Electrical means for sensing reverse and neutral and swash plate structures therefore

A gear transmission, comprising:

• a plurality of mechanically selectable forward gears;
• a mechanically selectable reverse gear;
• a neutral spacer;
• a shift key for selectively engaging one of said plurality of forward gears and said reverse gear;
• a shift fork connected to said shift key, whereby movement of said shift fork causes movement of said shift key to control the speed and direction of the transmission, said shift fork movable between a forward position, a neutral position, and a reverse position;
• a sensor adjacent said shift fork, said sensor operable to sense the position of said shift fork;
• and
• a switch connected to said sensor, said switch moveable between a closed position and an open position in response to said sensor.

A lawnmower comprising:

• a frame;
• an engine having an electrical system and attached to said frame;
• a starter mechanism connected to said engine for starting said engine;
• a mower deck assembly having a rotatable blade connected to said frame, said blade selectively engaged with said engine;
• an axial piston hydrostatic transmission, comprising:
• a variable displacement axial piston pump;
• an input shaft rotatably connected to said pump, whereby rotation of said input shaft causes rotation of said pump, said input shaft operably connected to said engine;
• an axial piston motor hydraulically connected to said pump;
• an output shaft rotatably connected to said motor, whereby rotation of said motor causes rotation of said output shaft;
• a pivotable swash plate associated with said pump, whereby movement of said swash plate controls the speed and direction of the hydrostatic transmission, said swash plate movable between a forward position, a neutral position, and a reverse position;
• a sensor adjacent said swash plate, said sensor operable to sense the position of said swash plate;
• and
• a switch connected to said sensor, said switch movable between a closed position and an open position in response to said sensor.

A lawnmower comprising:

• a frame;
• an engine having an electrical system and attached to said frame;
• a starter mechanism connected t said engine for starting said engine;
• a mower deck assembly having a rotatable blade connected to said frame, said blade selectively engaged with said engine;
• a gear transmission, comprising:
• a plurality of mechanically selectable forward gears;
• a mechanically selectable reverse gear;
• a neutral spacer;
• a shift key for selectively engaging one of said plurality of forward gears and said reverse gear;
• a shift fork connected to said shift key, whereby movement of said shift fork causes movement of said shift key to control the speed and direction of the transmission, said shift fork movable between a forward position, a neutral position, and a reverse position;
• a sensor adjacent said shift fork, said sensor operable to sense the position of said shift fork;
• and
• a switch connected to said sensor, said switch movable between a closed position and an open position in response to said sensor.

A sensing and disabling system for a lawn mower to prevent operation of a mower deck assembly while in reverse and to prevent start-up of the mower if not in neutral, the system comprising:

• an engine;
• a transmission having a selectively entered reverse condition, a selectively entered forward condition, and a selectively entered neutral position, said transmission being selectively driven by said engine;
• a mower deck assembly selectively driven by said engine;
• a first sensor in communication with said transmission and said mower deck assembly, said first sensor preventing operation of said mower deck assembly when said first sensor senses said transmission is in said reverse condition;
• and
• a second sensor in communication with said transmission and said engine, said second sensor preventing start-up of said engine when said second sensor senses said transmission is in either said forward or said reverse position.