Belt drive apparatus

Claim 2

A belt drive apparatus comprising: a drive pulley adaptable to be driven by a source of power; a driven pulley; a belt adaptable to frictionally engage said drive pulley and said driven pulley and transmit power therebetween upon said belt being subjected to tension; an idler pulley shiftable from a first position tensioning said belt to a second position wherein said belt is in a relatively untensioned state preventing the transmission of power between said drive pulley and said driven pulley; positioning means rotatably connected to said idler pulley for shifting said idler pulley between said first position and said second position; shifting means actuating said positioning means to shift said idler pulley from said first position to said second position; first spring means operatively connected to said positioning means and normally biasing said positioning means to said first position; and second spring means opposing said first spring means while said idler pulley is being shifted from said second position to said first position.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said second spring means is connected to said shifting means and is adaptable to bias against said positioning means.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 2 wherein said second spring means comprises a leaf spring.

Claim 5

The invention according tO claim 3 wherein said shifting means comprises a clutch shaft having an arm thereon adaptable to prevent excessive deflection of said leaf spring.

Claim 6

In a traction vehicle having a frame, a power source and traction means mounted on said frame, a belt drive apparatus operatively connecting said power source and said traction means and interruptably transmitting power therebetween comprising: a drive pulley drivingly engaged to said power source, a driven pulley drivingly engaged with said traction means, a belt adaptable to frictionally engage said drive pulley and said driven pulley to transmit power therebetween upon said belt being subjected to tension, an idler pulley shiftable from a first position tensioning said belt to a second position wherein said belt is relatively untensioned thereby interrupting the transmission of power between said drive pulley and said driven pulley, positioning means movably connected to said frame and rotatably connected to said idler pulley for shifting said idler pulley between said first position and said second position, shifting means operatively mounted to said frame and actuating said positioning means to shift said idler pulley from said first position to said second position, first spring means operatively connected to said positioning means and normally biasing said positioning means to said first position, and second spring means connected to said shifting means and adaptable to bias against said positioning means and oppose said first spring means while said idler pulley is being shifted from second position to said first position.

Claim 7

In a traction vehicle having a frame, a power source and traction means mounted on said frame, a belt drive apparatus operatively connecting said power source and said traction means and interruptably transmitting power therebetween comprising: a drive pulley drivingly engaged to said power source, a driven pulley drivingly engaged with said traction means, a belt adaptable to frictionally engage said drive pulley and said driven pulley to transmit power therebetween upon said belt being subjected to tension, an idler pulley shiftable from a first position tensioning said belt to a second position wherein said belt is relatively untensioned thereby interrupting the transmission of power between said drive pulley and said driven pulley, positioning means movably connected to said frame and rotatably connected to said idler pulley for shifting said idler pulley between said first position and said second position, shifting means operatively mounted to said frame and actuating said positioning means to shift said idler pulley from said first position to said second position, first spring means operatively connected to said positioning means and normally biasing said positioning means to said first position, and second spring means connected to said shifting means and adaptable to bias against said positioning means and oppose said first spring means while said idler pulley is being shifted from second position to said first position.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 5 wherein said second spring means comprises a leaf spring.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 6 wherein said shifting means comprises a clutch shaft rotatably mounted to said frame and having an arm thereon adaptable to prevent excessive deflection to said leaf spring.

Claim 10

In a belt drive apparatus for a garden tractor, said belt drive apparatus including a drive pulley, a driven pulley, an endless belt, a clutch idler pulley having a position engaging said belt and a position disengaged from said belt, first spring means associated with said clutch idler pulley to bias said pulley to said engaged position, an operator actuable clutching linkage adapted to shift said idler pulley between said engaged and disengaged positions, the improvement comprising second spring means operatively associated with said clutching means, to oppose said first spring means during the shifting of said clutch idler pulley to the engaged position.

Claim 11

In a belt drive apparatus for a garden tractor, said belt drive apparatus including a drive pulley, a driven pulley, an endless belt, a clutch idler pulley having a position engaging said belt and a position disengaged from said belt, first spring means associated with said clutch idler pulley to bias said pulley to said engaged position, an operator actuable clutching linkage adapted to shift said idler pulley between said engaged and disengaged positions, the improvement comprising second spring means operatively associated with said clutching means, to oppose said first spring means during the shifting of said clutch idler pulley to the engaged position.

Claim 12

The invention in accordance with claim 8 wherein said clutching linkage comprises a rotatable clutching arm, said clutch idler pulley being rotatably mounted on said arm, and an operator controlled clutch shaft adapted to contact and rotate said clutching arm to move said clutch idler pulley to the disengaged position, said second spring means being disposed between said clutch shaft and said clutching arm to provide a resilient connection therebetween during the engagement of said clutch idler pulley with said belt.

Claim 13

The invention in accordance with claim 9 and said second spring means being inoperative when said clutch idler pulley is in the engaged position.

Claim 14

The invention in accordance with claim 10 and said second spring means comprising a leaf spring mounted on said clutch shaft and having an end adapted to contact said clutching arm upon rotation of said clutch shaft.