Variable speed drive for lawn mower

Claim 2

A lawn mower comprising an engine having an output shaft, a mower housing supporting said engine, a pair of wheels rotatably supporting said housing for tRavel in adjacent relation to the ground, a cross-shaft rotatably mounted on said mower housing, means for drivingly connecting said cross-shaft to one of said mower wheels, a mower handle pivotally connected to said housing to afford movement of said handle between first, second and third positions with said second position intermediate said first and third positions, and means connected to said mower handle for transferring power from said engine output shaft to said cross-shaft, and affording a neutral condition without power transfer from said engine output shaft to said cross-shaft when said handle is in first position, and affording a driving condition providing mower wheel rotation when said handle is in a range of positions between and including said second and third positions, and a change in rate of rotation between said engine output shaft and said mower wheels, as said handle is moved between said second and third handle positions.

Claim 3

A lawn mower in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for transferring power from said engine output shaft to said cross-shaft comprises an intermediate shaft, means for rotatably supporting said intermediate shaft on said mower housing, means for drivingly connecting said intermediate shaft to said engine output shaft, first drive means on said intermediate shaft, second drive means on said cross-shaft, idler means, and means for supporting said idler means on said cross shaft to provide a rotational axis of said idler means radial with respect to said cross-shaft and to afford axial and angular displacement of said idler means relative to said cross-shaft, said means for mounting said idler means further affording translatory movement of said idler means in a radial direction with respect to said second drive means, and means connected to said mower handle and connected to said means for mounting said idler means to afford angular displacement of said idler means about said cross-shaft upon movement of said handle from said first position to said second position to engage said idler means with said first and second drive means, and to move said idler means radially with respect to said second drive means upon movement of said handle from said second position to said third position thereby changing the rate of rotation between said intermediate shaft and said cross-shaft.

Claim 4

A lawn mower in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for drivingly connecting said cross-shaft to one of said mower wheels comprises a rim on one of said mower wheels having internal teeth and gear means on said cross-shaft in mesh with said teeth on said rim.

Claim 5

A lawn mower in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means for mounting said idler means comprises a mounting block having a post, a stub shaft supported in said mounting block and rotatably supporting said idler means, an idler carrier block having an aperture receiving said cross-shaft to afford carrier block movement axially and angularly on said cross-shaft, said idler carrier block also including a transverse aperture receiving said post to afford post movement axially of said aperture.

Claim 6

A lawn mower in accordance with claim 4 wherein said means for connecting said lawn mower handle to said means for supporting said idler means comprises an aperture in said post and a control rod having an upper end connected to said mower handle and a lower bent portion received in said post aperture.

Claim 7

A lawn mower in accordance with claim 5 wherein said connection between said rod and said mower handle is located rearwardly of said post when said mower handle is in the first position and said connection between said mower handle and said mower housing is located forwardly of said idler means.

Claim 8

A lawn mower comprising an engine having an output shaft, a mower housing supporting said engine, a pair of wheels rotatably supporting said housing above the ground, a first shaft, means for rotatably supporting said first shaft on said mower housing, means for drivingly connecting said First shaft to said engine output shaft, a second shaft, means for rotatably supporting said second shaft on said mower housing, first drive means on said first shaft, second drive means on said second shaft and having a frictional surface, idler means, means for mounting said idler means on said second shaft to afford angular displacement of said idler means about said second shaft to afford engagement and disengagement of said idler means with said first drive means, said mounting means further affording movement of said idler means in a radial direction with respect to said second drive means to vary the position of engagement of said idler means with said frictional surface to change the rate of rotation between said first shaft and said second shaft to vary the rate of rotation of said mower wheels, a control lever, and means connected to said control lever and to said means for mounting said idler means to afford engagement and disengagement of said idler means with said first and second drive means and to afford change in radial position of said idler means with respect to said second drive means upon movement of said control lever.

Claim 9

A lawn mower comprising an engine having an output shaft, a mower housing supporting said engine, a pair of wheels rotatably supporting said housing above the ground, a first shaft, means for rotatably supporting said first shaft on said mower housing, means for drivingly connecting said First shaft to said engine output shaft, a second shaft, means for rotatably supporting said second shaft on said mower housing, first drive means on said first shaft, second drive means on said second shaft and having a frictional surface, idler means, means for mounting said idler means on said second shaft to afford angular displacement of said idler means about said second shaft to afford engagement and disengagement of said idler means with said first drive means, said mounting means further affording movement of said idler means in a radial direction with respect to said second drive means to vary the position of engagement of said idler means with said frictional surface to change the rate of rotation between said first shaft and said second shaft to vary the rate of rotation of said mower wheels, a control lever, and means connected to said control lever and to said means for mounting said idler means to afford engagement and disengagement of said idler means with said first and second drive means and to afford change in radial position of said idler means with respect to said second drive means upon movement of said control lever.

Claim 10

A lawn mower comprising an engine having an output shaft, a mower housing supporting said engine, a pair of wheels rotatably supporting said housing for travel in adjacent relation to the ground, a cross-shaft extending transversely to the engine output shaft, means for drivingly connecting said cross-shaft to at least one of said wheels, means for rotatably supporting said cross-shaft on said mower housing, an intermediate shaft, means for rotatably supporting said intermediate shaft on said housing, means drivingly connecting said engine output shaft with said intermediate shaft, a mower handle, means for pivotally connecting said mower handle to said housing, first drive means fixedly secured to said intermediate shaft, second drive means fixedly secured to said cross-shaft, idler means, and means supporting said idler means for affording rotation of said idler means, for affording translatory movement of said idler means in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said cross-shaft and for affording translatory movement of said idler means longitudinally of said cross-shaft and for affording angular movement of said idler means about an axis parallel to said cross-shaft.

Claim 11

A lawn mower comprising an engine having an output shaft, a mower housing supporting said engine, a pair of wheels rotatably supporting said housing for travel in adjacent relation to the ground, a cross-shaft extending transversely to the engine output shaft, means for drivingly connecting said cross-shaft to at least one of said wheels, means for rotatably supporting said cross-shaft on said mower housing, an intermediate shaft, means for rotatably supporting said intermediate shaft on said housing, means drivingly connecting said engine output shaft with said intermediate shaft, a mower handle, means for pivotally connecting said mower handle to said housing, first drive means fixedly secured to said intermediate shaft, second drive means fixedly secured to said cross-shaft, idler means, and means supporting said idler means for affording rotation of said idler means, for affording translatory movement of said idler means in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said cross-shaft and for affording translatory movement of said idler means longitudinally of said cross-shaft and for affording angular movement of said idler means about an axis parallel to said cross-shaft.