US2485302A

US2485302A - Tilting mixing machine

Info

Publication number: US2485302A
Application number: US740364A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph C Lukas
Original assignee: Worthington Pump and Machinery Corp
Current assignee: Worthington Pump and Machinery Corp
Priority date: 1947-04-09
Filing date: 1947-04-09
Publication date: 1949-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 1966-10-18

Description

Oct. 18, 1949. J. c. LuKAs TILTING MIXING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 9, 1947 J`.C.LUKAS IN VEN TOR.

Oct. 18,- 1949. J. c. I UKAs 2,485,302

TILTING MIXING' MACHINE Filed April 9,- 1.947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

wiwi 1j J1 |v vm mui m 31C.. LUKAs J. C. LUKAS TILTING MIXING MACHINE Oct. 18, 1949.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 9, 1947 l l 1 l 1 l 1 l l l l l l n l J'.C.LUKAS INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 18, 1949 mesne assignments, to WorthingtoniPunrp .and Machinery'Corporatiom Harrison, N. J., a corporationfof Delaware vApplication 'April t9, 1947,5S1ialfNo. 740,364

'2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to mixing machines-and, in particular, refers to the type in which the .drum may be independently tilted :and rotated.

The primary object oi this invention isv to provide an inexpensive yet highly versatile mixing unit lin which a normally vertical mixing drum maybe rotated and tilted either simultaneously or independently.

Another object is to provide a mixing machine in which the depth of the materiallloeing mixed can be varied without varying the angleof the tilt.

A further object isto provide novel-means for introducing uid into the interior of the drum.

This machine is particularly usefulffor mixing or coating ingredients in the food, candy, and drug industries. It may also be used to advantage for tumbling, burnishing, polishing, and -allied operations requiring agitated movement of `a quantity of discrete articles.

With these and other objects in view, as may appear from the accompanying specification, the invention consists of various features of construction and combination of parts, which will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing a tilting mixing machine of a preferred form embodying the inventiomand the features forming the invention'will be specifically pointed out in the claims.

n the drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged view, partly in section, taken along the line l-I of Figure 3 .in which one segment gear and the driving gear .therefor .are removed from the device.

Figure 2 is a side elevation takenfromtheright of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation taken lfrom the left of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of aportion cfa slightly modified form of the mixer showing the uid feeding means.

Figure 5 is a side elevation partly in section showing the telescoping mixing drum.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved mixing machine has `a `frame `I with vertical side sections overhangin-g -a base section. The laterally spaced coaxial bearing wbrackets V2 are attached to the upper terminal portions of the side sections to furnish a pivotal axis for the mixing vessel. Trunnion brackets 3 and -4 arebolted to a yoke member 5 and journalled into bearing brackets 2, as shown in `Figure 1, to pivotally attach the .yoke-5 to the `frame I.

The yoke :"5 lprovides a normally vertical laxis iof `rotation for the drum by means of its centrally disposed tubular bearing housing 6 With'vertically spaced thrust :bearings .1 and f8 therein and a lubricant chamber Siwhich is sealed by suitable means .at the loottomvof thehousing 6. Thebentrai cylindrical boss 111B vof a circular ltable 'H is rotatably seated on bearing 1 in the upper por# tion of housing t. Seatedrflush with the surface of the table H is Aa spindle |22 iwhich extends through 'the boss lll and the rbearings '1 and 8. Thelower endof'the .spindle -IAZiS-thleaded yand has a nut l 3 attached thereto `abutting the bearing Sto-prevent rverticalril-ay or movement along the axis of rotation and to properly seat the table l I. The .mixingdrum M, which maybe of any desired construction, is removablyattached to theftable i 11| vby suitable meanssuch as the bolts l5 extending through the top and/or the peripheral'a-nge :Wfofthetable'lfl v`and engaging lugs on the bottom of the drum-or a flange thereon. The drum could' obviously also .be attached by Various clamping -schemes'o'r by welding. 'The drum is provided with vpermanent or removable vmixing blades-('not'shown) as iscommon in the art.

A ring bevel gear H is suitably attached'to the ange `{l-'of the table and-is driven by arpnion lgeari'. The interior of the trunnion 4 has thrust bearings `f'and Ill-fand a lubricant chamber 2l formotatably mounting the pinion |8 and a driving sprocket 22 which are keyed to a'spindle 23 coaxial with the bearings 2.

Power forrotation of the table and drum I4 is transmitted by suitable means 24 from-a motor 25 tothe `driving"sprocket 22.; from sprocket 22 through-the spindle 23 to the pinion I 8; and from pinion ito bevel gear I1 tothe table. I I.

The yoke, table, and drum are tiltedbymeans ofvertioal segment gearszli` which are bolted to the sides of theyoke. 'To facilitate illustration only one such gear is'shown in Figure 1, the other gear/beingattachedin a .similar manner on the opposite sideand `driven by a pinion 28 on the Vcross-shaft 2l. 'Power istransmitted to pinions ZBtan'dfthe cr-oss shaft 21 by the motor 2-9 through suitable transmission means 3d which include a wor-m and Wheel or irreversible gearing 3l to'prevent .tiltingdueto the weight .of thedrum. The pinions 2-8-.engagei-the segmentgears 26 and by rotating rthemca-use tilting of the lyoke 5, and attached members, aboutthe horizontal axis of thefbearingbrackets :2. The segment .gears 26 have ladjustable stops 32v xed ony their `sides which engage suitable-stops (not shown) lon-.the

frame to limit the degree to which the unit may be tilted.

Since the pinion I8 for rotating the drum is coaxial with the axis about which the drum pivots, it is apparent that it may be rotated regardless of its tilt. This feature makes it possible to provide common electrical controls associated with the stops 32 and

motors

25 and 29 to automatically tilt the drum while it is rotating. By varying the speed of tilting and` speed of rotation, the agitated motion of the articles within the drum may lbe altered. In the drawings, however,

.the controls for each motor are simply the

switches

33 and 34 so that tilting is manually controlled.

The

motors

25 and 29 as well as transmission means 24 and 3D and cross shaft 2'I may be easily mounted by conventional methods on the frame I. While two motors are preferred, it is apparent that one motor could be employed to furnish power for tilting and rotating the drum I4 by a rearrangement of the power transmission means 24 and 30.

The embodiment of Figures 4l and 5 has exactly the same rotatingand tilting means as that of Figures l to 3. However, this embodiment also includes uid feeding means and a telescopic mixing drum.

The fluid feeding means includes a spray pipe or tubular conduit 40 which is mounted inside the hollow spindle I2a. The pipe 4d is of substantial length and extends through opening 42 Well up into the drum 59 as shown in Figure 5. The packing 4I prevents reverse flow of uid from the drum through opening 42. The packing 4I and the nut I3a t tightly around the pipe so as to inhibit undesired sliding movement; though by loosening them the pipe can be withdrawn from or further inserted into the drum. The nut I3a performs the same function with respect to the spindle Illa as the nut I3 previously described and the spindle I2a is mounted in the bearing housing 6 in the same manner as illustrated and described in connection with Figure l. Other equivalent means may of course be used to prevent sliding of the pipe 4D.

The spray pipe 4I] extends out through the bottom of the spindle I2a and housing 6 Where it is coupled at 43 to a flexible hose 44. The coupling 43 is of a conventional type which permits relative rotation of the hose 44 and the pipe 40, since, in this embodiment, the pipe rotates with the drum 5I) while the hose 44 is not rotatable. It is to be understood, of course, that this feature could be inodiiied so that the pipe is stationary by the common expedient of inserting bearings between the pipe and the rotatable spindle I2a and drum 5U.

As indicated in Figure 5 the flexible hose permits tilting of the drum and spray pipe 40 while at the same time connecting the pipe to a source of fluid (not shown). The hose 44 is of sufficient length to permit the desired arc of tilting. The spray pipe 4I! has a closed end 45 so that the iiuid is forced out through a multiplicity of perforations 4S in the wall of that portion .of the pipe #i which is inside of the drum S.

The telescopic drum I] is made up of three concentric

annular shells

5I, 52, and 53 which slip one inside the other. The bottom shell 5I is adapted in the same manner as drum I4 for attachment to the table II. The intermediate shell 52 is substantially cylindrical and the upper shell 53 is substantially frustro-conical having a mouth or charging and discharging opening 54.

Each of the shells have radially extending annular flanges 55 so arranged that when the drum is collapsed or only partially extended they may be bolted together as at 56. The shells are held in their extended or partially extended positions by means of bolts, as shown at 51, which join the cylindrical Walls through mating holes therein.

It is .obvious that the drum can be made of any desired number of concentric shells and that they can be so constructed and arranged that the innermost shell 5I is of the smallest diameter rather than the largest diameter as shown.

The telescopic drum 5i] makes it possible to vary the pressure on articles 58 within the drum. By extending the drum the depth of a given quantity of articles 58 will be reduced when the drum is tilted, hence the pressure on the articles will be reduced. In treating soft articles such as candies this feature is particularly advantageous since it eleminates crushing of the articles at the bottom due to the weight of those above.

The hose 44 and spray pipe 4,0 may be used to supply various iluids to the drum. For example, refrigerated air for cooling purposes or hardenable syrup for coating candies may be pumped into the drum; or fine sand may be blown into the drum for blasting and cleaning metal articles. In the latter case, of course, the wear resistance of the pipe 40 would have to be increased by suitable inserts in the holes 45. The telescopic drum facilitates cooling and other operations by providing a greater surface area of the mass of articles. In the event that different fluids are required at various intervals ,during the processing of articles within the drum, the Supply of iluids can be controlled by means of a suitable valve (not shown) as is common knowledge.

It is to be understood that the specific construction recited heretofore maybe widely modifled within the spirit of the invention dened by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a mixing machine, a supporting frame, a yoke pivotally carried by said frame for pivotal movement on a horizontal axis, a tubular bearing housing carried by said yoke, bearings in said bearing housing, a vertical spindle rotatably supported by said bearings for rotation about a vertical axis, a circular table carried by the upper end of said spindle, a depending annular flange on said circular table, a mixing drum, a depending annular flange on said mixing drum and engaging about said table carried flange, means connecting said table to said drum carried ange, a ring gear carried by said table carried flange, and means connected to said ring gear for rotating said drum about a vertical axis.

2. In a mixing machine, a supporting frame, a yoke pivotally carried by said frame for pivotal movement on a horizontal axis, a tubular bearing housing carried by said yoke, bearings in said bearing housing, a vertical spindle rotatably supported by said bearings for rotation about a vertical axis, a circular table carried by the upper end of said spindle, a depending annular flange on said circular table, a mixing drum, a depending annular flange on said mixing drum and engaging about said table carried flange, means connecting said table to said drum carried flange, a ring gear carried by said table carried flange, a motor carried by said frame, power transmitting means connecting said motor to said ring gear for rotating said drum, a second motor carried by said frame, and power transmitting means Number JOSEPH C. LUKAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

'UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Glassgow Mar. 15, 1859 Ehrenhardt June 28, 1932 Rybeck Jan. 28, 1936 Purkett Jan. l2, 1937 Robbins Nov. 23, 1937 Muckle;7 Mar. 26, 1946