Abstract:
A riding lawn care vehicle (10) may include a frame (60), a steering assembly (30), a brake assembly (110), and a mechanical brake linkage assembly (120). At least a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel (32) of the riding lawn care vehicle may be attachable to the frame. The steering assembly may include a first steering lever and a second steering lever (34), where the first and second steering levers are operably coupled to the first and second drive wheels respectively to facilitate turning of the riding lawn care vehicle based on drive speed control of the first and second drive wheels responsive to positioning of the first and second steering levers. The brake assembly may be operably coupled to the first and second drive wheels to enable brakes to be selectively applied to the first and second drive wheels. The mechanical brake linkage assembly may be configured to activate the brake assembly relative to the first and second drive wheels in response to one of the first steering lever or the second steering lever being moved outwardly to an outboard position independent of a position of the other of the first steering lever or the second steering lever.
Abstract:
An outdoor grounds maintenance vehicle is self-propelled by a hydrostatic traction drive system that provides dynamic braking to the vehicle without the need for separate service brakes acting on the wheels of the vehicle. An engine kill device can be manually actuated by the operator to access the dynamic braking of the traction drive system by reducing the speed of the prime mover that powers the pump of the traction drive system. This provides an auxiliary braking system that can be used in an emergency or on demand by the operator in the event the accelerator pedal does not properly control the pump swashplates. The operator can control the rate at which the auxiliary brake system reduces the speed of the prime mover to zero.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for a lawn maintenance vehicle park brake and traction drive interlock are provided. A park brake mechanism is selectively operable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. A traction drive is also mounted to the lawn maintenance vehicle, the traction drive having a disable mode which prohibits transmission of a driving force from the traction drive to a drive wheel. A first operable connection between the park brake mechanism and a wheel brake activates the wheel brake. A second operable connection between the park brake mechanism and the traction drive activates the disable mode of the traction drive. A method of controlling a lawn maintenance vehicle with a park brake and traction drive interlock include the steps of providing a lawn maintenance vehicle, providing an operable park brake mechanism, providing a first operable connection, and providing a second operable connection.
Abstract:
A brake (3) for a shaft (2), such as the output shaft of the motor (41) of a lawnmower(40), comprising a carrier (4) arranged to be fixed to the shaft (2) for rotation therewith; at least one coil spring (7) having coils (8); and a braking surface (5) arranged to be fixed so that theshaft (2) rotates relative to the braking surface (5), each coil spring (7) being mounted in the carrier (4) such that, as a rotational speed at which the carrier (4) is rotated by the shaft (2) increases, the coils (8) of the spring (7) move away from the shaft (2) and the braking surface (5) and, as the rotational speed at which the carrier (4) is rotated by the shaft (2) decreases, the coils (8) of the spring (7) move towards the shaft (2) and the braking surface (5) and come into contact with the braking surface (5) so as to exert a braking force on the shaft (2).
Abstract:
The parking brake system for a lap bar controlled lawn maintenance vehicle includes at least an actuation assembly and a stop assembly. The actuation assembly includes a push arm and a rotatable pedal arm, and the push arm is attached to a lap bar and is rotatable between and engaged position and a disengaged position. Rotation of the push arm from the disengaged position to the engaged position causes rotation of the pedal arm, and such rotation of the pedal arm causes the stop assembly to prevent the axle for the rear wheel that is controlled by the corresponding lap bar from rotating.
Abstract:
An agricultural baler (70) comprises a shaft (3), a flywheel (2) connected to the shaft (3), a plunger (13) connected to the flywheel (2) via a crank (6), a brake system (40) adapted for providing a brake force (F2) for decelerating the flywheel (2), at least one sensor (43) for providing sensor data indicative for at least one moving part of the baler, and a brake control system (47) comprising a processing system, e.g. a processor provided with an algorithm for stopping the crank (6) in a predefined launch position range, based on a mathematical model of the baler.
Abstract:
A brake (3) for a shaft (2), such as the output shaft of the motor (41) of a lawnmower(40), comprising a carrier (4) arranged to be fixed to the shaft (2) for rotation therewith; at least one coil spring (7) having coils (8); and a braking surface (5) arranged to be fixed so that theshaft (2) rotates relative to the braking surface (5), each coil spring (7) being mounted in the carrier (4) such that, as a rotational speed at which the carrier (4) is rotated by the shaft (2) increases, the coils (8) of the spring (7) move away from the shaft (2) and the braking surface (5) and, as the rotational speed at which the carrier (4) is rotated by the shaft (2) decreases, the coils (8) of the spring (7) move towards the shaft (2) and the braking surface (5) and come into contact with the braking surface (5) so as to exert a braking force on the shaft (2).