Simplicity Manufacturing, Inc.

Allis-chalmers Corporation

Daniel W Schaefer

Kenneth H Klas

Michael P Schemelin

Edward Freier, Jr

Gary A Hays

Lynn E Hochwitz

Kenneth R Jones

Michael L Dawson

A rear suspension device for a ride-on mower includes a pivoting assembly coupled to the frame of the ride-on mower by a torsion bar which has a transversely extending back portion that can be trapped between projections on the rear portion of the frame of the mower and a front surface of the pivoting assembly. Portions of the torsion bar extend substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the ride-on mower and have ends that extend through apertures in torsion bar brackets that are coupled to the pivoting assembly. The suspension device is capable of transferring weight from one portion of the ride-on mower to another portion of the ride-on mower, thereby enhancing stability.

Torsion bar rear suspension for ride-on mowers

A steering and suspension system for a ride-on mower. A wheel is connected to a spindle and rotates about a first axis of rotation. The spindle is coupled to a frame and rotates about a second axis of rotation that is inclined from vertical backward substantially along a longitudinal axis of the ride-on mower. A level adjusting device is coupled to a steering component of the ride-on mower and is also coupled to a lawn mower accessory. The level adjusting device offsets vertical displacements caused by the inclined spindles, thereby allowing the accessory to stay level when turning the ride-on mower.

Ride-on mower steering and suspension system

A rear suspension device for a ride-on mower that includes a pivoting assembly coupled to the ride-on mower. The pivoting assembly is coupled to a torsion bar and the torsion bar is coupled to a rear portion of the ride-on mower. The coupling to the rear portion is accomplished by insertion of a portion of the torsion bar that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the ride-on mower into an aperture coupled to the rear portion. The device is callable of transferring weight from one portion of the: ride-on mower to another portion of the ride-on mower, thereby enhancing stability.

A control linkage for controlling the speed and direction of a hydrostatic transmission in a lawn and garden tractor. A directional control arm, coupled to a dash mounted direction and speed control lever, pivots relative to the hydrostatic transmission in response to movement of the direction and speed control lever. A cam roller on the directional control arm engages a cam plate mounted on the control input shaft of the hydrostatic transmission so as to rotate the control input shaft in response to movement of the direction and speed control lever. A detent adjacent the transmission and engaging the cam plate fixes the position of the cam plate to eliminate backlash and avoid vehicle 'creep' when the direction and speed control lever is placed in 'neutral.' An additional cam, responsive to engagement of a vehicle clutch/brake system automatically places the transmission in 'neutral' when the clutch/brake system is engaged.

Control linkage for hydrostatic transmission

An impeller is mounted above the top wall of the housing of a mower carried by a riding vehicle, near the side of the mower at which it has its clipping outlet. The rotor of the impeller rotates on a vertical axis that is between the clipping outlet and the vertical axis of the mower blade nearest that outlet and is driven by a belt engaging a pulley on the spindle for that blade. Flat paddle-like blades of the rotor have a portion of their orbit in an upwardly and rearwardly extending passage defined by the front portion of a clipping duct that communicates the mower clipping outlet with a receptacle at the rear of the vehicle. The impeller draws air and clippings out of the mower housing and propels them rearward through the duct.

Clipping propulsion means for tractor mower

A protective cab (31) for the operator of a walk-behind tractor such as a snowthrower (11) is enclosed on its front and lateral sides by large window panels (51, 52, 53) of transparent plastic material extending between a top (32) and a bottom shroud (101). A pair of frames (56, 57) interconnect the top (32), the panels (51, 52, 53) and the shroud (101) and together with a pair of braces (121, 122) connect the cab to the handlebars (17, 18) and handlebar support (16). A transverse trough (34) minimizes flow of water over the rear edge of the roof (32) thus enhancing the comfort of the operator. The shroud (101) protects the operator against upwardly swirling winds and provides pocket means useful for temporarily storing personal items.

Cab for walk-behind tractor

A walk-behind vehicle in the form of a mower (11) is provided with an interlock mechanism (31, 68, 61 or 131, 158, 161) which prevents operation of a pull cable (51 or 151) to start an engine (21) when the mower power drive (22) is in a drive establishing condition.

Interlock mechanism preventing engine starting when a mower is in power

The proper drive establishing force is indicated by the relative position of the end (91) of a control link (36) and the end (92) of a spring coil (49) of a coil spring (47) by which resilient clutch engaging force is transmitted to a transmission clutching mechanism (65,66) by a hand lever (26).

Mechanism for indicating drive engaging force

A reversibly mountable clutch control handle for a walk-behind lawn mower which may be pivotally mounted on the collapsible handle of the lawn mower in either one of two alternative mounting positions, whichever best suits the convenience and comfort of the operator, and in which the mower handle, the clutch control handle, and the control linkage associated with the clutch control handle are all collapsible to a folded position for storage or shipment in either of the mounting positions of the clutch control handle. The mower handle includes two laterally spaced legs lying in a common plane and connected at their upper end by a cross bar. In one of its alternative mounting arrangements, the clutch control handle when in its unclutched position lies above and forwardly of the common plane of the laterally spaced legs of the mower handle, while in the other of its alternative mounting arrangements, the clutch control handle when in its unclutched position lies below and rearwardly of the aforementioned common plane. When the clutch control handle is 'squeezed' by the operator toward the common plane of the mower handle legs, belt-driven drive rollers are moved into driving engagement with the rear drive wheels of the mower, and when the operator releases the clutch control handle, the belt-driven drive rollers are moved by the tension of the drive belt for the rollers out of driving engagement with the rear wheels of the mower.

Reversibly mountable clutch control handle mounted on collapsible handle

A support for a rear mounted flexible grass catcher container is mounted directly to the mower body and is free to pivot back for clearing the container from the mower shroud, when necessary for service purposes, without disconnecting the support from the mower. The support pivot is disposed in a manner that the applied load from the grass catcher container causes a resulting moment which tends to hold the container rear support in operative position without the necessity of providing clamps or catches. In addition, the rear support serves as a barrier for the container preventing its engagement with the adjacent rear wheels of the mower.

Mower support for rear mounted grass catcher

A braking arrangement for use with rotary mowers of the type comprising a pair of spaced apart arbors, each supporting for rotation a spindle having a mower blade mounted on the lower end thereof. A driven pulley is secured to the upper end of each spindle. The two driven pulleys are driven by a common drive belt. An idle pulley is movable either into tensioning or nontensioning relation to the drive belt to cause said belt to be in either driving or nondriving relation to the driven pulleys. To prevent coasting of the two mower blades and of the drive belt upon movement of the idler pulley to a nontensioning position, a rod-like pivoted brake member is provided which has a common braking cooperation with both driven pulleys. A biasing spring constantly urges the brake member toward braking position. A nonadjustable disabling link moves with movement of the idler pulley support arm so that when the idler pulley is moved to belt tensioning position the disabling link pivotally moves the brake member against the force of its biasing spring to a nonbraking position. When the idler pulley and the drive belt are moved to untensioned position, the disabling link is moved to a position in which the biasing spring is free to move the brake member into simultaneous braking engagement with both driven pulleys to prevent coasting of both mower blades, and also to bring the drive belt to a stop.

Growing community of inventors

Port Washington, WI, United States of America

Daniel W Schaefer