Walk-behind lawnmower with cutting height adjuster

A walk-behind lawnmower comprising:

• a cutting deck having front and rear portions and opposite sides;
• a guide handle assembly extending rearwardly from the rear portion of the deck;
• first and second front brackets pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the front portion of the deck;
• first and second front wheels rotatably mounted on the first and second front brackets, respectively;
• a front link connecting the first and second front brackets to one another so as to cause the first and second front brackets to pivot simultaneously relative to the deck;
• first and second rear brackets pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the rear portion of the deck;
• first and second rear wheels rotatably mounted on the first and second rear brackets, respectively;
• a rear link connecting the first and second rear brackets to one another so as to cause the first and second rear brackets to pivot together relative to the deck;
• a linkage operatively connected to the first front bracket and the first rear bracket so as to be capable of driving the first front bracket and the first rear bracket to pivot together relative to the deck;
• an adjustment lever operatively connected to the linkage;
• and
• a locking mechanism configured to prevent lowering of the cutting deck beyond a designated height, the locking mechanism comprising:
• a locking pin;
• a pin engagement mechanism provided on the linkage;
• and
• an array of pin receptacles spaced longitudinally along the cutting deck, the pin engagement mechanism selectively engaging the pin when the pin engages a designated pin receptacle on the cutting deck;
• wherein:
• a movement of the adjustment lever causes the front and rear brackets to pivot co-directionally relative to the cutting deck to raise and lower the deck relative to all four wheels simultaneously;
• the pin receptacles are provided in an array of longitudinally extending rows, with the pin receptacles of each row being longitudinally staggered relative to the pin receptacles of the remaining rows;
• and
• the pin receptacles are provided in at least two rows of laterally-spaced rows, with each rows having at least four pin receptacles.

A walk-behind lawnmower comprising:

• a cutting deck having front and rear portions and opposite sides;
• a guide handle assembly extending rearwardly from the rear portion of the deck;
• first and second front brackets pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the front portion of the deck;
• first and second front wheels rotatably mounted on the first and second front brackets, respectively;
• a front link connecting the first and second front brackets to one another so as to cause the first and second front brackets to pivot simultaneously relative to the deck;
• first and second rear brackets pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the rear portion of the deck;
• first and second rear wheels rotatably mounted on the first and second rear brackets, respectively;
• a rear link connecting the first and second rear brackets to one another so as to cause the first and second rear brackets to pivot together relative to the deck;
• a linkage operatively connected to the first front bracket and the first rear bracket so as to be capable of driving the first front bracket and the first rear bracket to pivot together relative to the deck;
• an adjustment lever operatively connected to the linkage;
• and
• a locking mechanism configured to prevent lowering of the cutting deck beyond a designated height, the locking mechanism comprising:
• a locking pin;
• a pin engagement mechanism provided on the linkage;
• and
• an array of pin receptacles spaced longitudinally along the cutting deck, the pin engagement mechanism selectively engaging the pin when the pin engages a designated pin receptacle on the cutting deck;
• wherein a movement of the adjustment lever causes the front and rear brackets to pivot co-directionally relative to the cutting deck to raise and lower the deck relative to all four wheels simultaneously;
• and
• wherein the pin receptacle are spaced from one another so as to permit height adjustment of the cutting deck in increments of less than ½.

A walk-behind lawnmower comprising:

• a cutting deck having front and rear portions and opposite sides;
• a guide handle assembly extending rearwardly from the rear portion of the deck;
• first and second front brackets pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the front portion of the deck;
• first and second front wheels rotatably mounted on the first and second front brackets, respectively;
• a front link connecting the first and second front brackets to one another so as to cause the first and second front brackets to pivot simultaneously relative to the deck;
• first and second rear brackets pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the rear portion of the deck;
• first and second rear wheels rotatably mounted on the first and second rear brackets, respectively;
• a rear link connecting the first and second rear brackets to one another so as to cause the first and second rear brackets to pivot together relative to the deck;
• a linkage operatively connected to the first front bracket and the first rear bracket so as to be capable of driving the first front bracket and the first rear bracket to pivot together relative to the deck;
• an adjustment lever operatively connected to the linkage, wherein a movement of the adjustment lever causes the front and rear brackets to pivot co-directionally relative to the cutting deck to raise and lower the deck relative to all four wheels simultaneously;
• and
• a locking mechanism configured to prevent lowering of the cutting deck beyond a designated height, the locking mechanism comprising
• a locking pin;
• a lug extending laterally inwardly from the linkage, and
• an array of pin receptacles that are provided in an array of longitudinally extending rows, wherein the pin receptacles of each row are longitudinally staggered relative to the pin receptacles of the remaining rows, and wherein each pin receptacle defines a unique cutting depth of the cutting deck with the cutting depths being adjustable in increments of less than ½″.

A method for adjusting the cutting depth of a walk-behind lawnmower, the lawnmower having a cutting deck mounted on front and rear wheels and a handle assembly extending rearwardly from the cutting deck, the method comprising:

• moving an adjustment lever;
• translating a linkage in response to the motion of the adjustment lever;
• rotating a first front bracket and a first rear bracket co-directionally in response to the translation of the linkage;
• moving a front link and a rear link in response to the rotation of the first front bracket and first rear bracket;
• rotating a second front bracket and a second rear bracket co-directionally in response to the motion of the front and the rear links;
• moving a cutting deck vertically relative to the wheels in response to the rotation of the brackets;
• inserting a locking pin into the cutting deck at a selected one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations along the cutting deck;
• and
• engaging the locking pin with a pin engagement mechanism provided on and configured to move in unison with the linkage to prevent linkage movement that would result in additional downward movement of the cutting deck relative to the wheels.

A method for adjusting the cutting depth of a walk-behind lawnmower, the lawnmower having a cutting deck mounted on front and rear wheels and a handle assembly extending rearwardly from the cutting deck, the method comprising:

• moving an adjustment lever;
• translating a linkage in response to the motion of the adjustment lever;
• rotating a first front bracket and a first rear bracket co-directionally in response to the translation of the linkage;
• moving a front link and a rear link in response to the rotation of the first front bracket and first rear bracket;
• rotating a second front bracket and a second rear bracket co-directionally in response to the motion of the front and the rear links;
• moving a cutting deck vertically relative to the wheels in response to the rotation of the brackets;
• inserting a locking pin into the cutting deck at a selected one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations along the cutting deck;
• and
• engaging the locking pin with an engagement mechanism on the linkage to prevent linkage movement that would result in additional downward movement of the cutting deck relative to the wheels;
• and
• wherein the locations are spaced so as to permit height adjustment of the cutting deck in increments of less than ½″.

A method for adjusting the cutting depth of a walk-behind lawnmower, the lawnmower having a cutting deck mounted on front and rear wheels and a handle assembly extending rearwardly from the cutting deck, the method comprising:

• moving an adjustment lever;
• translating a linkage in response to the motion of the adjustment lever;
• rotating a first front bracket and a first rear bracket co-directionally in response to the translation of the linkage;
• moving a front link and a rear link in response to the rotation of the first front bracket and first rear bracket;
• rotating a second front bracket and a second rear bracket co-directionally in response to the motion of the front and the rear links;
• moving a cutting deck vertically relative to the wheels in response to the rotation of the brackets;
• inserting a locking pin into the cutting deck at a selected one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations along the cutting deck;
• and
• engaging the locking pin with an engagement mechanism on the linkage to prevent linkage movement that would result in additional downward movement of the cutting deck relative to the wheels;
• and
• wherein, upon engagement of the locking pin by the engagement mechanism, the cutting deck is restrained from upward movement solely by gravitational forces.