Electric restart control

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 bail, a movable 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 rotatable operating mechanism connected to the cable and operable by the bail, a fitting attached to the cable and engageable by the lever, and a spring biasing the cable to the off position. A second embodiment of the invention is provided that does not include a lever or cable fitting and which is applicable to so-called zone restart lawnmower controls. In operation, the operating mechanism is rotated by the operation of the bail thereby shifting the cable into the on position. Rotation of the operating mechanism clears the movable lever for shifting thereof, and the fitting attached to the cable is engaged by the lever for shifting the cable from the on to the start position. The biasing spring returns the cable to the on position when the lever is released, and the cable is retained in the on position so long as the bail is held in its grapsed position. Upon release of the bail, the operating mechanism rotates to its original position, the cable shifts to the off position, and the lawnmower engine is shut down.