Patent ID: 7954309

Claim:
A drive train for distributing motive power in a modular disc cutterbar, the cutterbar having a plurality of transversely spaced-apart cutter modules, each module having a rotating head powered by the drive train and a generally hollow housing enclosing a geared connection between the rotating head and the drive train, the housing further containing a volume of lubricant for the geared connection and the drive train, the drive train comprising: a plurality of elongate drive transfer shafts aligned on a transverse rotational axis, one of said plurality of drive shafts disposed between each adjacent pair of the cutter modules, each shaft having an axially-displaceable, torque-transferring connector at each end; a pinion assembly having first and second hubs connected by a pinion shaft for rotation in unison on the rotational axis, one said pinion assembly disposed in and rotatably supported by each of the plurality of module housings, each said hub having a receptacle configured to axially receive one said connector at one end of one of said plurality of drive shafts; and a plurality of lateral bias devices, one of said plurality of lateral bias devices disposed in each said receptacle and configured to act upon an end of each said drive shaft to control the engagement length of each end of each of said plurality of drive shafts in respective said receptacles of adjacent cutter modules.