Outboard Marine Corporation

Richard E Pearce

Gerald N McAuliffe

Ronald M Stolley

Disclosed herein is a control for a hydrostatic transmission, which control includes a control member operatively connected to the transmission for selectively moving the transmission between forward, neutral and reverse positions in response to control member movement, a pivotally movable member, an actuating member mounted for movement between forward, neutral and reverse positions, means connecting the actuating member with the movable member for pivoting the movable member in response to actuating member movement and connecting the actuating member and the control member for moving the transmission between forward, neutral and reverse positions in response to actuating member movement, and first and second arms pivotally mounted coaxially with, and independently of, the movable member and having outer free ends located in spaced relationship to each other. The movable member is engageable with the second arm so as to displace the second arm in a first pivotal direction in response to actuating member movement from the neutral to the forward positions and so as to displace the first arm in the opposite pivotal direction in response to actuating member movement from the neutral to the reverse positions, a spring biasing the arms toward each other, and a stop disposed between the arms for engaging the first arm so as to prevent pivotal movement thereof in the first direction when the second arm is pivoted by the movable member in the first direction and for engaging the second arm so as to prevent pivotal movement thereof in the opposite direction when the first arm is pivoted by the movable member in the second direction.

Control for hydrostatic transmission

Disclosed herein is a sod cutter comprising a frame, wheels for movably supporting the frame for travel over the ground, a stripping blade on the frame for stripping a ribbon of sod in response to travel of the frame along the ground, a cutoff blade, a linkage movably mounting the cutoff blade on the frame for blade movement into the ground to transversely sever the sod ribbon, which linkage includes a cooperating roller on the frame and a follower mounted on the linkage and engageable with the roller for guiding cutoff blade movement in a vertical orientation during blade travel in the vicinity of the ground, and a drive on the frame and connected to the linkage for moving the blade into and out of the ground in response to travel of the frame along the ground.

Sod cutoff mechanism

A lawn mower comprises a housing enclosing a rotary cutting blade. The housing includes a continuous sidewall having therein a side grass discharge opening and a top wall extending from the sidewall and having therein a top grass discharge opening. A deflector is located on the housing adjacent to the side discharged opening and is operative for movement between an open position permitting the escape of grass clippings through the side discharge opening and a closed position blocking the escape of grass clippings through the side discharge opening. The deflector is biased toward the open position. A grass discharge chute is detachably attached on the housing in communication with the top discharge opening. The chute includes a tab member which engages the deflector and moves the deflector from its open position to its closed position against the action of the bias during attachment of the grass discharge chute on the housing. The tab member also maintains the deflector in its closed position against the action of the bias when the grass discharge chute is attached on the housing.

Growing community of inventors

Lincoln, NE, United States of America

Richard E Pearce