Ariens Company

William D Maile

Craig Key

Scott E Deschler

Travis Schisel

Robert Endter

Alex Huss

Brett Bogenschutz

John Adams

Brent P Berglund

Andrew L Donati

Jeffrey M Berchem

Thomas E Phillip

Aric Hamburg

Michael Rukamp

A utility machine, such as an outdoor power equipment unit such as a lawn mower, includes a work unit performing work in addition to motive power for the utility machine and a trailer occupied by an operator in a standing position. The operator may seamlessly step onto the trailer to operate the machine in stand-on mode and step off the trailer to operate the machine in walk-behind mode. The trailer remains in the deployed condition in both stand-on mode and walk-behind mode.

Utility machine operable in stand-on and walk-behind modes

A utility machine includes a frame, a prime mover supported by the frame, and an operator control assembly coupled to the frame. The operator control assembly includes controls to operate the utility machine. The utility machine further includes a track drive system coupled to the frame to facilitate movement along a ground surface. The track drive system includes a drive wheel rotatably driven by the prime mover, an idler wheel rotatably supported by the frame, and a flexible track interconnecting the drive wheel and the idler wheel. The idler wheel is translatable relative to the frame and to the drive wheel to adjust an orientation of the frame relative to the ground surface.

Snow thrower track drive

A skid shoe assembly for use on a snow thrower includes a bracket having a mounting portion configured to couple to the snow thrower and a support portion extending generally perpendicular from the mounting portion. The skid shoe assembly also includes a replaceable insert composed of a plastic material. The insert includes an elongated body extending generally parallel to the support portion and configured to engage a ground surface.

Skid shoe assembly for a snow thrower

A snow thrower includes a frame, a prime mover supported by the frame, and a handle assembly coupled to the frame. The handle assembly includes a grip for an operator to grasp. The snow thrower further includes an auger housing supported by the frame, and an auger blade rotationally coupled to and disposed within the auger housing. A track drive system is coupled to the frame to facilitate movement along a ground surface. The track drive system includes a drive wheel rotatably driven by the prime mover, an idler wheel rotatably supported by the frame, and a flexible track interconnecting the drive wheel and the idler wheel. The idler wheel is translatable relative to the frame to adjust an orientation of the auger housing relative to the ground surface.

A skid shoe assembly for use on a snow thrower includes a bracket having a mounting portion configured to couple to the snow thrower and a support portion extending outwardly from the mounting portion. The skid shoe assembly also includes an insert including an annular body having a central aperture and a linear section configured to engage a ground surface. The central aperture receives the bracket so that the annular body is disposed around the mounting portion of the bracket. A portion of the annular body is configured to be captured between the support portion of the bracket and the snow thrower to secure the insert to the snow thrower.

Growing community of inventors

DePere, WI, United States of America

William D Maile