Mtd Products Inc

Philip Helin

Rick Baehr

Richard Ruebusch

A riding outdoor power equipment vehicle, such as for grounds maintenance, having a chassis including a support area, an operator platform for supporting a rider and supported by the chassis, and a suspension assembly. The suspension assembly is configured to resist movement of the operator platform towards the support area of the chassis and includes a biasing element having a plurality of annular portions. At least two annular portions of the plurality of annular portions are spaced apart from one another when the biasing element is in a default orientation and are moved into engagement with one another upon compression of the biasing element between the operator platform and the support area. Compression of the biasing element provides an initial deflection response that decreases substantially in response to increasing loading being applied to the operator platform.

Isolator and suspension assembly for riding equipment

A speed control mechanism for controlling selective engagement of the self-propelled transmission assembly for a walk-behind lawn mower is provided. The speed control mechanism is also configured to control the relative output speed of the transmission assembly. The speed control mechanism includes a speed engagement assembly and a speed adjustment assembly, wherein the speed engagement assembly includes a pair of rotatable levers for causing the transmission assembly to actuate between a disengaged position and an engaged position and the speed adjustment assembly includes a rotatable knob for causing the relative output speed of the transmission assembly to the wheels of the lawn mower to increase or decrease.

Speed control assembly for a self-propelled walk-behind lawn mower

Speed control assembly for a self-propelled walk behind lawn mower

A method for controlling the speed of the self-propelled transmission assembly for a walk-behind lawn mower is provided. The speed control mechanism is also configured to control the relative output speed of the transmission assembly. The speed control mechanism includes a speed engagement assembly and a speed adjustment assembly, wherein the speed engagement assembly includes a pair of rotatable levers for causing the transmission assembly to actuate between a disengaged position and an engaged position and the speed adjustment assembly includes a rotatable knob for causing the relative output speed of the transmission assembly to the wheels of the lawn mower to increase or decrease.

Method for controlling the speed of a self-propelled walk-behind lawn mower

A transmission device between a primary motor shaft and a drive shaft for the wheels of self-propelled lawn mowers having a driving member connectable to a motor shaft, an output shaft, and a helically threaded driven gear rotatably mounted and moveable axially on the output shaft, the driven gear including an exterior driving surface and an interior surface, the interior surface including a plurality of teeth fixed in rotation with the gear, the teeth having a sloped leading edge and trailing edges substantially on a plane extending radially outward from the center of the driven gear, the outer engaging surface in constant engagement with the driving member so that the driven gear rotates whenever the driving member rotates. A control member configured to move the driven gear along the axial axis of the output shaft from a first position to a second position, the control member including a fork with two branches, each branch of the fork being provided with a radial internal tooth so as to ensure contact with the driven gear. A projection secured in rotation with the output shaft and extending from the output shaft such that opposite ends of the projection project from the output shaft to engage the interior teeth of the driven gear, projection being positioned on the output shaft such that when the driven gear is in the first position, the projection is disengaged from the interior surface of the driven gear such that the driven gear is uncoupled from the output shaft, and when the driven gear is moved to the second position, the projection engages the interior surface of the driven gear in a locking relationship to produce a driving rotation of the output shaft.

Growing community of inventors

Peninsula, OH, United States of America

Philip Helin