Abstract: An improvement in a walk-behind, self-propelled lawn mower including a mower deck having an upper deck surface, a deck rear end and deck rear edge, several mower wheels, a mower engine, a pair of handle bars extending upward from the mower deck at the rear of the mower deck and steering controls includes a plate member for supporting a mower operator during mower use, a hinge pivotally connecting the plate member to the rear end of the mower deck, plate member abutment structure for stopping the plate member from pivoting to a position substantially below the plane of the mower deck. The hinge preferably includes a first hinge pin receiving element secured to the upper surface of the deck and spaced apart from the rear edge of the mower deck, and a second hinge pin receiving element secured to the plate member, and where the plate member abutment structure includes a portion of the mower deck between the first hinge pin receiving element and the rear edge.

Abstract: An auxiliary blade apparatus for connecting to a lawn mower having an engine, a mower blade, a mower deck over the mower blade having side edges, a mower drive shaft extending from the mower blade to a mower blade drive element drivably connected to the engine, the auxiliary blade apparatus includes an auxiliary blade support structure pivotally connected to the lawn mower, to pivot upward to permit the mower to pass through a narrow gate in a yard fence, and downward to extend the width of the cutting area of the mower to widen the path the mower can cut, and an auxiliary blade fastened to an auxiliary drive shaft extending through the auxiliary blade support structure and fastened to an auxiliary drive element connected to the mower blade drive element. The auxiliary blade support structure preferably includes an auxiliary deck pivotally joined to one of the mower deck side edges.

Abstract: The present walk-behind, self-propelled motor has two hydraulic motors whose rotors are directly connected to the hubs of respective drive wheels on opposite sides of the mower deck toward the rear. These motors are driven by respective pumps, each of which has its direction and rate of fluid displacement controlled by a handle mechanism on the upper end of a corresponding fixed handle extending up from the deck at the rear. Each handle mechanism has a pivoted handle coating with a locking lever to set the corresponding pump in neutral, forward or reverse. An internal combustion engine drives both pumps as well as cutting blades located below the mower deck toward the front. Vertically pivoted wheels are located in front of the mower deck.

Abstract: A reversible drive having a flexible endless belt driven in one direction, a first pair of inside and outside pulleys drivingly engaged by the belt and respectively connected coaxially to an inside drive roller and an outside roller which are engageable alternately with the inside and outside of a first cylinder, and a second pair of inside and outside pulleys drivingly engaged by the belt and respectively connected coaxially to an inside drive roller and an outside drive roller which are engageable alternately with the inside and outside of a second cylinder. The cylinders drive corresponding rotary driven members, such as opposite ground-engaging wheels on a lawn mower.