The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 25, 1976
Filed:
Jul. 24, 1974
William Fuelling, Jr, Galesburg, IL (US);
Herbert A Jespersen, Galesburg, IL (US);
Outboard Marine Corporation, Waukegan, IL (US);
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a self-propelled lawn mower including a prime mover, a drive mechanism selectively connecting the prime mover in driving engagement with the mower wheels and including a control mechanism movable between a drive position and a neutral or non-driving position and a starter interlock connected to the control mechanism for preventing initiation or starting of the prime mover when the control mechanism is in the drive position. In one embodiment, the prime mover is an internal combustion engine having a starter gear and the starter interlock mechanism includes a blocking element movable relative to a position blocking axial movement of a starter pinion towards engagement with the starter gear to start the engine and a push-pull element connecting the blocking element to the control mechanism for moving the blocking element in response to movement of the control mechanism. In another embodiment, the starter interlock mechanism includes a pivotally mounted pawl which is connected to the control mechanism and is engageable with one of a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, stop abutments provided on the face of a pull rope pulley to prevent rotation of the pulley when the control mechanism is in the drive position. In a further embodiment, the prime mover is an electric motor and the starter interlock mechanism includes a member which selectively actuates a switch in the mower electrical circuit to a circuit interrupting position, thereby preventing the motor from being energized when the control mechanism is in the drive position.