Abstract: A foldable control lever for use with a riding mower comprising a main lever tube having a lower end, an upright section and a grip portion. An upper weldment is affixed to the lower end of the main lever tube. The upper weldment comprises a support flange and a plurality of outwardly projecting ears. A lower weldment connected to the mower drive unit is adapted to receive the lower end of the main lever tube. The lower weldment comprises a receiver flange having a plurality of notches spaced about the circumference of the flange. The notches are configured so as to engage the outwardly projecting ears of the upper weldment. When the outwardly projecting ears are engaged with the notches, the main lever tube is prevented from rotating relative to the lower weldment. When the outwardly projecting ears are not engaged with the notches, the main lever tube can be rotated downward and on to the top of the mower.

Abstract: A self-propelled, walk-behind traction vehicle includes a power source, a pair of drive wheels and an improved operator-manipulated drive control mechanism for selectively coupling the drive wheels to the power source in a manner that allows the operator to control propulsion and steering of the vehicles. The drive control mechanism includes a friction drive unit having a pair of reversible, variable speed transmissions associated with respective ones of the drive wheels for selectively coupling the drive wheels to the power source. The control mechanism further includes a pair of independently swingable control handles configured to be gripped by the operator and operably coupled to respective ones of the transmissions so that the speed and direction of rotation of each of the drive wheels is controlled by swinging a respective one of the handles.

Abstract: An automatic tensioner to be used with a drive train of a self-propelled mower for drivingly connecting a ground wheel to the mower transmission, wherein the tensioner includes tensioning mechanism, which may be constructed as a spring biased idler arm having an idler member rotatably mounted thereon, to apply a tensioning force against the flexible element of the drive. The tensioner further includes an anti-slackening assembly having an elongated takeup rod being pivotally coupled with the idler arm at one end thereof so that the takeup rod moves generally with the idler arm, as the arm moves in a tensioning direction and opposed slackening direction. The anti-slackening assembly also includes a swingable control tab having an aperture receiving the other end of the takeup rod.

Abstract: A variable speed friction drive apparatus for a lawn mower includes a pair of drive cones supported by a frame for rotational movement about a common first axis, and a pair of drums supported by carriages for rotation about axes transverse to the lengths of the carriages. Each carriage is supported on the frame for movement between a neutral position in which the associated drum is disengaged from either of the cones and a plurality of driving positions in which the drum engages either of the cones. A universal joint connects the rear end of each carriage to the frame for universal pivotal movement about the joint, and both ends of each carriage are independently biased toward the neutral position.

Abstract: A connecting member slidably couples an elongated, resilient rod to a movable frame of a variable speed friction drive mechanism. The member is elongated and has an elongated bore non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member which slidably receives the resilient rod. The member is selectively rotatable on the frame, and thus the restoring force of the rod adjustably positions the frame at any one of a number of preselected positions wherein the resilient rod is unstressed and in its normal configuration. The member provides means for precise, selective adjustment of the control linkage for the drive mechanism while preventing stress-related failure of the rod.