Lawn mowers including push handles

A rotary lawn mower adapted to be moved over a surface to mow vegetation; said lawn mower includes a mower deck, a motor, rotary cutting means and a push handle assembly; said mower deck including a top portion adapted to support said motor and downwardly extending edge portions; said motor being affixed to the central portion of said mower deck and coupled to drive said rotary cutter means positioned underneath said mower deck substantially parallel to said surface, said push handle assembly having telescoping or pivotal members and being pivotally attached to the deck such that the push handles may be folded over said motor and attached to said mower deck forward of the motor thus permitting a user of said mower to selectively grasp said push handle assembly to lift and move said rotary mower from one location to another.

This invention relates to lawn mowers and, more particularly, to rotary 
lawn mowers including push handles assembly which function as lift handles 
for the lawn mower. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to lawn mowers and, more particularly, to rotary lawn 
mowers including a lift handle assembly affixed to the mower deck. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
Rotary type lawn mowers are widely used and well known in the prior art. In 
general, the prior art rotary lawn mowers have included a mower deck 
having a top surface for supporting the motor. Also the mower deck 
generally included downwardly extending edges. A cutting blade coupled to 
the motor shaft rotates between the mower deck and the ground. Wheels were 
attached to the deck using a variety of techniques. A push handle was 
generally provided to permit the user to propel the mower along the ground 
to mow vegetation. Some push handles are foldable so as to provide for 
easy storage. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,423,103; 3,462,924; and 3,534,432 show some 
of these structures. None of these prior art mowers included lift handle 
means permitting one or more persons to lift the mower to conveniently 
place the mower in storage or in a vehicle for transportation, for 
example. 
The invention provides a rotary lawn mower including a mower deck, a motor, 
cutting means and a lift handle assembly. More specifically, the mower 
deck includes downwardly extending edge portions and a top portion adapted 
to support the motor. The motor is affixed to the central portion of the 
mower deck and coupled to drive the rotary cutter positioned underneath 
the mower deck and substantially parallel to the ground. A lift assembly 
means is provided which extends above the top surface of the mower deck a 
convenient distance, permitting one or more persons to conveniently lift 
the mower to place it in storage or in any other location desired. 
Alternately, the lift handles may be molded as a part of the mower deck. 
Further, alternatively, the lift handles may be push handles, foldable 
over the deck and secured to the deck by any means.

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the invention. Generally, 
the rotary lawn mower includes a mower deck 10 having a substantially flat 
upper portion and downwardly extending edge portions. A motor 12 is 
affixed to the top surface of the mower deck 10 with the drive shaft 
extending vertically and downwardly through the upper flat portion of the 
mower deck 10. A rotary blade is affixed to the lower end of the drive 
shaft in a conventional manner. Four wheels with three of the wheels 
typically illustrated at reference numerals 14, 16 and 18 are affixed to 
opposite edges of the mower deck. The fourth wheel is not visible in this 
view. In operation, the operator pushes on a handle 20 to propel the mower 
along the ground to mow vegetation. Further, detailed illustrations of the 
wheels is not required because these features are typical of the prior 
art. 
In accordance with the invention, a lift handle assembly including a 
rail-like handle member 22, is affixed by any suitable means to and 
positioned above the upper surface of the mower deck 10. In the 
illustrated embodiment, the rail-like handle member 22 has its ends 
attached together, extends around the central portion of the mower and has 
a generally rectangular inner perimeter. Proper balance of the mower 
requires that the center of mass of the mower be positioned within the 
inner perimeter of the rail-like member 22. When so designed, the user can 
grasp the lift handle means 22 along opposed edges of the mower and lift 
the mower to position it in any convenient location, such as the trunk of 
an automobile or in a suitable storage location. 
More specifically, the lift handle assembly 22 includes an elongated 
rail-like member 22 having a circular cross-section. A plurality of 
downwardly extending vertical support portions 26, 28, 33, 35, 34, 36 and 
38 are attached to the rail-like member 22. Each of these vertical support 
portions includes a shoulder 27. Suitable openings are provided in the top 
portion of the mower deck 10 such that the vertical support portions 
extend therethrough with the shoulders mating with the upper surface of 
the mower deck 10. Suitable means, such as a conventional nut, mates with 
the vertical support portions to hold the lift handle assembly 22 in the 
desired position with respect to the mower deck 10. 
When it is desired to physically move the entire lawn mower from one 
location to another, the lift handles assembly 22 may be grasped at one or 
more locations and the mower lifted to move the mower as required. For 
example, if during the move it is desired to independently control the 
positions of opposed sides of the mower, the lift handle assembly 22 is 
grasped at two locations along opposed sides of the mower such that the 
mower is substantially balanced. Proper balance is assured to the 
relationship between the rail-like member 22 of the lift handle assembly 
and the center of mass of the mower described above. Two or more 
individuals may similarly use the lift handles to move the mower. Also the 
lift handle assembly may be gripped at a single location and used to move 
the mower when it is not necessary or desirable to independently control 
the position of opposed edges of the mower deck 10. That is, when the lift 
handle assembly is grasped at a single location the mower will tend to 
rotate around the point at which the lift handle assembly is grasped. 
Under these circumstances, the degree of rotation will be determined by 
the weight distribution of the mower. 
FIG. 2 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the lift handle assembly. In 
this embodiment, the lift handle assembly includes a plurality of 
generally "U" shaped lift handles each including a substantially straight 
top portion 30 and two downwardly extending side portions 31. Each of the 
downwardly extending side portions 31 includes a shoulder collectively 
illustrated at reference numeral 32. Suitable openings are provided in the 
mower deck 10 for the side portions of the lift handle means to extend 
therethrough such that the shoulder 32 mates with the top surface of the 
mower deck 10. Suitable means, such as a conventional nut 37, are utilized 
to secure the lift handle 30 in the desired location. 
In utilizing this embodiment of the invention, a lift handle of the type 
illustrated at reference numeral 30 is selectively placed at strategic 
locations along the upper surface of the mower deck 10 to form the lift 
handle assembly. That is, the lift handle may be placed along two sides of 
the mower deck or at any other desired location or locations. The exact 
location of each of the lift handles comprising the lift handle assembly 
is selected to maintain the proper balance of the mower as it is lifted 
using the lift handles. 
By so placing the lift handles 30 to form a lift handle assembly, it is 
obvious that a plurality of these lift handles will collectively function 
in a substantially identical manner to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 
1 and described above. 
FIG. 3 illustrates still another alternate embodiment of the invention. In 
this embodiment, the lift handle assembly comprises a plurality of lift 
handles typically illustrated at reference 40. Each of the lift handles 
includes a substantially flat top portion surrounded by a grip 42. The 
material for the grip is selected to increase the comfort in using the 
lift handles. Functionally, the grip 42 may increase the size of the lift 
handle to increase the comfort of the user. Additionally, the material of 
the grip may be selected to be soft to further increase the comfort of the 
user. Other comfort features may also be included. 
Additionally, the lift handle 40 also includes two downwardly extending 
side portions 44 and 46 which are attached using any convenient means to a 
generally "U" shaped horizontal channel member 48. Horizontal channel 
member 48 generally extends substantially parallel to the upper portion 42 
and is adapted to mate with the downwardly extending edge portions of the 
mower deck 10 permitting these lift handles to be utilized to conveniently 
lift the mower. That is, when not in use the lift handles comprising this 
embodiment of the invention can be removed from the mower deck. 
In this embodiment of the invention, a plurality of lift handles 42 is 
positioned at strategic locations around the mower deck 30. It is obvious 
that a lift handle assembly so formed functions in a substantially 
identical manner to the lift handle assembly illustrated in FIG. 1. 
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention in which lift 
handles comprising the lift handle assembly are molded into the mower deck 
50. Generally, it is contemplated that the mower deck 50 will be molded of 
a light material such as aluminum. Suitable lift handles, typically 
illustrated at reference numerals 52 and 54 are positioned along the edges 
of the mower deck 50. In FIG. 4 a single lift handle has been illustrated 
along each edge of the mower deck 50. It is obvious that additional lift 
may be provided along each of the sides. A plurality of lift handles 
comprise a lift handle assembly which functions as the lift handle 
assembly illustrated in FIG. 1. 
FIG. 5 shows a lawn mower deck 10 having a forward deck portion 60. The 
push handles 20 comprise a lower tubular portion 62 pivotally attached by 
pivot means 64 to brackets 66 mounted on the deck 10. The pivot means may 
be a ball 67 rotatable in a socket, not shown, in the bracket 66. Suitable 
locking means 69 such as a spring biased pin to lock the handles in 
operative push position. Alternatively, the bracket 66 may have a vertical 
side 68 having latch means 70 permitting the lower tubular portion 62 to 
be secured in place either in the push position or in a forward collapsed 
position as shown at 80. The upper hand gripping portion 21 of the handles 
20 comprise tubular members 82, one shown, which are telescoped upwardly 
and inwardly into tubular member 62. By this construction, the upper push 
handle portion 82 is pushed into lower member 62 thereby shortening the 
overall length of the push handles attached to the deck 10. When collapsed 
as shown at 80, the push handle is approximately the length of the deck. 
Alternatively, the push handles 20 may be pivoted at the center half 
sections and folded over the deck. U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,432 shows this 
arrangement. 
The push handles 20 have at least one indentation or handle 83 in each of 
the portions 62 to serve as hand grips whereby one or two people may grip 
the handles 83 and lift the lawn mower easily. 
The hand grip portion 21, FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, is provided with an aperture 90 
to receive a latch member. The forward deck portion 60 has a latching 
mechanism 100 for securing the grip handle 21 to the deck whereby the 
handle 20 may be used to lift or carry the lawn mower. 
The latching mechanism 100, FIGS. 6 and 7, comprises a base 102 which is 
fastened to the deck by any suitable means such as by bolts or the like or 
by welding. The base 102 has upstanding ears 104 and 106 with apertures 
therein to slidably receive a rod 108 having a bulbous head 110. The rod 
108 has an end comprising a finger 112 for insertion into aperture 90 and 
a finger 114 for engaging over the hand grip portion 21. A spring 116 
maintains the rod 108 biased in the forward direction. 
It will be apparent that the rod 108 may be pulled back whereby the fingers 
112 and 114 disengage from their respective positions whereby the push 
handles may be lifted and returned to their operative position. 
FIG. 8 shows an alternative latching mechanism 120 which comprises a hook 
portion 121 straddling the hand grip portion 21. The other end of the hook 
portion has a spring 124 which is attached to the deck 60 by any suitable 
means. It will be appreciated that the spring 124 is a heavy duty spring 
so that, when the handles are used to lift the lawn mower, the weight of 
the mower does not stretch the spring. 
Other latch mechanisms 130 such as a bolt extending through the deck and 
hand grip portion 21 is contemplated as are releasable gates.