Patent ID: 8628034

Claim:
A direct drive chipper comprising: a chassis, the chassis including a longitudinal axis; a chipper drum mounted to the chassis, the drum including a belt drive, wherein the drum drive includes an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chassis; an engine mounted to the chassis, the engine including an output shaft connected to a drive wheel, wherein the drive wheel includes a rotational axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chassis; a drive belt engaged with the belt drive of the chipper drum and the drive wheel of the engine; a tensioning assembly including: rocker arm that pivots relative to the engine about a pivot; a tension wheel mounted to the first end of the rocker arm, wherein the tension wheel includes a rotational axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chassis; a resilient linkage including a first end connected to the second end of the rocker aim to enable the rotational axis of the tension wheel to move; and a lever arm connected to a second end of the resilient linkage configured to rock the rocker arm thereby change the position of the tension wheel.