Walk power mower with transmission providing both forward and reverse propulsion
AssigneeThe Toro Company
InventorsChadwick A. Shaffer, Todd A. Porter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A walk power mower having a cutting deck supported upon the ground by a front and rear wheel(s). The mower includes a traction drive system incorporating a bidirectional transmission adapted to propel the mower alternatively in both forward and reverse directions. In some embodiments, the mower may include a single bidirectional transmission (e.g., powering only rear wheel(s) or only front wheel(s) of the mower), while in other embodiments, two bidirectional transmissions may be provided to power both the front and the rear wheel(s). In other embodiments, the mower may include a bidirectional transmission powering the rear wheel(s), while the front wheel(s) may be attached to the deck via a caster assembly.
Claims15
-20. (canceled)
A walk power mower comprising:
- a deck supported upon ground by front wheels and rear wheels, the deck adapted to traverse the ground in both a forward direction and an opposite, reverse direction, wherein the rear wheels operate as powered drive wheels of the mower;
- a handle comprising a handle member extending upwardly and rearwardly from the deck, wherein the handle member includes:
- an upper end;
- and a lower end, the lower end attached to the deck;
- an electric blade motor carried by the deck, the blade motor operatively connected to a cutting blade also carried by the deck;
- a variable speed, bidirectional transmission carried by the deck, wherein the transmission is adapted to selectively rotate the drive wheels to propel the deck over the ground;
- and
- a handle grip positioned at or near the upper end of, and translatable along, the handle member, wherein translation of the handle grip activates the transmission to power at least one of the drive wheels for movement of the deck:
- in the forward direction when the handle grip is translated downwardly along the handle member from a neutral position;
- and in the reverse direction when the handle grip is translated upwardly along the handle member from the neutral position.
A walk power mower comprising:
- a deck supported upon ground by front wheels and rear wheels, the deck adapted to traverse the ground in both a forward direction and an opposite, reverse direction, wherein the rear wheels operate as powered drive wheels of the mower;
- a handle comprising a handle member extending upwardly and rearwardly from the deck, wherein the handle member includes:
- an upper end;
- and a lower end, the lower end attached to the deck;
- an electric blade motor carried by the deck, the blade motor operatively connected to a cutting blade also carried by the deck;
- a variable speed, bidirectional transmission carried by the deck, wherein the transmission is adapted to selectively rotate the drive wheels to propel the deck over the ground;
- a belt operatively connecting an output of the blade motor to the transmission to provide power to the transmission;
- and
- a handle grip positioned at or near the upper end of, and translatable along, the handle member, wherein translation of the handle grip activates the transmission to power at least one of the drive wheels for movement of the deck:
- in the forward direction when the handle grip is translated downwardly along the handle member from a neutral position;
- and in the reverse direction when the handle grip is translated upwardly along the handle member from the neutral position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.