Abstract: A handle mounted control for the blade brake clutch mechanism and/or the ground wheel drive of a walk-behind rotary power mower. The control requires two distinct actions for actuation. The first action is movement of a deadman lever in the form of a bail from a disengaged to an engaged position. The second action is movement of the control lever from disengaged position to operating position when the deadman lever is in engaged position. Release of the deadman lever to disengaged position releases the control lever from operating position and permits it to return to disengaged position under the biasing force of a cable connected between the control lever and the controlled mechanism on the mower deck.

Abstract: A walk-behind lawn mower having a deck with adjustably mounted ground-engaging wheels. A side shield is provided in the form of a metal rod extending longitudinally along one side of the deck approximately following the curvature of the deck and lying between ground level and the lower edge of the deck side wall. To permit vertical movement of the side shield upon encountering minor irregularities in the ground, the rearward end of the side shield is pivotally attached to the rear wheel axle. To permit horizontal movement of the side shield to provide for lost motion upon adjustment of the deck height, the mower deck includes a bracket adjacent to and rearward from the front wheel and the foreward end of the side shield terminates in an upwardly extending portion which extends through a longitudinally extending slot in the bracket.

Abstract: An articulated riding mower comprised of a sulky unit pivotally connected to a walk-behind mower. To attach the sulky to the walk-behind mower, the mower deck includes a bridge support overlying the mower deck between the rear corner positions thereof. The bridge support has depending extensions at the corner positions mounted on the axle of the rear wheels. The depending extensions of the bridge support are, in turn, rigidly fastened to the respective corners of the mower deck. A central portion of the bridge support carries a pivotal connection including a bearing for removably attaching the sulky to the walk-behind mower. In a preferred embodiment, the handle of the walk-behind mower is connected, at its lower end, directly to the bridge support.

Abstract: A rotary lawnmower of the type having an inverted pan-shaped housing generally surrounding a horizontal rotary blade affixed to a vertical shaft extending downwardly from a rotary power source mounted on the top of the housing. A pair of tubular longitudinal frame members extend bridgingly in horizontal position over and secured to the housing on opposite sides of the rotary power source with downward extensions secured to front and rear wheels. The downward extensions are also affixed to front and rear aprons extending horizontally from the lower edge of the side wall of the housing to provide mutual bracing. The lawnmower has a handle that is attached to the rear downward extensions of the longitudinal frame members so that forces developed in the handle incident to guiding the mower are transferred directly to the frame members and then directly to the wheels so that the housing is not stressed upon manipulation of the handle.

Abstract: A deck construction for a rotary mower which includes a shallow cylindrical blade housing with horizontal aprons extending fore and aft therefrom. Integral wheel supporting plates extend vertically along the respective lateral edges of the aprons and at right angles thereto. Each wheel supporting plate has a cantilevered tip portion which extends to the sidewall of the blade housing and which is welded to the sidewall at a region which is spaced substantially upwardly from the lower edge of the housing. The tip portion of each blade supporting plate is of flaring shape defining a generally triangular relief space thereunder and so that the plate forms a downwardly angled brace between housing and apron. The wheel supporting plates and apron are mutually reinforced by a narrow flange extending continuously around the edges thereof between the welded tip portions.

Abstract: A rotary lawn mower of the type having a circular housing with adjustably mounted ground engaging wheels. A side shield is provided in the form of a vertical plate of metal arranged fore-and-aft between the wheels and closely alongside the housing. The shield is supported at its ends on the front and rear axles, extending close to the ground to prevent ejection of a missile at ground level and of sufficient height to prevent discharge at a higher level in all positions of housing adjustment. Preferably the housing has a laterally extending horizontal apron along its lower edge while the side shield has a pair of inwardly extending tabs along its upper edge in overlapping relation to the ends of the apron to prevent ejection of a missile upwardly in the space adjacent the wheel treads. As an alternate construction, the shield has an inwardly extending ledge which conforms to the wall of the mower housing.

Abstract: As an article of manufacture, a tapered cutter pin for a rotary mower formed of durable resilient plastic having a shank and terminating at its outer end in a relatively thin but stiffly resilient tip portion, the shank having a head at its inner end for retaining the pin in the disc. With the pin supported cantilever fashion adjacent the head, the bending modulus in the shank is a minimum of 50 in..sup.2 -lb and at the tip is a maximum of 30 in..sup.2 -lb and the initial deflection ranges between 0.5 and 3.0 inches of tip deflection per pound of force. In the preferred embodiment the pin has four evenly spaced flutes extending longitudinally over a portion of its length and of a depth approximately proportioned to the thickness of the pin, the flutes defining between them ribs to produce a cruciform cross section.

Abstract: A cutter disc assembly for a rotary lawn mower in which the disc has a circular central portion and a peripheral portion with a shallow vertical wall in between. Radial openings are provided in the wall in register with radial grooves formed in the underside of the peripheral portion. A plastic pin is in register with each opening, with the shank of the pin occupying the associated groove and with a stiffly resilient tip portion projecting beyond the periphery of the disc into cutting engagement with the grass. Each groove has a curved rear wall against which the pin bends as the projecting tip of the pin strikes an obstruction as well as a curved front wall against which the pin bends upon rebound, the curved walls being of outwardly flaring shape thereby to support the shank of the pin substantially free of concentrated stress. Each groove has, in addition, a bridge or "ceiling" which serves as a guide surface to hold the pin in a downwardly-angled working position and to provide frictional damping.

Abstract: A cutter pin for mounting on a mower disc having a keyed radial socket with a curved backstop adjacent thereto, the pin being tapered from shank to tip portion in the vertical plane but with the top portion having substantially the same maximum width as the shank in the horizontal plane to provide a flattened blade-like structure with generally parallel lateral edges. The pin is formed integrally of durable plastic having substantially the characteristics of nylon so that it stands out from the periphery in radially self-supporting position with sufficient stiffness for the cutting of grass as the disc rotates.

Abstract: A safe cutter disc assembly for a rotary lawn mower in which the disc has a circular central portion and an annular outer portion joined by a shallow vertically extending wall having a plurality of radially extending openings. The cutting elements are in the form of cutter pins inserted in the openings, each pin in the preferred embodiment being formed of durable plastic having a head, a relatively stiff shank and a long tapering flexible tip portion, the pins being supported cantilever fashion with respect to the openings. The annular outer portion of the disc closely underlies and protects the relatively stiff shank portions of the pins while the tips of the pins project beyond the periphery of the disc into engagement with the grass, bending back into the projection of the outer portion of the disc upon striking of an obstruction.