US 7,063,177 B1 · Walk behind mower

Abstract

A walk behind mower includes an engine-driven transmission for driving a pair of wheels at rate that varies according to the position of a transmission setting control selected by an operator. The transmission setting control positions a member that has a stop surface proximate to a transmission speed input on the transmission. The transmission speed input is adjusted by one or more levers on a handle of the mower. The transmission setting control is adjusted to define a home position of the stop surface relative to the transmission speed input and define a range of travel of the transmission speed input before it contacts the stop surface. The member is spring biased toward the home position but is moveable away from the home position. The position of the transmission speed input when it contacts the stop surface defines a first rate of travel of the transmission. An operator applies a first amount of force to the lever until the transmission speed input contacts the stop surface. The operator can apply a second greater amount of force to the lever that exceeds the spring biasing force on the member to further move the transmission speed input to define a second higher rate of travel of the transmission.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A walk behind mower having an operator handle and a pair of drive wheels operably connected to an engine-driven transmission, the walk behind mower comprising:

a lever operably connected to the handle and moveable between a starting position and a second position;
a transmission speed input operably connected to the lever, the transmission having a rate of speed that is a function of a rotational position of the transmission speed input, wherein the transmission is in neutral when the lever is in the starting position and wherein the transmission is at a highest rate of speed when the lever is in the second position;
a first member connected to the transmission speed input and rotatable therewith;
and
a second member having a stop surface positioned relative to the first member and operably engageable with the first member, the stop surface of the second member having a home position near the first member and being moveable away from the home position, the second member being biased toward the home position;
wherein a first amount of force applied to the lever moves the lever away from the starting position and causes the first member to rotate and engage the stop surface before the lever reaches the second position, and wherein the lever is moveable to the second position by applying a second amount of force to the lever to cause the first member to further rotate and move the second member away from the home position.

3 more elements

A walk behind mower having an operator handle and a pair of drive wheels, each drive wheel being operably connected to a first and second independent engine-driven transmission, the walk behind mower comprising:

a pair of levers operably connected to the handle, each lever being moveable between a starting position and a second position;
a transmission speed input associated with each of the first and second transmissions and operably connected to each of the pair of levers, the first and the second transmission each having a rate of speed that is a function of a rotational position of the transmission speed input, wherein each of the first and the second transmission is in neutral when a respective lever is in the starting position and wherein each of the first and the second transmission is at a highest rate of speed when the respective lever is in the second position;
a first member connected to each transmission speed input of the first and second transmissions and rotatable therewith;
and
a second member associated with each of the first and second transmissions and having a stop surface positioned relative to each first member and operably engageable with the respective first member, the stop surface of the second member having a home position near the respective first member and being moveable away from the home position, the second member being biased toward the home position;
wherein a first amount of force applied to the pair of levers moves the levers away from the starting position and causes the respective first members to rotate and engage the stop surface before the levers reach the second position, and wherein the levers are moveable to the second position by applying a second amount of force to the levers to cause the respective first members to further rotate and move the second member away from the home position.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Walk behind mower

Life of this patent

Walk behind mower

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22