Control for lawn mowers and the like and other wheeled walk behind powered apparatus

Walk behind lawn, garden and driveway apparatus having a motor driven set of wheels and a driven blade and including a selectively releasable wheel brake, the wheel brake being continuously biased into the engaged position and an operator moveable control for disengaging the drive to the blade with the connection between the brake control and blade drive control being effected through an interlock which mechanically precludes blade rotation unless the operator controlled brake is disengaged. A suitable control for applying drive power to the wheels can be provided so that not only is manual movement of the apparatus permitted with the brake disengaged and the blade drive engaged or disengaged but also upon actuation of a suitable control, the power to the wheels is applied. Such operator control is generally accomplished by providing rearwardly and upwardly extending handles from the frame of the apparatus which handles terminate in hand grips to which levers are pivotally mounted and connected to effect wheel brake release, application of power to the wheels, and with a separate non-handle bar control, engagement of the drive to the blade with the interlock precluding the blade drive from remaining engaged unless the brake is removed thereby signifying operator presence.