Two action control for power mowers
AssigneeRoper Corporation
InventorsJoseph E. Scanland, Robert E. Gray
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A handle mounted control for the blade brake clutch mechanism and/or the ground wheel drive of a walk-behind rotary power mower. The control requires two distinct actions for actuation. The first action is movement of a deadman lever in the form of a bail from a disengaged to an engaged position. The second action is movement of the control lever from disengaged position to operating position when the deadman lever is in engaged position. Release of the deadman lever to disengaged position releases the control lever from operating position and permits it to return to disengaged position under the biasing force of a cable connected between the control lever and the controlled mechanism on the mower deck.
Claims12
An actuating control for a walk-behind power mower comprising, in combination:
- (a) a housing adapted for mounting on the mower handle;
- (b) a control lever pivotally mounted in said housing and movable between a disengaged position and an operating position;
- (c) means connected to said control lever for applying a biasing force urging said control lever toward its disengaged position;
- (d) means defining a detent bearing surface on said control lever having detent cooperating means;
- (e) a slide mounted adjacent said control lever within said housing and movable longitudinally thereof;
- (f) a pair of opposed detents situated in spaced apart relation on said slide;
- (g) means for biasing said slide for selective engagement of each said detent with said detent cooperating means;
- (h) a deadman lever pivotally mounted on said housing for movement between an engaged position and a disengaged position;
- (i) said deadman lever when in disengaged position being adapted to hold said slide and one said detent in engagement with said detent cooperating means thereby retaining said control lever in disengaged position;
- and
- (j) said deadman lever when in engaged position being adapted to hold said slide and the other said detent in engagement with said detent cooperating means thereby retaining said control lever in operating position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.