Adjustable ground speed and acceleration control devices, systems, and methods for walk-behind equipment

A variable speed control system for a walk-behind working machine, the system comprising:

• a control system base;
• a control lever selectively movable with respect to the control system base between a first operating position and a second operating position;
• a mode actuator positioned on the control system base for toggling between a standard mode and a selection mode;
• an adjustment actuator in communication with a control unit to toggle between a first control mode and a second control mode when the mode actuator is in selection mode;
• the control unit in communication with the control lever, the adjustment actuator, the mode actuator, and a machine component, wherein the control unit selectively controls the operation of the machine component between a minimum operating speed and a variable maximum operating speed;
• wherein the control lever communicates with the control unit to control the machine component to operate at the minimum operating speed when the control lever is in the first operating position and to control the machine component to operate at the variable maximum operating speed when the control lever is in the second operating position;
• and
• wherein the control unit applies the acceleration scale factor to control acceleration from the minimum operating speed to the variable maximum operating speed.

A method for varying a speed of a walk-behind working machine, the method comprising:

• actuating a mode actuator positioned on a control system base to select a selection mode;
• actuating an adjustment actuator positioned on the control system base to select a mode for controlling a rate of acceleration of said walk-behind working machine from a minimum operating speed to a variable maximum operating speed;
• moving a control lever with respect to a control system base between a first operating position and a second operating position;
• without releasing the control lever, selectively actuating the adjustment actuator;
• wherein moving the control lever to the first operating position controls a machine component to operate at the minimum operating speed;
• wherein moving the control lever to the second operating position controls the machine component to operate at the variable maximum operating speed;
• and
• wherein actuating the adjustment actuator increases the value of the variable maximum operating speed.