Dual action bail and lever lawn mower control assembly

Year	Description
1998	Invention patented by Anthony F. Beugelsdyk and Michael A. Barnard on October 11th, 1998. Abstract: A dual action bail and lever lawn mower control assembly is provided for operating the ground drive of a self-propelled walk-behind lawn mower. The control assembly includes a housing, a shift lever having an extended handle and a substantially circular body which is coupled to a control cable. A bail socket is pivotally received in the housing and is coupled to the bail. A blocking pawl is provided within the housing for engagement with the circular body of the shift lever and the bail socket. The bail socket includes a retainer which is provided with a lug and is spring loaded so that when the bail is pulled back, the spring imparts a rotational force to the retainer. When the lever is shifted to position a recess therein opposite the pawl, the retainer pivots the pawl to enter the recess and hold the lever in the engaged position until the bail is released and a return spring associated with the ground drive pulls on the cable, with the shift lever being then free to return to its original position. The configuration and design of the assembly components permits the assembly to be rearranged to either left hand or right hand mounting through the substitution of only a single part.
Source: selected by the editor from original sources.

Invention: Dual action bail and lever lawn mower control assembly