Patent ID: 7427247
Filing Date: 2008-09-23
Classification: A01D,F16H

Abstract:
1. A mule drive for use with a mower having a substantially horizontally-disposed output shaft and an output pulley coupled to the output shaft, the mower including a cutter deck having at least one Rota table cutter driven by a substantially vertically-disposed driven shaft coupled to a driven pulley, the mule drive comprising: a first idler pulley coupled to the mower for rotation about a first axis substantially transverse to the output shaft and the driven shaft; a second idler pulley coupled to the cutter deck for rotation about a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis; a third idler pulley coupled to the cutter deck for rotation about a third axis coaxial with the second axis, one of the second and third idler pulleys including a V-groove to receive a V-shaped portion of the belt, the other of the second and third idler pulleys including a substantially flat surface to receive a substantially flat portion of the belt; a fourth idler pulley coupled to the mower for rotation about a fourth axis substantially transverse to the output shaft and the driven shaft; and a continuous belt coupling the output pulley, the idler pulleys, and the driven pulley.