Mechanism for removably coupling a shaft of a utilitarian device to an internal combustion engine

#Not Applicable

#Not Applicable

#1. Field of the Invention

#FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a walk-behind lawnmower which incorporates an internal combustion engine to which several different devices can be attached;

#FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the internal combustion engine in FIG. 1 with an electrical generator attached thereto;

#FIG. 3 is a top view of the electrical generator mounted on the engine;

#With initial reference to FIG. 1, a conventional walk-behind lawnmower 10 has a deck 12 on which an internal combustion engine 14 is mounted by conventional means. The engine 14 is of a vertical crankshaft design wherein the bottom end of the crankshaft extends below the deck 12 of the lawnmower and is attached to the mowing blade (not visible). A pulley or other mechanism also may be attached to the lower end of the crankshaft to drive the wheels of the lawnmower in a conventional manner. Although the invention is being described in the context of a walk-behind lawnmower 10, the engine 14 could be mounted on a riding lawnmower or a wide variety of other types of power equipment. In addition, the engine 14 could be mounted on a wheeled cart, similar to the lawnmower deck 12, but where the lower end of the crankshaft is not connected to an implement.

#The lawnmower 10 also has a utilitarian device 16 which can be removably mounted on top of the engine 14 to receive mechanical power from the upper end of the crankshaft. The utilitarian device typically would be removed from engagement with the engine when the lawnmower is used to cut grass and as such the term “utilitarian device” as used herein means a useful device which is not necessary for the engine to operate. Thus the utilitarian device is not necessary for operation of the tractor, lawnmower or the engine. Furthermore, the terms “removable” and “removably” as used herein mean the ability to disconnect the utilitarian device from the engine without having to disassemble the power equipment or use tools. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, the utilitarian device 16 is an electrical generator 18 which produces 120 volt, 60 Hz alternating current at a duplex outlet. The electrical generator 18 is an example of but one type of a utilitarian device which benefits from the novel concepts of the present invention. Any number of utilitarian devices 16, such as an air blower, air compressor, arc welder, general purpose pump, chipper-shredder, power washer, vacuum, chemical sprayer, and similar items of powered equipment for example, can be removably mounted in this manner. It should be understood that a given user may possess several different types of utilitarian devices 16 which are interchanged on a single internal combustion engine 14 as needed.

#Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the internal combustion engine 14 is of a conventional design with one or more cylinders that drive a crankshaft mounted vertically in the crankcase. The internal combustion engine 14 has a housing 20 which may simply be the crankcase or may be an exterior enclosure around the crankcase. A bracket unit 22 is attached to the engine crankcase and includes has a first bracket 24 located on one side of the housing and a second bracket 26 located on the opposite side. Each bracket 24 and 26 has a vertical plate 28 from which a pair of spaced apart tabs 30 project outwardly forming a notch 32 there between (see also FIG. 1).