Craftsman 247.397600 Operator's Manual page 13

TO START ENGINE
1. Standing behind the mower, pull the blade control handle back against the
upper handle.
2. While holding these two handles together firmly, grasp the recoil starter
handle and pull rope out with a rapid, continuous, full arm stroke. See Figure
14. Keeping a firm grip on the starter handle, let the rope rewind slowly.
Repeat until engine cranks. Let the rope rewind each time slowly.
Keep a firm grip on the starter cord handle to prevent rapid retraction of
starter cord (kickback). Rapid retraction can pull hand and arm toward
engine faster than you can let go, and result in broken bones, fractures,
bruises or sprains.
TO STOP ENGINE
1. Release blade control to stop the engine and blade.
Wait for the blade to stop completely before performing any work on the
mower or to remove the grass catcher.
Using Your Lawn Mower
Be sure lawn is clear of stones, sticks, wire, or other objects which could damage
lawn mower or engine. Such objects could be accidently thrown by the mower in
any direction and cause serious personal injury to the operator and others.
1. Once the engine is running and while continuing to hold the blade control
down, squeeze either (or both) drive controls against the upper handle to
propel mower. See Figure 15.
The operation of any lawn mower can result in foreign objects being
thrown into the eyes, which can damage your eyes severely. Always
wear safety glasses while operating the mower, or while performing any
adjustments or repairs on it.
NOTE: Your mower is equipped with an advanced internal drive system for ease of
use. When turning or pulling the unit rearward, you may notice higher than normal
resistance in the rear wheels under certain conditions. This is perfectly normal
and can be remedied by allowing the unit to roll forward slightly without the drive
lever(s) engaged before pulling backwards.
Using Grass Catcher
You can use the grass catcher to collect clippings while you are operating the
mower.
1. Attach grass catcher following instructions on page 9 in the Assembly
section. Grass clippings will automatically collect in bag as you run mower.
Operate mower until grass bag is full.
OPERATION
WARNING
WARNING
WARNING
Engage the right, the left, or
both the right and left control
levers to propel the mower.
2. Stop engine completely by releasing the blade control. Make sure that the
unit has come to a complete stop.
3. Lift discharge door and pull grass bag up and away from the mower to
remove the bag. Dispose of the grass clippings and reinstall the bag when
complete.
If you strike a foreign object, stop the engine. Disconnect the spark plug
wire, thoroughly inspect mower for any damage, and repair damage
before restarting and operating. Extensive vibration of mower during
operation is an indication of damage. The unit should be promptly
inspected and repaired.
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Figure 14
Figure 15
WARNING