Patent US4058957A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4058957A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Deadman control and blade clutch for power rotary lawn mowers
Assignee: Toro Co
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Filing: 1976-07-28
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Granted: 1977-11-22
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Expires: 1996-07-28
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed herein is a lawn mower comprising a driven pulley drivingly connected to a cutter blade located in a blade housing, an endless belt reeved around a drive pulley and the driven pulley, an idler pulley mounted for rotation on an arm mounted for movement relative to a neutral position with the idler pulley disengaged from the belt, a first spring urging the arm from the neutral position so as to engage the idler pulley with the belt to remove slack therefrom, a control linkage movable between a drive position and a neutral position, another spring biasing the control linkage toward the neutral position, and a connection between the linkage and the arm for displacing the arm to the neutral position against the action of the first spring when the control linkage is in the neutral position and for permitting movement of the arm, under the influence of the first spring and independently of the second spring, from the arm neutral position so as to engage the belt to remove slack therefrom when the control linkage is in the drive position.
Inventors
- 👤 Ward A. Roseberry
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:20
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D34/00; A01D34/01; A01D34/412; A01D34/63; A01D34/67; A01D34/68; A01D34/6806; A01D34/6812; A01D2101/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
A lawn mower comprising a blade housing, a cutter blade supported for rotation by and within said blade housing, a driven pulley drivingly connected to said cutter blade for rotation of the latter in response to rotation of the former, a drive pulley adapted to be rotatably driven by a source of power, an endless belt reeved around said drive pulley and said driven pulley, an arm, an idler pulley mounted for rotation on said arm, means mounting said arm for movement relative to a neutral position with said idler pulley disengaged from said belt, means resiliently urging said arm from said neutral position so as to engage said idler pulley with said belt to remove slack therefrom, a control linkage movable between a drive position and a neutral position, means biasing said control linkage toward said neutral position, and means connecting said linkage and said arm for displacing said arm to said neutral position against the action of said arm urging means when said control linkage is in said neutral position and for permitting movement of said arm, under the influence of said arm urging means and independently of said control linkage biasing means, from said arm neutral position so as to engage said belt to remove slack therefrom when said control linkage is in said drive position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
A lawn mower comprising a blade housing, a cutter blade supported for rotation by and within said blade housing, a driven pulley drivingly connected to said cutter blade for rotation of the latter in response to rotation of the former, a drive pulley adapted to be rotatably driven by a source of power, an endless belt reeved around said drive pulley and said driven pulley, an arm, an idler pulley mounted for rotation on said arm, means mounting said arm for movement relative to a neutral position with said idler pulley disengaged from said belt, means resiliently urging said arm from said neutral position so as to engage said idler pulley with said belt to remove slack therefrom, a control linkage movable between a drive position and a neutral position, means biasing said control linkage toward said neutral position, and means connecting said linkage and said arm for displacing said arm to said neutral position against the action of said arm urging means when said control linkage is in said neutral position and for permitting movement of said arm, under the influence of said arm urging means and independently of said control linkage biasing means, from said arm neutral position so as to engage said belt to remove slack therefrom when said control linkage is in said drive position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
89 words
A lawn mower in accordance with claim 1 wherein said driven pulley includes a drum portion and further including a brake member mounted on said housing for movement relative to a braking position in engagement with said drum portion, and means connecting said brake member to said arm for movement of said brake member to said braking position in response to movement of said arm to said neutral position and for movement of said brake member from said braking position when said arm is moved from said neutral position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A lawn mower in accordance with claim 2 wherein said brake member includes a first end pivotally mounted to said housing and a second end connected to said arm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
A lawn mower in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means connecting said brake member to said arm comprises a bell crank member having a first leg connected to said brake member and a second leg, means movably mounting said bell crank member on said housing, and a rigid link connecting said second leg and said arm so that, when said arm is in said neutral position, said brake member is in said braking position, and so that when said arm is moved from said neutral position, said brake member is moved from said braking position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
A lawn mower in accordance with claim 4 wherein said brake member includes a first end pivotally mounted to said housing and a second end pivotally connected to said first leg of said bell crank lever and wherein said means urging said arm from said neutral position is connected to said means movably mounting said bell crank member on said housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A lawn mower in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means connecting said linkage and said arm includes a lost motion connection.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A lawn mower in accordance with claim 6 wherein said lost motion connection comprises a slot in said arm and a part on said control linkage extending into said slot.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
A lawn mower in accordance with claim 7 wherein said part engages said arm to move said arm to said neutral position in response to movement of said control linkage to said neutral position and wherein, when said control linkage is moved from said neutral position to said drive position, said means urging said arm urges said arm relative to said part.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3543892A
Cited
US4016709A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-11-21 | 1981-05-23 | 1981-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-11-21 | 1985-05-23 | 1985-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-11-21 | 1989-05-23 | 1989-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |