May 15» 1951 D w. H. F’HELF’sl 2,552,583

» ­ ` MowING MACHINE

Filed'June s, 194e 5 ' 2 sheets-sheet 1

@mf-mmf May 15, 1951 ‘ w. H. PHELPs ` 2,552,583

Y ` MowING MACHINE

Filed June s, 194s \ ' ' l2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented May 15, `<1.951y `'2,552,583

UNITED sTATEs Meur oFFIcE 2,552,583 MOWING MACHINE William Howard Phelps, Ralston» Nebr Application `lune 8, 1948, Serial No. 31,762 4 Claims. (C1. SiS-»254) I 2 This invention relates to a mowing machine for bodiment in the accompanying drawings, in cutting grass, weeds and the like, and more par which ticularly to such device in which the rotary cut Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mower embody. ting blade is driven from an internal combustion ing my invention. ` by a having a friction driv Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1. ing and a friction driven wheel and in Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side Veleva which the friction driving Wheel is itself driven tion, partly in section, `showing an internal com. by friction from the of the engine. bustion engine hingedly mounted on _a mower In a mower or other machine having a’ tool platform, and a friction drive for the Quitar driven through a friction driven wheel and a blade. friction from a single cylinder inter Fig. 4, is a fragmentary transverse section on nal combustion engine the explosion point in the the line ¿if-4l of Fig. 3. " v ' >> ‘V M‘ cycle will always occur at substantially the same AIn the embodiment illustrated, my improved place with relation to the position or the piston, mower comprises in general a platform i Í'no?rit# and if the friction drive wheel is rigidly' lined to ed on 2 to enable the mower to be pushed, the crank shaft there will always be a slight Slip. bv the handles h, alone' over the ground tot@ ping of the friction drive wheel onthe conta-_sting mowed, there being swingably mounted above the surface of the friction _driven wheel at the time top of the platform a vertically extending single of explosion in the engine cylinder. Even though this amount of slipping will be slight at each cause a fiat spot to wear in said circ wheel 3 having fixed to rotate therewith a tout? ence, which flat spot will increase Yin rsize ter blade 9 for cutting grass, weeds and the` lie timepoint, break rI‘his the dimculty friction Idrive have wheel overcome apart in the as the> mower is moved along over the gronnd‘; " The internal combustion engine 3 `is fìiied by present invention by providing .o .Slipping ilïîoiiolo bolts or the like Il) to va base member Il, which drive for the friction drive wheel itself. on each side toward its rear edge is providedlwith Among the objects of my invention are; to ¿Dief a trunnicn or the like I2, pivotally mounted vide a novel and improved mowing machine; to in an opstanding plate I3 havingî in its bottom provide a novel `and improved friction drive for edge a horizontal flange I4 ñxed by bolts or the mowers; to provide a friction dri-ve havingwa fric? , , like I5 tothe platform i. This enablesthe in tion driven wheel and a friction drive Wheel yin ternal combustion engine to be tilted in a verti which there is provided a slipping friction drive cal plane for reasons explained more fully here for the friction drive wheel itself; to provide a inafter. ` ’ ‘ _mower having novel cooling means; to provide a Fixed to the crank shaft Il by a bolt l5, and mower having means for preventing accumulaf 40 any additional means desired to securely lock the tion of clippings on the machine and keep them same thereon, is a back plate is? having formed blown off and scattered during the operation of on its rear surface a plurality of rearwardly ‘exÕ` the mower; to provide an internal combustion tending vanes or blades iB which, when the `back engine hingedly mounted on a wheeled platform plate is in rotation with the crank sha-ft, serve and novel means for l*moving the >friction `drive to direct cooling air currents against the front Wheel into and out of contact with the friction side of the internal combustion engine’and into driven wheel to start and stop operation of the the return baille lil from which they are ‘deilecte‘d cutting blade; to provide means _for normally against the rear side of the internal .combustion constantly urging the friction drive wheel to engine for cooling the same. Sonie of said air ward the active surface of the friction `driven 50 currents will also strike the exposed part of the Wheel; to provide novel means for selectively crank shaft to further facilitate the cooling Aopf breaking said contact; and such further objects, eration. These vanos or ribs LS also ser-ye _as advantages and capabilities, inherently possessed strengtheningmeans for the back .plate il.' by my invention, as will later more` fully appear. Rotatably mounted upon` the cran-k shaft ß, The invention is illustrated in a preferred em. 55 Vjust in front lof the back plate il is a lfriction 2,552,583 3 4 drive wheel 2U preferably formed of rubber _and ?forwardly and rearwardly with relation to the radapted to be frictionally driven by the back platform. Formed in one of the side walls of ‘ plate which back plate, as stated above, is secured the base member I l is a longitudinally extending and locked to the crank shaft extension for posi horizontal slot 46, within which moves the hori tive rotation therewith. Very satisfactory re Ul zontal cam portion 45 of the lever 44. sults have been secured by making said friction Lever 44 is shown in solid lines in Fig. 3 as be drive wheel 20 of 95 durometer hardness rubber ing at the rear end of slot i6, in which position with a full hard rubber hub or center which is the engine 3 is lowered to bring the adjacent rotatable on the crank shaft extension when any circumferences of friction drive wheel 2 and slipping occurs between the back plate and the friction driven wheel 8 into driving contact with friction drive wheel. The back plate El has a flat each other.V in other words whenv the lever 44 face positioned against the flat face 2i of the is in its rear position the parts are so arranged depression 22 formed in the rear face of the fric that the friction >drive wheel 2!! will exert full tion drive wheel. The front face of the friction 4ldriving'force against friction driven wheel 8 to drive wheel 20 is also preferably formed with a operate the cutter blade î for cutting grass, weeds ' depressed portion 23 having a flat face 24 against andthe like. This is due to the fact that in this which presses a complemental flat face 25 of a position of parts the engine has swung forwardly pressure plate 26 having a central aperture seated about the pivotal axis l2 into the full line posi ' over the crank shaft extension 4. Threaded into a tion shown in Fig. 3. When however it is de threaded opening in the end of the crank shaft 20 siredrto lessen the friction between the friction *extension is a stud 21 upon which are threaded a drive wheel 2Q and the friction driven wheel 3, main nut 23 and a lock nut 29. Positioned be swinging of lever ¿i4 to its extreme forward posi tween the main nut 28 and the outer face of the tion as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 will swing pressure plate 2t is a cup-shaped spring steel Vthe engine `about it's pivotal axis i2 to the rear washer 30, so that when pressure is applied against 25 into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, this bowed spring washer by nut 28 this pres •„which will raise' the friction drive wheel away sure will be transmitted to the pressure plate 2% from the friction driven Wheel, as also shown in and in turn to the friction drive wheel 2S, re dotted lines in Fig. 3, to discontinue the applica sulting in the latter pressing with a desired degree tion of driving power to the cutter blade. 30 of pressure against the front face of the back In this connection it will be understood that plate l1. When nut 28 has been adjusted on stud the horizontal portion 45 of lever' ¿ifi constitutes a cam which during movement of lever ¿ifi will ride 21 to give a desired pressure between the back plate and the friction drive wheel this adjust against the top wall or edge of slot Gü in 'the-arc ment will be maintained by tightening lock nut of a circle having the center of the bent portion 35 43 as a fulcrum, thus raising the base member i i 29. during forward movement of the lever, and low The outer circumference of the friction drive ' ering the same during the rearward'movement of wheel-is preferably bevelled as shown at 3i. Ro the lever. In order to provide a positive drive tatably mounted within the pedestal 'i by any between the friction drive wheel and the friction suitable anti-friction means, such as the rollers 40 driven wheel without merely depending upon the 32 and their complemental mounting, is a ver weight of the engine and associated parts, there tical shaft 33 having fixed at its upper end by a is fixed tothe platform to the rear of the base key 34 and a nut 35 the friction driven wheel 8, member II by rivets, bolts or the like 4'.’ a leaf which around its marginal edge portions is Aspring 48 which at its forward end slidably presses formed with a bevel portion 35’ so tha't when the ' downwardly against the upper surface of the base friction drive wheel is indriving engagement with member Il, this spring being so formed ­and the friction driven wheel the inclined driving sur ¿mounted as to always press downwardly at its faces 3l and 35’ will be formed of complemental forward end against the base member i I to tend angles to facilitate satisfactory driving engage ‘to urge the friction drive wheel against the fric ment therebetween. 50 tion driven wheel unless such friction driving Shaft 33 extends any suitable distance below contact is lessened or prevented by forward move the bottom surface of platform l. Cutter blade ,ment of the lever 44. If >preferred any other 9 is fixed to this shaft between the spacer ele suitable lost motion connection may be provided ment 31 and a nut 33 which nut fixes the cutter between the front end of ¿i3 Vand the blade to the shaft for rotation therewith at any 55 base member Il so as to prevent any binding suitable distance above the ground. Fixed to the of parts during the swinging movement of the bottom marginal portions of the friction driven base member Il. While in Fig. 2 this leaf spring Wheel 8, or integrally formed therewith as desired, 48 is shown as applied through a slot to the are a plurality of vanes and strengthening mem ïmiddle portion of the base member i i, it will be bers 39 which­ during rotation of the friction 60 understood that any suitable location of the leaf ,driven wheel 8 will function as cooling means and „spring 48 may be used as desired. also to blow off from the platform and adjacent FromV the above it will be seen that 1 have pro portions of the machine any clippings or cuttings, vided a friction drive for driving a rotary cutter to prevent accumulation of the same on the ma blade or other suitable tool from an internal chine. _ 65 combustion engine in such manner as to prevent Fixed by bolt 40 or other suitable fastening the forming of a fiat spot on the friction drive means, to the platform l is a plate 4| having wheel. This is prevented by a slight slipping formed in its rear end a hook or loop 42 under movement between the friction drive wheel 26 which is rotatably mounted the laterally bent end and the back plate I1 at the explosion moment. 43 of a clutch leverl 44. The lever at the inner 70 Even though this slip at the time of explosion end of the bent end 43 extends vertically up is very slight it will be understood that due to wardly at 44 and then to the left as viewed in Fig. the large number of explosions occurring in a gas 4 to form the horizontal cam portion 45, and engine during its normal operation, this slippage `,thence vertically upwardly to be available for will eventually amount to a considerable amount. grasping by the operator for swinging movement For example the back plate is held against.4 the '2,552,583 5 6 adjacent flat surface of the friction drive wheel first friction wheel rotatably mounted on the with suñicient pressure that the slippage between drive shaft, a back plate fixed to said shaft and these parts will be as little as from 1/¿ to having frictional driving contact with the rear 1/ioou of an inch per explosion. The operating face of the first friction wheel, a pressure plate surfaces are machined, including the rear fiat 5 on said shaft on the opposite side of said first surface of the friction drive wheel so that, even friction wheel, a cup-shaped spring washer be though the slippage for each explosion is small, tween said pressure plate and the adjacent face this flat surface of the friction drive wheel works of the ñrst friction wheel, means for applying its way continuously around with relation to pressure to said washer and said pressure plate the back plate Il without developing a flat spot so as to regulate the frictional driving pressure on the friction drive wheel. Applicant has tested between the back plate and the first friction the same by marking with a spot of paint on the wheel, a second friction wheel frictionally driven back plate Il and an opposite spot of paint on from the first friction wheel, a tool mounted to the friction drive wheel, which showed that after rotate with said second friction wheel, and means five minutes operation with the engine running to bring said two friction wheels into and out of at 3000 R. P. M. the two paint spots were as much contact with each other. as two inches apart. It will be understood how 3. In a mower, a wheeled platform, an in ever that such distance can be regulated to be ternal combustion engine on said platform and more or less, depending upon the amount of pres having an extended crank shaft, a back plate sure exerted by the nut 28 and the cup-shaped ‘ rigidly ñxed to said crank shaft and having a spring steel washer 30 againstthe pressure plate friction face in a plane at right angles to the 26 and between the adjacent surface of the fric longitudinal axis of the crank shaft, a first fric tion drive wheel and the back plate. tion wheel slippably mounted on said crank shaft Further tests developed that by having the and having a friction face in frictional engage friction drive wheel rigidly ñxed to the crank YS Cil ment with the friction face of said back plate, shaft extension to at all times positively rotate adjustable pressure means for selectively in therewith, this created the flat spot referred to creasing and decreasing the frictional driving earlier herein as a result of which it was possible contact between said two faces, a second friction to only get a life expectancy of the machine of wheel frictionally driven by said first friction about 11/2 to 2 mowing seasons. By the present wheel, a shaft fixed to said second friction wheel, invention however this machine may be suc and a rotary cutter blade fixed to said last men cessfully operated through a long number of tioned shaft, whereby any wear on the first fric mowing seasons. Also the use of the cooling tion wheel caused by explosions in the engine will vanes on the back face of the back plate I1 so be gradually progressively distributed around effectively cools the engine and crank shaft that f the circumference of the ñrst friction wheel to it is hardly ever possible to notice a temperature give longer life thereto. rise above atmospheric temperature in the large 4. In a friction drive for an internal com friction driven wheel. bustion engine having an extended crank shaft, Also the provision of the leaf spring 48 is an a back plate rigidly ñxed to said crank shaft and important feature of this invention, as this 40 having a friction face in a plane at right angles spring exerts a force downward at all times to to the longitudinal axis of the crank shaft, a retain proper pressure between the friction drive first friction wheel slippably mounted on said wheel and the friction driven wheel so that, re crank shaft and having a friction face comple gardless of the angle a mower may be when in mental to that of said back plate and in fric operation, either on a side hill or going up hill, 45 tional engagement therewith, adjustable pres the shifting of the center of gravity of the engine sure means for increasing and decreasing the itself does not affect the efficiency of the fric frictional driving contact between said two faces, tion drive. This is due to the spring being the a second friction wheel frictionally driven by primary pressure means rather than depending contact with said ñrst friction wheel, a shaft upon the Weight of the engine itself. The cam 50 fixed to said second friction wheel, and a tool clutch lever, as will be understood, serves as fixed to said last mentioned shaft, so that any means for connecting and disconnecting the wear on the first friction wheel from the second rotary cutter blade to and from the power. This friction wheel caused by explosions in the engine enables the engine to be started with the blade will be gradually progressively distributed around out of gear or disengaged. 55 the circumference of the first friction wheel to Having described my invention, I claim: give longer life thereto. 1. In a friction drive for an internal com WILLIAM HOWARD P‘HELPS. bustion engine having an extending crank shaft, a back plate ñxed to said crank shaft, a friction REFERENCES CITED 60 wheel rotatably mounted on said crank shaft and The following references are of record in the in slipping contact with said back plate, a pres file of this patent: sure plate in front of said friction wheel, a con cave spring in contact with the front of said UNITED STATES PATENTS pressure plate, means for varying the tension of Number Name Date said spring to vary the friction between the back 65 1,508,827 Valiquet ______Sept. 16, 1924 plate and the friction wheel, a second friction 1,819,791 Reed ______Aug. 18, 1931 wheel frictionally driven by contact with the 1,866,380 Wagner ______July 5, 1932 first mentioned friction wheel, and a driven shaft 2,166,450 Smalley ______July 18, 1939 fixed to the second friction wheel. 2,232,671 Loder ______Feb. 18, 1941 2. In a friction drive, an internal combustion 70 2,278,922 Goodall ______Apr. '7, 1942 engine, a drive shaft driven by said engine, a 2,445,965 Packwood ______July 27, 1948