Patent ID: 7299610

Claim:
In a riding mower having an engine and a pair of independent drive wheels controlled by a corresponding pair of operator-manipulated drive levers, said levers being movable independently of one another along parallel, fore-and-aft paths of travel between forward, neutral, and reverse drive modes and being movable outwardly away from one another to widespread positions when in the neutral mode, the improvement comprising: a pair of retaining mechanisms operable when actuated to prevent rotation of said wheels, there being one of said retaining mechanisms for each of said wheels; and a park lever operably coupled with said retaining mechanisms for actuating both of said retaining mechanisms simultaneously when the park lever is moved to a park position, said park lever being movable into said park position when the drive levers are in said widespread positions and having lockout structure operably coupled therewith for preventing return of the drive levers to their paths of travel when the park lever is in said park position.