Abstract: A power lawn mower has a cutter blade mounted on a vertical output shaft driven by an engine and extending substantially horizontally, and a housing covering the cutter blade. The power lawn mower has a throw-out plate for throwing out the grass cut by the cutter blade, the throw-out plate being mounted on the output shaft above the cutter blade within the housing and extending substantially horizontally. The throw-out plate is angularly spaced from the cutter blade and positioned therebehind in the direction of rotation of the throw-out plate. The throw-out plate is shorter than the cutter blade and substantially flat. The throw-out plate includes a throw-out arm having a leading edge in the direction of rotation thereof and curved progresively rearwardly in the same direction from a proximal end of the throw-out arm to a radially outward end thereof.

Abstract: There is disclosed a power lawn mower which comprises a carriage having a top deck and side walls, a pair of front wheels, a pair of rear wheels having corresponding wheel axle shafts, a cutting mechanism having a rotary cutting element, a prime mover mounted on the top deck of the carriage and having an output shaft drivingly connected to the cutting element to rotate the same, and a rear wheel drive mechanism for transmitting driving power of the prime mover to the rear wheels and including at least one drive shaft. In this arrangement, the carriage includes front and rear openings. The front wheels are independently supported on the front portion of the carriage and the rear wheels are independently supported on the rear portion of the carriage. Further, front and rear guard members are swingably mounted to the lower surface of front and rear portions of the top deck, respectively.

Abstract: A control lever assembly for a self-propelled lawn mower including a first control lever for selectively connecting and disconnecting a first clutch operatively coupled between a prime mover and wheels, a second control lever for selectively connecting and disconnecting a second clutch operatively coupled between the prime mover and a grass-cutting blade, and an engagement element mounted on the second control lever and engageable with the first control lever to cause the second control lever to be moved in a direction to connect the second clutch when the first control lever is moved in a direction to connect the first clutch. The control lever assembly also includes a mechanism for moving the engagement element between an operative position in which the engagement element is engageable with the first control lever and an inoperative position in which the engagement element is held out of engagement with the first control lever.