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).

  • Patent number: 10485167
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: MTD Products Inc
    Inventor: Philip B. Smith
  • Publication number: 20180077862
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventor: Philip B. Smith
  • Patent number: 7867117
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: MTD Products Inc
    Inventors: Usman Firdaus, Philip B. Smith
  • Publication number: 20090270210
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: MTD Products Inc
    Inventors: Usman Firdaus, Philip B. Smith
  • Patent number: 6782582
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: MTD Products Inc
    Inventors: Usman Firdaus, John Dawson, Philip B. Smith, Jeffery R. Kucera
  • Publication number: 20030126697
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: MTD Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Usman Firdaus, John Dawson, Philip B. Smith, Jeffery R. Kucera
  • Patent number: 6519805
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: MTD Products Inc
    Inventors: Usman Firdaus, John Dawson, Philip B. Smith, Jeffery R. Kucera
  • Publication number: 20010029642
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventors: Usman Firdaus, John Dawson, Philip B. Smith, Jeffery R. Kucera