Ariens Company

Craig Key

Travis Schisel

William D Maile

Scott E Deschler

Brett Bogenschutz

John Adams

Brent P Berglund

Scot A Koehler

Andrew L Donati

Jeffrey M Berchem

Thomas E Phillip

Scott M Lyman

Aric Hamburg

Michael Rukamp

Maile William D

A utility machine, such as an outdoor power equipment unit such as a lawn mower, includes a work unit performing work in addition to motive power for the utility machine and a trailer occupied by an operator in a standing position. The operator may seamlessly step onto the trailer to operate the machine in stand-on mode and step off the trailer to operate the machine in walk-behind mode. The trailer remains in the deployed condition in both stand-on mode and walk-behind mode.

Utility machine operable in stand-on and walk-behind modes

A utility machine includes a frame, a prime mover supported by the frame, and an operator control assembly coupled to the frame. The operator control assembly includes controls to operate the utility machine. The utility machine further includes a track drive system coupled to the frame to facilitate movement along a ground surface. The track drive system includes a drive wheel rotatably driven by the prime mover, an idler wheel rotatably supported by the frame, and a flexible track interconnecting the drive wheel and the idler wheel. The idler wheel is translatable relative to the frame and to the drive wheel to adjust an orientation of the frame relative to the ground surface.

Snow thrower track drive

A snow thrower includes a frame, a prime mover supported by the frame, and a handle assembly coupled to the frame. The handle assembly includes a grip for an operator to grasp. The snow thrower further includes an auger housing supported by the frame, and an auger blade rotationally coupled to and disposed within the auger housing. A track drive system is coupled to the frame to facilitate movement along a ground surface. The track drive system includes a drive wheel rotatably driven by the prime mover, an idler wheel rotatably supported by the frame, and a flexible track interconnecting the drive wheel and the idler wheel. The idler wheel is translatable relative to the frame to adjust an orientation of the auger housing relative to the ground surface.

A chute rotation mechanism for a snow thrower having a frame and a chute rotatably mounted to the frame includes a ring gear configured to be mounted to the chute, a drive gear engaging the ring gear, and a handle assembly configured to pivot relative to the frame. The chute rotation mechanism also includes a first cable extending between the drive gear and the handle assembly. The handle assembly is pivotable in a first direction to tension the first cable and rotate the drive gear, thereby rotating the ring gear in a corresponding first direction. The chute rotation mechanism further includes a second cable extending between the drive gear and the handle assembly. The handle assembly is pivotable in a second direction to tension the second cable and rotate the drive gear, thereby rotating the ring gear in a corresponding second direction.

Snow thrower chute rotation mechanism

Growing community of inventors

Green Bay, WI, United States of America

Craig Key