Lawn mower starting interlock
AssigneeThe Toro Company
InventorHenry B. Tillotson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lawn mower starting interlock for gas powered mowers for preventing engagement between the starting pinion and flywheel thereof when the mower is in a predetermined condition, for example, when the mower wheel drive mechanism is engaged. A pivotable lever which may be pivoted into the path of advance of the starter pinion in a Bendix type starter as the starter pinion advances along a helical worm gear towards engagement of a flywheel is disclosed. The lever may be pivoted by means of a bowden wire arrangement, the opposite end of which is attached to the mower drive engagement mechanism or a linkage which moves therewith.
Claims9
Mower starter interlock apparatus for preventing starting of a mower engine of the type in which a starting pinion advances along a path into engagement with a flywheel thereof when a mower is in a predetermined condition, comprising:
- a. means defining an annular surface that is fixed with respect to said pinion and concentric about the pinion axis;
- b. obstruction means mounted to said engine and actuatable to move into the path of advancement of said starting pinion and contact said annular surface to prevent engagement of said pinion with said flywheel;
- and
- c. actuator means for sensing the predetermined condition and connected to said obstruction upon sensing of the predetermined condition.
A lawn starter interlock for use with a self-propelled lawn mower having a wheel drive mechanism thereon, said mower including a starting mechanism in which a starter pinion having a front face is friction urged to advance axially along a helical worm gear into engagement with a toothed engine flywheel to transmit rotational torque to said flywheel in response to drive from said worm gear, said starting mechanism further including base means mounted to said engine proximate said flywheel with a stationary shaft thereon which receives said worm gear and pinion, comprising:
- a. obstruction means mounted to said base means for actuated movement into the path of pinion advance to contact said front face and overcome friction urging of said pinion along said worm gear and prevent pinion and flywheel engagement;
- and
- b. an actuator linkage connected between said wheel drive mechanism and said obstruction means to actuate said obstruction means when said wheel drive mechanism is engaged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.