| US 7,549,243 B1 | ||
| Lawn mower attachment mechanism | ||
| Jeremy Gilles, Malone, Wis. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Ariens Company, Brillion, Wis. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jan. 15, 2008, as Appl. No. 12/14,524. | ||
| Int. Cl. E02F 3/96 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 37—468 [414/723; 403/321] | 12 Claims |
| 1. An apparatus for connecting an attachment to a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
first and second mounting pegs mounted to one of the attachment and vehicle;
a mounting arm having first and second cut-outs sized and spaced to receive the respective first and second mounting pegs;
a first latch pivotable between a latched position in which the first mounting peg is trapped in the first cut-out, and an
unlatched position in which the first mounting peg is removable from the first cut-out;
a second latch pivotable about a pivot axis between a latched position in which the second mounting peg is trapped in the
second cut-out, and an unlatched position in which the second mounting peg is removable from the second cut-out;
a detent mechanism resiliently holding the first latch in each of the latched and unlatched positions with a detent force;
and
an over-center biasing mechanism providing a biasing force along a line of force, the biasing force urging the second latch
into the latched position in response to the line of force being on one side of the pivot axis and urging the second latch
into the unlatched position in response to the line of force being on an opposite side of the pivot axis.
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