Control lever assembly in a self-propelled lawn mower

A control lever assembly in a self-propelled lawn mower including a prime mover, at least one wheel drivable by said prime mover, a blade drivable by said prime mover for cutting grass, a first clutch operatively coupled between said prime mover and said wheel, and a second clutch operatively coupled between said prime mover and said blade, said control lever assembly comprising:

• (a) a first control lever for selectively connecting and disconnecting said first clutch;
• (b) a second control lever for selectively connecting and disconnecting said second clutch;
• (c) an engagement element mounted on said second control lever and engageable with said first control lever to cause said second control lever to be moved in a direction to connect said second clutch when said first control lever is moved in a directions to connect said first clutch;
• and
• (d) means for moving said engagement element between an operative position in which said engagement element is engageable with said first control lever and an inoperable position in which said engagement lever is held out of engagement with said first control lever wherein said means comprises a cam pivotally mounted on one end of second control lever, a rod connected to one end of said cam and extending longitudinally along said second control lever, said engagement element being mounted on an opposite end of said rod, and a cam guide surface responsive to movement of said second control lever for interfering with and angularly moving said cam to move said engagement element into said operative position.