GB2165767A

GB2165767A - Mixer

Info

Publication number: GB2165767A
Application number: GB08422757A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arthur Charles Dalton
Original assignee: Benford Ltd
Current assignee: Benford Ltd
Priority date: 1984-09-08
Filing date: 1984-09-08
Publication date: 1986-04-23
Also published as: GB8422757D0

Abstract

A mixer has a drum 10 embraced bye ring 15 supported by rolling elements on a carrier ring 13. The ring 15 which embraces the drum is provided with teeth enmeshed with a spur wheel which can be driven about an axis fixed with respect to the carrier ring 13 to rotate the drum. The drum and carrier ring can together be tilted relative to a supporting structure about the axis 18 of the spur wheel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mixer This invention concerns a mixer comprising a hollow body in which the mixing occurs, hereinafter referred to as the drum, a carrier which supports the drum whilst allowing the drum to rotate relative to the carrier about an axis, hereinafter referred to as the drum axis, a driving member, a supporting structure which supports the driving member and the carrier and allows the carrier to rotate to some degree about a generally horizontal axis, hereinafter referred to as the tipping axis, and derive means for transmitting drive from the driving member to the drum to rotate the drum about the drum axis.

The driving member may be a handle which the user can turn by hand or may be a rotary output element of a motor or engine. In known mixers of this kind, the carrier includes a bearing adjacent to a closed end of the drum and also includes parts adjacent to the tipping axis. The carrier is therefore relatively large. The drive to the drum is usually applied at the closed end of the drum, necessitating a complex drive transmission system. In order to facilitate tipping, the drive means includes a shaft which rotates about the tipping axis.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the carrier of a mixer of the kind described acts on a circumferential part of the drum to support the drum against the action of gravity. With this arrangement, the carrier does not necessarily extend around the closed end ofthe drum.

According to a second aspect of the invention, drive in a mixer of the kind described is transmitted to a circumferential part of the drum through a rotary element having an axis of rotation which is substantially the same as the tipping axis.

A mixer in accordance with the present invention preferably embodies both the first and second aspects of the invention, the carrier acting on a circumferential part of the drum and the drive being transmitted to that circumferential part of the drum.

The preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 represents diagrammatically a perspective view of a mixer embodying the invention; and FIGURE 2 illustrates certain parts diagrammatically, on an enlarged scale and in cross-section in a piane containing a tipping axis of the mixer.

The mixer shown in the drawing has a drum 10 of known form which is supported for rotation about a drum axis 11 by a carrier 12 disposed adjacent to the periphery of the drum. The carrier includes a ring 13 which extends around the drum and co-operates, via rolling elements 14with a ring 15 rigidly secured on the outside of the drum.

There are secured to the carrier 12 at diametrically opposite positions a sleeve 16 and a stub shaft 17 which define a tipping axis 18 of the drum. The sleeve and stub shaft are received in respective bearings 19 supported in a supporting structure 20.

An extension 21 of the stub shaft passes through the supporting structure and has at its end a handle 22 which may be used to tip the carrier and the drum about the axis 18.

The supporting structure 20 contains a drive member (not shown) which, in the example illustrated is the rotary output shaft of a motor. The motor may be an electrically energisable motor or an internal combustion engine. Alternatively, the drive member may be a manually rotatable drive member provided with a handle.

The drive member is connected by a belt and pulley 25 with a drive shaft 26 which extends through the interior of the sleeve 16. On the end of the drive shaft adjacent to the drum 10, there is provided a spur wheel which is enmeshed with a row of teeth provided on the ring 15. Thus, the drive shaft transmits drive to the drum to rotate the latter about the axis 11. Whilst we prefer that the teeth be integral with the ring 15, the teeth may alternatively be formed on a separate element fixed with respect to the ring.

It will be noted that drive is transmitted to the drum at a position close to the tipping axis 18 and that the downward load of the drum is transmitted to the carrier at the periphery of the drum, rather than at the closed end of the drum.

1. A mixer comprising a drum, a carrier which supports the drum whilst allowing the drum to rotate relative to the carrier about a drum axis, a driving member, a supporting structure which supports the driving member and the carrier and allows the carrier to rotate to some degree about a tipping axis and drive means for transmitting drive from the driving member to the drum to rotate the drum about the drum axis, wherein the carrier is arranged to act on a circumferential part of the drum to support the drum against the action of gravity.

2. A mixer comprising a drum, a carrier which supports the drum whilst allowing the drum to rotate relative to the carrier about a drum axis, a driving member, a supporting structure which supports the driving member and the carrier and allows the carrier to rotate to some degree about a tipping axis and drive means for transmitting drive from the driving member to the drum to rotate the drum about the drum axis, wherein the drive means includes a rotary element supported for rotation about an axis which substantially coincides with the tipping axis and wherein the rotary element is arranged to impart drive to a circumferential part of the drum.

3. A mixer according to Claim 1 wherein the drive means includes a rotary element having an axis of rotation which substantially coincides with the tipping axis and which rotary element is arranged to impart drive to said circumferential part of the drum.

4. A mixer according to Claim 3 wherein the circumferential part of the drum includes a ring provided with teeth enmeshed with teeth provided on the rotary element and wherein the ring and carrier co-operate to provide a bearing for supporting the drum.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Mixer This invention concerns a mixer comprising a hollow body in which the mixing occurs, hereinafter referred to as the drum, a carrier which supports the drum whilst allowing the drum to rotate relative to the carrier about an axis, hereinafter referred to as the drum axis, a driving member, a supporting structure which supports the driving member and the carrier and allows the carrier to rotate to some degree about a generally horizontal axis, hereinafter referred to as the tipping axis, and derive means for transmitting drive from the driving member to the drum to rotate the drum about the drum axis. The driving member may be a handle which the user can turn by hand or may be a rotary output element of a motor or engine. In known mixers of this kind, the carrier includes a bearing adjacent to a closed end of the drum and also includes parts adjacent to the tipping axis. The carrier is therefore relatively large. The drive to the drum is usually applied at the closed end of the drum, necessitating a complex drive transmission system. In order to facilitate tipping, the drive means includes a shaft which rotates about the tipping axis. According to a first aspect of the invention, the carrier of a mixer of the kind described acts on a circumferential part of the drum to support the drum against the action of gravity. With this arrangement, the carrier does not necessarily extend around the closed end ofthe drum. According to a second aspect of the invention, drive in a mixer of the kind described is transmitted to a circumferential part of the drum through a rotary element having an axis of rotation which is substantially the same as the tipping axis. A mixer in accordance with the present invention preferably embodies both the first and second aspects of the invention, the carrier acting on a circumferential part of the drum and the drive being transmitted to that circumferential part of the drum. The preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 represents diagrammatically a perspective view of a mixer embodying the invention; and FIGURE 2 illustrates certain parts diagrammatically, on an enlarged scale and in cross-section in a piane containing a tipping axis of the mixer. The mixer shown in the drawing has a drum 10 of known form which is supported for rotation about a drum axis 11 by a carrier 12 disposed adjacent to the periphery of the drum. The carrier includes a ring 13 which extends around the drum and co-operates, via rolling elements 14with a ring 15 rigidly secured on the outside of the drum. There are secured to the carrier 12 at diametrically opposite positions a sleeve 16 and a stub shaft 17 which define a tipping axis 18 of the drum. The sleeve and stub shaft are received in respective bearings 19 supported in a supporting structure 20. An extension 21 of the stub shaft passes through the supporting structure and has at its end a handle 22 which may be used to tip the carrier and the drum about the axis 18. The supporting structure 20 contains a drive member (not shown) which, in the example illustrated is the rotary output shaft of a motor. The motor may be an electrically energisable motor or an internal combustion engine. Alternatively, the drive member may be a manually rotatable drive member provided with a handle. The drive member is connected by a belt and pulley 25 with a drive shaft 26 which extends through the interior of the sleeve 16. On the end of the drive shaft adjacent to the drum 10, there is provided a spur wheel which is enmeshed with a row of teeth provided on the ring 15. Thus, the drive shaft transmits drive to the drum to rotate the latter about the axis 11. Whilst we prefer that the teeth be integral with the ring 15, the teeth may alternatively be formed on a separate element fixed with respect to the ring. It will be noted that drive is transmitted to the drum at a position close to the tipping axis 18 and that the downward load of the drum is transmitted to the carrier at the periphery of the drum, rather than at the closed end of the drum. CLAIMS

5. A mixer according to Claim 4 wherein said bearing includes rolling elements interposed between the ring and the carrier.

6. A mixer according to any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein there is provided on the carrier a bush having an axis which coincides substantially with the tipping axis, said bush is supported in a bearing on the supporting structure for movement relative thereto aboutthetipping axis and wherein there extends through the bush a shaft of the drive means, on which shaft the rotary element is carried.

7. A mixer substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

8. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.