Craftsman 247.370251 - Manual (Page 2)

IMPORTANT
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
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THIS SYMBOL POINTS OUT IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WHICH, IF NOT FOLLOWED, COULD ENDANGER THE PERSONAL
SAFETY AND/OR PROPERTY OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS. READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL BEFORE
ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE YOUR ELECTRIC UWN MOWER. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN
PERSONAL INJURY. WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL— ^ HEED ITS WARNING.
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A Your electric lawn mower was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this manu-
DANGER:
al. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in
serious injury. If you violate any of these rules, you may cause serious injury to yourself or others.
TRAINING
• Read this owner’s manual carefully in its entirety before attempt­
ing to assemble or operate this machine. Be completely familiar
with the controls and the proper use of this machine before oper­
ating it. Keep this manual in a safe place for future and regular
reference and for ordering replacement parts.
• Your rotary mower is a precision piece of power equipment, not a
plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all times.
• Never allow children to operate a power mower. Only persons
well acquainted with these rules of safe operation should be
allowed to use your mower.
• No one should operate this unit while intoxicated or while taking
medication that impairs the senses or reactions.
• Keep the area of operation clear of all persons, particularly small
children and pets. Stop motor when they are in the vicinity of
your mower. Although the area of operation should be complete­
ly cleared of foreign objects, an object may have been overlooked
and could be accidentally thrown by the mower in any direction
and cause serious personal injury to the operator or any others
allowed in the area.
PREPARATION
• Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used.
Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones and other foreign objects
which could be picked up and thrown by the mower in any direc­
tion and cause serious personal injury to the operator or any oth­
ers allowed in the area.
• Always wear safety glasses or eye shields during operation or
while performing an adjustment or repair, to protect eyes from for­
eign objects that may be thrown from the machine in any direction.
• Dress properly. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes. Never
operate a unit in barefeet, sandals or sneakers. Do not wear loose
clothing or jewelry. They can be caught in moving parts. Use of
rubber gloves and footwear is recommended when working out­
doors.
• Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height adjustment
while the motor is running.
• Mow only in daylight or in good artificial light.
• Avoid dangerous environment—Never operate the equipment in
the rain or in damp wet locations. Always be sure of your footing.
A slip and fall can cause serious personal injury. Keep a firm hold
on the handle and walk, never run. Do not over-reach—keep
footing and balance at all times.
• Warning—To reduce the risk of electric shock ha 2 ard, use only
with an extension cord suitable for outdoor use. Use only UL
approved outdoor extension cords of adequate gauge (minimum
16 gauge recommended) which accept the lawn mower’s plug.
Extension cords are available at your nearest authorized service
center or dealer.
• Cord sets—Make sure your cord set is in good condition. Use
only a 1Q0 foot 14 gauge UL approved outdoor power extension
cord (part no. 629-0192 or equivalent). A 50 fnnt 16 oaune UL
approved outdoor extension cord is an acceptable substitute. An
undersized cord will cause a drop in line voltage resulting in loss
of power and overheating.
If extension cord is damaged in any manner while plugged in,
pull extension cord from wall receptacle.
To prevent disconnection of extension cord from mower during
operation, be sure to use the cord restraint provided or make a
knot as shown in the illustration below.
Extension
Cord
Appliance
Cord
Fuses—The mower should be operated on a 15 or 20 AMP cir­
cuit. If difficulty in starting is experienced with a standard 15
AMP fuse or circuit breaker, contact your nearest authorized ser­
vice location. Do not use a higher rated fuse without consulting
your power company.
For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this
manual to measure slopes before operating this unit on a sloped
or hilly area. If the slope is greater than 15“ as shown on the
slope gauge, do not operate this unit on that area or serious
injury could result.
OPERATION
Avoid accidental starting. Do not pull plugged-in lawn mower
with finger on switch. Be sure switch is off when plugging in.
Do not abuse cord—never pull lawn mower by cord or yank it to
disconnect from receptacle. Keep cord from heat, oil, and sharp
edges.
Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating parts. Keep clear
of the discharge opening at all times as the rotating blade can
cause injury.
Stop the motor when you leave the mower and before crossing
gravel drives, walks or roads.
After striking a foreign object, shut off the motor, make absolute­
ly sure the blade and all moving parts have completely stopped,
disconnect the power cord to prevent accidental starting, then
thoroughly inspect the mower for any damage. Such damage
must be repaired before restarting and operating the mower.
If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the
motor and check immediately for the cause. Vibration is general­
ly a warning of trouble.
Stop the motor, unplug the power cord, and wait for the blade
and all moving parts to stop before cleaning, unclogging chute,
removing grass catcher, repairing or inspecting the mower. The
cutting blade continues to rotate for a few seconds after the
motor is shut off.
Do not force lawn mower. It will do the job better and safer at the
rate for which it was designed. Use right appliance—Do not use
lawn mower for any job except that for which it is intended.