Control assembly for lawnmower having electrically started engine

Abstract

A compact, safety, control assembly for lawnmowers having electrically started engines is provided which includes a 'dead man' function and which requires two distinct steps for starting the lawnmower engine. The control assembly preferably includes a shiftable handle, a moveable lever, a cable connected to the lawnmower ignition assembly and shiftable between positions corresponding to the off, on and start position of the ignition assembly, a spring biasing the cable to the off position, a rotatable operating mechanism connected to the cable and engageable by the handle and lever, and a guide and slot assembly that enables shifting of the cable to the start position from the off position only after completion of a two-handed, two-step operation. In operation, the operating mechanism is rotated by the operation of the handle, thereby shifting the cable into the on position. The operating mechanism and the cable may be shifted to the start position, once the operating mechanism and cable have been rotated to the on position, by manual operation of the lever. The biasing spring returns the cable and operating mechanism to the on position when the lever is released, where they are retained by the handle. Upon release of the handle, the operating mechanism and cable shift to the off position under the influence of the biasing spring, and the lawnmower engine is shut down.