Drive control for walk-behind mower with hydrostatic transmission

Claim 1

A self-propelled mower that comprises: a front mowing deck housing a blade assembly containing one or more movable blades, a rear power deck containing an engine, a pair of drive wheels, and a power train coupling the engine to the drive wheels, power take off means for connecting the blade assembly to the engine, handle bar means attached to the back of the power deck for steering the drive wheel, and handle bar means having left and right grips, independent brake means for selectively braking the left and right drive wheels including independently actuable brake levers adjacent the left and right grips of said handle bar means, said power train further including a hydrostatic transmission having an input shaft means connected to the engine and differential drive means with right and left drive wheels and a speed regulator to set the speed ratio of the drive shaft means to the input shaft means within a continuous range from reverse through neutral, wherein the drive shaft means are idle, to maximum forward; and control means positioned on the handle bar means and connected to the speed regulator by a speed control linkage for setting the regulator at any desired position within the continuous range so that the operator can select a desired drive wheel speed without releasing the handle bar means or uncoupling the transmission from the engine, said control means including left and right speed control levers mounted on said handle bar means respectively adjacent said left and right grips for rocking motion about a transverse axis, and with said speed control linkage connecting said speed control levers to said regulator to permit an operator to control the speed and direction of motion of the mower with either hand without removing that hand from the respective grip.