J. I. Case Company

Ingersoll Equipment Co., Inc.

John H Marto

Alan G Klug

Wilderness scale

A linear control latch assembly controls the clutching operation of a power take-off system. A driving means produces kinetic mechanical energy which is taken off by a power take-off means. Clutch means effects a union between the driving means and the power take-off means. A linear actuator operates the clutch means. The linear actuator is controlled by a crank arm cranked into operation by a control lever. The control lever is rotated before the crank arm rotates as a result of lost motion in the control system. The initial motion of the control lever is translated into a camming action that unlatches a latch plate prior to the rotation of the crank arm. When the latch plate is unlatched, it unlatches the crank arm to allow release of the clutch that effects the union between the driving means and the power take-off means.

PTO linear control latch

A mower drive mechanism including a clutch-brake assembly, a travel control and neutral lift-off assembly, and a traction sensor assembly for a friction disc transmission having a driven disc engageable with a drive disc. The clutch-brake assembly includes a rockshaft, bellcrank actuator asssembly, and swing plate for raising the driven disc of the friction disc transmission when the rockshaft rotates a predetermined amount. Further rotation of the rockshaft causes a brake arm to come into engagement with a brake hub on the drive shaft for the driven disc thereby effecting a braking action. Also, a spring force is applied to the rockshaft which is transmitted through the bellcrank actuator assembly to the swing plate for biasing the driven disc toward the drive disc in a driving mode. The travel control and neutral lift-off assembly includes a rotatable control member for causing the driven disc to be moved linearly along its drive shaft to a desired speed and direction of rotation setting. The rotatable control member is also connected to a neutral cam member, and when the driven disc is positioned at a neutral speed or directional setting, the neutral cam member raises the swing plate thereby raising the driven disc above the drive disc. Finally, the traction sensor assembly includes an idler sprocket which senses increases in the tension in the final drive chain due to increased load. As the chain tension increases, additional traction force is applied between the driven disc and drive disc by a linkage connected between the idler sprocket and bellcrank actuator assembly.

Mower drive mechanism

An idler sheave assembly for a lawn mower which is simple in construction and which maintains the tension in the mower drive belt at any vertical position of the mower. The idler sheave assembly is supported on a U-shaped yoke which is pivotally supported on the mower tow bar linkage. The assembly includes a mule sheave fixed to the yoke and a rock sheave rotatably supported on an annular sleeve. A torsion spring is spirally wound around the sleeve having one end fixed relative to the yoke and a free end rotatably biasing the rock shaft to tension the mower drive belt. The free end of the spring is received in an elongated slot in the yoke, providing a simple belt tension gage. The belt tension is adjusted by adjusting the angular position of the U-shaped yoke relative to the mower.

Idler sheave assembly

A parallel linkage suspension for a tractor mounted lawn mower which maintains blade level and drive belt tension at all operating positions of the mower, including an upper mower transport position. The parallel tow bar linkage includes a pair of spaced parallel lower links pivotally connected at opposed ends to the mower assembly and the tractor adjacent the forward end of the tractor and a pair of parallel spaced upper links pivotally connected at opposed ends to the midportion of the mower and the tractor on pivots spaced above and rearwardly of the pivotal connections of the lower links. An idler sheave assembly is pivotally supported on a U-shaped bracket on the upper links, spaced rearwardly of the pivotal connection of the upper links to the tractor, such that the idler sheave assembly moves vertically with the mower on a smaller arc to maintain tension in the belt. The rearward end of the mower is supported by a pair of wheels which are rotatably supported on wheel support arms secured to a rock shaft. A lift arm is connected to the rock shaft and a lift linkage interconnects the lift arm and the upper and lower links, such that rotation of the wheel support arms about the rock shaft lifts the rearward end of the mower and the linkage simultaneously raises the forward end of the mower to raise the mower in parallel relation while maintaining tension in the drive belt.

Lawn mower suspension

A belt tension and timing adjustment mechanism particularly for the timing belt of a lawn mower or the like having a plurality of rotary cutting blades. One rotary blade is mounted to the mower deck by a mounting plate having a plurality of bolts. The deck includes an aperture which closely receives one of the bolts, which defines a pivot axis, and the remaining bolts are received in elongated slots for pivotal movement of the rotary blade assembly to adjust the tension in the belt. The plate is rotated on the pivot axis by an adjustment bolt assembly having a bolt received through integral tabs on the adjustment plate and deck. The plate is spring biased by a spring and spacer assembly on the bolt against the tension of the belt, wherein the correct belt tension is indicated by the space between the adjustment bolt head and the plate tab, making belt tension adjustments simple and accurate.

Timing belt adjustment mechanism

An ignition system control for garden tractors is disclosed which includes a single control switch actuator interconnected with independently movable mower drive and transmission drive control linkages. The tractor engine will start only if both drive control linkages are in their disengaged positions which closes the control actuator switch. The control switch includes an elongated cantilevered contact which is engageable by a control wire member. The control wire member is responsive to movement by either the mower drive linkage or the transmission drive linkage. It is held in a transverse bridge-like fashion between the mower drive linkage and transmission drive linkage and above the cantilevered switch contact. The drive control linkages may move independently of one another, but only when both drives are disengaged does the control wire member compress the contact sufficiently to close the switch and permit engine starting.

Ignition system control

A fastener assembly is disclosed for connecting an attachment to a frame. The fastener assembly is mounted to a frame portion of, for example, a garden-type tractor. The fastener includes a pin holder, latch pin, and torsion spring. The torsion spring includes two leg portions and a coil portion which is between and integral with the leg portions. The torsional spring secures the latch pin to the pin holder, and it is in constant tension when the latch pin is engaged and disengaged. The attachment is connected to the frame by aligning an opening in the attachment with the latch pin and pushing the latch pin to engage or pulling the latch pin to disengage. When the latch pin is disengaged, the spring coil is compressed and applies an outward force to keep the pin disengaged, and when the latch pin is pushed towards its engaged position, the spring coil resists until it snaps over-center and then it urges the latch pin into locking engagement.

Snap fast fastener

The disclosed friction disc transmission includes a conventional drive disc rotatable about a vertical shaft and a vertical friction disc engaging the top horizontal face of the drive disc to be driven about a horizontal axis. The friction disc is rotatably supported on a pivot frame having a sprocket drive connected to a sprocket on the wheel axle. The vertical drive disc shaft is mounted on a transversely swingable support for movement of the drive disc relative to the driven friction disc and control of the rotational speed and direction of the driven disc. The support includes a control plate having camming surfaces which lift the driven disc over the center neutral axis of the drive disc, reducing wear of the driven disc when the transmission is in neutral. The control also includes a clutch-brake mechanism independent of the control plate including a lever connected to a rotatable link means. The link means is operably connected to the pivot frame and a brake shoe and is operable upon actuation of the lever to sequentially vertically lift the frame means and the friction disc out of engagement with the drive disc and engage the brake shoe against the friction disc to stop rotational movement of the friction disc.

Friction disc transmission

A turf thatcher having a mobile frame including a shaft on which a plurality of springs are mounted and extend down to the turf for dragging through the turf and removing the thatch therefrom. A pawl is movably mounted on the frame and is in a dragging position when the thatcher moves forward and engages the turf and raises the entire frame when the thatcher moves rearward to thus lift the thatching members off the turf in that rearward direction of movement.

Growing community of inventors

Oshkosh, WI, United States of America

John H Marto