Lawn mower drive and control systems

In a power driven mower including two drivable wheels, two brakes associated with the wheels for braking and releasing the wheels, and a handlebar for operating the mower;

• the improvement comprising a park brake lever pivotally mounted on the handlebar between a first position for applying both brakes and a second position for releasing both brakes, a releasable latch means holding said park brake lever in said first position, a pair of hand levers mounted adjacent and on opposite sides of the park brake lever and means engaging the hand levers with the park brake for applying the brakes through the hand levers.

In a power driven lawn mower having a pair of drivable wheels, and first and second pulley and belt drive systems for establishing drive to the wheels respectively, a transmission for transmitting drive from an engine to said systems, the improvement wherein each of said systems includes in combination a pulley belt and drive pulley, a first idler for releasably engaging said belt on one run thereof for establishing and disestablishing drive to the associated wheel, and a second idler pulley engagable and disengagable relative to an opposite run of the pulley belt for establishing and disestablishing drive to the associated wheel when said transmission is shifted into a reverse position to provide movement in reverse direction.

In a power driven lawn mower having a drivable wheel, and a pulley and belt drive system for establishing drive to the wheel and including a drive pulley, a belt trained about the drive pulley and an idler pulley for engaging and disengaging the belt and being mounted on an idler arm, said arm, being, movable to engage or disengage the idler pulley with the belt, the improvement comprising a brake system including a brake mounting bracket mounted on said arm to move with the arm while also being movable relative to the arm, a brake engageable with the wheel and means interconnecting said brake and said bracket for applying the brake to the wheel when the arm is moved to disengage the idler pulley from the belt.

In a power driven walk-behind lawn mower having a pair of drivable wheels, two drives including belts for establishing drive to said wheels respectively and two brakes for braking said wheels respectively, and a handlebar for operating the mower;

• the improvement comprising in combination a control system for operating the drives and brakes including two hand levers laterally spaced from each other and being pivotable towards and away from said handlebar for controlling the drives and brakes of the wheels respectively, a park brake lever located between said hand levers for simultaneously applying the brakes to both of said wheels, said park brake lever being pivotable between a first position for applying the brakes and a second position for releasing the brakes, a dead man control lever mounted for pivotable movement on one side of said handlebar towards and away from said handlebar, said drives each including a first idler for releasably engaging a pulley belt on one run thereof for establishing and disestablishing drive to the associated wheel for forward movement, and a second idler pulley engageable and disengageable relative to an opposite run of the pulley belt for establishing and disestablishing drive to the associated wheel for reverse movement.

In a power driven walk-behind lawn mower having a pair of drivable wheels, two drives for establishing drive to said wheels respectively and two brakes for braking said wheels respectively, the improvement comprising a control system for operating the drives and brakes comprising in combination, two hand levers laterally spaced from each other and being pivotable between two positions for controlling the drives and brakes of the wheels respectively, a park brake lever mounted relative to said mower for simultaneously applying the brakes to both of said wheels, and a dead man control lever mounted relative to said mower for deenergizing the mower upon release of the dead man control lever.

In a power driven walk-behind lawn mower having a pair of drivable wheels, two drives for establishing drive to said wheels respectively and two brakes for braking said wheels respectively, and a handlebar extending generally transversely of the mower for operating the mower;

• the improvement comprising a control system for operating the drives and brakes comprising in combination, two hand levers laterally spaced from each other and being pivotable towards and away from said handlebar for controlling the drives and brakes of the wheels respectively, and a dead man control lever mounted for pivotable movement on one side of said handlebar towards and away from said handlebar, and wherein said hand levers are mounted on the opposite side of said handlebar.

In power driven lawn mower having a drivable wheel, and a pulley and belt drive system for establishing drive to the wheel respectively, the improvement wherein said system includes in combination a pulley belt and drive pulley, a first idler for releasably engaging said belt for establishing and disestablishing drive to the associated wheel, and a second idler pulley engagable and disengagable with respect to the belt for establishing and disestablishing drive to the associated wheel for driving the wheel in reverse to provide movement in reverse direction, and brake means for braking the wheel independently of said second idler pulley.

In a power driven lawn mower having a drivable wheel, and a pulley and belt drive system for establishing drive to the wheel and including a drive pulley, a belt trained about the drive pulley and an idler pulley for engaging and disengaging the belt and being mounted on an idler arm, said arm being movable to engage or disengage the idler pulley with the belt the improvement comprising a brake mounting bracket means connecting said bracket to the arm to move with the arm while also being movable relative to the arm, a brake engageable with the wheel and means interconnecting said brake and said bracket for applying the brake to the wheel when the arm is moved to disengage the idler pulley from the belt.