  or in the imposition of any Lien on
                  any of the rights,  properties or assets of the Company or any
                  ERISA  Affiliate  pursuant  to  Title I or IV of ERISA or such
                  penalty or excise tax  provisions,  if such liability or Lien,
                  taken  together with any other such  liabilities or Liens then
                  existing,  could  reasonably  be  expected  to have a Material
                  Adverse Effect;

                                       15

                  (f) Notices from  Governmental  Authority -- promptly,  and in
         any event  within 30 days of receipt  thereof,  copies of any notice to
         the Company or any  Subsidiary  from any Federal or state  Governmental
         Authority  relating  to any  order,  ruling,  statute  or other  law or
         regulation that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
         Effect; and

                  (g) Requested Information -- with reasonable promptness,  such
         other  data  and  information  relating  to the  business,  operations,
         affairs,  financial  condition,  assets or properties of the Company or
         any of its  Subsidiaries  or  relating to the ability of the Company to
         perform its obligations under this Agreement,  the Other Agreements and
         the Notes as from time to time may be reasonably  requested by any such
         holder of Notes.

          7.2      Officer's Certificate

         Each  set of  financial  statements  delivered  to a  holder  of  Notes
pursuant to Section  7.1(a) or Section  7.1(b) hereof shall be  accompanied by a
certificate of a Senior Financial Officer setting forth:

                  (a) Covenant Compliance -- the information (including detailed
         calculations) required in order to establish whether the Company was in
         compliance with the  requirements of Section 11.2 through Section 11.7,
         inclusive,  during  the  quarterly  or  annual  period  covered  by the
         statements  then being  furnished  (including with respect to each such
         Section,  where applicable,  the calculations of the maximum or minimum
         amount, ratio or percentage,  as the case may be, permissible under the
         terms of such Sections,  and the  calculation  of the amount,  ratio or
         percentage then in existence); and

                  (b) Event of  Default -- a  statement  that such  officer  has
         reviewed the relevant  terms hereof and has made, or caused to be made,
         under  his  or her  supervision,  a  review  of  the  transactions  and
         conditions  of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  from the beginning of
         the quarterly or annual  period  covered by the  statements  then being
         furnished to the date of the certificate and that such review shall not
         have  disclosed  the  existence  during such period of any condition or
         event that constitutes a Default or an Event of Default or, if any such
         condition or event existed or exists  (including,  without  limitation,
         any such event or condition  resulting  from the failure of the Company
         or any Subsidiary to comply with any Environmental Law), specifying the
         nature and period of  existence  thereof  and what  action the  Company
         shall have taken or proposes to take with respect thereto.

          7.3      Inspection

         The Company  shall permit the  representatives  of each holder of Notes
that is an Institutional Investor:

                  (a) No  Default  -- if no  Default  or Event of  Default  then
         exists,  at the expense of such holder and upon reasonable prior notice
         to the Company, to visit the principal executive office of the Company,
         to discuss the  affairs,  finances  and accounts of the Company and its
         Subsidiaries with the Company's officers,  and (with the consent of the
         Company,   which  consent  will  not  be  unreasonably   withheld)  its

                                       16
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         independent public  accountants,  and (with the consent of the Company,
         which  consent  will not be  unreasonably  withheld) to visit the other
         offices and properties of the Company and each Subsidiary,  all at such
         reasonable  times  and  as  often  as may be  reasonably  requested  in
         writing; and

                  (b) Default -- if a Default or Event of Default  then  exists,
         at the  expense of the  Company to visit and inspect any of the offices
         or  properties of the Company or any  Subsidiary,  to examine all their
         respective books of account, records, reports and other papers, to make
         copies and extracts therefrom, and to discuss their respective affairs,
         finances and accounts with their  respective  officers and  independent
         public  accountants (and by this provision the Company  authorizes said
         accountants  to discuss  the  affairs,  finances  and  accounts  of the
         Company  and its  Subsidiaries),  all at such  reasonable  times and as
         often as may be reasonably requested.

          PREPAYMENT OF THE NOTES

          8.1      Required Prepayments

                  (a)  Series A Notes.  There  shall be no  scheduled  principal
         prepayments  on  account of the  Series A Notes.  The unpaid  principal
         amount of each Series A Note,  together  with accrued  unpaid  interest
         thereon, shall be due and payable on February 27, 2008.

                  (b)  Series B Notes.  There  shall be no  scheduled  principal
         prepayments  on  account of the  Series B Notes.  The unpaid  principal
         amount of each Series B Note,  together  with accrued  unpaid  interest
         thereon, shall be due and payable on February 27, 2005.

          8.2      Optional Prepayments of Notes with Make-Whole Amount

         The Company may, at its option,  upon notice as provided below,  prepay
at any time all,  or from  time to time any part of,  the  Notes,  on a pro rata
basis in respect of all Notes  outstanding  at such time,  in an amount not less
than 5% of the aggregate  principal  amount of the Notes then outstanding in the
case of a partial  prepayment,  at 100% of the  principal  amount so prepaid and
accrued interest thereon to the date of prepayment,  plus the Make-Whole  Amount
determined for the prepayment date with respect to the principal amount of Notes
being so prepaid. The Company will give each holder of Notes to be prepaid under
this Section 8.2 written  notice of such  optional  prepayment  not less than 30
days and not more  than 60 days  prior to the  date  fixed  for such  prepayment
(which shall be a Business  Day).  Each such notice shall specify such date, the
aggregate  principal  amount  and the  Series of the Notes to be prepaid on such
date,  the  principal  amount  of each Note  held by such  holder to be  prepaid
(determined in accordance  with Section 8.3), and the interest to be paid on the
prepayment date with respect to such principal  amount being prepaid,  and shall
be  accompanied  by a  certificate  of a  Senior  Financial  Officer  as to  the
estimated  Make-Whole Amount due in connection with such prepayment  (calculated
as if the date of such notice were the date of the  prepayment),  setting  forth
the details of such computation. Two Business Days prior to such prepayment, the
Company shall  deliver to each holder of a Note to be  optionally  prepaid under
this Section 8.2 a certificate  of a Senior  Financial  Officer  specifying  the
calculation  of the  Make-Whole  Amount  in  respect  of  such  Notes  as of the

                                       17
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specified  prepayment  date. For the purposes of avoidance of doubt, the Company
may  effect  multiple  partial  prepayments  of the Notes  pursuant  to,  and in
accordance  with the terms of,  this  Section 8.2 and all  optional  prepayments
under this  Section  8.2 shall be on a pro rata basis in respect of all Notes of
both Series.

          8.3      Allocation of Note Partial Prepayments

         In the case of each  partial  prepayment  of Notes  pursuant to Section
8.2, the principal  amount of the Notes to be prepaid  shall be allocated  among
all  of  the  Notes  at  the  time  outstanding  in  proportion,  as  nearly  as
practicable,  to the respective unpaid principal amounts thereof not theretofore
called for prepayment. All partial prepayments made pursuant to any Debt Offered
Prepayment  Application  or pursuant to Section 8.6 with  respect to a Change in
Control  shall be applied  only to the Notes of the holders who have  elected to
participate in such prepayment.

         8.4      Notes; Maturity; Surrender, etc.

         In the case of each prepayment of Notes pursuant to this Section 8, the
principal amount of each such Note to be prepaid shall mature and become due and
payable on the date fixed for such  prepayment,  together  with interest on such
principal amount accrued to such date and the applicable  Make-Whole  Amount, if
any.  From and after  such  date,  unless  the  Company  shall  fail to pay such
principal  amount  when so due and  payable,  together  with  the  interest  and
Make-Whole Amount, if any, as aforesaid, interest on such principal amount shall
cease to accrue.  Any Note paid or prepaid in full shall be  surrendered  to the
Company and cancelled and shall not be reissued,  and no Note shall be issued in
lieu of any prepaid principal amount of any Note.

         Any Debt Offered  Prepayment  Application in respect of the Notes shall
be on terms as set forth in Section  8.2  (other  than any  requirement  in said
Section requiring a minimum prepayment amount or any requirement in said Section
that is  inconsistent  with a requirement  in this Section 8.4) and this Section
8.4,  provided  that only those  holders  who shall have  accepted  any offer in
respect of such Debt  Offered  Prepayment  Application  shall  have their  Notes
prepaid,  in whole or part,  in  connection  therewith.  Each  notice  of a Debt
Offered Prepayment Application made to the holders of Notes shall be in writing,
shall be executed by a Senior Financial Officer,  shall reasonably  identify the
property being Transferred, the portion of the Net Proceeds Amount in respect of
such  Transferred  property being utilized in connection  with such Debt Offered
Prepayment Application and all other Senior Debt being made subject to such Debt
Offered Prepayment  Application,  shall calculate the Ratable Portion in respect
of each  holder of Notes  with  respect  to such Net  Proceeds  Amount and shall
specify  the date on which  such Debt  Offered  Prepayment  Application  will be
effected,  which  date  will be not less  than 35 days and not more than 90 days
after  the  date of  notice.  To  accept  or  reject a Debt  Offered  Prepayment
Application,  a holder of Notes shall cause a written notice of such  acceptance
or  rejection  to be  delivered  to the Company not later than 30 days after the
date on which such notice is delivered  to such holder.  A failure by any holder
of  Notes  to  respond  in  writing  to a notice  of a Debt  Offered  Prepayment
Application  by the  deadline set forth above shall be deemed to  constitute  an
acceptance of the same. If a Debt Offered Prepayment  Application is accepted or
is deemed to have been accepted,  the amounts  payable in respect  thereof shall
become  due and  payable  on the date set  therefor  in the  notice  in  respect
thereof.

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<page>
         Any prepayment of Notes in respect of a Change in Control under Section
8.6 shall be on terms as set forth in said Section 8.6, provided that only those
holders  who shall have  accepted  the offer  under said  Section 8.6 shall have
their Notes prepaid in whole in connection therewith.

          8.5      Purchase of Notes

         The Company  will not and will not permit any  Affiliate  to  purchase,
redeem,  prepay  or  otherwise  acquire,  directly  or  indirectly,  any  of the
outstanding  Notes  except  upon  the  payment  or  prepayment  of the  Notes in
accordance  with the terms of this Agreement and the Notes  (including,  without
limitation,  any prepayment of the Notes  contemplated in connection with a Debt
Offered Prepayment  Application or a Change in Control accepted by any holder of
Notes).  The  Company  will  promptly  cancel  all Notes  acquired  by it or any
Affiliate  pursuant to any payment,  prepayment or purchase of Notes pursuant to
any provision of this  Agreement and no Notes may be issued in  substitution  or
exchange for any such Notes.

         8.6      Offer to Prepay upon Change in Control, etc.

                  (a)      Notice and Offer.  In the event of either

                           (i)      a Change in Control, or

                           (ii) the  obtaining of actual  knowledge of a Control
                  Event by a Senior Financial Officer,

         the Company will, within five Business Days of the occurrence of either
         of such  events,  give  written  notice of such  Change in  Control  or
         Control  Event to each holder of Notes by facsimile  transmission  and,
         simultaneously  with the sending of such facsimile notice,  send a copy
         of such notice to each such holder via an overnight courier of national
         reputation.  Such written notice shall contain, and such written notice
         shall constitute, an irrevocable offer to prepay all, but not less than
         all,  the Notes held by such holder on a date  specified in such notice
         (the "Control  Prepayment  Date") that is not less than 60 days and not
         more than 90 days after the date of such notice,  provided that, in the
         case of a Control Event that does not give rise to a Change in Control,
         such notice  shall be null and void and in the case of a Control  Event
         that does give rise to a Change in Control  which shall occur more than
         90 days following the date the written notice  required by this Section
         8.6(a) must be given, the Control Prepayment Date may be delayed by the
         Company  to a date not  later  than the date on  which  the  Change  in
         Control  arising from such Control Event shall  actually be consummated
         or finalized.  If the Control Prepayment Date shall not be specified in
         such notice,  the Control  Prepayment  Date shall be the 60th day after
         the date of such notice; it being understood by the parties hereto, for
         purposes of the avoidance of doubt, that any such notice shall be dated
         the date on which it is first  given to the  holders  of Notes and that
         all notices to all holders of Notes shall bear the same date.

                  If the Company shall not have  received a written  response to
         such  written  notice from any holder of Notes within 10 days after the
         date of the facsimile  transmission of such notice to such holder,  the

                                       19
<page>
         Company shall use its best efforts to send a second  written notice via
         an overnight courier of national reputation to such holder of Notes but
         shall be under no obligation to do so.

                  (b)      Acceptance and Payment; Acceptance.

                           (i) Acceptance and Payment.  To accept or reject such
                  offered prepayment,  a holder of Notes shall cause a notice of
                  such  acceptance  or  rejection to be delivered to the Company
                  not  later   than  30  days  after  the  date  of  the  notice
                  constituting  such offered  prepayment  (which, if there shall
                  have been two written notices, shall be deemed to be the first
                  written notice).  If so accepted,  such offered  prepayment in
                  respect of such  principal  amount of such Notes  shall be due
                  and  payable on the  Control  Prepayment  Date.  Such  offered
                  prepayment  shall be made at 100% of the  principal  amount of
                  the Notes held by holders having accepted such offer, together
                  with interest on the Notes then being  prepaid  accrued to the
                  Control  Prepayment Date and the Make-Whole  Amount in respect
                  thereof,  if any.  Two  Business  Days  preceding  the Control
                  Prepayment  Date,  the Company shall deliver to each holder of
                  Notes  being  prepaid  a  certificate  of a  Senior  Financial
                  Officer  specifying the  calculation of the Make-Whole  Amount
                  due in connection  with such  prepayment and setting forth the
                  details of the computation of such amount.

                           (ii) Acceptance.  A failure by any holder of Notes to
                  respond  in  writing  to  all  written  offers  of  prepayment
                  referred  to in  Section  8.6(b)  by the  deadlines  set forth
                  therein  shall be deemed to  constitute  an acceptance of such
                  offer by such holder.

                  (c)  Officer's  Certificate.  Each  offer to prepay  the Notes
         pursuant to this  Section 8.6 shall be  accompanied  by a  certificate,
         executed  by a Senior  Financial  Officer  and  dated  the date of such
         offer, specifying:

                           (i)      the Control Prepayment Date;

                           (ii) that such offer is being made  pursuant  to this
                  Section  8.6 and that  failure  by a holder to respond to such
                  offer by the  deadlines  as  established  by this  Section 8.6
                  shall  result  in such  offer  to  such  holder  being  deemed
                  accepted;

                           (iii)  the   estimated   Make-Whole   Amount  due  in
                  connection with such prepayment  (calculated as if the date of
                  such notice were the date of the  prepayment),  setting  forth
                  the details of such computation;

                           (iv) the interest that would be due on each such Note
                  offered to be prepaid, accrued to the date fixed for payment;

                           (v)      that the conditions of this Section 8.6 have
                  been fulfilled; and

                           (vi)  in  reasonable  detail,  a  description  of the
                  nature and date or proposed date of the Change in Control.

                                       20
<page>
                  (d)  Cancellation  of Notes.  Any Note acquired by the Company
         under this Section 8.6 shall be cancelled and shall not be reissued.

          8.7      Make-Whole Amount

         The term "Make-Whole Amount" means, with respect to any Note, an amount
equal to the excess,  if any, of the Discounted Value with respect to the Called
Principal of such Note over the amount of such Called  Principal,  provided that
the  Make-Whole  Amount may in no event be less than zero.  For the avoidance of
doubt, the Company and you agree that the  determination  of Reinvestment  Yield
and Remaining  Average Life in respect of Notes of each Series will be different
and will result in different  Make-Whole Amounts in respect of the Notes of each
Series.

         For the purposes of determining  the Make-Whole  Amount,  the following
terms have the following meanings:

                           "Called  Principal"  means, with respect to any Note,
                  the  principal of such Note that is to be prepaid  pursuant to
                  Section  8.2 or Section 8.6 or has become or is declared to be
                  immediately  due and payable  pursuant to Section 13.1, as the
                  context requires.

                           "Discounted  Value" means, with respect to the Called
                  Principal of any Note, the amount  obtained by discounting the
                  amount  of such  Called  Principal  and  interest  payable  in
                  respect thereof from, in the case of the Called Principal, the
                  maturity date in respect of such Note to the  Settlement  Date
                  and,  in the case of such  interest,  the  scheduled  dates of
                  payment  hereunder in respect thereof to the Settlement  Date,
                  in  accordance  with  accepted  financial  practice  and  at a
                  discount factor (applied on the same periodic basis as that on
                  which   interest  on  such  Note  is  payable)  equal  to  the
                  Reinvestment Yield with respect to such Called Principal.

                           "Reinvestment  Yield"  means,  with  respect  to  the
                  Called  Principal of any Note,  the sum of (a) 0.50% per annum
                  plus  (b) the  yield to  maturity  implied  by (i) the  yields
                  reported,  as of 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the second
                  Business Day  preceding  the  Settlement  Date with respect to
                  such  Called  Principal,  on the display  designated  as "Page
                  U.S.D." of the Bloomberg  Financial  Markets  Services  Screen
                  (or, if not available, any other nationally recognized trading
                  screen reporting on-line intraday trading in the U.S. Treasury
                  securities)  for  actively  traded  U.S.  Treasury  securities
                  having a maturity equal to the Remaining  Average Life of such
                  Called  Principal as of such Settlement  Date, or (ii) if such
                  yields are not reported as of such time or the yields reported
                  as  of  such  time  are  not   ascertainable   (including   by
                  interpolation),  the Treasury  Constant Maturity Series Yields
                  reported,  for the latest day for which such  yields have been
                  so  reported  as of the  second  Business  Day  preceding  the
                  Settlement  Date with  respect to such  Called  Principal,  in
                  Federal  Reserve   Statistical  Release  H.15  (519)  (or  any
                  comparable  successor  publication)  for actively  traded U.S.
                  Treasury  securities  having a constant  maturity equal to the
                  Remaining  Average  Life of such Called  Principal  as of such
                  Settlement  Date.  Such implied yield will be  determined,  if
                  necessary,  by (1) converting U.S. Treasury bill quotations to
                  bond-equivalent  yields in accordance with accepted  financial

                                       21
<page>
                  practice  and  (2)  interpolating  linearly  between  (A)  the
                  actively  traded  U.S.  Treasury  security  with the  maturity
                  closest to and greater than the Remaining Average Life and (B)
                  the actively traded U.S.  Treasury  security with the maturity
                  closest to and less than the Remaining Average Life.

                           "Remaining  Average Life" means,  with respect to the
                  Called Principal of any Note, the number of years  (calculated
                  to the nearest  one-twelfth year) that will elapse between the
                  Settlement Date with respect to such Called  Principal and the
                  maturity date of the Note in respect thereof.

                           "Settlement  Date" means,  with respect to the Called
                  Principal of any Note, the date on which such Called Principal
                  is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or Section 8.6 or has
                  become  or is  declared  to be  immediately  due  and  payable
                  pursuant to Section 13.1, as the context requires.

          INTEREST ON THE NOTES

          9.1      Series A Notes

         Interest shall accrue on the unpaid  principal  balance of the Series A
Notes on the basis of a  360-day  year of  twelve  30-day  months at the rate of
6.71% per annum and shall be payable,  in arrears,  semiannually  on February 27
and August 27 in each year,  commencing on August 27, 1998,  until the principal
amount of the  Series A Notes in  respect  of which  such  interest  shall  have
accrued shall become due and payable,  and interest  shall accrue on any overdue
principal (including any overdue prepayment of principal), Make-Whole Amount, if
any, and (to the extent permitted by applicable law) on any overdue  installment
of interest on the Series A Notes at a rate equal to the Series A Default Rate.

          9.2      Series B Notes

         Interest shall accrue on the unpaid  principal  balance of the Series B
Notes on the basis of a  360-day  year of  twelve  30-day  months at the rate of
6.60% per annum and shall be payable,  in arrears,  semiannually  on February 27
and August 27 in each year,  commencing on August 27, 1998,  until the principal
amount of the  Series B Notes in  respect  of which  such  interest  shall  have
accrued shall become due and payable,  and interest  shall accrue on any overdue
principal (including any overdue prepayment of principal), Make-Whole Amount, if
any, and (to the extent permitted by applicable law) on any overdue  installment
of interest on the Series B Notes at a rate equal to the Series B Default Rate.

10.      AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

         The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:

                                       22
<page>
          10.1     Compliance with Law

         The Company will and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply with
all laws,  ordinances or governmental rules or regulations to which each of them
is subject, including,  without limitation,  Environmental Laws, and will obtain
and maintain in effect all licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other
governmental  authorizations  necessary  to the  ownership  of their  respective
properties or to the conduct of their respective businesses, in each case to the
extent  necessary to ensure that  non-compliance  with such laws,  ordinances or
governmental  rules or  regulations  or failures to obtain or maintain in effect
such  licenses,   certificates,   permits,  franchises  and  other  governmental
authorizations  could  not,  individually  or in the  aggregate,  reasonably  be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

          10.2     Insurance

         The Company will and will cause each of its  Subsidiaries to, maintain,
with financially sound and reputable  insurers,  insurance with respect to their
respective  properties and businesses against such casualties and contingencies,
of  such  types,  on such  terms  and in such  amounts  (including  deductibles,
co-insurance,   self-insurance  and  insurance  provided  by  captive  insurance
companies,  if adequate  reserves are  maintained  with  respect  thereto) as is
customary in the case of entities of established reputations engaged in the same
or a similar business and similarly situated.

          10.3     Maintenance of Properties

         The Company  will and will cause each of its  Subsidiaries  to maintain
and keep, or cause to be maintained  and kept,  their  respective  properties in
good repair, working order and condition (other than ordinary wear and tear), so
that the business carried on in connection  therewith may be properly  conducted
at all times,  provided  that this Section  shall not prevent the Company or any
Subsidiary  from  discontinuing  the operation and the maintenance of any of its
properties  if such  discontinuance  is desirable in the conduct of its business
and the Company has concluded that such discontinuance  could not,  individually
or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

          10.4     Payment of Taxes and Claims

         The Company  will and will cause each of its  Subsidiaries  to file all
tax returns  required to be filed in any  jurisdiction  and to pay and discharge
all taxes  shown to be due and  payable  on such  returns  and all other  taxes,
assessments,  governmental  charges,  or levies  imposed on them or any of their
properties,  assets,  income  or  franchises,  to  the  extent  such  taxes  and
assessments  have become due and payable and before they have become  delinquent
and all  claims for which sums have  become due and  payable  that have or might
become  a Lien  on  properties  or  assets  of  the  Company  or any  Subsidiary
(including,  without limitation,  mechanic's liens or other similar construction
liens),  provided that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary  need pay any such
tax or assessment or claims if (a) the amount, applicability or validity thereof
is contested by the Company or such  Subsidiary  on a timely basis in good faith
and  in  appropriate  proceedings,  and  the  Company  or  such  Subsidiary  has
established  adequate  reserves therefor in accordance with GAAP on the books of
the  Company  or such  Subsidiary  or (b) the  nonpayment  of all such taxes and

                                       23
<page>
assessments and claims in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect.

         10.5     Corporate Existence, etc.

         The  Company  will at all  times  preserve  and keep in full  force and
effect its corporate  existence.  Subject to Section 11.2 and Section 11.7,  the
Company  will at all  times  preserve  and keep in full  force  and  effect  the
corporate or other entity existence of each of its  Subsidiaries  (unless merged
into the Company or a Subsidiary)  and all rights and  franchises of the Company
and its  Subsidiaries  unless,  in the good faith  judgment of the Company,  the
termination  of or failure to  preserve  and keep in full force and effect  such
corporate  existence,  right or  franchise  could  not,  individually  or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

          10.6     Pari Passu Obligations

         The Company  covenants that its  obligations  under the Notes and under
this Agreement and the Other  Agreements do and will rank at least pari passu in
right of payment with all of its present and future unsecured and unsubordinated
indebtedness,  except for those  obligations  that are mandatorily  preferred by
law.

11       NEGATIVE COVENANTS

         The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:

          11.1     Transactions with Affiliates

         The Company will not and will not permit any  Subsidiary  to enter into
directly or indirectly any transaction or Material group of related transactions
(including,  without  limitation,  the  purchase,  lease,  sale or  exchange  of
properties  of any kind or the  rendering  of any  service)  with any  Affiliate
(other  than the Company or a  Subsidiary),  except in the  ordinary  course and
pursuant to the reasonable  requirements  of the Company's or such  Subsidiary's
business and upon fair and reasonable  terms no less favorable to the Company or
such  Subsidiary   than  would  be  obtainable  in  a  comparable   arm's-length
transaction with a Person not an Affiliate.

          11.2     Merger, Consolidation, etc

         The  Company  will not and will not permit any of its  Subsidiaries  to
consolidate,  amalgamate  or merge  with or into any  other  Person  or  convey,
transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets in a single transaction
or series of  transactions  to any Person  (except that (x) any  Subsidiary  may
consolidate,  amalgamate or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all
or  substantially  all of its  assets  in a  single  transaction  or  series  of
transactions  to,  the  Company  or any  Wholly-Owned  Subsidiary  and  (y)  any
Subsidiary  may  transfer  or lease all or  substantially  all of its  assets if
permitted  pursuant to Sections  11.7(d) or (e)),  provided  that the  foregoing
restrictions  do not apply to the  consolidation,  amalgamation or merger of the
Company  with  or  into,  or  the  conveyance,  transfer  or  lease  of  all  or
substantially all of the assets of the Company in a single transaction or series
of transactions to, any Person so long as:

                                       24
<page>
                  (i) the successor formed by such consolidation or amalgamation
         or  the  survivor  of  such  merger  or the  Person  that  acquires  by
         conveyance, transfer or lease all or substantially all of the assets of
         the  Company  as an  entirety,  as  the  case  may be  (the  "Successor
         Company"),  shall be a solvent corporation organized and existing under
         the  laws  of  the  United  States  of  America  or any  State  thereof
         (including, without limitation, the District of Columbia);

                  (ii)  if  the  Company  is not  the  Successor  Company,  such
         Successor  Company  shall have executed and delivered to each holder of
         any  Notes  its  assumption  of the due  and  punctual  payment  of the
         principal  of and  premium,  if any,  and interest on all of the Notes,
         according to their  tenor,  and the due and  punctual  performance  and
         observance of each covenant and condition of this Agreement,  the Other
         Agreements  and the Notes and shall have caused to be delivered to each
         holder of any Notes an opinion  of  nationally  recognized  independent
         counsel,  or other independent  counsel reasonably  satisfactory to the
         Required  Holders,  to the effect that all  agreements  or  instruments
         effecting  such  assumption  have been duly  authorized,  executed  and
         delivered and are enforceable in accordance with their terms and comply
         with the terms hereof; and

                  (iii)  immediately  before  and  after  giving  effect to such
         transaction no Default or Event of Default would exist.

          11.3     Maximum Amount of Consolidated Debt

         The  Company  will not at any time  during the  applicable  periods set
forth below permit  Consolidated  Debt,  determined  at such time, to exceed the
percentage of Consolidated Total  Capitalization,  determined at such time, that
is set forth below and corresponds to the applicable period:




=========================================================== ========================================================
                 Applicable Time Periods                              Maximum Amount of Consolidated Debt
=========================================================== ========================================================
                                                              
From and including the date of Closing to (but excluding)        68% of  Consolidated Total Capitalization
the first anniversary of the date of Closing
=========================================================== ========================================================
From and including  the first anniversary  date of Closing       67% of  Consolidated Total  Capitalization
to (but excluding) the second anniversary of the date of
Closing
=========================================================== ========================================================
From and including the second anniversary date of Closing        66% of  Consolidated Total  Capitalization
to (but  excluding) the third anniversary of the date of
Closing
=========================================================== ========================================================
From and after the third  anniversary of the date of             65% of  Consolidated  TotalCapitalization.
Closing
=========================================================== ========================================================

                                       25
<page>
          11.4     Incurrence of Priority Debt

         The  Company  will not and will not permit any of its  Subsidiaries  to
directly or indirectly create,  incur,  assume,  guarantee,  or otherwise become
liable in respect of

                  (a) in the case of the Company,  any Debt to be incurred after
         the date of the  Closing  and  secured by Liens  permitted  pursuant to
         clause (h), (i), (j) or (k) of Section 11.6, or

                  (b) in the case of any Subsidiary,  any Debt to be incurred by
         such Subsidiary after the date of the Closing,

unless,  after  giving  effect  to the  incurrence  of  such  Debt  and the
application of the proceeds thereof,

                  (i)    no Default or Event of Default would exist and

                  (ii)   the aggregate principal amount (without duplication) of

                           (A) all Debt of the Company then outstanding  secured
                  by Liens  permitted  pursuant to clauses (e), (h), (i), (j) or
                  (k) of Section  11.6  (excluding,  in any case,  any such Debt
                  owing to a Subsidiary  and excluding any  duplication  of Debt
                  that may arise by virtue of the utilization of clause (j)) and

                           (B) all Consolidated Subsidiary Debt then outstanding

         does not exceed 30% of  Consolidated  Net Worth,  determined  as of the
         last day of the most recently ended Fiscal Quarter.

         For the purposes of this Section 11.4, any Person becoming a Subsidiary
after the date of the  Closing  shall be deemed,  at the time it becomes  such a
Subsidiary, to have incurred all of its then outstanding Debt. This Section 11.4
shall have no application to any Debt of a Subsidiary  owing to the Company or a
Subsidiary.

          11.5     Consolidated Net Worth

     The Company will not, at any time, permit Consolidated Net Worth to be less
than the sum of

                           (i)      $125,000,000, plus

                           (ii) an aggregate amount equal to 25% of Consolidated
                  Net  Earnings  (but  only  if  a  positive  number)  for  each
                  completed  Fiscal Year  beginning  with the Fiscal Year ending
                  December 31, 1998.

                                       26
<page>
          11.6     Liens

         The  Company  will not and will not permit any of its  Subsidiaries  to
directly  or  indirectly  create,  incur,  assume or  permit to exist  (upon the
happening  of a  contingency  or  otherwise)  any Lien on or with respect to any
property or asset (including,  without limitation, any document or instrument in
respect of goods or  accounts  receivable)  of the  Company or such  Subsidiary,
whether  now owned or held or  hereafter  acquired,  or any  income  or  profits
therefrom  or assign or  otherwise  convey any right to receive  such  income or
profits (unless it makes, or causes to be made,  effective provision whereby the
Notes will be equally and  ratably  secured  with any and all other  obligations
thereby  secured,  such  security  to be  pursuant  to an  agreement  reasonably
satisfactory to the Required Holders  providing for such security  (including an
opinion of counsel to the  Company to the effect  that the  holders of the Notes
are so equally and ratably  secured) and, in any such case, the Notes shall have
the benefit,  to the fullest extent that, and with such priority as, the holders
of the Notes may be entitled under  applicable law, of an equitable Lien on such
property),  provided that the foregoing  restrictions and limitations  shall not
apply to:

                  (a)      (i)      Liens for taxes,  assessments or other
governmental  charges  (including ERISA Liens) the payment of which is not at
the time required by Section 10.4, and

                           (ii)  statutory  Liens  of  landlords  and  Liens  of
                  carriers,  warehousemen,   mechanics,  materialmen,  inventory
                  suppliers and other similar Liens,  in each case,  incurred in
                  the  ordinary  course of business  for sums not yet due or the
                  payment of which is not at the time required by Section 10.4;

                  (b)      Liens

                           (i)  arising from judicial attachments and judgments,

                           (ii) securing appeal bonds or supersedeas bonds, or

                           (iii)  arising in connection  with court  proceedings
                  (including,  without  limitation,  surety bonds and letters of
                  credit or any other instrument serving a similar purpose),

         provided that (1) the execution or other  enforcement  of such Liens is
         effectively  stayed,  (2) the claims secured thereby are being actively
         contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and (3) adequate
         book reserves shall have been  established  and maintained with respect
         thereto in accordance with GAAP;

                  (c) Liens (other than any Lien  imposed by ERISA)  incurred or
         deposits made in the ordinary course of business (i) in connection with
         workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social
         security  or  retirement  benefits,  or (ii) to  secure  (or to  obtain
         letters of credit that secure) the  performance  of tenders,  statutory
         obligations,  surety  bonds,  appeal  bonds,  bids,  leases (other than
         Capital Leases),  performance  bonds,  purchase,  construction or sales
         contracts,  leases  and  other  similar  obligations,  in each case not
         incurred  or made in  connection  with  the  borrowing  of  money,  the

                                       27
<page>
         obtaining of advances or credit or the payment of the deferred purchase
         price of property, and which Liens do not, in the aggregate, materially
         impair the use of the property  subject thereto in the operation of the
         business of the Company and the Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, or the
         value of such property for the purposes of such business;

                  (d)  leases  or  subleases   granted  to  others,   easements,
         rights-of-way,    restrictions,   zoning   restrictions,   governmental
         restrictions  in respect of any property or property right or franchise
         of  the  Company  or  any  Subsidiary  and  other  similar  charges  or
         encumbrances, in each case incidental to, and not interfering with, the
         ordinary  conduct of the business of the Company and the  Subsidiaries,
         taken as a whole,  provided that such charges and  encumbrances do not,
         in the aggregate, materially detract from the value of such property;

                  (e)      Liens existing on the date of the Closing as set
         forth on Schedule 11.6;

                  (f) Liens on  property  or assets of the Company or any of its
         Subsidiaries securing Debt owing to the Company or any Subsidiary;

                  (g)  Liens  arising  from the  Transfer  by ICC (or any  other
         Subsidiary primarily  responsible for providing credit to the customers
         of the Company and its  Subsidiaries) of all or any of its receivables,
         whether  with or  without  recourse  to ICC,  the  Company or any other
         Subsidiary,  which Liens shall extend solely to such  receivables,  the
         proceeds in respect thereof, receivables substituted therefor and books
         or  records in  respect  thereof,  provided  that such  Transfer  is an
         arm's-length  transaction,  not  accounted  for under GAAP as a secured
         loan and, in the good faith opinion of a Senior Financial Officer,  for
         fair  value  and  in  the  best   interests  of  the  Company  and  the

         Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, and provided further, that recourse to
         ICC, the Company or any other  Subsidiary in  connection  with any such
         Transfer shall be limited to (i) liabilities arising from the breach of
         warranties made by ICC or such other Subsidiary in connection with such
         Transfer and (ii) an amount,  with respect to any such  Transfer and in
         addition to clause (i) above,  not in excess of 30% of the  proceeds of
         the disposition of the receivables so transferred in such Transfer;

                  (h) Liens  created to secure  all or any part of the  purchase
         price,  or to secure Debt incurred or assumed to pay all or any part of
         the  purchase  price  or  cost of  construction,  of  property  (or any
         improvement  thereon)  acquired or constructed by the Company or any of
         its  Subsidiaries,  provided that all of the following  conditions  are
         satisfied:

                           (i) any such Lien shall extend  solely to the item or
                  items of such  property (or  improvement  thereon) or proceeds
                  thereof so  acquired  or  constructed  and, if required by the
                  terms of the instrument  originally  creating such Lien, other
                  property (or  improvement  thereon) which is an improvement to
                  or is  acquired  for  specific  use in  connection  with  such
                  acquired or constructed  property (or improvement  thereon) or
                  which is real  property  being  improved  by such  acquired or
                  constructed property (or improvement thereon),

                                       28
<page>
                           (ii) the principal  amount of the Debt secured by any
                  such  Lien  shall at no time  exceed  an  amount  equal to the
                  lesser  of (A) the cost to such  Person  of the  property  (or
                  improvement  thereon) so acquired or  constructed  and (B) the
                  Fair Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Board of
                  Directors  of the Company) of such  property  (or  improvement
                  thereon) at the time of such acquisition or construction,

                           (iii)    any   such    Lien    shall    be    created
                  contemporaneously   with,  or  within  180  days  after,   the
                  acquisition or construction of such property, and

                           (iv) at the time of creation, incurrence,  assumption
                  or guarantee of the Debt secured by such Lien and after giving
                  effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist;

                  (i) Liens existing on property of a Person  immediately  prior
         to its  being  consolidated  or  amalgamated  with or  merged  into the
         Company or any  Subsidiary  or its becoming a  Subsidiary,  or any Lien
         existing on any property  acquired by the Company or any  Subsidiary at
         the time such property is so acquired  (whether or not the Debt secured
         thereby shall have been assumed), provided that

                           (i) no such Lien shall  have been  created or assumed
                  in contemplation of such consolidation, amalgamation or merger
                  or such Person's  becoming a Subsidiary or such acquisition of
                  property,

                           (ii) each such Lien shall  extend  solely to the item
                  or items of property so acquired and proceeds  thereof and, if
                  required by the terms of the  instrument  originally  creating
                  such Lien,  other  property  which is an  improvement to or is
                  acquired  for specific use in  connection  with such  acquired
                  property,

                           (iii) the principal amount of the Debt secured by any
                  such Lien shall at no time exceed an amount  equal to the Fair
                  Market  Value  (as  determined  in good  faith by the Board of
                  Directors  of the Company) of such  property  (or  improvement
                  thereon) at the time of such consolidation, merger, becoming a
                  Subsidiary or acquisition, and

                           (iv) at the time of creation, incurrence,  assumption
                  or guarantee of the Debt secured by such Lien and after giving
                  effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist;

                  (j) Liens renewing,  extending or replacing Liens permitted by
         clauses  (e),  (h) or (i)  above,  provided  that all of the  following
         conditions are satisfied:

                           (i) no such new Lien shall  extend to any property of
                  the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  other than  property
                  already  encumbered  by the existing  Lien being so renewed or
                  replaced,

                           (ii)  the   principal   amount   of  the   underlying
                  obligation  secured by such existing Lien  outstanding  at the
                  time of such renewal or replacement  shall not be increased in

                                       29
<page>
                  connection  with such renewal or  replacement  and the average
                  life thereof shall not be reduced, and

                           (iii)  immediately  after such extension,  renewal or
                  refunding no Default or Event of Default would exist;

                  (k) any Lien (other  than a Lien  permitted  under  clause (a)
         through  clause  (j)  above)  securing  any Debt of the  Company or any
         Subsidiary,  which Debt,  as of the date of the  creation of such Lien,
         does not exceed the remainder of

                           (i)      30% of  Consolidated  Net Worth,  determined
                  as of the end of the most recently ended Fiscal Quarter, minus

                           (ii)  the  sum  (without   duplication)  of  (A)  the
                  aggregate principal amount of all Consolidated Subsidiary Debt
                  outstanding  as of the date of  creation of such Lien plus (B)
                  the total amount of Debt of the Company  outstanding as of the
                  date of  creation  of such Lien  secured by Liens  pursuant to
                  clauses (e),  (h), (i) or (j) of this Section 11.6 or pursuant
                  to this clause (k) (excluding any duplication of Debt that may
                  arise pursuant to the utilization of said clause (j)).

         For the purposes of this Section 11.6, any Person becoming a Subsidiary
after the date of the  Closing  shall be deemed,  at the time it becomes  such a
Subsidiary, to have incurred all of its then existing Liens securing outstanding
Debt.

          11.7     Sale of Assets, etc

         The  Company  will not and will not permit any of its  Subsidiaries  to
make any Transfer,  provided that the foregoing  restriction does not apply to a
Transfer if:

                  (a)  the  property  that  is  the  subject  of  such  Transfer
         constitutes either (i) inventory or (ii) equipment,  fixtures, supplies
         or materials no longer required in the operation of the business of the
         Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  or that is obsolete,  and, in each
         case, such Transfer is in the ordinary course of business;

                  (b) such Transfer is (i) from a Subsidiary to the Company or a
         Wholly-Owned  Subsidiary  or (ii) from the  Company  to a  Wholly-Owned
         Subsidiary,  in each  case,  so long as  immediately  before  and after
         giving effect to the  consummation of any such Transfer,  no Default or
         Event of Default would exist;

                  (c)      such Transfer is subject to Section 11.2 and
         satisfies the requirements thereof;

                  (d)  such  Transfer  is of  receivables  of ICC (or any  other
         Subsidiary primarily  responsible for providing credit to the customers
         of the Company and its Subsidiaries),  whether with or without recourse
         to ICC,  the  Company  or any  other  Subsidiary,  provided  that  such
         Transfer is an arm's-length  transaction,  not accounted for under GAAP
         as a secured loan and, in the good faith opinion of a Senior  Financial
         Officer,  for fair value and in the best  interests  of the Company and
         the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and provided further, that recourse

                                       30
<page>
         to ICC, the Company or any other Subsidiary in connection with any such
         Transfer shall be limited to (i) liabilities arising from the breach of
         warranties made by ICC or such other  Subsidiary in connection with any
         such Transfer and (ii) an amount, with respect to any such Transfer and
         in addition to clause (i) above,  not in excess of 30% of the  proceeds
         of the  disposition of the receivables so transferred in such Transfer;
         or

                  (e) such  Transfer is not a Transfer  described  in clause (a)
         through  clause  (d) above  (each such  Transfer  is  referred  to as a
         "Basket Transfer"), and all of the following conditions shall have been
         satisfied with respect to such Transfer:

                           (i)  in the  good  faith  opinion  of  the  Board  of
                  Directors  of the  Company,  the  Transfer is in exchange  for
                  consideration  with a Fair Market Value at least equal to that
                  of the property exchanged, and is in the best interests of the
                  Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,

                           (ii)  immediately  before and after giving  effect to
                  such  transaction  no Default or Event of Default would exist,
                  and

                           (iii)   immediately   after  giving  effect  to  such
                  Transfer,  the book value of all property that was the subject
                  of each Basket  Transfer  occurring  after the date of Closing
                  would not exceed 25% of  Consolidated  Total  Assets as of the
                  end of the then most recently ended Fiscal Quarter.

                  If the Net Proceeds  Amount for any Basket Transfer is applied
         to a Debt  Offered  Prepayment  Application  and/or is  applied  to, or
         committed in writing to, a Property Reinvestment  Application,  in each
         case within 365 days after the  consummation  of such Transfer (and, in
         the case of any such commitment, such Property Reinvestment Application
         is actually  consummated  within 30 days after the  expiration  of such
         365-day  period),  then such  Basket  Transfer,  to the  extent of such
         application  or  applications  of such Net  Proceeds  Amount,  shall be
         excluded from any  calculations  set forth above in subclause  (iii) of
         this clause (e).

         For purposes of determining  the book value of any property that is the
subject of a Transfer, such book value shall be the book value of such property,
as determined in accordance  with GAAP, at the time of the  consummation of such
Transfer, provided that, in the case of a Transfer of any capital stock or other
equity  interests of a Subsidiary,  the book value thereof shall be deemed to be
an amount equal to

                  (A)  the   remainder   (determined   after   eliminating   all
         intra-company  transactions,  assets and liabilities in accordance with
         GAAP) of

                           (1)      the book value of the total net assets of
         such Subsidiary less

                           (2)      the liabilities of such Subsidiary times

                                       31
<page>
                  (B) a  percentage  that is  equal to the  percentage  of total
         equity  interests of such Subsidiary  attributable to the capital stock
         or other equity interest being so Transferred.

          11.8     Line of Business

         The  Company  will not and will not permit any of its  Subsidiaries  to
engage in any  business if, as a result,  the general  nature of the business in
which the Company and its Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, would then be engaged
would be substantially  changed from the general nature of the business in which
the Company and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, are engaged on the date of
the Closing as described in the Memorandum.

 .2.      EVENTS OF DEFAULT

         An "Event of Default" shall exist if any of the following conditions or
events shall occur and be continuing:

                  (a) the Company  defaults in the payment of any  principal  or
         Make-Whole  Amount,  if any, on any Note when the same  becomes due and
         payable,  whether at maturity or at a date fixed for  prepayment  or by
         declaration or otherwise; or

                  (b) the Company defaults in the payment of any interest on any
         Note for more  than 5  Business  Days  after the same  becomes  due and
         payable; or

                  (c) the Company  defaults in the  performance of or compliance
         with any term  contained in any of Section 11.2 through  Section  11.7,
         inclusive, or Section 7.1(d); or

                  (d) the Company  defaults in the  performance of or compliance
         with any term contained  herein or in any Other  Agreement  (other than
         those referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 12) and
         such default is not remedied  within 30 days after the earlier of (i) a
         Senior Financial Officer obtaining actual knowledge of such default and
         (ii) the Company's  receiving  written  notice of such default from any
         holder of a Note (any such written notice to be identified as a "notice
         of default" and to refer  specifically to this paragraph (d) of Section
         12); or

                  (e) any  representation  or warranty  made in writing by or on
         behalf  of  the  Company  or by any  officer  of the  Company  in  this
         Agreement,   any  Other  Agreement  or  in  any  writing  furnished  in
         connection with the transactions  contemplated hereby or thereby proves
         to have been false or incorrect in any material  respect on the date as
         of which made; or

                  (f)  (i) the  Company  or any  Subsidiary  is in  default  (as
                  principal or as  guarantor or other  surety) in the payment of
                  any principal of or premium or  make-whole  amount or interest
                  on any Debt (other than Debt under this  Agreement,  the Other
                  Agreements  and the Notes)  after notice and beyond any period
                  of grace provided with respect thereto,  that  individually or
                  together  with such  other  Debt as to which any such  failure
                  exists has an  aggregate  outstanding  principal  amount of at
                  least  $5,000,000  (or  its  equivalent  in  other  applicable
                  currencies), or

                                       32
<page>
                           (ii) the Company or any  Subsidiary  is in default in
                  the  performance  of or compliance  with any other term of any
                  evidence   of  any  Debt  (other  than  any  term  under  this
                  Agreement,   the  Other   Agreements  and  the  Notes),   that
                  individually  or together with such other Debt as to which any
                  such  failure  exists has an aggregate  outstanding  principal
                  amount  of at least  $5,000,000  (or its  equivalent  in other
                  applicable  currencies),  or of  compliance  of any  mortgage,
                  indenture  or other  agreement  relating  thereto or any other
                  condition  exists,  and as a  consequence  of such  default or
                  condition such Debt has become, or has been declared,  due and
                  payable  before its stated  maturity  or before its  regularly
                  scheduled dates of payment, or

                           (iii)  as  a   consequence   of  the   occurrence  or
                  continuation of any event or condition (other than the passage
                  of time,  the right of the holder of Debt to convert such Debt
                  into  equity  interests  or in  respect  of any  scheduled  or
                  contractually agreed upon payments),

                                    (A) the Company or any Subsidiary has become
                           obligated  (other than at the Company's  election) to
                           purchase or repay Debt before its regular maturity or
                           before its regularly scheduled dates of payment in an
                           aggregate  outstanding  principal  amount of at least
                           $5,000,000  (or its  equivalent  in other  applicable
                           currencies), or

                                    (B) one or more  Persons  have the  right to
                           require the Company or any  Subsidiary to purchase or
                           repay such Debt and have exercised such right; or

                  (g) the Company or any  Material  Subsidiary  (i) is generally
         not paying,  or admits in writing its  inability  to pay,  its debts as
         they become due, (ii) files,  or consents by answer or otherwise to the
         filing  against  it of, a  petition  for  relief or  reorganization  or
         arrangement or any other petition in bankruptcy,  for liquidation or to
         take   advantage  of  any   bankruptcy,   insolvency,   reorganization,
         moratorium  or other  similar law of any  jurisdiction,  (iii) makes an
         assignment  for the  benefit of its  creditors,  (iv)  consents  to the
         appointment  of a custodian,  receiver,  trustee or other  officer with
         similar  powers with respect to it or with  respect to any  substantial
         part  of  its  property,  (v)  is  adjudicated  as  insolvent  or to be
         liquidated,  or (vi) takes  corporate  action for the purpose of any of
         the foregoing; or

                  (h)  a  court   or   governmental   authority   of   competent
         jurisdiction enters an order appointing, without consent by the Company
         or any Material  Subsidiary,  a custodian,  receiver,  trustee or other
         officer with similar powers with respect to the Company or any Material
         Subsidiary or with respect to any  substantial  part of the property of
         the Company or any Material  Subsidiary,  or  constituting an order for
         relief or  approving  a petition  for relief or  reorganization  or any
         other petition in bankruptcy or for liquidation or to take advantage of
         any bankruptcy or insolvency law of any  jurisdiction,  or ordering the
         dissolution,  winding-up or  liquidation of the Company or any Material
         Subsidiary,  or any such petition shall be filed against the Company or
         any Material Subsidiary and such petition shall not be dismissed within
         60 days; or

                                       33
<page>
                  (i) a final  judgment  or  judgments  for the payment of money
         aggregating  in  excess  of  $5,000,000  (or its  equivalent  in  other
         applicable  currencies) are rendered against one or more of the Company
         and the  Subsidiaries and which judgments are not, within 60 days after
         entry thereof, bonded,  discharged or stayed pending appeal, or are not
         discharged within 60 days after the expiration of such stay; or

                  (j) if (i) any Plan shall fail to satisfy the minimum  funding
                  standards  of ERISA  or the  Code  for any  plan  year or part
                  thereof  or a waiver of such  standards  or  extension  of any
                  amortization  period is sought or granted under section 412 of
                  the Code,

                           (ii) a notice of intent to  terminate  any Plan shall
                  have been or is reasonably  expected to be filed with the PBGC
                  or the PBGC  shall have  instituted  proceedings  under  ERISA
                  section 4042 to  terminate or appoint a trustee to  administer
                  any Plan or the PBGC shall have  notified  the  Company or any
                  ERISA  Affiliate  that a Plan may become a subject of any such
                  proceedings,

                           (iii)  the  aggregate  "amount  of  unfunded  benefit
                  liabilities"  (within  the meaning of section  4001(a)(18)  of
                  ERISA)  under  all  Plans   subject  to  Title  IV  of  ERISA,
                  determined in accordance with Title IV of ERISA,  shall exceed
                  $10,000,000,

                           (iv) the  Company or any ERISA  Affiliate  shall have
                  incurred or is  reasonably  expected to incur any liability in
                  the nature of a penalty,  excise tax or fine pursuant to Title
                  I or IV of ERISA or the  penalty or excise tax  provisions  of
                  the Code relating to employee benefit plans,

                           (v)      the Company or any ERISA Affiliate withdraws
                  from any Multiemployer Plan, or

                           (vi) the  Company or any  Subsidiary  establishes  or
                  amends  any  employee   welfare  benefit  plan  that  provides
                  post-employment  welfare  benefits  in  a  manner  that  would
                  increase  the  liability  of the  Company  or such  Subsidiary
                  thereunder;

         and any such event or events  described  in clauses  (i)  through  (vi)
         above,  either  individually  or together  with any other such event or
         events, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

As used in  Section  12(j),  the terms  "employee  benefit  plan" and  "employee
welfare benefit plan" shall have the respective  meanings assigned to such terms
in section 3 of ERISA.

13.      REMEDIES ON DEFAULT, ETC.

          13.1     Acceleration

                  (a) If an  Event  of  Default  with  respect  to  the  Company
         described in paragraph  (g) or paragraph  (h) of Section 12 (other than
         an Event  of  Default  described  in  clause  (i) of  paragraph  (g) or

                                       34
<page>
         described  in clause (vi) of  paragraph  (g) by virtue of the fact that
         such clause encompasses clause (i) of paragraph (g)) has occurred,  all
         the Notes then outstanding shall  automatically  become immediately due
         and payable.

                  (b)  If  any  other  Event  of  Default  has  occurred  and is
         continuing,  any holder or holders of more than 50% in principal amount
         of the  Notes at the time  outstanding  may at any time at its or their
         option, by notice or notices to the Company, declare all the Notes then
         outstanding to be immediately due and payable.

                  (c) If any Event of Default  described in paragraph (a) or (b)
         of Section 12 has occurred and is continuing,  any holder or holders of
         Notes at the time outstanding  affected by such Event of Default may at
         any time, at its or their option,  by notice or notices to the Company,
         declare  all the  Notes  held by it or them to be  immediately  due and
         payable.

         Upon any Notes  becoming  due and  payable  under  this  Section  13.1,
whether  automatically  or by declaration,  such Notes will forthwith mature and
the entire  unpaid  principal  amount of such  Notes,  plus (x) all  accrued and
unpaid interest thereon and (y) the Make-Whole  Amount  determined in respect of
such principal  amount (to the full extent  permitted by applicable  law), shall
all be immediately due and payable, in each and every case without  presentment,
demand,  protest or further notice,  all of which are hereby waived. The Company
acknowledges,  and the parties hereto agree,  that each holder of a Note has the
right to maintain its investment in such Note free from repayment by the Company
(except as herein specifically  provided for) and that the provision for payment
of a Make-Whole  Amount by the Company in the event that such Note is prepaid or
is  accelerated  as a result of an Event of  Default,  is  intended  to  provide
compensation for the deprivation of such right under such circumstances.

          13.2     Other Remedies

         If any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing,  and
irrespective of whether any Notes have become or have been declared  immediately
due and  payable  under  Section  13.1,  the  holder  of any  Note  at the  time
outstanding  may  proceed to protect and enforce the rights of such holder by an
action at law, suit in equity or other appropriate  proceeding,  whether for the
specific performance of any agreement contained herein or in any Note, or for an
injunction against a violation of any of the terms hereof or thereof,  or in aid
of the exercise of any power granted hereby or thereby or by law or otherwise.

          13.3     Rescission

         At any time after any Notes have been declared due and payable pursuant
to clause  (b) or clause (c) of Section  13.1,  the  holders of more than 50% in
principal  amount  of the  Notes  then  outstanding,  by  written  notice to the
Company,  may rescind and annul any such declaration and its consequences if (a)
the Company has paid all overdue  interest on the Notes,  all  principal due and
payable on any Notes other than by reason of such declaration,  and all interest
on such overdue  principal,  if any, and any  Make-Whole  Amount that is due and
payable in respect of the Notes other than by reason of such declaration and any
interest  thereon and (to the extent  permitted by  applicable  law) any overdue
interest in respect of the Notes, at the applicable Default Rate, (b) all Events

                                       35
<page>
of Default and Defaults,  other than non-payment of amounts that have become due
solely by  reason  of such  declaration,  have  been  cured or have been  waived
pursuant to Section  18, and (c) no judgment or decree has been  entered for the
payment of any monies due pursuant  hereto or to the Notes.  No  rescission  and
annulment under this Section 13.3 will extend to or affect any subsequent  Event
of Default or Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

         13.4     No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, etc.

         No course of dealing and no delay on the part of any holder of any Note
in exercising  any right,  power or remedy shall operate as a waiver  thereof or
otherwise prejudice such holder's rights, powers or remedies. No right, power or
remedy  conferred by this Agreement or by any Note upon any holder thereof shall
be exclusive of any other right,  power or remedy  referred to herein or therein
or now or  hereafter  available  at law,  in equity,  by  statute or  otherwise.
Without  limiting the  obligations  of the Company under Section 16, the Company
will pay to the holder of each Note on demand  such  further  amount as shall be
sufficient to cover all reasonable costs and expenses of such holder incurred in
any  enforcement  or  collection  under  this  Section  13,  including,  without
limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees, expenses and disbursements.

14.      REGISTRATION; EXCHANGE; SUBSTITUTION OF NOTES

          14.1     Registration of Notes

         The Company shall keep at its principal executive office a register for
the registration and registration of transfers of Notes. The name and address of
each holder of one or more Notes, each transfer thereof and the name and address
of each  transferee of one or more Notes shall be  registered in such  register.
Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer,  the Person in whose name
any Note shall be registered shall be deemed and treated as the owner and holder
thereof for all purposes  hereof,  and the Company  shall not be affected by any
notice or knowledge to the  contrary.  The Company shall give to any holder of a
Note  that is an  Institutional  Investor  promptly  upon  request  therefor,  a
complete and correct copy of the names and addresses of all  registered  holders
of Notes.

          14.2     Transfer and Exchange of Notes

         Upon  surrender of any Note at the  principal  executive  office of the
Company for registration of transfer or exchange (and in the case of a surrender
for  registration  of  transfer,  duly  endorsed  or  accompanied  by a  written
instrument of transfer duly  executed by the  registered  holder of such Note or
his  attorney  duly  authorized  in writing and  accompanied  by the address for
notices of each  transferee  of such Note or part  thereof),  the Company  shall
execute and deliver, at the Company's expense (except as provided below), one or
more new Notes (as requested by the holder thereof) in exchange therefor,  in an
aggregate  principal  amount  equal  to  the  unpaid  principal  amount  of  the
surrendered  Note.  Each such new Note shall be  payable to such  Person as such
holder  may  request  and shall be  substantially  in the form of  Exhibit 1A or
Exhibit 1B. Each such new Note shall be dated and bear interest from the date to
which interest shall have been paid on the surrendered Note or dated the date of
the  surrendered  Note if no interest shall have been paid thereon.  The Company
may require  payment of a sum sufficient to cover any stamp tax or  governmental
charge  imposed in respect of any such  transfer  of Notes.  Notes  shall not be
transferred in denominations of less than $1,000,000, provided that if necessary
to enable the  registration  of  transfer  by a holder of its entire  holding of
Notes,  one  Note  may  be  in a  denomination  of  less  than  $1,000,000.  Any

                                       36
<page>
transferee,  by its acceptance of a Note  registered in its name (or the name of
its  nominee),  shall be  deemed to have  made the  representation  set forth in
Section 6.2.

          14.3     Replacement of Notes

         Upon receipt by the Company of evidence  reasonably  satisfactory to it
of the ownership of and the loss,  theft,  destruction or mutilation of any Note
(which evidence shall be, in the case of an Institutional Investor,  notice from
such Institutional Investor of such ownership and such loss, theft,  destruction
or mutilation), and

                  (a) in the case of loss,  theft or  destruction,  of indemnity
         reasonably satisfactory to it (provided that if the holder of such Note
         is, or is a nominee for, an original  Purchaser or another  holder of a
         Note with a minimum net worth of at least  $250,000,000,  such Person's
         own   unsecured   agreement  of   indemnity   shall  be  deemed  to  be
         satisfactory), or

            (b)      in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and
cancellation thereof,

the Company at its own expense shall execute and deliver, in lieu thereof, a new
Note, dated and bearing interest from the date to which interest shall have been
paid on such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note or dated the date of such
lost,  stolen,  destroyed or mutilated  Note if no interest shall have been paid
thereon.

15.      PAYMENTS ON NOTES

          15.1     Place of Payment

         Subject to Section 15.2,  payments of principal,  Make-Whole Amount, if
any, and interest becoming due and payable on the Notes shall be made in Elyria,
Ohio at the principal  office of the Company in such  jurisdiction.  The Company
may at any time, by notice to each holder of a Note, change the place of payment
of the Notes so long as such  place of  payment  shall be either  the  principal
office of the Company in the United States of America or the principal office of
a bank or trust company in the United States of America.

          15.2     Home Office Payment

         So long as you or your  nominee  shall be the  holder of any Note,  and
notwithstanding  anything  contained  in  Section  15.1 or in  such  Note to the
contrary, the Company will pay all sums becoming due on such Note for principal,
Make-Whole  Amount,  if any,  and  interest  by the  method  and at the  address
specified  for such  purpose  below  your name in  Schedule  A, or by such other
method or at such other address as you shall have from time to time specified to
the Company in writing for such purpose,  without the  presentation or surrender
of such Note or the making of any  notation  thereon,  except that upon  written
request of the Company  made  concurrently  with or  reasonably  promptly  after
payment or prepayment  in full of any Note,  you shall  surrender  such Note for
cancellation,  reasonably promptly after any such request, to the Company at its
principal  executive office or at the place of payment most recently  designated
by the Company pursuant to Section 15.1. Prior to any sale or other  disposition
of any Note held by you or your  nominee  you  will,  at your  election,  either
endorse  thereon the amount of principal paid thereon and the last date to which

                                       37
<page>
interest has been paid thereon or surrender such Note to the Company in exchange
for a new Note or Notes  pursuant to Section  14.2.  The Company will afford the
benefits of this Section 15.2 to any  Institutional  Investor that is the direct
or indirect  transferee  of any Note  purchased by you under this  Agreement and
that has made the same agreement  relating to such Note as you have made in this
Section 15.2.

16.      EXPENSES, ETC.

          16.1     Transaction Expenses

         Whether or not the  transactions  contemplated  hereby are consummated,
the Company will pay all  reasonable  costs and expenses  (including  reasonable
attorneys' fees of a special counsel and, if reasonably required, local or other
counsel)  incurred  by you and  each  Other  Purchaser  or  holder  of a Note in
connection with such transactions and in connection with any amendments, waivers
or consents  under or in respect of this  Agreement or the Notes (whether or not
such  amendment,  waiver  or  consent  becomes  effective),  including,  without
limitation:  (a) the  reasonable  costs and  expenses  incurred in  enforcing or
defending (or determining  whether or how to enforce or defend) any rights under
this  Agreement  or the Notes or in  responding  to any  subpoena or other legal
process  or  informal  investigative  demand  issued  in  connection  with  this
Agreement or the Notes,  or by reason of being a holder of any Note, and (b) the
reasonable costs and expenses,  including  financial advisors' fees, incurred in
connection with the insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company or any Subsidiary or
in  connection  with  any  work-out  or   restructuring   of  the   transactions
contemplated  hereby and by the Notes.  The Company  will pay, and will save you
and each  other  holder of a Note  harmless  from,  all claims in respect of any
fees,  costs or  expenses  if any,  of brokers  and  finders  (other  than those
retained by you).

          16.2     Survival

         The  obligations  of the Company under this Section 16 will survive the
payment or transfer of any Note,  the  enforcement,  amendment  or waiver of any
provision of this Agreement or the Notes and the termination of this Agreement.

17.      SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; ENTIRE AGREEMENT

         All representations  and warranties  contained herein shall survive the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Notes, the purchase or transfer
by you of any Note or portion thereof or interest therein and the payment of any
Note, and may be relied upon by any subsequent  holder of a Note,  regardless of
any investigation made at any time by or on behalf of you or any other holder of
a  Note.  All  statements  contained  in any  certificate  or  other  instrument
delivered  by or on behalf of the Company  pursuant to this  Agreement  shall be
deemed  representations  and  warranties  of the Company  under this  Agreement.
Subject to the  preceding  sentence,  this  Agreement  and the Notes  embody the
entire agreement and understanding between you and the Company and supersede all
prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.

                                       38

18.      AMENDMENT AND WAIVER

          18.1     Requirements

         This Agreement and the Notes may be amended,  and the observance of any
term  hereof  or  of  the  Notes  may  be  waived   (either   retroactively   or
prospectively),  with (and only with) the written consent of the Company and the
Required  Holders,  except  that  (a)  no  amendment  or  waiver  of  any of the
provisions  of any of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 22, or any defined  term (as
it is used therein),  will be effective as to you unless  consented to by you in
writing, and (b) no such amendment or waiver may, without the written consent of
the holder of each Note at the time outstanding affected thereby, (i) subject to
the provisions of Section 13 relating to acceleration or rescission,  change the
amount or time of any  prepayment or payment of principal of, or reduce the rate
or change the time of payment or method of  computation  of  interest  or of the
Make-Whole  Amount on, the Notes,  (ii) change the  percentage  of the principal
amount of the Notes the  holders  of which are  required  to consent to any such
amendment or waiver, or (iii) amend any of Sections 8, 12(a),  12(b), 13, 18 and
21.

          18.2     Solicitation of Holders of Notes

                  (a) Solicitation.  The Company will provide each holder of the
         Notes  (irrespective  of the  amount  of Notes  then  owned by it) with
         sufficient  information,  sufficiently  far in  advance  of the  date a
         decision is  required,  to enable  such holder to make an informed  and
         considered decision with respect to any proposed  amendment,  waiver or
         consent in respect of any of the provisions hereof or of the Notes. The
         Company  will  deliver  executed  or true and  correct  copies  of each
         amendment,  waiver or consent  effected  pursuant to the  provisions of
         this Section 18 to each holder of outstanding Notes promptly  following
         the date on which it is executed  and  delivered  by, or  receives  the
         consent or approval of, the requisite holders of Notes.

                  (b) Payment.  The Company will not directly or indirectly  pay
         or cause to be paid any remuneration, whether by way of supplemental or
         additional interest,  fee or otherwise,  or grant any security,  to any
         holder  of  Notes  as  consideration  for  or as an  inducement  to the
         entering  into by any holder of Notes or any waiver or amendment of any
         of  the  terms  and  provisions  hereof  unless  such  remuneration  is
         concurrently  paid, or security is  concurrently  granted,  on the same
         terms,  ratably to each holder of Notes then  outstanding  even if such
         holder did not consent to such waiver or amendment.

         18.3     Binding Effect, etc.

         Any  amendment  or waiver  consented  to as provided in this Section 18
applies  equally to all holders of Notes and is binding  upon them and upon each
future  holder of any Note and upon the Company  without  regard to whether such
Note has been marked to indicate such amendment or waiver.  No such amendment or
waiver will extend to or affect any obligation,  covenant, agreement, Default or
Event of Default not expressly  amended or waived or impair any right consequent
thereon. No course of dealing between the Company and the holder of any Note nor
any delay in exercising any rights  hereunder or under any Note shall operate as
a waiver of any  rights of any  holder of such Note.  As used  herein,  the term

                                       39
<page>
"this Agreement" and references thereto shall mean this Agreement as it may from
time to time be amended or supplemented.

         18.4     Notes held by Company, etc.

         Solely  for the  purpose  of  determining  whether  the  holders of the
requisite percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding
approved or consented to any amendment, waiver or consent to be given under this
Agreement  or the Notes,  or have  directed  the  taking of any action  provided
herein  or in the  Notes to be taken  upon the  direction  of the  holders  of a
specified   percentage  of  the  aggregate   principal   amount  of  Notes  then
outstanding,  Notes  directly or  indirectly  owned by the Company or any of its
Affiliates shall be deemed not to be outstanding.

19.      NOTICES

         All notices  and  communications  provided  for  hereunder  shall be in
writing  and  sent  (a) by  telecopy  if the  sender  on the  same  day  sends a
confirming  copy of such  notice  by a  recognized  overnight  delivery  service
(charges  prepaid),  or (b) by registered or certified  mail with return receipt
requested (postage prepaid),  or (c) by a recognized  overnight delivery service
(with charges prepaid). Any such notice must be sent:

                  (i) if to you or  your  nominee,  to you or it at the  address
         specified  for such  communications  in  Schedule  A, or at such  other
         address as you or it shall have specified to the Company in writing,

                  (ii) if to any other  holder of any  Note,  to such  holder at
         such address as such other  holder shall have  specified to the Company
         in writing, or

                  (iii) if to the  Company,  to the  Company at its  address set
         forth at the  beginning  hereof  to the  attention  of Chief  Financial
         Officer,  or at such other address as the Company shall have  specified
         to the holder of each Note in writing.

Notices under this Section 19 will be deemed given only when actually received.

20.      REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

         This Agreement and all documents relating thereto,  including,  without
limitation,  (a)  consents,  waivers and  modifications  that may  hereafter  be
executed,  (b)  documents  received  by you at the  Closing  (except  the  Notes
themselves),  and (c) financial  statements,  certificates and other information
previously  or  hereafter  furnished  to you,  may be  reproduced  by you by any
photographic, photostatic, microfilm, microcard, miniature photographic or other
similar  process and you may destroy any original  document so  reproduced.  The
Company agrees and stipulates  that, to the extent  permitted by applicable law,
any such reproduction  shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in
any  judicial or  administrative  proceeding  (whether or not the original is in
existence  and whether or not such  reproduction  was made by you in the regular
course of business) and any  enlargement,  facsimile or further  reproduction of
such  reproduction  shall  likewise be admissible  in evidence.  This Section 20
shall not prohibit the Company or any other holder of Notes from  contesting any
such reproduction to the same extent that it could contest the original, or from
introducing evidence to demonstrate the inaccuracy of any such reproduction.

                                       40


21.      CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

         For the purposes of this Section 21,  "Confidential  Information" means
information  delivered  to you by or on  behalf  of  the  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries  in connection with the  transactions  contemplated by or otherwise
pursuant to this  Agreement  that is  proprietary in nature and that was clearly
marked or labeled or otherwise  adequately  identified  when  received by you as
being confidential information of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries,  provided
that such term does not include information that

                  (a)      was publicly known or otherwise known to you prior to
         the time of such disclosure,

                  (b)  subsequently  becomes  publicly  known  through no act or
         omission by you or any Person acting on your behalf,

                  (c)  otherwise   becomes  known  to  you  other  than  through
         disclosure by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or

                  (d) constitutes  financial  statements  delivered to you under
         Section 7.1 that are otherwise publicly available.

You will  maintain  the  confidentiality  of such  Confidential  Information  in
accordance with procedures adopted by you in good faith to protect  confidential
information of third parties  delivered to you, provided that you may deliver or
disclose Confidential Information to:

                  (i) your directors,  officers,  trustees,  employees,  agents,
         attorneys  and  affiliates  (to the extent such  disclosure  reasonably
         relates to the  administration  of the  investment  represented by your
         Notes),

                  (ii) your financial advisors and other  professional  advisors
         who   agree  to  hold   confidential   the   Confidential   Information
         substantially in accordance with the terms of this Section 21,

                  (iii) any other holder of any Note other than a Competitor,

                  (iv) any Institutional  Investor to which you sell or offer to
         sell such Note or any part  thereof or any  participation  therein  (if
         such  Person  has  agreed  in  writing  prior  to its  receipt  of such
         Confidential  Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section
         21),

                  (v) any Person other than a Competitor from which you offer to
         purchase  any  security  of the  Company  (if such Person has agreed in
         writing  prior to its receipt of such  Confidential  Information  to be
         bound by the provisions of this Section 21),

                  (vi)  any  federal  or  state   regulatory   authority  having
jurisdiction over you,

                                       41
<page>
                  (vii) the National  Association of Insurance  Commissioners or
         any similar  organization,  or any nationally  recognized rating agency
         that requires access to information about your investment portfolio or

                  (viii) any other Person to which such  delivery or  disclosure
may be necessary or appropriate

                           (A)      to effect compliance with any law, rule,
                  regulation or order applicable to you,

                           (B)      in response to any subpoena or other legal
                  process,

                           (C)      in connection with any litigation to which
                  you are a party, or

                           (D)  if an  Event  of  Default  has  occurred  and is
                  continuing,  to the extent you may  reasonably  determine such
                  delivery and  disclosure to be necessary or appropriate in the
                  enforcement  or for the  protection of the rights and remedies
                  under your Notes and this Agreement.

Each  holder  of a Note,  by its  acceptance  of a Note,  will be deemed to have
agreed to be bound by and to be entitled to the  benefits of this  Section 21 as
though it were a party to this Agreement.  On reasonable  request by the Company
in connection with the delivery to any holder of a Note of information  required
to be delivered to such holder under this  Agreement or requested by such holder
(other than a holder that is a party to this  Agreement  or its  nominee),  such
holder will enter into an agreement with the Company embodying the provisions of
this Section 21.

22.      SUBSTITUTION OF PURCHASER

         You shall have the right to  substitute  any one of your  Affiliates as
the  purchaser  of the Notes  that you have  agreed to  purchase  hereunder,  by
written notice to the Company, which notice shall be signed by both you and such
Affiliate,  shall  contain  such  Affiliate's  agreement  to be  bound  by  this
Agreement and shall  contain a  confirmation  by such  Affiliate of the accuracy
with respect to it of the  representations  set forth in Section 6. Upon receipt
of such notice, wherever the word "you" is used in this Agreement (other than in
this Section 22),  such word shall be deemed to refer to such  Affiliate in lieu
of you.  In the event  that such  Affiliate  is so  substituted  as a  purchaser
hereunder and such Affiliate  thereafter  transfers to you all of the Notes then
held by such Affiliate,  upon receipt by the Company of notice of such transfer,
wherever  the word "you" is used in this  Agreement  (other than in this Section
22), such word shall no longer be deemed to refer to such  Affiliate,  but shall
refer to you,  and you shall  have all the rights of an  original  holder of the
Notes under this Agreement.

                                       42
<page>
23.      ADDITIONAL NOTE PROVISIONS.

         Subject to the terms and provisions hereof (including,  but not limited
to, Section 11.3), the Company may, from time to time, issue and sell additional
promissory  notes pursuant to agreements  which may incorporate by reference all
or certain of the  provisions of this Agreement and the Other  Agreements.  Such
incorporation  by  reference  shall  not have the  effect of  constituting  such
promissory  notes as Notes for any  purpose,  whether  for  acceleration  of the
Notes, rescission of such acceleration,  or the exercise of any other amendments
or waivers of the provisions hereof or of the Other Agreements, or otherwise.

24.      MISCELLANEOUS

          24.1     Successors and Assigns

         All covenants and other agreements contained in this Agreement by or on
behalf  of any of the  parties  hereto  bind and inure to the  benefit  of their
respective successors and assigns (including, without limitation, any subsequent
holder of a Note) whether so expressed or not.

          24.2     Payments Due on Non-Business Days

         Anything   in   this   Agreement   or  the   Notes   to  the   contrary
notwithstanding, any payment of principal of or Make-Whole Amount or interest on
any Note that is due on a date other  than a  Business  Day shall be made on the
next  succeeding  Business Day without  including the additional days elapsed in
the computation of the interest payable on such next succeeding Business Day.

          24.3     Severability

         Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or  unenforceable in
any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of
such  prohibition  or  unenforceability   without   invalidating  the  remaining
provisions  hereof,  and  any  such  prohibition  or   unenforceability  in  any
jurisdiction  shall (to the full  extent  permitted  by law) not  invalidate  or
render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

          24.4     Construction

         Each  covenant  contained  herein  shall be construed  (absent  express
provision to the contrary) as being independent of each other covenant contained
herein,  so that  compliance  with any one  covenant  shall not (absent  such an
express  contrary  provision)  be  deemed to  excuse  compliance  with any other
covenant. Where any provision herein refers to action to be taken by any Person,
or which  such  Person  is  prohibited  from  taking,  such  provision  shall be
applicable whether such action is taken directly or indirectly by such Person.

          24.5     Counterparts

         This Agreement may be executed in any number of  counterparts,  each of
which  shall be an  original  but all of which  together  shall  constitute  one

                                       43
<page>
instrument.  Each  counterpart  may consist of a number of copies  hereof,  each
signed by less than all, but together signed by all, of the parties hereto.

          24.6     Governing Law

         THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE  WITH, AND
THE RIGHTS OF THE PARTIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
EXCLUDING  CHOICE-OF-LAW  PRINCIPLES OF THE LAW OF SUCH STATE THAT WOULD REQUIRE
THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF A JURISDICTION OTHER THAN SUCH STATE.

       [Remainder of page intentionally blank.  Next page is signature page.]

                                       44

         If you are in  agreement  with the  foregoing,  please sign the form of
agreement on the accompanying counterpart of this Agreement and return it to the
Company,  whereupon the foregoing shall become a binding  agreement  between you
and the Company.



                                                               Very truly yours,

                                                            INVACARE CORPORATION



                                                   By:  /s/ Thomas R. Miklich
                                                         _____________________

                                                  Name:  Thomas R. Miklich
                                                 Title:  Chief Financial Officer


The foregoing is hereby
agreed to as of the
date thereof.

General Electric Capital Life
  Assurance Company of New York

By       /s/ William D. Koski
         ________________________________
Name:    William D. Koski
Its:     Vice President


The Life Insurance Company of Virginia

By       /s/ William D. Koski
         ________________________________
Name:    William D. Koski
Its:     Vice President


Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company

By       /s/ Mark A. Ahmed
         ________________________________
Name:    Mark A. Ahmed
Its:     Managing Director


Mony Life Insurance Company of America

By       /s/ William D. Goodwin
         ________________________________
Name:    William D. Goodwin
Its:     Authorized Agent


The Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York

By       /s/ Will D. Goodwin
         ________________________________
Name:    William D. Goodwin
Its:     Senior Managing Director


Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company

By       /s/ James C. Fifield
         ________________________________
Name:    James C. Fifield
Its:     Counsel

By       /s/ Christopher J. Henderson
         ________________________________
Name:    Christopher J. Henderson
Its:     Counsel


United Services Automobile Association

By       /s/ Carl Shinsky
         ________________________________
Name:    Carl Shinsky
Its:     Senior Vice President
<page>




                                   SCHEDULE A

[List of Purchasers and Purchaser Information]


















                                   SCHEDULE B

                                  DEFINED TERMS

         As used herein,  the following  terms have the respective  meanings set
forth below or set forth in the Section hereof following such term:

         Affiliate -- means, at any time, and with respect to any Person,

                  (a) any other Person that at such time  directly or indirectly
         through one or more intermediaries Controls, or is Controlled by, or is
         under common Control with, such first Person, and

                  (b) any Person  beneficially  owning or  holding,  directly or
         indirectly,  10% or more of any class of voting or equity  interests of
         the Company or any Subsidiary or any corporation,  company, partnership
         or other entity of which the Company and its Subsidiaries  beneficially
         own or hold, in the aggregate,  directly or indirectly,  10% or more of
         any class of voting or equity interests.

As used  in  this  definition,  "Control"  means  the  possession,  directly  or
indirectly,  of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and
policies of a Person,  whether  through the ownership of voting  securities,  by
contract  or  otherwise.  Unless the context  otherwise  clearly  requires,  any
reference to an "Affiliate" is a reference to an Affiliate of the Company.

         Agreement, this -- is defined in Section 18.3.

         Bankruptcy  Code -- means the  Bankruptcy  Reform Act of 1978, as
heretofore  and hereafter  amended,  and codified as 11 U.S.C. Sec. 101 et seq.

         Basket Transfer -- is defined in Section 11.7.

         Board of Directors  -- means,  the board of directors of the Company or
any committee  thereof  which,  in the instance,  shall have the lawful power to
exercise the power and authority of such board of directors.

         Business  Day -- means any day other than a  Saturday,  Sunday or other
day on which  commercial  banks in New  York,  New York or  Cleveland,  Ohio are
authorized  or  required to close under the laws of the State of New York or the
State of Ohio (other than a general  banking  moratorium or holiday for a period
exceeding 4 consecutive days).

         Capital  Lease -- means,  with  respect  to the  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries, a lease with respect to which such Person is required concurrently
to recognize the  acquisition  of an asset and the  incurrence of a liability in
accordance  with GAAP  (whether  pursuant  to an entry or entries on the balance
sheet of such Person or in a footnote to its financial statements).

         Capital Lease  Obligation -- means,  with respect to the Company or any
of its  Subsidiaries  and a Capital Lease,  the amount of the obligation of such
Person as the lessee under such Capital Lease which would,  in  accordance  with
GAAP, appear as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person.

                                  Schedule B-1

         Change in Control -- means, at any time, either

                  (a) the  acquisition  by any  person  (as such term is used in
         section  13(d) and  section  14(d)(2) of the  Exchange  Act) or related
         persons  constituting a group (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 under
         the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly,  of the beneficial ownership
         and  control of more than 50% of the total  voting  power of all of the
         then  issued  and  outstanding  Voting  Stock  of  the  Company  or any
         Successor Company, provided, however, if the Management Team or persons
         constituting  a group  (as such  term is used in Rule  13d-5  under the
         Exchange  Act) of which the  Management  Team is a part shall  acquire,
         directly or indirectly,  the  beneficial  ownership and control of more
         than 50% of the total voting  power of the then issued and  outstanding
         Voting  Stock of the Company or any  Successor  Company,  no "Change in
         Control" shall be deemed to have occurred or

                  (b) with respect to any period of 12 consecutive  months,  the
         failing by individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute
         the Board of Directors  (such  individuals  being referred to herein as
         the "original members")  (including among such original members (i) any
         new  director  who was  elected by the Board of  Directors  during such
         period to  replace  any other  director  that may have  died,  may have
         become disabled,  was involuntarily  dismissed for breach of his or her
         fiduciary duties or otherwise voluntarily resigned for personal reasons
         during  such  period,  (ii) any new  director  that is a member  of the
         Management  Team or (iii) any new director  whose election to the Board
         of  Directors  or  whose  nomination  for  election  by  the  Company's
         shareholders  was  approved  by a vote  of  not  less  than  50% of the
         directors then still in office who either were original members,  whose
         election  or  nomination  was  previously  approved as provided in this
         clause  (iii) by more than 50% of the  original  members or who qualify
         under either  subclause (i) or (ii) above) to constitute for any reason
         a majority of the Board of Directors  then in office,  provided that if
         an  original  member  should die,  become  disabled,  be  involuntarily
         dismissed for breach of his or her fiduciary  duties or shall otherwise
         voluntarily  resign for personal  reasons  during such period and shall
         not be replaced by the Board of Directors,  then such  original  member
         shall be deemed,  for  purposes of this clause (b), to continue to be a
         director and an original member of the Company.

         Closing -- is defined in Section 3.

         Code -- means the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended from time
to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.

         Company -- is defined in the introductory sentence of this Agreement.

                                  Schedule B-2

         Competitor -- means

                  (a)  each   Person   which  is  (i)  engaged  in  the  design,
         manufacture  or  distribution  of  medical   equipment  for  the  home,
         healthcare,  retail or extended  care markets and (ii)  identified as a
         "Competitor" on Schedule B-C and the successors and assigns thereof;

                  (b)  each   Person   which  is  (i)  engaged  in  the  design,
         manufacture  or  distribution  of  medical   equipment  for  the  home,
         healthcare,  retail or extended care markets and (ii) identified by the
         Company as a "Competitor" in a  certification  delivered to the holders
         of the Notes from time to time, which Person so identified is consented
         to by the Required  Holders  (which  consent shall not be  unreasonably
         withheld);

                  (c) any Person  legally or  beneficially  owning,  directly or
         indirectly, more than 25% of the issued and outstanding Voting Stock of
         any Person which would  qualify as a  "Competitor"  under clause (a) or
         clause (b) of this definition; and

                  (d) any Person  more than 25% of the  issued  and  outstanding
         Voting  Stock of which is legally or  beneficially  owned by any Person
         which would qualify as a "Competitor" under clause (a) or clause (b) of
         this definition,

         provided that

                           (i)  none of the Purchasers or their affiliates, and

                           (ii) no  Person  that  is  primarily  a  bank,  trust
                  company,  savings  and loan  association  or  other  financial
                  institution,  a pension  plan (other than a pension plan for a
                  Competitor),  an investment  company,  an insurance company, a
                  broker or dealer, or any other similar  financial  institution
                  or entity (regardless of legal form),

         shall be considered or deemed to be a "Competitor."

         Confidential Information -- is defined in Section 21.

         Consolidated Debt -- means, as of any date of determination,  the total
of all  Debt of the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  outstanding  on such  date,
determined on a consolidated basis at such time in accordance with GAAP.

         Consolidated Net Earnings -- means, with respect to any period, the net
income  (or  loss) of the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  for such  period,  as
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

         Consolidated  Net Worth -- means, at any time, the total  shareholders'
equity of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  as would be shown on a consolidated
balance  sheet of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  as of such time prepared in
accordance with GAAP.

         Consolidated Subsidiary Debt -- means, as of any date of determination,
the total of all Debt of all  Subsidiaries  outstanding,  in each case,  on such
date, after  eliminating any such Debt owing by any Subsidiary to the Company or
any other Subsidiary.

                                  Schedule B-3
<page>
         Consolidated  Total Assets -- means,  at any time,  the total assets of
the Company and its Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis at such time
in accordance with GAAP.

         Consolidated  Total  Capitalization  -- means,  at any time, the sum of
Consolidated Debt at such time plus Consolidated Net Worth at such time.

         Control Event  means:

                  (a) the execution by the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate
         of the Company of any agreement or letter of intent with respect to any
         proposed  transaction  or event or  series  of  transactions  or events
         which,  individually or in the aggregate, may reasonably be expected to
         result in a Change in Control,

                  (b) the execution of any written  agreement which,  when fully
         performed by the parties thereto,  would result in a Change in Control,
         or

                  (c) the  making of any  written  offer by any  person (as such
         term is used in section 13(d) and section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act)
         or related  persons  constituting a group (as such term is used in Rule
         13d-5 under the Exchange Act) to the holders of the Voting Stock of the
         Company,  which offer, if accepted by the requisite  number of holders,
         would result in a Change in Control.

         Control Prepayment Date -- is defined in Section 8.6.

         Debt -- means, with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
         without duplication,

                  (a)      its  liabilities  for  borrowed  money and its
         redemption  obligations  in  respect  of mandatorily redeemable
         preferred stock;

                  (b)  its  liabilities  for  the  deferred  purchase  price  of
         property acquired by such Person (excluding accounts payable arising in
         the ordinary course of business, but including, without limitation, all
         liabilities  created or  arising  under any  conditional  sale or other
         title retention agreement with respect to any such property);

                  (c)      its Capital Lease Obligations;

                  (d) all  liabilities  for borrowed  money  secured by any Lien
         with  respect to any property  owned by such Person  (whether or not it
         has assumed or otherwise become liable for such liabilities);

                  (e) all reimbursement  obligations in respect of any letter of
         credit issued for the account of such Person other than (i)  commercial
         letters  of credit  issued  in the  ordinary  course  of such  Person's
         business  (and not as a substitute  for direct  borrowing or Guaranties
         thereof)  and (ii) letters of credit  issued in the ordinary  course of
         such  Person's  business  that act as the  functional  equivalent  of a
         surety bond or performance bond for such Person;

                                  Schedule B-4

                  (f)      Swaps of such Person; and

                  (g) any Guaranty of such Person with respect to liabilities of
         a type described in any of clauses (a) through (f) hereof.

         For the purposes of the  avoidance  of doubt,  "Debt" shall not include
any  benefit  liability  or  funding  obligation  of the  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries  in respect of any Plan.  For  purposes of  determining  "Debt," no
amount listed above shall be included more than once in such determination.

         Debt  Offered  Prepayment  Application  -- means,  with  respect to any
Transfer of property,  the  offering,  in writing,  by the Company of cash in an
amount not  exceeding  the Net Proceeds  Amount with respect to such Transfer to
pay any Senior Debt (other  than  Senior Debt owing to any  Affiliate  and other
than Senior Debt in respect of any revolving  credit or similar credit  facility
providing the Company or any Subsidiary  with the right to obtain loans or other
extensions of credit from time to time,  except to the extent that in connection
with such  payment of Senior Debt the  availability  of credit under such credit
facility  is  permanently  reduced by an amount not less than the amount of such
proceeds  applied  to the  payment of such  Senior  Debt) and any  interest  and
premium in respect  thereof,  provided that in connection with any such Transfer
and payment of such Senior  Debt,  the Company  shall have offered to prepay the
Ratable Portion in respect of each  outstanding  Note in accordance with Section
8.4 and shall  have  prepaid  each  holder of each  such  Note that  shall  have
accepted such offer of prepayment in accordance with said Section in a principal
amount which, when added to the Make-Whole Amount  applicable  thereto,  if any,
and any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, equals the Ratable Portion for such
Note.  For  purposes of Section  11.7,  a Net  Proceeds  Amount  shall be deemed
applied to a Debt Offered Prepayment Application upon the extension of the offer
in respect of such Debt Offered  Prepayment  Application,  provided  that if the
actual  prepayments in respect thereof,  if any, are not made in accordance with
the  requirements  of such offer or, in any case,  are not made  within 365 days
after the applicable Transfer, such application of such Net Proceeds Amount will
be deemed not to have been made.

         Default -- means an event or condition  the  occurrence or existence of
which would,  with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both,  become an
Event of Default.

         Default Rate -- means the Series A Default Rate or the Series B Default
Rate, as the case may be.

         Environmental  Laws -- means any and all  Federal,  state,  local,  and
foreign statutes,  laws,  regulations,  ordinances,  rules,  judgments,  orders,
decrees,  permits,  concessions,  grants,  franchises,  licenses,  agreements or
governmental  restrictions  relating  to  pollution  and the  protection  of the
environment or the release of any materials into the environment,  including but
not limited to those related to hazardous  substances  or wastes,  air emissions
and discharges to waste or public systems.

         ERISA -- means the Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations  promulgated thereunder
from time to time in effect.

                                  Schedule B-5

         ERISA  Affiliate  --  means  any  trade  or  business  (whether  or not
incorporated)  that is treated as a single  employer  together  with the Company
under section 414 of the Code.

         Event of Default -- is defined in Section 12.

         Exchange Act -- means the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
from time to time.

         Fair  Market  Value --  means,  at any time  and  with  respect  to any
property,  the  sale  value  of such  property  that  would  be  realized  in an
arm's-length  sale at such time  between an informed  and  willing  buyer and an
informed and willing seller (neither being under a compulsion to buy or sell).

         Fiscal  Quarter  -- means the  fiscal  period in  respect  of which the
Company's consolidated quarterly financial statements are prepared.

         Fiscal  Year -- means  the  fiscal  period  in  respect  of  which  the
Company's consolidated annual financial statements are prepared.

         GAAP -- means  generally  accepted  accounting  principles as in effect
from time to time in the United States of America.

         Governmental Authority -- means

                  (a)      the government of

                           (i)      the  United  States  of  America  or any
         state or other  political  subdivision thereof, or

                           (ii) any  jurisdiction in which the Company or any of
                  its Subsidiaries  conducts all or any part of its business, or
                  that  asserts  jurisdiction  over any  properties  of any such
                  Person, or

                  (b) any entity exercising  executive,  legislative,  judicial,
         regulatory or  administrative  functions of, or pertaining to, any such
         government.

         Guaranty -- means, with respect to any Person (for the purposes of this
definition,  the  "guarantor"),  any obligation  (except the  endorsement in the
ordinary course of business of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection)
of such Person guaranteeing or in effect guaranteeing any indebtedness, dividend
or other  obligation of any other Person (the "primary  obligor") in any manner,
whether  directly or  indirectly,  including,  without  limitation,  obligations
incurred through an agreement, contingent or otherwise, by the guarantor:

                  (a)      to purchase  such  indebtedness  or  obligation  or
                 any property  constituting  security therefor;

                  (b)      to advance or supply funds

                                  Schedule B-6

                           (i)      for the purchase or payment of such
                  indebtedness, dividend or obligation, or

                           (ii) to  maintain  working  capital or other  balance
                  sheet  condition  or any  income  statement  condition  of the
                  primary  obligor or  otherwise  to  advance or make  available
                  funds  for the  purchase  or  payment  of  such  indebtedness,
                  dividend or obligation;

                  (c) to  lease  property  or to  purchase  securities  or other
         property or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of
         such  indebtedness  or obligation of the ability of the primary obligor
         to make payment of the indebtedness or obligation; or

                  (d)  otherwise  to  assure  the owner of the  indebtedness  or
         obligation of the primary obligor against loss in respect thereof.

For purposes of  computing  the amount of any  guaranty in  connection  with any
computation of  indebtedness  or other  liability,  it shall be assumed that the
indebtedness  or other  liabilities  that are the subject of such  Guaranty  are
direct obligations of the issuer of such Guaranty.

         Hazardous Material -- means any and all pollutants,  toxic or hazardous
wastes or any other substances that might pose a hazard to health or safety, the
removal  of which may be  required  or the  generation,  manufacture,  refining,
production, processing, treatment, storage, handling, transportation,  transfer,
use, disposal, release, discharge,  spillage, seepage, or filtration of which is
or  shall  be  restricted,   prohibited  or  penalized  by  any  applicable  law
(including, without limitation,  asbestos, urea formaldehyde foam insulation and
polychlorinated biphenyls).

         holder -- means,  with  respect  to any Note,  the Person in whose name
such Note is  registered in the register  maintained by the Company  pursuant to
Section 14.1.

         ICC -- means Invacare Credit Corporation, an Ohio corporation.

         Institutional  Investor -- means (a) any original  purchaser of a Note,
(b) any holder of a Note (other than a Competitor)  holding more than 10% of the
aggregate  principal amount of the Notes then  outstanding,  (c) any bank, trust
company,  savings  and loan  association  or other  financial  institution,  any
pension  plan  (other  than a pension  plan for a  Competitor),  any  investment
company,  any  insurance  company,  any broker or dealer,  or any other  similar
financial institution or entity, regardless of legal form.

         Lien -- means,  with  respect  to the  Company or any  Subsidiary,  any
mortgage,  lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance,  or any
interest or title of any vendor,  lessor, lender or other secured party to or of
such Person under any  conditional  sale or other title  retention  agreement or
Capital Lease, upon or with respect to any property or asset of such Person. The
term "Lien" shall not include any  so-called  "negative  pledge"  provisions  in
agreements covering the incurrence of Debt.

         Make-Whole Amount -- is defined in Section 8.7.

                                  Schedule B-7

         Management Team -- means the group of individuals set forth on Schedule
B-MT,  provided  that, if more than 50% of such  individuals  shall no longer be
actively  involved in the management of the Company,  whether pursuant to death,
disability, voluntary or involuntary disassociation with the Company, retirement
or otherwise, the "Management Team" will be deemed to no longer exist.

         Material -- means  material in  relation to the  business,  operations,
affairs,  financial condition,  assets,  properties, or prospects of the Company
and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

         Material  Adverse Effect -- means a material  adverse effect on (a) the
business,  operations,   affairs,  financial  condition,  assets,  prospects  or
properties  of the Company and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  or (b) the
ability of the  Company to perform its  obligations  under this  Agreement,  the
Other  Agreements and the Notes, or (c) the validity or  enforceability  of this
Agreement, the Other Agreements or the Notes.

         Material Subsidiary -- means any Subsidiary if

                  (a) the assets of such  Subsidiary  (valued at the  greater of
         book or fair  market)  as of the  last day of the  then  most  recently
         completed   Fiscal  Year  exceed  10%  of  Consolidated   Total  Assets
         determined on the same day; or

                  (b)  the  portion  of  Consolidated  Net  Earnings  which  was
         contributed by such Subsidiary during the then most recently  completed
         Fiscal Year  exceeds 10% of  Consolidated  Net Earnings for such Fiscal
         Year.

         Memorandum -- is defined in Section 5.3.

         Multiemployer  Plan -- means any Plan that is a  "multiemployer  plan"
 (as such term is defined in section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).

         Net  Proceeds  Amount -- means,  with  respect to any  Transfer  of any
property by the Company or any Subsidiary, an amount equal to the difference of

                  (a) the aggregate amount of the  consideration  (valued at the
         Fair Market Value of such consideration at the time of the consummation
         of such Transfer as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company
         in good  faith)  paid by the  transferee  in respect of such  Transfer,
         minus

                  (b)  all  ordinary  and  reasonable  out-of-pocket  costs  and
         expenses  actually  incurred by the transferor in connection  with such
         Transfer  and all Debt  secured by such  property  and  required by its
         terms to be paid in connection with the consummation of such Transfer.

         Non-US  Pension Plan -- means any plan,  fund or other similar  program
that (a) is established or maintained outside of the United States of America by
any one or more of the Company or its Subsidiaries  primarily for the benefit of

                                  Schedule B-8

the employees of the Company or such Subsidiaries  substantially all of whom are
non-resident  aliens,  which plan,  fund or other similar  program  provides for
retirement income for such employees or results in a deferral of income for such
employees in contemplation of retirement and (b) is not subject to control under
ERISA or the Code.

         Notes -- is defined in Section 1.

         Officer's  Certificate  -- means a  certificate  of a Senior  Financial
Officer or of any other officer of the Company whose responsibilities  extend to
the subject matter of such certificate.

         Other Agreements -- is defined in Section 2.

         Other Purchasers -- is defined in Section 2.

         PBGC -- means the Pension Benefit Guaranty  Corporation  referred to
and defined in ERISA or any successor thereto.

         Person  --  means  an  individual,  partnership,  corporation,  limited
liability  company,  association,   trust,  unincorporated  organization,  or  a
government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

         Placement  Agents -- means SPP Hambro & Co.  and any of its  affiliates
and Carleton, McCreary, Holmes & Co., LLC and any of its affiliates.

         Plan -- means an "employee benefit plan" (as defined in section 3(3) of
ERISA) that is or,  within the preceding  five years,  has been  established  or
maintained,  or to which  contributions are or, within the preceding five years,
have been made or required to be made, by the Company or any ERISA  Affiliate or
with respect to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability.

         Preferred  Stock -- means any class of capital  stock of a  corporation
that is preferred over any other class of capital shares of such  corporation as
to the payment of  dividends  or the payment of any amount upon  liquidation  or
dissolution of such corporation.

         property or properties -- means, unless otherwise specifically limited,
real or  personal  property  of any  kind,  tangible  or  intangible,  choate or
inchoate.

         Property  Reinvestment  Application  --  means,  with  respect  to  any
Transfer  of  property,  the  application  of an amount  not  exceeding  the Net
Proceeds  Amount with respect to such Transfer to the acquisition by the Company
or a  Subsidiary  of (a)  property to be used in the business of the Company and
the  Subsidiaries  or (b) a business  reasonably  related to the business of the
Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and, in either case, of at least
an equivalent value in respect of the property that was so Transferred.

         PTE -- is defined in Section 6.2.

         QPAM Exemption -- means  Prohibited  Transaction  Class Exemption 84-14
issued by the United States Department of Labor.

                                  Schedule B-9

         Ratable Portion -- means, with respect to any Note and any Debt Offered
Prepayment  Application with respect thereto,  an amount equal to the product of
(a) the Net  Proceeds  Amount  being  offered to the  payment of Senior  Debt in
connection  with such Debt Offered  Prepayment  Application  multiplied by (b) a
fraction the numerator of which is the outstanding principal amount of such Note
and the  denominator  of which is the aggregate  principal  amount of all Senior
Debt with respect to which such offer of prepayment is made.

         Required Holders -- means, at any time, the holders of more than 50% in
principal amount of the Notes at the time  outstanding  (exclusive of Notes then
owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Affiliates thereof).

         Responsible  Officers  -- means any Senior  Financial  Officer  and any
other officer of the Company with  responsibility  for the administration of the
relevant portion of this Agreement.

         Securities  Act -- means the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended from
time to time.

         Senior Debt -- means (a) any unsecured  Debt of the Company that is not
in any manner subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or to any other Debt
of the Company or (b)  unsecured  Debt of any  Subsidiary,  if, but only if, the
Transfer of property  giving rise to a  corresponding  Debt  Offered  Prepayment
Application is in respect of property owned by such Subsidiary.

         Senior  Financial  Officer  --  means  the  chief  financial   officer,
principal accounting officer, treasurer or comptroller of the Company.

         Series -- means any of the Series A Notes or the Series B Notes  issued
hereunder.

         Series A Default Rate -- means the lesser of

                  (a)      the maximum rate of interest allowed by applicable
         law, and

                  (b) the  greater  of (i) 8.71% per annum and (ii) 2% per annum
         over the  rate of  interest  publicly  announced  from  time to time by
         Morgan  Guaranty  Trust Company of New York (or its  successors) in New
         York, New York as its "base" or "prime" rate.

         Series A Notes -- is defined in Section 1.

         Series B Default Rate -- means the lesser of

                  (a)      the maximum rate of interest allowed by applicable
         law, and

                  (b) the  greater  of (i) 8.60% per annum and (ii) 2% per annum
         over the  rate of  interest  publicly  announced  from  time to time by
         Morgan  Guaranty  Trust Company of New York (or its  successors) in New
         York, New York as its "base" or "prime" rate.

         Series B Notes -- is defined in Section 1.

         Source -- is defined in Section 6.2.

                                 Schedule B-10

         Subsidiary -- means, as to any Person,  any  corporation,  association,
limited  liability company or other similar business entity in which such Person
or one or  more  of its  Subsidiaries  or  such  Person  and  one or more of its
Subsidiaries owns sufficient equity or voting interests to enable it or them (as
a group) ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, to elect a majority of the
directors (or Persons  performing  similar  functions)  of such entity,  and any
partnership  or joint  venture  if more than a 50%  interest  in the  profits or
capital  thereof is owned by such Person or one or more of its  Subsidiaries  or
such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries (unless such partnership can and
does ordinarily  take major business  actions without the prior approval of such
Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries). Unless the context otherwise clearly
requires,  any reference to a "Subsidiary" is a reference to a Subsidiary of the
Company,  provided that "Subsidiary"  shall not include a special purpose entity
(a) that is formed for the sole  purpose of acquiring  receivables  from ICC (or
any other Subsidiary primarily responsible for providing credit to the customers
of the Company and its  Subsidiaries),  (b) that meets the  requirements of GAAP
with respect to special purpose entities and the off-balance  sheet treatment of
the transfer of financial assets thereto, (c) that is not required by GAAP to be
consolidated  with the Company and its other  Subsidiaries,  (d) with respect to
which the Transfer of such  receivables  is treated  under GAAP as a sale of the
same and (e) with respect to which the Transfer of such receivables qualifies as
a so-called "true sale" under applicable law and such qualification is confirmed
by the delivery to the Company of a customary  "true sale"  opinion  issued by a
nationally recognized securitization law firm.

         Successor Company -- Section 11.2.

         Swaps -- means,  with respect to any Person,  payment  obligations with
respect  to  interest  rate  swaps,   currency  swaps  and  similar  obligations
obligating  such  Person  to make  payments,  whether  periodically  or upon the
happening of a contingency.  For the purposes of this  Agreement,  the amount of
the obligation under any Swap shall be the amount  determined in respect thereof
as of the end of the then most  recently  ended  fiscal  quarter of such Person,
based on the assumption  that such Swap had terminated at the end of such fiscal
quarter,  and in making such  determination,  if any agreement  relating to such
Swap  provides  for  the  netting  of  amounts  payable  by and to  such  Person
thereunder or if any such  agreement  provides for the  simultaneous  payment of
amounts  by and to such  Person,  then in each  such  case,  the  amount of such
obligation  shall  be the  net  amount  so  determined.  For  purposes  of  this
Agreement,  any  such  interest  rate  swap,  currency  swap  or  other  similar
obligation which is or will be entered into and is being or will be used by such
Person in the  ordinary  course of its  business  to hedge an existing or future
risk or exposure of such Person in respect of its liabilities or assets (and not
for  speculative  purposes)  shall not be deemed a "Swap" for  purposes  of this
definition.

         Transfer -- means,  with respect to the Company or any Subsidiary,  any
transaction in which such Person sells, conveys, transfers or leases (as lessor)
any of its property.  The verb  "Transfer"  has the meaning  correlative  to the
meaning of the noun.

         Voting  Stock -- means  capital  stock or  other  equity  interests  or
capital of any class or classes of a  corporation,  partnership,  association or
other business  entity,  the holders of which are ordinarily,  in the absence of
contingencies,  entitled to elect the directors (or Persons  performing  similar
functions)  of such entity  (including,  without  limitation,  capital stock and
other equity interests of a Subsidiary).

                                 Schedule B-11

         Wholly-Owned  Subsidiary -- means,  at any time, any Subsidiary 100% of
all of the  equity  interests  (except  directors'  qualifying  shares and other
equity  holdings  (not in excess of 1% of such  equity  interests)  required  to
comply  with  foreign  local  ownership  requirements  and the like) and  voting
interests  of  which  are  owned  by any one or more of the  Company  and  other
Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries at such time.

                                 Schedule B-12
<page>
                                   SCHEDULE C
                         Wiring Instructions at Closing





To:      National City Bank
         Cleveland, Ohio
         ABA No.: 041000124
         Credit:  Invacare Corporation
         Account No.:      3307008
         Contact: Ms. Terri L. Cable
         Phone:   (216) 575-3354



                                  SCHEDULE 4.9

                         Changes in Corporate Structure










     The Company through its wholly owned Subsidiary, Inva Acquisition Corp. was
a party to a merger with Suburban  Ostomy Supply Co., Inc. in January 1998.  The
Articles  of Merger  were filed with the State of  Massachusetts  on January 28,
1998.

                                 Schedule 4.9-1



                                  SCHEDULE 5.3

                              Disclosure Materials

None






                                 Schedule 5.3-1







                                 SCHEDULE 5.4
                      Ownership of the Company; Affiliates





(i)      The Company's Subsidiaries:

                                                     Jurisdiction of                    % of Voting
Name of Subsidiary                                   Incorporation                      Stock Owned
- - -------------------                                  -------------------               --------------
                                                                                  
Action Benelux N.V.                                  Belgium                                     100%
Allied Medical Supply, Inc.                          Virginia                                    100%
Aplex Medical Supply, Inc.                           Texas                                       100%
Bencraft Limited                                     United Kingdom                              100%
Canyon Products Corporation                          Ohio                                        100%
Care Management Enterprises, Inc.                    Texas                                       100%
Controls Dynamic Limited                             United Kingdom                              100%
Dynamic Controls Limited                             New Zealand                                 100%
Fabriorto LDA                                        Portugal                                    100%
Frohock-Stewart Inc.                                 Massachusetts                               100%
Healthtech Products, Inc.                            Missouri                                    100%
I.H.H. Corp.                                         Delaware                                    100%
Inva Acquisition Corp.                               Massachusetts                               100%
Invacare AB                                          Sweden                                      100%
Invacare Australia Pty Ltd.                          Australia                                   100%
Invacare Canada Inc.                                 Ontario                                     100%
Invacare Credit Corporation                          Ohio                                        100%
Invacare (Deutschland) GmbH                          Germany                                     100%
Invacare Florida Corporation                         Delaware                                    100%
Invacare Holdings Corporation                        Ohio                                        100%
Invacare International Corporation                   Ohio                                        100%
Invacare New Zealand Limited                         New Zealand                                 100%
Invacare Respiratory Corp.                           Ohio                                        100%
Invacare Trading Company, Inc.                       Virgin Islands                              100%
Invacare (UK) Limited                                United Kingdom                              100%
Invamex, S.A. de C.V.                                Mexico                                      100%
Invatection Insurance Company, Inc.                  Vermont                                     100%
Kuschall Design AG                                   Switzerland                                 100%
Medical Equipment Repair Services Inc.               Florida                                     100%
Mobilife Corporation                                 Missouri                                    100%
Mobilite Building Corporation                        Florida                                     100%
Mobilite Corporation                                 Florida                                     100%
Option 5 Inc.                                        Quebec                                      100%
Patient-Care Medical Sales                           California                                  100%
Patient Solutions, Inc.                              Delaware                                    100%
Peiser's, Inc.                                       Illinois                                    100%
Poirier Groupe Invacare                              France                                      100%
POK - Rollstuhle GmbH                                Germany                                     100%
Production Research Corporation                      Maryland                                    100%



                                 Schedule 5.4-1








                                  SCHEDULE 5.4
                                  (continued)

                                                                                  
Quantrix Consultants Limited                         New Zealand                                 100%
Rehadap S.A.                                         Spain                                       100%
Rollerchair Pty Ltd.                                 Australia                                   100%
SCI Des Hautes Roches                                France                                      100%
SCI Des Roches                                       France                                      100%
Silcraft Corporation                                 Michigan                                    100%
St. Louis Ostomy Distributors, Inc.                  Missouri                                    100%
Suburban Ostomy Supply Co., Inc.                     Massachusetts                               100%
</table>
(ii)     The  Company's  Affiliates,  other than  Subsidiaries:  (The  following
         persons  beneficially own or hold, directly or indirectly,  10% or more
         of a class of voting or equity interests of the Company).

         A. Malachi Mixon, III
         One Invacare Way
         Elyria, OH 44035

         Joseph B. Richey, II
         One Invacare Way
         Elyria, OH 44035

         Invacare Corporation Employees'
         Stock Bonus Trust and Plan
         One Invacare Way
         Elyria, OH 44035

(iii) The Company's directors and senior officers:
<table>


                  Name                                        Title or Office
                  ----                                        ---------------
                                                  
         A. Malachi Mixon, III                       Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer
         Frank B. Carr                               Director
         Michael F. Delaney                          Director
         Dr. Bernadine P. Healy                      Director
         Francis J. Callahan, Jr.                    Director
         Whitney Evans                               Director
         Dan T. Moore, III                           Director
         Joseph B. Richey, II                        Director,  President  of  Invacare  Technologies,  Senior Vice
                                                     President of Total Quality Management
         William M. Weber                            Director
         Gerald B. Blouch                            Director, President, Chief Operating Officer
         Thomas R. Miklich                           Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, General Counsel, Secretary
         Louis F. J. Slangen                         Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing
         Larry E. Steward                            Corporate Vice President of Human Resources


                                  SCHEDULE 5.5
                             Financial Statements



                                 Schedule 5.4-2



1.       The consolidated balance sheet,  statements of earnings,  shareholders'
         equity and cash flows of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  as reported
         on Form 10-K and filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission for
         the fiscal years ended December 31, 1996,  December 31, 1995,  December
         31, 1994, and December 31, 1993.

2.       The interim consolidated balance sheet, statements of earnings and cash
         flows of the Company and its  Subsidiaries as reported on Form 10-Q and
         filed with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission for the nine-month
         period ended September 30, 1997.





                                  SCHEDULE 5.8
                               Certain Litigation

None


                                 Schedule 5.8-1




                                 Schedule 5.11
                             Licenses, Permits, etc.



None






                                Schedule 5.11-1





                                SCHEDULE 5.12(g)

                              Certain Pension Plans



The Company  maintains an unfunded  non-qualified  defined benefit  Supplemental
Executive  Retirement  Plan  (SERP)  effective  May 1,  1995,  for  certain  key
executives  to  recapture  benefits  lost  due to  governmental  limitations  on
qualified plan contributions.


                               Schedule 5.12(g)-1






                                 Schedule 5.14
                          Use of Proceeds; Margin Stock


The  proceeds  of the sale of the  Notes  will be used by the  Company  to repay
certain Debt outstanding  under that certain Loan Agreement dated as of November
18, 1997 among the Company,  certain Borrowing  Subsidiaries named therein,  the
Banks named  therein,  NBD Bank as Agent,  and KeyBank  National  Association as
Co-Agent on the date of Closing hereof; and for its general corporate purposes.





                                Schedule 5.14-1








                                  SCHEDULE 5.15
                              Existing Indebtedness



                        Description                                 Borrower                As of 12/31/97
                        -----------                                 --------                --------------
                                                                                       
$25,000,000 senior notes at 7.45%, mature in  February 2003    Invacare Corporation          $21,429,000

Loan Agreement dated as of November 18, 1997 ($425,000,000     Invacare Corporation and      $147,231,000
multi-currency) expires October 31, 2002(1)                    Certain Borrowing             ($68,481,000 of which
                                                               Subsidiaries named therein    constitutes loans to
                                                                                             Borrowing Subsidiaries)

Notes Payable to banks and other third parties(2)              Poirier Groupe Invacare,      $3,346,000
                                                               Invacare Corporation

Notes and mortgages payable, secured by buildings and          Invacare Corporation,         $3,064,000
equipment(3)                                                   Mobilite Building
                                                               Corporation

Capitalized lease obligations(4)                               Invacare Corporation,         $2,466,000
                                                               Certain foreign and
                                                               domestic Subsidiaries




(1) In January 1998, the Company  increased its Debt under the Loan Agreement by
approximately  $135,000,000  in conjunction  with the Offer to Purchase for Cash
All Outstanding Shares of Common Stock of Suburban Ostomy Supply Co., Inc.

(2)  Remaining  balance on certain  term notes  payable to various  French banks
which were  created  prior to and existed on the closing  date of the  Company's
acquisition of Etablissements Poirier S.A., subsequently renamed, Poirier Groupe
Invacare.  Also  includes  the  remaining  balance on a Payment  Plan  Agreement
between the Company and Oracle Corporation dated November 21, 1996.

(3)  Remaining  balance on certain  Industrial  Development  Revenue Bonds dated
December 28, 1983, which were purchased and are currently held by SunTrust Bank.
Also includes  remaining balance on a Mortgage Note between the Company and Penn
Mutual Life Insurance Company dated March 1, 1989.

(4) The capital lease  obligations  are  principally  for certain  manufacturing
facilities and certain equipment with payments due through 2005.



                                 Schedule 5.15-1






                                 Schedule 11.6
                                 Existing Liens



Debt                      Lender                 Property Subject to Lien                              As of 12/31/97
- ----                      ------                 ------------------------                              --------------
                                                                                                  
Industrial Development      SunTrust Bank            Mortgaged property located at 2101                    $866,000
Revenue Bonds                                        E. Lake Mary Blvd, Sanford, Florida
                                                     and     certain      assets
                                                     incorporated    into    the
                                                     Project  as defined in that
                                                     certain   Debt   and   Loan
                                                     Obligation  Agreement dated
                                                     as of December 28,
                                                     1983.

Mortgage Loan               Penn Mutual              Mortgaged property located at 39400                   $2,198,000
                                                     Taylor Parkway, North Ridgeville,
                                                     Ohio

Capital Lease Obligations   Hewlett Packard          Certain computer equipment located                    $439,000
                                                     at 1200 Taylor Street, Elyria, Ohio




                                 Schedule 11.6-1







                                  SCHEDULE B-C
                                  Competitors



Company                               Location                         Ownership
- - -------                               --------                         ---------
                                                                    
Sunrise Medical, Inc.                  Boulder, CO                        Public

Graham Field Health
Products Inc.                          Hauppage, NY                       Public

Nellcor Puritan Bennett
(Subsidiary of Mallinckrodt Inc.)      St. Louis, MO                      Public

Respironics, Inc.                      Pittsburgh, PA                     Public

Resmed, Inc.                           San Diego, CA                      Public

MEYRA                                  Germany                           Private


                                 Schedule B-C-1



                                 Schedule B-MT
                                Management Team



A. Malachi Mixon, III - Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Gerald B. Blouch - President and Chief Operating Officer

Thomas R. Miklich - Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and General Counsel

Joseph B. Richey, II - President of Invacare Technologies and Senior Vice
President of Total Quality Management

Louis F. J. Slangen - Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing

Larry Steward - Corporate Vice President of Human Resources




                                 Schedule B-MT-1


                                                                      EXHIBIT 1A

                         [FORM OF SERIES A SENIOR NOTE]

                              INVACARE CORPORATION

                6.71% SERIES A SENIOR NOTE DUE FEBRUARY 27, 2008


No. RA-___
PPN: 461203 A* 2
$
 ---------------                                            --------- ---,------

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED,  the  undersigned,  INVACARE  CORPORATION,  an Ohio
corporation (herein called the "Company"), hereby promises to pay to ________ or
registered  assigns,  the  principal  sum of  ________  DOLLARS  ($________)  on
February 27,  2008,  with  interest  (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of
twelve 30-day months) (a) on the unpaid balance thereof at a rate equal to 6.71%
per annum from the date hereof,  payable  semiannually on August 27 and February
27 in each year,  commencing  with the later of August 27,  1998 and the payment
date next  succeeding  the date hereof,  until the  principal  hereof shall have
become due and  payable,  and (b) to the extent  permitted by law on any overdue
payment (including any overdue prepayment) of principal,  any overdue payment of
interest  and any overdue  payment of any  Make-Whole  Amount (as defined in the
Note Purchase Agreements),  payable semiannually as aforesaid (or, at the option
of the registered  holder hereof,  on demand),  at a rate per annum from time to
time  equal  to the  Series A  Default  Rate (as  defined  in the Note  Purchase
Agreements).

         Payments of principal of,  interest on and any  Make-Whole  Amount with
respect  to this Note are to be made in  lawful  money of the  United  States of
America  at  Elyria,  Ohio or at such  other  place as the  Company  shall  have
designated by written  notice to the holder of this Note as provided in the Note
Purchase Agreements referred to below.

         This Note is one of a series of Series A Senior  Notes  (herein  called
the "Notes") issued pursuant to separate Note Purchase Agreements, each dated as
of  February  27,  1998  (as  from  time to time  amended,  the  "Note  Purchase
Agreements"),  among the Company and the respective Purchasers named therein and
is entitled to the benefits thereof. Each holder of this Note will be deemed, by
its acceptance hereof, (i) to have agreed to the confidentiality  provisions set
forth in Section 21 of the Note  Purchase  Agreements  and (ii) to have made the
representation set forth in Section 6.2 of the Note Purchase Agreements.

         This Note is a  registered  Note and, as provided in the Note  Purchase
Agreements,  upon  surrender of this Note for  registration  of  transfer,  duly
endorsed,  or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed,  by
the  registered  holder  hereof or such  holder's  attorney  duly  authorized in
writing,  a new  Note  for a like  principal  amount  will  be  issued  to,  and
registered  in the  name  of,  the  transferee.  Prior  to due  presentment  for
registration  of  transfer,  the Company may treat the person in whose name this
Note is registered as the owner hereof for the purpose of receiving  payment and
for all other  purposes,  and the Company  will not be affected by any notice to
the contrary.
                                  Exhibit 1A-1


         This Note is subject to certain prepayments in the events, on the terms
and in the manner and amounts as provided in the Note Purchase Agreements.  This
Note is also  subject to optional  prepayment,  in whole or from time to time in
part, at the times and on the terms  specified in the Note Purchase  Agreements,
but not otherwise.

         If an Event of  Default,  as defined in the Note  Purchase  Agreements,
occurs  and is  continuing,  the  principal  of this  Note  may be  declared  or
otherwise  become due and payable in the  manner,  at the price  (including  any
applicable  Make-Whole Amount) and with the effect provided in the Note Purchase
Agreements.

         THIS NOTE SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK,  EXCLUDING  CHOICE-OF-LAW  PRINCIPLES  OF THE LAW OF SUCH
STATE THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE  APPLICATION  OF THE LAWS OF A  JURISDICTION  OTHER
THAN SUCH STATE.

                                                            INVACARE CORPORATION




                                             By________________________________
                                             Name:
                                             Title:





                                  Exhibit 1A-2



                                                                      EXHIBIT 1B


                         [FORM OF SERIES B SENIOR NOTE]

                              INVACARE CORPORATION

                6.60% SERIES B SENIOR NOTE DUE FEBRUARY 27, 2005


No. RB-___
PPN:  461203 A@ 0
$--------                                                     -------- --, ----

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED,  the  undersigned,  INVACARE  CORPORATION,  an Ohio
corporation (herein called the "Company"), hereby promises to pay to ________ or
registered  assigns,  the  principal  sum of  ________  DOLLARS  ($________)  on
February 27,  2005,  with  interest  (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of
twelve 30-day months) (a) on the unpaid balance thereof at a rate equal to 6.60%
per annum from the date hereof,  payable  semiannually on August 27 and February
27 in each year,  commencing  with the later of August 27,  1998 and the payment
date next  succeeding  the date hereof,  until the  principal  hereof shall have
become due and  payable,  and (b) to the extent  permitted by law on any overdue
payment (including any overdue prepayment) of principal,  any overdue payment of
interest  and any overdue  payment of any  Make-Whole  Amount (as defined in the
Note Purchase Agreements),  payable semiannually as aforesaid (or, at the option
of the registered  holder hereof,  on demand),  at a rate per annum from time to
time  equal  to the  Series B  Default  Rate (as  defined  in the Note  Purchase
Agreements).

         Payments of principal of,  interest on and any  Make-Whole  Amount with
respect  to this Note are to be made in  lawful  money of the  United  States of
America  at  Elyria,  Ohio or at such  other  place as the  Company  shall  have
designated by written  notice to the holder of this Note as provided in the Note
Purchase Agreements referred to below.

         This Note is one of a series of Series B Senior  Notes  (herein  called
the "Notes") issued pursuant to separate Note Purchase Agreements, each dated as
of  February  27,  1998  (as  from  time to time  amended,  the  "Note  Purchase
Agreements"),  among the Company and the respective Purchasers named therein and
is entitled to the benefits thereof. Each holder of this Note will be deemed, by
its acceptance hereof, (i) to have agreed to the confidentiality  provisions set
forth in Section 21 of the Note  Purchase  Agreements  and (ii) to have made the
representation set forth in Section 6.2 of the Note Purchase Agreements.

         This Note is a  registered  Note and, as provided in the Note  Purchase
Agreements,  upon  surrender of this Note for  registration  of  transfer,  duly
endorsed,  or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed,  by
the  registered  holder  hereof or such  holder's  attorney  duly  authorized in
writing,  a new  Note  for a like  principal  amount  will  be  issued  to,  and
registered  in the  name  of,  the  transferee.  Prior  to due  presentment  for
registration  of  transfer,  the Company may treat the person in whose name this
Note is registered as the owner hereof for the purpose of receiving  payment and
for all other  purposes,  and the Company  will not be affected by any notice to
the contrary.

                                  Exhibit 1B-1


         This Note is subject to certain prepayments in the events, on the terms
and in the manner and amounts as provided in the Note Purchase Agreements.  This
Note is also  subject to optional  prepayment,  in whole or from time to time in
part, at the times and on the terms  specified in the Note Purchase  Agreements,
but not otherwise.

         If an Event of  Default,  as defined in the Note  Purchase  Agreements,
occurs  and is  continuing,  the  principal  of this  Note  may be  declared  or
otherwise  become due and payable in the  manner,  at the price  (including  any
applicable  Make-Whole Amount) and with the effect provided in the Note Purchase
Agreements.

         THIS NOTE SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK,  EXCLUDING  CHOICE-OF-LAW  PRINCIPLES  OF THE LAW OF SUCH
STATE THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE  APPLICATION  OF THE LAWS OF A  JURISDICTION  OTHER
THAN SUCH STATE.

                                                            INVACARE CORPORATION




                                             By________________________________
                                             Name:
                                             Title:




                                Exhibit 1B-2




                                                                  EXHIBIT 4.4(a)


              [Form of Closing Opinion of Counsel for the Company]


                    [Letterhead of Company's General Counsel]









                               Exhibit 4.4(a)-1






                                                                  EXHIBIT 4.4(b)


          [Form of Closing Opinion of Special Counsel for the Company]


                    [Letterhead of Company's Special Counsel]


                               Exhibit 4.4(b) - 1