A safety brake system for a walk behind lawn mower in which provision is made for alternative orientations of the engine relative to the mower deck and operator's position while utilizing the same components for the safety brake system. Only the interconnection of the components is changed for the alternative engine orientations. In one configuration, a control lever connected intermediate an operator actuated bowden cable and the brake disengagement device is pivoted between the attachment points of the control lever to the bowden cable and the disengagement device such that a reverseal of direction of pull is effected. In the other configuration, the point of attachment of the control lever to the disengagement device is on the same side of the pivot point of attachment to the bowden cable such that no reversal of direction of pull occurs. The control lever is manufactured with both attachment points so that a bowden cable approaching the engine from the rear of the mower can by attached to one or the other to actuate the brake disengagement device regardless of the selected orientation of the engine.