Electrically released parking brake for zero turn radius mower
AssigneeGreat Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorAlan F. Piontek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The parking brakes at the drive wheels of a zero turning radius mower are automatically set when a pair of drive levers used for determining speed, steering and forward or reverse travel are placed in their neutral positions and swung outwardly to widespread, operator dismount positions. When the drive levers are widespread, switches associated with a control circuit are opened, allowing air cylinders to immediately exhaust pressurized air so that tension springs may actuate the brake assemblies to set the brakes. When the drive levers are returned to their operating modes and the ignition is turned on, the control switches are closed, energizing the control circuit to pressurize the air cylinders and release the brakes against the bias of the tension springs.
Claims10
In a riding mower having a pair of independent drive wheels controlled by a corresponding pair of operator-manipulated drive levers said levers being movable independently of one another along parallel, fore-and-aft paths of travel between forward, neutral, and reverse drive modes and being movable outwardly away from one another to widespread positions when in the neutral mode, the improvement comprising:
- at least one retaining mechanism operable when actuated to prevent rotation of at least one of said wheels;
- and
- an electrical control circuit connected with said retaining mechanism in a manner to cause actuation of the retaining mechanism in response to the movement of at least one of the drive levers to said widespread position,
- said retaining mechanism including a member movable toward and away from an actuated position and a spring yieldably biasing the member toward said actuated position,
- said electrical control circuit including an electrically powered control device operable when energized to overcome the bias of said spring and release the retaining mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.