Elongate barrier system for use with lawn mower decks
AssigneeSnapper Products, Inc.
InventorsFrank H. Hancock, Stephen C. Price
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One or more elongate barriers are provided that are movably (in one configuration pivotably) mounted proximate the outside of a grass cutting deck. When one of the barriers encounters a foreign object in a certain manner, the barrier moves towards its “tripped” position, thus causing a corresponding change to the operating characteristic of the lawn mover, be it a termination of the cutting process, the mower drive process, or both. The barriers can be used with electric or mechanical control elements.
Claims14
A control apparatus for use with a lawn mower for cutting grass or other vegetation, said lawn mower configured for traveling in a forward and a rearward direction and including a cutting blade and a cutting blade housing partially enclosing said cutting blade, said cutting blade having controls for enabling and disabling cutting, said control apparatus comprising:
- a front barrier member movably attached to said cutting blade housing and configured to move from a set to a tripped position upon contact with an external object when said lawn mower is traveling in said forward direction;
- a rear barrier member movably attached to said cutting blade housing and configured to move from a set to a tripped position upon contact with an external object when said lawn mower is traveling in said rearward direction;
- a front barrier linkage having first and second ends, said first end being operably attached to said front barrier member;
- a rear barrier linkage having first and second ends, said first end being operably attached to said rear barrier member;
- a barrier synchronizing member operably associated with said front and rear barriers such that said front and rear barrier members move together as a barrier combination such that when said front barrier member moves from said set to said tripped position, said rear barrier member moves from said set to said tripped position;
- and
- said barrier synchronizing member being operably assocated with said controls for said cutting member such that movement of said front and rear barrier members from their said set positions to their said tripped positions causes said cutting member to be disabled.
A control apparatus for use with a lawn mower for cutting grass or other vegetation, said lawn mower configured for traveling in a forward and a rearward direction by use of a drive wheel driven by a drive motor, said lawn mowever also including a cutting blade and a cutting blade housing partially enclosing said cutting blade, said cutting blade having controls for enabling and disabling cutting, said control apparatus comprising:
- a front barrier member movably attached to said cutting blade housing and configured to move from a set to a tripped position upon contact with an external object when said lawn mower is traveling in said forward direction;
- a rear barrier member movably attached to said cutting blade housing and configured to move from a set to a tripped position upon contact with an external object when said lawn mower is traveling in said rearward direction;
- a front barrier linkage having first and second ends, said first end being operably attached to said front barrier member;
- a rear barrier linkage having first and second ends, said first end being operably attached to said rear barrier member;
- a barrier synchronizing member operably associated with said front and rear barriers such that said front and rear barrier members move together as a barrier combination such that when said front barrier member moves from said set to said tripped position, said rear barrier member moves from said set to said tripped position;
- and
- said barrier synchronizing member being operably assocated with said drive motor for said drive wheel such that movement of said front and rear barrier members from their said set positions to their said tripped positions causes said drive wheel to be disabled.
A supplemental overriding control apparatus for use with a lawn mower for cutting grass or other vegetation, said lawn mower including an automatic disabling system including a first control having an engaged and a disengaged position for respectively engaging and disengaging said operating function, said first control being biased towards said disengaged position by a first control bias member, and a second control for selectively maintaining said first control in said engaged position against said first control bias member, said supplemental overriding control device comprising;
- a barrier member being movably attached relative to said lawn mower from a set position to a tripped position, said movement configured to be caused upon contact between said barrier member and a foreign object external and separate from said lawn mower while said lawn mower is moving;
- and
- a linkage device operably associate with both said barrier member and said second control, said linkage device configured to override said second control upon movement of said barrier member from said set position to said tripped position, such that said second control is overridden and said second control releases said first control from said set position, allowing said first control bias member to cause said first control to move from said engaged position to said disengaged position.
A method for controlling a lawn mower, said lawn mower including a wheel drive control for controlling the operation of a drive wheel of said lawn mower, said lawn mower also including a cutting blade drive control for controlling the operation of a cutting blade of said lawn mower, said lawn mower also including an external object contacting device which upon contact with an external object causes said wheel drive to be disabled, said lawn mower also including a button for operating a control itself operably associated with said wheel drive control, said method comprising the steps of:
- A) operating said lawn mower such that said external object contacting device contacts an external object and causes said wheel drive to be disabled;
- B) disengaging said wheel drive control;
- C) pushing and holding said button;
- and
- D) engaging said wheel drive control while said button is held so that said lawn mower may be operated to move to a different location such that said external object is not in contact with said external object contacting device.
A method for controlling a lawn mower, said lawn mower including a wheel drive control for controlling the operation of a drive wheel of said lawn mower, said lawn mower also including a cutting blade drive control for controlling the operation of a cutting blade of said lawn mower, said lawn mower also including an external object contacting device which upon contact with an external object causes said wheel drive and said cutting drive to be disabled, said lawn mower also including a button for operating a control itself operably associated with said wheel drive control and said cutting blade drive control, said method comprising the steps of:
- A) operating said lawn mower such that said external object contacting device contacts an external object and causes said wheel drive and said cutting blade drive to be disabled;
- B) disengaging said wheel drive control;
- C) disengaging said cutting blade drive control;
- D) pushing and holding said button;
- and
- E) engaging said wheel drive control while said button is held so that said lawn mower may be operated to move to a different location such that said external object is not in contact with said external object contacting device.
A method for controlling a lawn mower, said lawn mower including a wheel drive control for controlling the operation of a drive wheel of said lawn mower, said lawn mower also including a cutting blade drive control for controlling the operation of a cutting blade of said lawn mower, said lawn mower also including an external object contacting device which upon contact with an external object causes said wheel drive and said cutting drive to be disabled, said method comprising the steps of:
- A) operating said lawn mower such that said external object contacting device contacts an external object and causes said wheel drive and said cutting blade drive to be disabled;
- B) disengaging said wheel drive control;
- C) disengaging said cutting blade drive control;
- D) engaging said wheel drive control while said cutting blade drive control is disengaged so that said lawn mower may be operated to move to a different location such that said external object is not in contact with said external object contacting device;
- and
- E) engaging said cutting blade drive control.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.