Deere & Company

Barry Michael Hough

Jim Milton Shoemaker

Jimmy N Eavenson, Sr

Kenneth Edward Hunt

Dale R Dobberpuhl

Rudolph A Peterson, Jr

Rudolph Andrew Peterson, Jr

Robert W Hahn

Howard A Louden

An interlock circuit on a mowing vehicle or tractor deactivates the engine if a signal from a single backup sensor is interrupted. The mowing vehicle or tractor has an engine, an electric power source to provide electric current to a magneto and an ignition, a transmission connected to the engine and having forward, neutral and reverse operations, a controllable tool drive (PTO) connected to the engine for powering an accessory, and a single backup sensor to provide a signal if no object is detected behind the vehicle. A reverse sensing switch is movable between a first position if the transmission is in forward or neutral, and a second position if the transmission is in reverse. A PTO switch is movable between an on condition for activating the PTO and an off position for deactivating the PTO.

Mower responsive to backup sensor

An interlock system for a lawn and garden tractor or similar vehicle includes a latching circuit with a two-pole seat switch and an operator push button switch connected to a latch relay to provide operator actuated mow in reverse feature. The system provides a latching function which is actuated by the operator each time the vehicle is put into reverse to facilitate mowing in reverse. If the vehicle is placed in reverse with the PTO turned on and without the push button switch being depressed, the engine will be disabled. Also, if the operator leaves the seat while the vehicle is mowing in reverse, the engine will be disabled. The circuit includes a two pole operator presence switch connected to the PTO switch and to the brake switch, respectively, to isolate the circuits for simplicity and ease of routing connecting lines to indicators.

Interlock circuit for a lawn and garden tractor

Jump start structure and method particularly useful for a battery-start vehicle for starting the vehicle or quick charging the battery from a separate source which may have an operating voltage substantially higher than the battery voltage. A starting system operating at a first voltage, for example twelve volts, is connected to a separate source of higher voltage, such as twenty-four volts, through a jumper cable. In one embodiment, a manual switch on the vehicle with the discharged battery must be operated simultaneously with the key switch to start the engine. In another embodiment, an inexpensive control circuit including a normally closed relay located on the vehicle connects the separate source with the discharged battery when a jumper cable from the source is plugged into the vehicle. Once the discharged battery receives sufficient charge, the relay activates to open the circuit between the separate source and the vehicle battery. The normally closed relay facilitates use of the vehicle for jump starting another vehicle.

Jump start system for vehicles having different operating voltages

An interlock system for a lawn and garden tractor or similar vehicle includes a PTO switch having off, on and momentary on positions and connected to a latching relay to provide PTO operation in reverse if the switch is moved to the momentary on position prior to the vehicle being shifted into reverse. Once the vehicle is operating in reverse with the PTO activated, the operator can release the switch from the momentary on position and the PTO will remain activated. However, once PTO operation has been interrupted for any reason, the PTO can be reenergized only after reverse operation has been stopped and the PTO switch has been moved to the off position.

Lawn and garden tractor interlock circuit

A charging system includes a high capacity charging circuit having the original internal engine alternator connected substantially in parallel with an auxiliary alternator by a simple wiring harness arrangement that easily plugs into the existing connectors for the internal engine alternator circuit so that the outputs of the alternators are cumulative. The auxiliary alternator is relatively compact, and the original engine alternator circuit remains substantially unaltered. The regulators for the two alternators include sensory inputs which are connected to each other. The alternators provide redundancy and a fail-safe backup mode so that if one of the systems fails, that system can be quickly disconnected from the remaining system without disabling the entire vehicle.

Alternator system for a vehicle

In a utility vehicle operable in either a runabout or continuous mode, a foot operated accelerator pedal switch activates a main relay to start the engine and to maintain the engine running as long as the pedal is depressed with a key switch in the run position. When the pedal is released with the vehicle operating in the runabout mode, the main relay is deactivated and the engine is killed. Depressing the pedal activates the main relay to start the engine and maintain the engine running. The key switch is connected to latching relay structure and has a neutral run latch position. The latching relay structure is operably connected to the key switch and to a parking brake switch. The neutral run switch position and the latching structure permit continuous running of the engine as long as the parking brake is engaged. To switch from the runabout mode to the continuous run mode, the operator moves the key switch to the special latch position and engages the parking brake to provide an alternate activation path to the main relay. Releasing the parking brake or turning the key switch to the off position will shut off the engine.

Switchable ignition and starter control system

A relatively simple electromechanical cruise control for a vehicle includes a hydrostatic drive linkage having a flat portion connecting two links and extending adjacent an electromagnet fixed to the frame of the vehicle. Actuation of the control under preselected operating conditions activates the electromagnet to hold the flat portion stationary and thereby maintain a given hydrostatic control position. Interlock circuitry deactivates the magnet if the operator touches the brake, leaves his seat or turns off either the cruise switch or ignition switch.

Electromagnetic cruise control for a lawn and garden tractor

A clutch and brake control circuit includes first and second relays connected to an interlock circuit and to the brake and clutch coils on a vehicle. The relays are interconnected with the coils so that the clutch coil cannot be energized unless the brake coil circuit is complete. Preferably, the brake coil circuit includes a delay timer for assuring that the brake is energized for a preselected time period after the clutch coil is deenergized. The circuit is constructed such that if the clutch coil is reenergized during the time period, power to the brake coil is interrupted and the clutch coil turns on immediately without delay. Any time after the clutch coil is deenergized, a clutch switch connected to the interlock circuit and the relays must be actuated before the clutch will engage. The interlock circuit, which may include such elements as transmission, parking brake and seat switches, is fully integrated with the brake and clutch control.

Growing community of inventors

Beaver Dam, WI, United States of America

Barry Michael Hough