US 6,301,864 B1Granted

Interlock for lawnmower

AssigneeAriens Company

InventorsJoseph J. Damie, Timothy J. Peter, Paul A. Schroeder

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Abstract

A riding lawnmower includes a parking brake handle movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. When the parking brake handle is in the disengaged position, the lawnmower control levers are permitted to operate the lawnmower drive system, and the lawnmower engine startup circuit is in an open condition in which the engine is unable to be started. When the parking brake handle is in the engaged position, the lawnmower wheels are substantially prevented from rotating, the control levers are locked in a neutral position, and the startup circuit is in a closed condition in which the engine is able to be started. Movement of the parking brake handle to the engaged position causes the control levers to move to the neutral position.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A riding lawnmower comprising:

a chassis;
first and second drive wheels at least partially supporting said chassis and rotatable to cause movement of said chassis;
first and second drive systems associated with said first and second drive wheels, respectively;
first and second control levers associated with and controlling said first and second drive systems, respectively, to control the direction and speed of rotation of said first and second drive wheels, respectively, each of said control levers having a neutral position in which the associated drive system does not cause rotation of the associated drive wheel;
a parking brake operatively interconnected with said one of said wheels;
a parking brake handle interconnected with said chassis and movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position to cause said parking brake to respectively resist and not resist rotation of said one wheel;
and
a linkage interconnecting said parking brake handle with said control levers, said linkage movable by said parking brake handle such that when said parking brake handle is in said disengaged position, said linkage is in a non-interference position in which said linkage permits movement of said control levers from said neutral positions, and when said parking brake handle is in said engaged position, said linkage is in an interference position in which said linkage resists movement of said control levers from said neutral positions.

5 more elements

A riding lawnmower comprising:

a chassis;
first and second drive wheels at least partially supporting said chassis and rotatable to cause movement of said chassis;
first and second drive systems associated with said first and second drive wheels, respectively;
first and second control levers associated with and controlling said first and second drive systems, respectively, to control the direction and speed of rotation of said first and second drive wheels, respectively, each of said control levers having a neutral position in which the associated drive system does not cause rotation of the associated drive wheel;
and
first and second interlock arms supported for rotation with respect to said chassis and movable between an interference position in which said first and second interlock arms hold said first and second control levers, respectively, in their respective neutral positions, and a non-interference position in which said first and second interlock arms permit movement of said first and second control levers from their respective neutral positions, each of said interlock arms including a ramped guide surface to guide said control levers to their respective neutral positions.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.