Operator presence control for reel mower

A control mechanism for a walk-behind reel mower, comprising:

• a drive lever control engagable for initiating forward travel of the mower, said drive lever having a non-driven position whereat the mower is not driven forward, said drive lever having a fully engaged position whereat the mower is at full forward speed, said drive lever also being shiftable to intermediate positions for inching said mower forward, said drive lever being biased to return to the non-driven position when an operator releases the lever from the intermediate positions,
• a locking linkage means for generally locking the drive lever in its fully engaged position, said locking linkage allowing said drive lever to shift back to its non-driven position when an operator releases the drive lever in the intermediate positions,
• an operator presence lever operatively coupled with the drive lever for returning the drive lever to the non-driven position when the operator presence lever is disengaged, and
• a lockout linkage means coupled between the drive lever and the operator presence lever for preventing the drive lever from being engaged without the operator presence lever being engaged, said lockout linkage including:
• a first cam member operatively fixed for rotation with the drive lever, and
• a second cam member operatively fixed for rotation with the operator presence lever, said second cam member having an interference member which blocks said first cam member and drive lever from rotating from the non-driven position when said operator presence lever is disengaged, said interference member being pivotable with said operator presence lever for providing clearance for the first cam member to pivot to the intermediate positions and the fully engaged position when said operator presence lever is engaged,
• a third cam member operatively coupled with the second cam member for limited relative pivoting therebetween, said third cam member having a finger member generally biased against the first cam member, and
• the first cam member includes a ledge portion against which said finger portion abuts when the drive lever is fully engaged, said abutment of the finger portion and ledge portion generally preventing the first cam member and drive lever from returning to the non-driven mode,
• a single spring in abutment with both the second and third cam members for biasing the second and third cam members to pivot in opposite directions, and said spring serves to bias the operator presence lever to the non-driven position and also biases the finger portion of the third cam member into engagement with the first cam member, and
• said first cam member further includes first and second radially extending portions for engaging the interference member and the finger portion, respectively.