Patents by Inventor Philip B. Smith
Philip B. Smith has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10485167Abstract: A control assembly for controlling the mode of all-wheel-drive walk-behind mower is provided. The control assembly includes a casing and a pair of levers extending from opposing lateral sides of the casing, wherein both of the levers are rotatable between a first operative position and a second operative position relative to the casing. Rotating both of the levers to the second operative position switches the control assembly to an all-wheel-drive mode in which a front transmission and a rear transmission are both in an engaged state resulting in the front and rear wheels of the lawn mower to be rotated by the transmissions. When both levers are in the second operative position, the levers are releasably attached to each other and can be maintained in the second operative position by the user continually grasping only one of the levers.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2017Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: MTD Products IncInventor: Philip B. Smith
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Publication number: 20180077862Abstract: A control assembly for controlling the mode of all-wheel-drive walk-behind mower is provided. The control assembly includes a casing and a pair of levers extending from opposing lateral sides of the casing, wherein both of the levers are rotatable between a first operative position and a second operative position relative to the casing. Rotating both of the levers to the second operative position switches the control assembly to an all-wheel-drive mode in which a front transmission and a rear transmission are both in an engaged state resulting in the front and rear wheels of the lawn mower to be rotated by the transmissions. When both levers are in the second operative position, the levers are releasably attached to each other and can be maintained in the second operative position by the user continually grasping only one of the levers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2017Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventor: Philip B. Smith
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Patent number: 7867117Abstract: A clutching mechanism (20) for a cultivating tiller. The tiller has an engine (16) mounted on a frame (12) with a rotatable output shaft (40), a rotatable working shaft (22), and a transmission (18) operatively connecting to the working shaft, the transmission having a rotatable transmission shaft (42) coaxially aligned with the output shaft of the engine. The clutching mechanism includes an upper half pulley (52) attached to the output shaft, and a lower half pulley (54) attached to the transmission shaft, wherein the upper half pulley and lower half pulley are coaxially positioned in a facing but non-contacting relationship such that the upper half pulley is able to freely rotate with respect to the lower half pulley. The clutching mechanism also includes a belt (62) positioned between the upper half pulley and the lower half pulley, and a tensioning assembly (70) configured to selectively tension the belt so that the belt transmits rotation of the upper half pulley to the lower half pulley.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2006Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: MTD Products IncInventors: Usman Firdaus, Philip B. Smith
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Publication number: 20090270210Abstract: A clutching mechanism (20) for a cultivating tiller. The tiller has an engine (16) mounted on a frame (12) with a rotatable output shaft (40), a rotatable working shaft (22), and a transmission (18) operatively connecting to the working shaft, the transmission having a rotatable transmission shaft (42) coaxially aligned with the output shaft of the engine. The clutching mechanism includes an upper half pulley (52) attached to the output shaft, and a lower half pulley (54) attached to the transmission shaft, wherein the upper half pulley and lower half pulley are coaxially positioned in a facing but non-contacting relationship such that the upper half pulley is able to freely rotate with respect to the lower half pulley. The clutching mechanism also includes a belt (62) positioned between the upper half pulley and the lower half pulley, and a tensioning assembly (70) configured to selectively tension the belt so that the belt transmits rotation of the upper half pulley to the lower half pulley.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2006Publication date: October 29, 2009Applicant: MTD Products IncInventors: Usman Firdaus, Philip B. Smith
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Patent number: 6782582Abstract: A vacuum unit used to vacuum lawn debris includes a vacuum unit body having at least first and second inlet openings and at least one flap that can be adjusted to selectively cover and open the second opening. The vacuum unit body includes a flap adjustment member that is located within the second opening and that includes a contact surface that contacts the flap. Preferably, the flap adjustment member has one end that is adapted to receive a vacuum hose. The flap adjustment member can be placed into a first position where it causes the flap to open the second opening and a second position where it permits the flap to cover the second opening. The vacuum hose has a handle that can be attached to the vacuum unit handle permitting the vacuum hose to remain permanently attached to the vacuum unit even when the vacuum hose is not being used.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2003Date of Patent: August 31, 2004Assignee: MTD Products IncInventors: Usman Firdaus, John Dawson, Philip B. Smith, Jeffery R. Kucera
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Publication number: 20030126697Abstract: A vacuum unit used to vacuum lawn debris includes a vacuum unit body having at least first and second inlet openings and at least one flap that can be adjusted to selectively cover and open the second opening. The vacuum unit body includes a flap adjustment member that is located within the second opening and that includes a contact surface that contacts the flap. Preferably, the flap adjustment member has one end that is adapted to receive a vacuum hose. The flap adjustment member can be placed into a first position where it causes the flap to open the second opening and a second position where it permits the flap to cover the second opening. The vacuum hose has a handle that can be attached to the vacuum unit handle permitting the vacuum hose to remain permanently attached to the vacuum unit even when the vacuum hose is not being used.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2003Publication date: July 10, 2003Applicant: MTD Products, Inc.Inventors: Usman Firdaus, John Dawson, Philip B. Smith, Jeffery R. Kucera
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Patent number: 6519805Abstract: A vacuum unit used to vacuum lawn debris includes a vacuum unit body having at least first and second inlet openings and at least one flap that can be adjusted to selectively cover and open the second opening. The vacuum unit body includes a flap adjustment member that is located within the second opening and that includes a contact surface that contacts the flap. Preferably, the flap adjustment member has one end that is adapted to receive a vacuum hose. The flap adjustment member can be placed into a first position where it causes the flap to open the second opening and a second position where it permits the flap to cover the second opening. The vacuum hose has a handle that can be attached to the vacuum unit handle permitting the vacuum hose to remain permanently attached to the vacuum unit even when the vacuum hose is not being used.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2001Date of Patent: February 18, 2003Assignee: MTD Products IncInventors: Usman Firdaus, John Dawson, Philip B. Smith, Jeffery R. Kucera
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Publication number: 20010029642Abstract: A vacuum unit used to vacuum lawn debris includes a vacuum unit body having at least first and second inlet openings and at least one flap that can be adjusted to selectively cover and open the second opening. The vacuum unit body includes a flap adjustment member that is located within the second opening and that includes a contact surface that contacts the flap. Preferably, the flap adjustment member has one end that is adapted to receive a vacuum hose. The flap adjustment member can be placed into a first position where it causes the flap to open the second opening and a second position where it permits the flap to cover the second opening. The vacuum hose has a handle that can be attached to the vacuum unit handle permitting the vacuum hose to remain permanently attached to the vacuum unit even when the vacuum hose is not being used.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2001Publication date: October 18, 2001Inventors: Usman Firdaus, John Dawson, Philip B. Smith, Jeffery R. Kucera