The Toro Company

Dennis J Pavlik

Jackie Ray Gust

Herman P Christopherson

Dana R Lonn

Mark S Anderson

Robert H Witt

Eric Allen Metheny

Heinrich F Tetzlaff

An electric drive mower includes an electric traction drive as well as electric drive to the cutting units carried on the mower. A hybrid electric drive system supplies electric power to these motors. The electric drive system includes a genset (an internal combustion engine driving an electrical power generating device such as an alternator) and a battery pack which supply the electric power to the electric motors either individually or jointly. A switch may be provided to permit all battery operation of the mower. A steering system having a non-powered pump is used to effect steering of the steerable wheel(s) of the mower to avoid having a heated oil damage the turf in the event of a leak. A crankshaft driven by a single electric drive motor is linked to all the cutting units through various crankarm and connecting rod linkages to lift and lower the cutting units in a timed manner.

Electric drive riding mower

Method and apparatus for securing an electric brake/clutch (14) against rotation relative to a stationary member (10). A preferred system includes an anti-rotation lever (26) attached to and extending from a brake/clutch housing (16). Anti-rotation lever (26) includes a flange (32) at its free end. Flange (32) is situated between a pair of spaced opposed rubber bumpers (34) attached to stationary member (10). Thus, torque applied to the housing (16) of brake/clutch (14) is transmitted through anti-rotation lever (26), rubber bumper (34), and ultimately to stationary member (10). The distance between rubber bumpers (34) exceeds the thickness of flange (32), whereby anti-rotation lever (26) and housing (16) can radially float relative to stationary member (10), thereby permitting 'runout' of brake/clutch assembly (14).

Method and apparatus for securing a torque applying device

An improved arrangement, for a lawn mower having a closable discharge passage, which comprises a bag, means mounting the bag on the housing and handle of the mower with a portion of the mouth of the bag in apposition with the discharge passage, interlock means for preventing the opening of the discharge passage unless the bag is mounted on the housing, and means for opening the full mouth of the bag, to empty mown grass therefrom, and for automatically acting, when the bag is remounted on the mower, to close that portion of the mouth which extends beyond the discharge passage.

Mower discharge interlock apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Eagan, MN, United States of America

Dennis J Pavlik