Cutting deck-mounted auxiliary operator control handle transformer unit and method for converting walk behind mid-size rotary mower into riding mower

In a walk behind, mid-size rotary mower having a front end supported by way of a pair of support wheels and a rear end supported by a pair of drive wheels, said drive wheels being coupled to a drive unit mounted at the rear end of said mower, a cutting deck supported between the front and rear ends of said rotary mower, and an operator control handle having one or more control elements, which are coupled through linkage to said drive unit and through manipulation of which the operation of said mower is controlled, said operator control handle being mounted to a control handle attachment fixture at the rear end of said mower, so as to be operated by a mower operator from behind the rear end of said mower, the improvement comprising

• a transformer unit for enabling an operator to be situated above said cutting deck and control the operation of the mower therefrom, said transformer unit including a support frame mountable to said mower atop said cutting deck and having an auxiliary operator control handle attachment fixture mounted thereto adjacent to said front end of said mower and being configured to engage and support said operator control handle such that, as repositioned to said auxiliary operator control handle attachment fixture, the repositioned operator control handle extends rearwardly of said auxiliary operator control handle attachment fixture to a position above said cutting deck adjacent to where an operator is to be situated, and an auxiliary control linkage arrangement which couples said one or more control elements of said repositioned operator control handle with said drive unit.

A method of converting a mid-size, walk or ride-behind rotary mower into a riding mower configuration, such that a mower operator is able to control the operation of the mower from atop its cutting deck, said mower having a front end supported by way of a pair of support wheels and a rear end supported by a pair of drive wheels, said drive wheels being coupled to a drive unit mounted at the rear end of said mower, the mower's cutting deck being supported between front and rear ends thereof, and an operator control handle having one or more control elements, which are coupled through linkage to said drive unit and through manipulation of which the operation of said mower is controlled, said operator control handle being mounted to a control handle attachment fixture at the rear end of said mower, such that the operator control handle normally extends rearwardly of said rear end of said mower, so as to be operated, in its normal walk or ride-behind mode, by said mower operator from behind the rear end of said mower, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a support frame having an auxiliary operator control handle attachment fixture mounted thereto, said auxiliary operator control handle attachment fixture being configured to engage and support said operator control handle such that said operator control handle, when repositioned by attachment to said auxiliary operator control handle attachment fixture, extends rearwardly of said auxiliary operator control handle attachment fixture, said support frame further including an auxiliary control linkage arrangement operative to link one or more control elements of said repositioned operator control handle with the drive unit of said mower;
• (b) mounting said support frame atop the cutting deck of said mower, and repositioning said operator control handle by attaching said operator control handle to said auxiliary operator control handle attachment fixture such that the repositioned operator control handle expands rearwardly of said auxiliary operator control handle attachment fixture to a position above said cutting deck adjacent to where an operator is to be situated;
• and
• (c) providing an operative communication between the one or more control elements of said auxiliary control linkage arrangement with the drive unit of said mower.