Patent ID: 7364169
Filing Date: 2008-04-29
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A walk-behind lawn mower comprising: an engine for driving at least one cutting blade; a sulky attached to the mower, wherein the sulky comprises a substantially vertical pivot axis structure which is aligned substantially vertical relative to the ground during normal sulky operation when the sulky trails behind the mower, wherein a foot platform of the sulky pivots relative to a front arm of the sulky about a pivot axis defined by the substantially vertical pivot axis structure; a latch assembly for receiving a protruding part of a sulky attached to the mower, the protruding part protruding from the substantially vertical pivot axis structure of the sulky, wherein the latch assembly includes a pivotal spring-biased latch having a recess defined therein, wherein the recess of the latch is adapted to receive the protruding part of the sulky when the sulky is folded up from a deployed position to a stowed position so that the latch assembly of the mower can hold the folded up sulky in the stowed position; a buttress plate located laterally forward of the latch, so that a leading portion of the substantially vertical pivot axis structure of the sulky is adapted to hit the buttress plate when the sulky is moved into the stowed position with excessive force; and a release member operatively coupled to the latch assembly, wherein the release member extends upwardly from the latch assembly through a dashboard of the mower so that when an operator actuates the release member the latch assembly releases the sulky from the stowed position so that the sulky drops to the ground.