Patent Abstract:
A mule drive for use with a mower having a substantially horizontally-disposed output shaft is provided. The mower includes a cutter deck having at least one Rota table cutter driven by a substantially vertically-disposed driven shaft. The mule drive includes 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 substantially parallel to the second axis, a fourth idler pulley coupled to the frame for rotation about a fourth axis substantially transverse to the output shaft and the driven shaft, and a continuous belt.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to mowers, and more particularly to mowers incorporating mule drives. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Mule drives are typically used in mowers to transmit power from engines having substantially horizontal output shafts to one or more cutters having substantially vertical driven shafts. Such mule drives may include a pair of idler pulleys located between an output pulley coupled to the horizontal output shaft of the engine and a driven pulley coupled to the cutter. The idler pulleys usually rotate about respective axes that are transverse to the horizontal output shaft. As a result, the idler pulleys may re-direct a continuous belt from a substantially vertical belt orientation to a substantially horizontal belt orientation. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Some embodiments of the present invention provide 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 includes a cutter deck having at least one rotatable cutter driven by a substantially vertically-disposed driven shaft coupled to a driven pulley. The mule drive includes 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 substantially parallel to the second axis, a fourth idler pulley coupled to the frame 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. 
   Other embodiments of the present invention provide 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 includes a cutter deck having at least one rotatable cutter driven by a substantially vertically-disposed driven shaft coupled to a driven pulley. The mule drive includes a continuous belt drivably coupling the driven pulley to the output pulley. The belt defines a belt axis along a direction of travel of the belt. The mule drive also includes a first idler pulley coupled to the mower for guiding the belt from the output pulley toward the driven pulley. The first idler pulley redirects the belt from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation and at least partially twists the belt about the belt axis between the output pulley and the first idler pulley. The mule drive further includes a second idler pulley coupled to the cutter deck for guiding the belt from the first idler pulley toward the driven pulley. The belt maintains a substantially constant orientation about the belt axis between the first and second idler pulleys and at least partially twists about the belt axis between the second idler pulley and the driven pulley. The mule drive also includes a third idler pulley coupled to the cutter deck for guiding the belt from the driven pulley toward the output pulley. The belt at least partially twists about the belt axis between the driven pulley and the third idler pulley. The mule drive further includes a fourth idler pulley coupled to the mower for guiding the belt from the third idler pulley toward the output pulley. The fourth idler pulley redirects the belt from a substantially horizontal orientation to a substantially vertical orientation. The belt maintains a substantially constant orientation about the belt axis between the third and fourth idler pulleys and at least partially twists about the belt axis between the fourth idler pulley and the output pulley. 
   Yet other embodiments of the present invention provide a mower including a frame defining a longitudinal axis, an engine coupled to the frame and having an output shaft rotatable about an output axis substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis, an output pulley coupled to the output shaft for rotation about the output axis, a cutter deck having at least one rotatable cutter, a driven pulley drivably coupled to the cutter for rotation about a substantially vertical axis substantially transverse to the output axis, and a mule drive drivably coupling the driven pulley and the output pulley. The mule drive includes a first idler pulley coupled to the frame for rotation about a first axis substantially transverse to the output axis and the vertical axis, 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 substantially parallel to the second axis, a fourth idler pulley coupled to the frame for rotation about a fourth axis substantially transverse to the output axis and the vertical axis, and a continuous belt coupling the output pulley, the idler pulleys, and the driven pulley. 
   Other embodiments, features, and aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a mower according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the mower of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the mower of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a cutter deck and a mule drive; 
       FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the mower of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the cutter deck and the mule drive; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the components of the mule drive of the mower of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of the components of the mule drive of the mower of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a side view of the components of the mule drive of the mower of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of a portion of the mule drive of the mower of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a bottom perspective view of the cutter deck of the mower of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a removable baffle installed in the cutter deck; and 
       FIG. 10  is a bottom perspective view of the cutter deck of the mower of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the removable baffle exploded from the cutter deck. 
   

   Before any features of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including”, “having”, and “comprising” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The use of letters to identify elements of a method or process is simply for identification and is not meant to indicate that the elements should be performed in a particular order. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a mower  10  embodying one embodiment of the present invention. The mower  10  includes an engine  14 , a frame  18 , a pair of front wheels  22 , a pair of rear wheels  26 , a cutter deck  30 , a seat  34 , a pair of front wheel independent suspension assemblies  38 , and a rear wheel suspension assembly  42 . The particular type of mower  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is presented by way of example only. In this regard, other embodiments of the mower  10  can use different configurations of the front wheel independent suspension assemblies  38  and the rear wheel suspension assembly  42 . Yet other embodiments of the mower can employ either the front wheel independent suspension assemblies or the rear wheel suspension assembly, or neither of the suspension assemblies. Other embodiments of the mower can employ rear wheel independent suspension assemblies. 
   The cutter deck  30  of the lawn mower can be located in many different orientations with respect to the front and rear wheels  22 ,  26  and with respect to the frame  18 . However, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cutter deck  30  is positioned between the front and rear wheels  22 ,  26 . The cutter deck  30  contains at least one rotatable cutter  46   a,    46   b,    46   c  (see  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) for cutting grass or other vegetation on a surface, and in some embodiments can be raised and lowered with respect to the ground. 
   The cutter deck  30  can be a floating or ground-following cutter deck  30 . The cutter deck  30  according to the present invention can be directly or indirectly connected to the frame  18  of the mower  10  in a number of different manners, some of which provide different types of cutter deck movement and cutter deck performance. For example, the cutter deck  30  can be suspended entirely from the frame  18  of the mower  10 , can be suspended at the front and rear from front and rear suspension assemblies  38 ,  42 , can be suspended from the front by front suspension assemblies  38  while being suspended from the rear by the frame  18  of the mower  10 , or can be suspended from the rear by the rear suspension assembly  42  while being suspended from the front by the frame  18  of the mower  10 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cutter deck  30  is coupled to and suspended from the front wheel independent suspension assemblies  38  and the rear wheel suspension assembly  42 . Connection to the front wheel independent suspension assemblies  38  and the rear wheel suspension assembly  42  permits the cutter deck  30  to follow upward and downward movement of the front wheels  22  and the rear wheels  26 , respectively, in response to changing terrain elevation, thereby maintaining the cutter deck  30  in a more stable relationship with respect to the ground even as the mower  10  traverses uneven terrain. Alternatively, the cutter deck  30  can be coupled only to the front wheel independent suspension assemblies  38 , only to the rear wheel suspension assembly  42 , or only to the frame  18 . 
   The cutter deck  30  can be coupled to the respective suspension assemblies  38 ,  42  in any manner desired, such as by chains or cables, by links, hinges or joints, by conventional fasteners such as bolts, screws, rivets, hooks, clips, and the like. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cutter deck  30  is coupled to the front wheel independent suspension assemblies  38  and the rear wheel suspension assembly  42  via deck hanger assemblies  50  that include conventional fasteners such as, for example, eyebolts  54 , that are used in conjunction with chains  58  to couple the cutter deck  30  to the front and the rear suspension assemblies  38 ,  42 . 
   The deck hanger assemblies  50  can be coupled directly to the front and/or rear suspension assemblies  38 ,  42  (such as to arms, flanges, or other portions of the front and/or rear suspension assemblies  38 ,  42 , within apertures in the front and/or rear suspension assemblies  38 ,  42 , and the like), or can be indirectly coupled thereto by a cutter deck lifting assembly  62 . For example, the deck hanger assemblies  50  are connected to bell cranks  66 , arms, or other elements movable by a user to lift and lower the cutter deck  30  with respect to the ground. Such bell cranks  66 , arms, and other elements can be lifted and lowered by levers, pedals, cranks, motors, hydraulic or pneumatic actuators, or by any other manual or powered device. Still other devices and elements for raising and lowering the cutter deck  30  are well known to those skilled in the art and are not therefore described further herein. 
   The engine  14  is a horizontal shaft engine and includes a substantially horizontal output shaft  70  and an output or drive pulley  74  coupled to the output shaft  70  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The output shaft  70  defines a substantially horizontal output axis  78  (see  FIG. 5 ), and the drive pulley  74  rotates about the output axis  78  during operation of the engine  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, the drive pulley  74  is drivably coupled to the output shaft  70  by an electric clutch. Alternatively, other known clutch devices or mechanisms can be used to drivably couple the drive pulley  74  and the output shaft  70 . The drive pulley  74  can include at least one V-shaped groove (not shown) to receive a V-shaped continuous belt  114 , which will be described in detail below. 
     FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and  7  illustrate the cutter deck  30  including three rotatable cutters  46   a,    46   b,    46   c  driven by respective substantially vertical shafts  82   a,    82   b,    82   c  about substantially vertical axes  84   a,    84   b,    84   c.  Each of the shafts  82   a,    82   b,    82   c  is coupled to a respective driven pulley  86   a,    86   b,    86   c  that rotates about the substantially vertical axis  84   a,    84   b,    84   c.  Each of the driven pulleys  86   a,    86   b,    86   c  includes at least one V-shaped groove  90  to receive a V-shaped cutter drive belt  94 . Specifically, the drive belt  94  includes a V-shaped portion and a substantially flat portion adjacent the V-shaped portion, whereby the V-shaped portion of the drive belt  94  engages or contacts the V-shaped grooves  90  of the driven pulleys  86   a,    86   b,    86   c.  The cutter deck  30  also includes a tensioner pulley  106  to maintain tension in the cutter drive belt  94 . 
   One of the driven pulleys  86   a,    86   b,    86   c  includes two adjacent V-shaped grooves  90 . In the illustrated embodiment, the middle cutter  46   b  includes the driven pulley  86   b  having the two adjacent V-shaped grooves  90 . Alternatively, the pulley  86   b  having the two V-shaped grooves  90  can be coupled to any of the cutters  46   a,    46   b,    46   c.  One of the grooves  90  in the pulley  86   b  receives the cutter drive belt  94 . In the illustrated embodiment, the lower groove  90  in the pulley  86   b  receives the cutter drive belt  94 . In alternative embodiments, the upper groove  90  in the pulley  86   b  can receive the cutter drive belt  94 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3-7 , a mule drive  110  drivably couples the driven pulley  86   b  with the drive pulley  74 . In the illustrated embodiment, the mule drive  110  includes the single V-shaped continuous belt  114  and a plurality of idler pulleys  118 ,  122 ,  126 ,  130 ,  134 ,  138  guiding or redirecting the belt  114  between the drive pulley  74  and the driven pulley  86   b.  The belt  114  also includes a V-shaped portion  142  and a substantially flat portion  146  like the cutter drive belt  94 . The upper groove  90  of the driven pulley  86   b  and the at least one V-shaped groove in the drive pulley  74  receives the V-shaped portion  142  of the belt  114  to transfer torque from the drive pulley  74  to the driven pulley  86   b.  From the driven pulley  86   b,  torque is transmitted to the cutters  46   a,    46   b,    46   c  through the cutter drive belt  94  and the respective vertical shafts  82   a,    82   b,    82   c.    
   As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , pulleys  118 ,  130  are positioned adjacent the drive pulley  74  and are coupled to the frame  18  for rotation about respective axes  150 ,  154 . In the illustrated embodiment, the axes  150 ,  154  are substantially transverse to both of the output axis  78  and the vertical axis  84   b.  As a result, the belt  114  changes orientation about a belt axis  158  (see  FIG. 8 ) defined along the direction of travel of the belt  114  or along the length of the belt  114  as the belt  114  travels, for example, from the pulley  118  to the drive pulley  74 , and from the drive pulley  74  to the pulley  130 . 
   Pulleys  122 ,  126 ,  134 ,  138  are coupled to the cutter deck  30  for rotation about respective axes  162 ,  166 ,  170 ,  174 . Each of the axes  162 ,  166 ,  170 ,  174  are substantially parallel to the axes  150 ,  154 , such that the belt  114  can maintain a substantially constant orientation about the belt axis  158  as the belt  114  travels, for example, from the pulley  134  to the pulley  118 , and from the pulley  130  to the pulley  138 . Because the rotational axes  162 ,  166 ,  170 ,  174  of the respective pulleys  122 ,  126 ,  134 ,  138  are substantially parallel to the axes  150 ,  154 , the axes  162 ,  166 ,  170 ,  174  are also substantially transverse to both of the output axis  78  and the vertical axis  84   b.  As a result, the belt  114  changes orientation about the belt axis  158  as the belt  114  travels, for example, from the driven pulley  86   b  to the pulley  134 , and from the pulley  138  to the driven pulley  86   b.    
   The pulleys  122 ,  126 ,  134 ,  138  are coupled to a bracket  178  which, in turn, is coupled to the cutter deck  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, the rotational axes  162 ,  166  of the respective pulleys  122 ,  126  are coaxial with each other, and the rotational axes  170 ,  174  of the respective pulleys  134 ,  138  are coaxial with each other. The pulleys  122 ,  126  are coupled for rotation on a common shaft  182  to provide the coaxial rotational axes  162 ,  166 . In some embodiments, the pulleys  122 ,  126  can be fixed to the common shaft  182 , and the shaft  182  can be rotatably coupled to the bracket  178  by bushings, bearings, or other known components. In other embodiments, the common shaft  182  can be fixed to the bracket  178 , and the pulleys  122 ,  126  can be rotatable relative to the shaft  182  using bushings, bearings, or other known components. In yet other embodiments, the pulleys  122 ,  126  can “float,” or be individually movable or jointly movable along the axes  162 ,  166  to compensate for any variance in the relative position of the pulleys  134 ,  138  or the pulleys  118 ,  130 . 
   Like the pulleys  122 ,  126 , the pulleys  134 ,  138  are coupled for rotation on a common shaft  186  to provide the coaxial rotational axes  170 ,  174 . In some embodiments, the pulleys  134 ,  138  can be fixed to the common shaft  186 , and the shaft  186  can be rotatably coupled to the bracket  178  by bushings, bearings, or other known components. In other embodiments, the common shaft  186  can be fixed to the bracket  178 , and the pulleys  134 ,  138  can be rotatable relative to the shaft  186  using bushings, bearings, or other known components. In yet other embodiments, the pulleys  134 ,  138  can “float,” or be individually movable or jointly movable along the axes  170 ,  174  to compensate for any variance in the relative position of the pulleys  122 ,  126  or the pulleys  118 ,  130 . 
   In the illustrated embodiment of the mule drive  110 , the belt  114  twists about the belt axis  158  as the belt  114  travels between the drive pulley  74  and the driven pulley  86   b.  Further, the belt  114  can twist about the belt axis  158  such that either the V-shaped portion  142  of the belt  114  engages one or more of the pulleys  118 ,  122 ,  126 ,  130 ,  134 ,  138  or the substantially flat portion  146  of the belt  114  engages one or more of the pulleys ( 118 ,  122 ,  126 ,  130 ,  134 ,  138 ). Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the V-shaped portion  142  of the belt  114  engages the pulleys  126 ,  130 ,  134 , while the substantially flat portion  146  of the belt  114  engages the pulleys  118 ,  122 ,  138 . For the V-shaped portion  142  of the belt  114  to engage the pulleys  126 ,  130 ,  134 , each of the pulleys  126 ,  130 ,  134  includes a V-shaped groove  190  to receive the V-shaped portion  142  of the belt  114 . For the substantially flat portion  146  of the belt  114  to engage the pulleys  118 ,  122 ,  138 , each of the pulleys  118 ,  122 ,  138  includes a substantially flat surface  194  upon which the substantially flat portion  146  of the belt  114  can ride. Other belt shapes can be used without departing from the invention. 
   With reference to  FIG. 4 , the mule drive  110  includes a belt tensioner  198  coupled to the pulley  130  to maintain tension in the belt  114  during operation of the mower  10  and cutter deck  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, the belt tensioner  198  includes a bracket  202  coupling the pulley  130  to the frame  18 . The bracket  202  includes a first lever  206  having the pulley  130  rotatably coupled thereto, and a second lever  210  oriented approximately 90 degrees from the first lever  206 . The belt tensioner  198  also includes an adjustment screw  214  coupled to the frame  18 . The adjustment screw  214  is aligned to contact a tab  218  extending from the second lever  210 . The adjustment screw  214  can be extended to abut against the tab  218  and cause the bracket  202  to rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in  FIG. 4 . Rotation of the bracket  202  in this manner causes the pulley  130  to move in a downward direction to apply tension to the belt  114 . Alternatively, the belt tensioner  198  can be configured in any of a number of different ways to position the pulley  130  to stretch or apply tension to the belt  114 . Further, in alternative embodiments of the mule drive  110 , the belt tensioner  198  can be coupled to any of the other pulleys  118 ,  122 ,  126 ,  134 ,  138  to maintain tension in the belt  114 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 5 , the drive pulley  74  rotates in a counter-clockwise direction to drive the driven pulleys  86   a,    86   b,    86   c  and the cutters  46   a,    46   b,    46   c  in a clockwise direction. In alternative embodiments, the drive pulley  74  can rotate in a clockwise direction to drive the driven pulleys  86   a,    86   b,    86   c  in a counter-clockwise direction. In such embodiments, the cutters  46   a,    46   b,    46   c  can be configured accordingly to cut grass or other vegetation while rotating in a counter-clockwise direction. 
   In a belt run indicated by reference numeral B 1 , the belt  114  travels from the drive pulley  74  to the pulley  130 . During the belt run B 1 , the belt  114  twists about 90 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction about the belt axis  158  as viewed along the belt axis  158  in the direction of travel of the belt  114 . The V-shaped groove  190  in the pulley  130  receives the V-shaped portion  142  of the belt  114 , and the pulley  130  redirects the belt  114  from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation. 
   The belt  114  then travels from the pulley  130  to the pulley  126  in a belt run indicated by reference numeral B 2 . During the belt run B 2 , the belt  114  substantially maintains a constant orientation about the belt axis  158 , such that the V-shaped groove  190  in the pulley  126  receives the V-shaped portion  142  of the belt  114 . From the pulley  126 , the belt  114  is immediately transferred to the pulley  138  without twisting the belt  114  about the belt axis  158 . As a result, the substantially flat portion  146  of the belt  114  engages or rides on the substantially flat surface  194  of the pulley  138 . 
   The belt  114  then travels from the pulley  138  to the driven pulley  86   b  in a belt run indicated by reference numeral B 3 . During the belt run B 3 , the belt  114  twists about 90 degrees in a clockwise direction about the belt axis  158  as viewed along the belt axis  158  in the direction of travel of the belt  114 . The V-shaped groove  90  in the driven pulley  86   b  receives the V-shaped portion  142  of the belt  114 , and the driven pulley  86   b  redirects the belt  114  toward the drive pulley  74 . 
   The belt  114  then travels from the driven pulley  86   b  to the pulley  134  in a belt run indicated by reference numeral B 4 . During the belt run B 4 , the belt  114  twists about 90 degrees in a clockwise direction about the belt axis  158  as viewed along the belt axis  158  in the direction of travel of the belt  114 . The V-shaped groove  90  in the pulley  134  receives the V-shaped portion  142  of the belt  114 , and the belt  114  is immediately transferred to the pulley  122  without twisting the belt  114  about the belt axis  158 . As a result, the substantially flat portion  146  of the belt  114  engages or rides on the substantially flat surface  194  of the pulley  122 . 
   The belt  114  then travels from the pulley  122  to the pulley  118  in a belt run indicated by reference numeral B 5 . During the belt run B 5 , the belt  114  substantially maintains a constant orientation about the belt axis  158 , such that the substantially flat surface  194  on the pulley  118  receives the substantially flat portion  146  of the belt  114 . 
   The belt  114  then travels back to the drive pulley  74  in a belt run indicated by reference numeral B 6 . During the belt run B 6 , the belt  114  twists about 90 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction about the belt axis  158  as viewed along the belt axis  158  in the direction of travel of the belt  114 . The pulley  118  redirects the belt  114  from a substantially horizontal orientation to a substantially vertical orientation. The V-shaped groove in the drive pulley  74  receives the V-shaped portion  142  of the belt  114  to complete the path traveled by the belt  114 . 
   The illustrated embodiment of the mule drive  110  shows one example sequence of twisting the belt  114  in about 90 degree increments in a counter-clockwise direction, a clockwise direction, a clockwise direction, and a counter-clockwise direction in belt runs B 1 , B 3 , B 4 , and B 6 , respectively. Since the number of clockwise belt twists is equal to the number of counter-clockwise belt twists, the belt  114  is properly oriented for continuous operation on the pulleys  74 ,  86   b,    118 ,  122 ,  126 ,  130 ,  134 ,  138 . However, alternative embodiments of the mule drive  110  can provide a different sequence of twisting the belt  114  in belt runs B 1 , B 3 , B 4 , and B 6 . For example, in one embodiment of the mule drive  110 , the pulley  122  can be interchanged with the pulley  134 , and the pulley  118  can be replaced by another V-shaped pulley  130 . In such an embodiment, the belt  114  can twist 90 degrees clockwise in belt run B 4  and 90 degrees clockwise in belt run B 6 , yielding an overall belt twist sequence of counter-clockwise, clockwise, counter-clockwise, and clockwise. Yet other embodiments of the mule drive  110  can yield different belt twist sequences in belt runs B 1 , B 3 , B 4 , and B 6 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3-6 , the arrangement of the pulleys  118 ,  122 ,  126 ,  130  does not require the belt  114  to twist about the belt axis  158  in belt runs B 2  and B 5 . Such an arrangement of the pulleys  118 ,  122 ,  126 ,  130  increases the likelihood that the belt  114  will remain engaged with the pulleys  118 ,  122 ,  126 ,  130  upon upward and downward movement of the cutter deck  30  relative to the frame  18 . 
   In an alternative embodiment of the mule drive  110 , the pulleys  118 ,  130  can be omitted, and the bracket  178  supporting the pulleys  122 ,  126 ,  134 ,  138  can be extended toward the drive pulley  74  such that the belt  114  can travel from the pulley  122  directly to the drive pulley  74 , and from the drive pulley  74  directly to the pulley  126 . The belt tensioner  198  can then be coupled to any of the pulleys  122 ,  126 ,  134 ,  138  to maintain tension in the belt  114 . In other embodiments of the mule drive  110 , the belt tensioner  198  can be coupled to the bracket  178  to allow the bracket  178  and the pulleys  122 ,  126 ,  134 ,  138  to pivot relative to the cutter deck  30 . 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate a bottom view of the cutter deck  30  and the rotatable cutters  46   a,    46   b,    46   c.  In some embodiments of the cutter deck  30 , a removable baffle  222  can be incorporated with the cutter deck  30 . In some embodiments, the baffle  222  can be fastened to the cutter deck  30  using conventional fasteners such as bolts, screws, rivets, hooks, clips, and the like. In yet other embodiments, quick-release fasteners can be used to couple the baffle  222  and the cutter deck  30  to allow for quick installation and removal of the baffle  222 . 
   In the illustrated embodiment, the removable baffle  222  includes three walls  226   a,    226   b,    226   c  corresponding with the three cutters  46   a,    46   b,    46   c.  During operation of the mower  10 , the walls  226   a,    226   b,    226   c  can act as guides or deflectors for grass clippings or other vegetation clippings to guide the clippings toward a discharge opening (not shown) in the side of the cutter deck  30 . A discharge chute (not shown) can be coupled to the cutter deck  30  to at least partially shield the operator of the mower  30  from the clippings being discharged from the discharge opening in the side of the cutter deck  30 . 
   The removable baffle  222  also includes a roller  230  to limit the downward movement of the rear of the cutter deck  30 . As a result, unwanted scalping of the grass or other vegetation can be avoided or prevented. However, in some embodiments, the removable baffle  222  may not include the roller  230 . 
   The removable baffle  222  further includes a rear wall  234  extending between the walls  226   a,    226   c.  When the baffle  222  is installed in the cutter deck  30  (see  FIG. 9 ), the rear wall  234  closes or blocks a discharge opening  238  in the rear of the cutter deck  30 . As a result, clippings can only be discharged through the discharge opening in the side of the cutter deck  30 . When the baffle  222  is removed from the cutter deck  30  (see  FIG. 10 ), clippings can be discharged through the discharge opening  238  in the rear of the cutter deck  30  in addition to the discharge opening in the side of the cutter deck  30 . 
   In some embodiments, a wall or panel can be coupled to the side of the cutter deck  30  to close or block the discharge opening in the side of the cutter deck  30 . As a result, clippings can only be discharged through the discharge opening  238  in the rear of the cutter deck  30 . Further, in other embodiments, both of the discharge openings can be closed or blocked by the side wall or panel and the baffle  222 , respectively, to provide mulch on the grass or other vegetation being cut. 
   Various aspects of the present invention are set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5