Patent ID: 6085502
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
A blade brake assembly for use with a lawn mower, having a power deck with a pair of wheels and a mower deck supporting at least a mower blade driven by the power deck, wherein the power deck includes a support structure extending forwardly therefrom to support a pair of caster wheels, and wherein said mower deck is suspended at a front thereof from the support structure by way of pivot pins, and is suspended at the rear thereof by a height adjusting mechanism, such that the mower deck is pivotable with respect to the power deck in order to change the cutting height, said blade brake assembly comprising:an actuator mounted to said power deck and shiftable in response to a command by an operator;a band brake operatively coupled to the mower blade;a center pivot mounted on said mower deck and fixed with respect thereto;a pivot lever pivotally mounted on said center pivot and having a first end pivotally connected to an end of said actuator; anda link member pivotally connected at one end thereof to a second end of said pivot lever, opposite said first end, wherein said center pivot is intermediate said two ends of said pivot lever, said link member being connected at a second end thereof to said band brake, wherein said center pivot and pivot lever are disposed proximal to the pivot pins supporting the front of the mower deck.