JPH0524525B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a pair of left and right handle rod bodies extending in the longitudinal direction of a machine body, and a structure that connects the rear ends of these handle rod bodies and protrudes upward in the front-back direction. a control handle having a grip portion having a curved shape; The intermediate horizontal lever portion is swingably mounted on the handle rod main body to a clutch disengagement position spaced rearward from the intermediate grip portion, and is biased to the clutch disengagement position, so that the traveling clutch is gate-shaped when viewed in the longitudinal direction. The lever is swingable between a clutch engaged position in which the intermediate lateral lever portion contacts or is close to the intermediate grip portion, and a clutch disengaged position in which the intermediate lateral lever portion is spaced forward from the intermediate grip portion. The present invention relates to a clutch operation structure for a walk-behind lawn mower, which is installed on a handle rod body and biased to the clutch disengagement position.

[Conventional technology]

The above-mentioned walk-behind lawn mower is configured so that the cutting blade clutch lever and the traveling clutch lever are held and operated together with the control handle to maintain the cutting blade clutch and the traveling clutch in the engaged position, and then the clutch lever is simply released. The cutting blade clutch lever and traveling clutch lever automatically return to the cut position at the time of operation, and the cutting blade drive and machine movement are stopped, which is advantageous in terms of operation and safety. Furthermore, when working while disengaging the travel clutch and moving the aircraft by hand or hand, the travel clutch lever is designed so that it does not protrude rearward from the grip of the control handle and become an obstacle.

Conventionally, in this type of walk-behind lawn mower, the traveling clutch lever 16 has a straight shape in side view as shown in FIG. 6, which has the following disadvantages.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

That is, if an attempt is made to reduce the operating force of the travel clutch, the operating stroke of the travel clutch lever 16 becomes large and the travel clutch lever 16
Since the shape in side view is linear, the distance between the traveling clutch lever 16 at the clutch disengagement position OFF ₂ and the handle grip portion 7 is large over the entire traveling clutch lever 16. Due to this, trees are lined up along the wall, so it is necessary to move the aircraft forward and backward between the trees and between the trees and the wall, and to change the direction of the aircraft when moving it in and out. While holding the end portion 7b of the handle grip portion 7 with at least one hand to make it easier to move the vehicle, repeat the engagement and disengagement operations of the traveling clutch to repeat the self-propelled forward movement and manual backward movement of the aircraft. When working while holding the end grip part 7b of the handle grip part 7, even if you extend the fingers of the hand holding the end grip part 7b, the clutch cut position is OFF _2.
Since the travel clutch lever 16 located at It was becoming less efficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to reduce the operating force for the travel clutch, and to enable the travel clutch to be engaged even while holding the steering wheel with both hands.

[Means for solving problems]

The characteristic configuration of the present invention is that, in the above-mentioned clutch operation structure for a walk-behind lawn mower, the vertically oriented lever portions at both ends of the traveling clutch lever have a bent shape in which the middle portion protrudes rearward when viewed from the side. and when the running clutch lever is in the clutch disengaged position and viewed from the side, the distance between the intermediate portion and the end grip portion of the grip portion is equal to the distance between the intermediate horizontal lever portion and the intermediate grip portion. The traveling clutch levers are arranged such that the distance is smaller than the distance between the clutch levers. The functions and effects thereof are as follows.

[Effect]

Because of the side view shape and side view arrangement of the travel clutch lever 16, the travel clutch lever 1
Even if the operating stroke of the intermediate lateral lever portion 16a of 6 is increased and the distance between the intermediate lateral lever portion 16a and the handle grip portion 7 becomes large with the travel clutch lever 16 in the clutch disengaged position OFF ₂ , The distance between the middle part of the end vertically oriented lever part 16b and the end side grip part 7b of the handle grip part 7 becomes small, and even if you hold the end side grip part 7b, if you extend your finger, the end vertically oriented lever part 16
b and move the travel clutch lever 16 to the engaged position.
It becomes possible to switch to ON ₂ .

〔Effect of the invention〕

Due to the shape and the arrangement of the traveling clutch lever, the operating stroke of the horizontal lever portion thereof is increased, and the distance between the intermediate portion of the vertical lever portion and the vertical end portion of the handle grip portion is reduced. By being able to do this, it is now possible to easily operate the clutch using the sideways lever part of the travel clutch lever with light operating force, and it is also possible to engage the travel clutch while holding the control handle with both hands. I am now able to do the work mentioned above more efficiently.

〔Example〕

Next, examples will be shown.

As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of left and right front wheels 1, 1
and a cutting blade housing 4 which has rear wheels 2, 2 and is installed inside so that the cutting blade 3 rotates around a vertical axis.
An engine E for driving the rear wheels 2 and the cutting blade 3 is attached to the upper part of the cutting blade housing 4.
A control handle 5 and a grass collecting bag 6 are attached to the rear of the lawn mower, thereby forming a self-propelled walking lawn mower.

The control handle 5 is made of a bent pipe as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and is connected to a pair of left and right handle rod bodies 5a, 5a in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft, and the rear ends of these handle rod bodies 5a, 5a. Grip part 7
It is formed to have. The grip portion 7 is formed into a curved shape that is upwardly curved when viewed in the front-rear direction.

A cutting blade clutch C ₁ for transmitting engine power to the cutting blade 3 is installed inside the cutting blade housing 4, and a traveling clutch C 2 for transmitting engine power to the left and right rear wheels 2, ₂ is installed inside the cutting blade housing 4. It is installed inside the traveling transmission case 8 inside the housing. The operation structure of these clutches _C1 and _C2 is constructed as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

That is, the cutting blade clutch bar 10, which is interlocked with the cutting blade clutch C ₁ via the release wire 9 and is made of a bent pipe having a portal shape as seen in the front and back direction, is attached to the lever attachment portion 5b of one handle rod main body 5a and the other handle rod main body. 5a and the mounting portion 5b. And the mowing blade clutch lever 10
is operated to swing around the axis _P1 , and the clutch is in the engaged position where the intermediate horizontal lever portion 10a is in contact with the rear side of the intermediate grip portion 7a of the grip portion 7.
When it is operated to ON ₁ , the release wire 9 is tensioned to operate the cutting blade clutch C ₁ to engage, and the intermediate horizontal lever portion 10a is separated rearward from the intermediate grip portion 7a, and the wire is When the clutch is operated to the clutch release position OFF ₁ , where the base end of the connecting arm 11 is in contact with the downward surface of the lever mounting portion 5b, the release wire 9 is loosened and the cutting blade clutch C ₁ is moved to this position. The self-cutting resiliency of the machine allows it to be easily cut.

The cutting blade clutch lever 10 is biased to the clutch cutting position OFF ₁ by the cutting restoring force of the cutting blade clutch C ₁ , and during operation, the horizontal lever portion 10a in the middle or the upper end of the vertical lever portion 10b at both ends. By maintaining the cutting blade clutch lever 10 in the clutch engaged position ON 1 by holding the cutting blade clutch lever 10 together with the intermediate grip portion 7a, the cutting blade clutch C ₁ is maintained in the engaged position ON ₁ .

A lock pin 12 which acts as a stopper on the arm portion 11 to fix the cutting blade clutch lever 10 at the clutch disengagement position OFF ₁ is provided through the lever mounting portion 5b and is connected to an operating lever 13 made of a spring plate. By elastically deforming the operating lever 13 laterally outward of the machine body, the lock pin 12 is disengaged laterally outwardly from the movement path of the arm portion 11, and the cutting blade clutch lever is configured to be in an unlocked state. 10 is operated toward the clutch disengaged position OFF ₁ , the arm portion 11, which had been in contact with the tip end surface of the lock pin 12 and operated the lock pin 12 to the unlocked state while elastically deforming the operating lever 13, disengages the lock pin 12. When the blade clutch lever 10 reaches the clutch disengagement position OFF ₁ ,
Due to the elastic restoring force of the operation lever 13, the lock pin 12 is operated into the locked state in which it enters the movement path of the arm portion 11, and as the cutting blade clutch lever 10 is operated to the clutch disengagement position OFF 1, the mower blade clutch lever 10 is automatically moved to the clutch disengagement position OFF ₁ . It is configured to be locked to
That is, both the manual operation of releasing the fixation of the cutting blade clutch lever 10 by the lock pin 12 using the operating lever 13 and the manual operation of switching the cutting blade clutch lever 10 from the clutch disengaged position OFF ₁ to the clutch engaged position ON ₁ . To ensure safety, the mower blade clutch C ₁ will only engage when this is done.

Then, connect release wire 1 to traveling clutch C ₂ .
4 and a spring 15, and a running clutch lever 16 made of a bent pipe having a portal shape in the longitudinal direction is installed across one lever mounting portion 5b and the other lever mounting portion 5b.
The travel clutch lever 16 is operated to swing around the axis _P2 , and the intermediate horizontal lever portion 1
6a is operated to the clutch engaged position ON ₂ in which it contacts the front side of the intermediate side grip portion 7a, the release wire 14 is tensioned to operate the running clutch C ₂ to the engaged position, and the intermediate sideward lever portion 16a is moved forward from the intermediate grip portion 7a and the base end portion of the spring connecting arm portion 17 is operated to the clutch release position OFF ₂ , where the base end portion of the arm portion 17 for connecting the spring comes into contact with the downward facing portion of the lever mounting portion 5b.
Loosen the release wire 14 and operate the travel clutch.
C ₂ is designed to be operated to cut using its self-cutting resilience.

The travel clutch lever 16 is biased to the clutch disengagement position OFF ₂ by the restoring force of the travel clutch _C2 , and when the aircraft is self-propelled, the intermediate horizontal lever portion 16a or the vertical lever portions 16b at both ends are pressed. Upper end side and middle side grip part 7
The traveling clutch C2 is maintained in the engaged position by maintaining the traveling clutch lever 16 in the clutch engaged position ON2 by holding the clutch _C2 in the engaged position _ON2 .

The vertical lever portions 16b, 16b at the left and right ends of the traveling clutch lever 16 are formed into a bent shape with the middle portion protruding rearward when viewed from the side, and the traveling clutch lever 16 is in the clutch disengagement position OFF _2.
When viewed from the side, the distance L 1 between the intermediate portion and the end grip portion 7b of the grip portion ₇ is smaller than the distance L ₂ between the intermediate horizontal lever portion 16a and the intermediate grip portion 7a. It is configured. That is, even though the distance _L3 is made large so that the operating force required to engage the traveling clutch _C2 by using the intermediate horizontal lever portion 16a is relatively light, the fingers of the hand can still hold the end grip portion 7b. When extended, it reaches the middle part of the vertical lever portion 16b or its vicinity, and the driving clutch _C2 can be engaged even while holding the control handle 5 with both hands.

The bag internal partition 18 shown in FIG. 1 guides the grass debris discharged from the grass discharge port of the cutting blade housing 14 to the back of the bag so that it does not fall near the grass receiving port of the grass collection bag 6. It is.

The cutting blade clutch lever 10 and the travel clutch lever 16 may be configured such that when the intermediate transverse lever portion 10a or 16a approaches the intermediate grip portion 7a without contacting it, the clutch lever 10 and the traveling clutch lever 16 are in the clutch engaged position.

Incidentally, although reference numerals are written in the claims section for convenient comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure shown in the accompanying drawings.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the clutch operation structure for a walk-behind lawn mower according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a side view of the clutch lever installation part, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cutting blade clutch lever locking mechanism, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the cutting blade clutch lever, FIG. 4 is a front view of the traveling clutch lever, and FIG. 5 is a side view of the entire walk-behind lawn mower. FIG. 6 is a side view of a conventional clutch lever. 5... Operating handle, 5a... Handle rod body, 7... Grip portion, 7a... Intermediate grip portion, 7
b...End side grip part, 10...Mowing blade clutch lever, 10a...Horizontal lever part, 16...Traveling clutch lever, 16a...Horizontal lever part,
16b... Vertical lever part, L ₁ , L ₂ ... Spacing,
ON ₁ , ON ₂ ...Clutch engaged position, OFF ₁ ,
OFF ₂ ...Clutch disengagement position.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A pair of left and right handle rod bodies in the front and back direction of the aircraft 5
a, 5a, and these handle rod bodies 5a, 5
A control handle 5 is provided which connects the rear ends of a and has a curved grip portion 7 that is upwardly curved when viewed in the front-rear direction, and a mowing blade clutch lever 10 having a portal shape in the front-rear direction is attached to an intermediate horizontal lever portion of the handle 5. 10a contacts or is close to the intermediate grip portion 7a of the grip portion 7, and a clutch disengagement position OFF ₁ , in which the intermediate horizontal lever portion 10a is rearwardly spaced apart from the intermediate grip portion _7a . movably installed on the handle rod bodies 5a, 5a and biased to the clutch disengagement position OFF ₁ ;
The traveling clutch lever 16, which is gate-shaped when viewed in the front-rear direction, is in a clutch engaged position where the intermediate horizontal lever portion 16a is in contact with or close to the intermediate grip portion 7a.
ON ₂ and a clutch disengagement position OFF ₂ in which the intermediate horizontal lever portion 16a is spaced forward from the intermediate grip portion 7a _. A clutch operation structure for a walk-behind lawn mower in which the drive clutch lever 1 is energized to
The vertically oriented lever portions 16b at both ends of the clutch lever 16b are formed into a bent shape in which the intermediate portion protrudes rearward when viewed from the side, and when the traveling clutch lever 16 is in the clutch disengagement position OFF _{2 and} when viewed from the side. In this case, the traveling clutch lever is arranged such that a distance L ₁ between the intermediate portion and the end grip portion 7b of the grip portion 7 is smaller than a distance L ₂ between the intermediate horizontal lever portion 16a and the intermediate grip portion 7a. Clutch operation structure of a walk-behind lawn mower with 16 arranged.