Riding lawn mower

• US 7,059,433 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2004
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keith J. Andrews, Robert Abend, Toshiyuki Hasegawa, Travis S. Mccloud
• Original Assignee: Keith J. Andrews, Robert Abend, Toshiyuki Hasegawa, Travis S. Mccloud
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Toshiyuki, Andrews, Keith J, McCloud, Travis S, Abend, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bottorff, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/852,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 180/6.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/105 Units comprising at least a part of the gearing and a torque-transmitting axle, e.g. transaxles B60K17/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/223 Ridable lawn mowers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/006 Mechanical control systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/18 the additional power supply being supplied hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/183 Control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2047/045 the fluid gearing comprising a plurality of pumps or motors
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 47/04 the mechanical gearing being of the type with members having orbital motion

Abstract

A transmission for speed changing and steering of a vehicle comprises a first HST and a first differential for speed changing and a second HST and a second differential for steering. The first HST is a combination of a hydraulic pump and motor. The pump is driven by an engine and the motor is drivingly changeable by operation of a speed change pedal. Output power from the motor is transmitted into a pair of first differential output shafts as axles through the first differential. The second HST is a combination of a hydraulic pump and motor. The second pump is driven by output power from the first HST and the second motor is drivingly changeable by operation of a steering wheel. A pair of second differential output shafts are rotated in opposite directions by output power of the motor, so that when turning, the first differential output shaft on the opposite side of the turning direction is accelerated.

Claims

1. A riding lawn mower comprising:

a vehicle chassis;

a driver'"'"'s seat supported by said vehicle chassis;

a prime mover supported by said vehicle chassis behind said seat;

a mower unit supported by said vehicle chassis and driven by said prime mover;

a caster supported by said vehicle chassis before said seat;

a pair of drive wheels supported by said vehicle chassis behind said seat;

a transmission casing fixed to said vehicle chassis;

a first hydrostatic stepless transmission disposed in said transmission casing and drivingly connected to said prime mover and said drive wheels, wherein a change in direction and amount of fluid delivery within said first hydrostatic stepless transmission symmetrically drives said pair of drive wheels at various speeds forward and backward;

a second hydrostatic stepless transmission disposed in said transmission casing and drivingly connected to said prime mover and said drive wheels, wherein a change in direction and amount of fluid delivery within said second hydrostatic stepless transmission differentially drives said pair of drive wheels at various relative speed;

a steering means supported by said vehicle chassis and operatively connected to said second hydrostatic stepless transmission, wherein said steering means changes the direction and amount of fluid delivery within said second hydrostatic stepless transmission; and

a speed controlling means operatively connected to said first hydrostatic stepless transmission, wherein said speed controlling means changes the direction and amount of fluid delivery within said first hydrostatic stepless transmission.

2. The riding lawn mower as set forth in claim 1, wherein said speed controlling means is a foot control pedal.

3. The riding lawn mower as set forth in claim 1, wherein said steering means is a steering wheel.