Patent ID: 8042321

Claim:
A reel mower apparatus comprising: a reel mower frame; a drive member rotatably mounted in a first side of the reel mower frame about a shaft axis, the drive member having a drive face oriented substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis; a drive mechanism operative to rotate the drive member about the shaft axis; a mower reel head having a reel shaft rotatably supported at a second end thereof in a second side of the reel mower frame such that the reel shaft rotates about the shaft axis; a reel member attached at a first end of the reel shaft and having a reel face oriented substantially parallel to and bearing against the drive face; a centering bulb extending outward from one of the drive face and the reel face and into a corresponding centering recess in the other of the drive face and the reel face, the centering bulb and recess configured to be symmetrical about the shaft axis such that the drive member and reel member can rotate about the shaft axis with respect to each other; and a plurality of magnets operative to exert a magnetic force forcing the drive face to bear against the reel face such that the reel shaft rotates with the drive member; wherein, in response to a force encountered during operation that is opposite to the magnetic force and greater than the magnetic force, at least one of the drive face and the reel face is movable along the shaft axis to disengage the centering bulb from the centering recess and allow the reel shaft to move out of alignment with the shaft axis.