General Signal Corporation

Spx Corporation

Spx Flow, Inc.

Other

Allis-chalmers Corporation

Stephen L Markle

William F Hutchings

Marlin D Schutte

David J Engel

Michael E McCarroll

Joel S Berg

Jeffrey S Gambrill

Daniel J Bentley

John M Palmer

William J Hutchings

Richard A Howk

Keith Ernest Hanford

Anthony C Kocienski

David O Mechler

Rodney J Scheer

Peter W Hartman

Elmer C Hartman

Michael E Mccarrol

A mixing apparatus and system includes a hub, a plurality of blades, and a respective hinge for each blade to pivotally secure each blade to the hub. Each hinge including a lock having a tab and a detent to secure the respective blade in an operating conformation.

Mixer assembly apparatus and method

Impeller assembly apparatus and method

Mixer attachment assembly apparatus and method

An improved method and apparatus for mixing is provided that features a drive system that is removable from a bearing housing that supports the impeller shaft in the vessel. Some versions of the system and method use a magnetic drive system having a canister projecting outward from the bearing housing. The drive system has a lower shell that engages with the bearing housing and is quickly releasable and/or detachable to facilitate mounting and dismounting of the drive system from the bearing assembly.

Mounting assembly and method for a drive system for a mixer

A drive mounting apparatus and method for mixing assemblies, such as a side-entry mixer, that can move the drive of a mixer between a closed position and an open position, and by doing so, can provide an access opening through which maintenance operations can be executed inside the mixer. The apparatus has a bearing housing and a pivoting mounting door. The drive is mounted to the pivoting mounting door, and the pivoting mounting door can move between an open and closed position relative to the bearing housing.

Mixer drive mounting apparatus and method

A bearing assembly and method includes a two-piece ball bearing retainer. The retainer has a first set of fluid passage apertures penetrating into ball bearing sockets, and has a supplemental set of fluid passage apertures penetrating from one side of the retainer to the other. The two halves can be snap fit together.

Bearing retainer assembly and method

A drive system for driving a mixer impeller shaft in a vessel, including a motor; an outer magnet rotor driven by the motor; a bearing housing mountable to a vessel; and a drive shaft rotatable in the bearing housing. An inner magnet rotor is connected to the drive shaft and a manifold plate is connected to the bearing housing. A canister is connected to the manifold plate so that a chamber is defined in the bearing housing having an inlet port for directing fluids into the chamber. A plurality of ports extend through the manifold plate providing fluid communication from the chamber to the inside of the canister; and a plurality of ports through the inner magnet rotor provide fluid communication from the inside of the canister through the inner magnet rotor. A fluid path is provided from the chamber through the ports, around the inner magnet motor, and through the inner magnet rotor, which fluid path is sealed from the environment by the canister.

Cleanable mixer driver apparatus and method

A mixer gearbox assembly for driving a mixer shaft capable of receiving either a complete electric drive motor on a first face of the gearbox housing for operatively coupling with a first end of a long cross-shaft in the housing, or alternatively a partial electric drive motor on a second face of the gearbox housing for operatively coupling with an opposite end of the cross-shaft. In an alternative configuration for use with only a partial motor, an assembly containing otherwise identical components is provided with a short cross-shaft replacing the long cross-shaft, which short shaft is supported by a single bearing and is colinearly matable only at the outer end thereof with the drive shaft of a partial electric motor. The rotor and short shaft act as a unitary structure when assembled. The alternative configuration can reduce the cost of manufacture of the gearbox assembly through elimination of a motor bearing, a shaft bearing, and a long cross-shaft, and also this configuration eliminates the usual motor pedestal and its coupling, and through use of all other parts identical with those of the alternative-motor assembly.

Mixer gearbox assembly having a cross-shaft alternatively mounted in one

A system for automatically centering and rigidly retaining a mixer shaft in a mixer drive. A hollow quill in a mixer drive is provided with an axial bore having a first diameter along a central portion thereof and tapering linearly and axially in opposite directions away from the central portion with increasing diameter to define a pair of opposed conical portions of the axial bore on either side of the central bore. A smooth-surface cylindrical mixer shaft inserted into the bore is retained by the tightening of upper and lower tapered cylindrical locks which are slidable along the mixer shaft and have conical outer surfaces which are matable with the upper and lower conical portions of the quill bore. The locks, when urged into wedged relationship between the shaft and the quill bore, automatically center the shaft in the quill in rigid retention. The upper end of the shaft is provided with a thrust plate secured by throughbolts into the quill to press the upper lock into locking relationship. At the lower end of the quill, a bearing retainer ring threaded onto the outer surface of the quill is bored to receive bolts extending through a flange on the lower lock to press the lower lock into locking relationship. The rigidity of the lock increases the first critical frequency of the mixer system and therefore permits operation at high speeds, including rotational frequencies greater than the first critical (natural) frequency of the mixer system.

Double taper lock system for a locking a mixer shaft in a quill

A labyrinth shaft seal for preventing the migration of gear lubricant from a mixer drive assembly into a batch of process materials being mixed. In the preferred embodiment, a portion of the gearcase outboard of the upper quill bearing, preferably the actual bearing mount, is provided with an axially-directed circular face, the mount being formed of relatively soft material such as ductile cast iron. A disc-shaped seal element having a central aperture and supporting an axially-directed peripheral cylindrical flange is sealingly mounted on the quill above the quill bearing and extends radially from the quill and generally parallel to the circular face. The flange is formed of material substantially harder than the circular face. The axial positions of the outer bearing race mount on the housing and the disc-shaped seal element on the quill are selected so that, upon assembly of the bearings and seal, the lower edge of the flange interferes with the circular surface causing the disc-shaped seal element to be elastically deformed to define a dish-shaped spring having a depth of 0.010 inch. Upon rotation of the quill, the flange is urged by the pre-load of the spring to incise and then occupy an interference-fit groove in the circular surface, thereby forming an inexpensive, and effective labyrinth seal against leakage of gear lubricant through the quill bearing.

Self-formed labyrinth seal

A mixer assembly including a driven hollow quill having first and second conical portions in an axial bore and being adapted to receive and mate with a mixer shaft assembly including a mixer shaft having a conical chamfer to mate with the first conical portion and a quill shaft disposed on and removable from the end of the mixer shaft. The quill shaft has a threaded aperture which cooperates with a jack screw rotatably mounted within the quill bore to draw the conical chamfer into preloaded centered relationship with the first conical portion of the quill bore. A tapered sleeve lodged between the mixer shaft and the second conical portion of the quill bore distributes radial loads on the shaft over a large area of the quill, thereby preventing damage to the shaft and quill. A seal assembly on the mixer shaft isolates the housing from the interior of the vessel. The seal is readily removed for replacement. First, the tapered sleeve is released from the second conical portion. Then the jack screw is rotated to drive the mixer shaft assembly axially from the quill bore. When the mixer shaft is free of the seal assembly, the shaft is secured to the vessel wall. The quill shaft is disconnected from the mixer shaft, and the jack screw is counter-rotated to withdraw the quill shaft from the seal assembly, permitting the seal assembly to be removed in a radial direction from the mixer assembly.

Mixer drive apparatus enabling radial changing of shaft seal

A mixer system for aggressive (toxic, hazardous, corrosive, etc.) materials which are mixed (agitated, suspended, circulated, etc.) in a vessel with an impeller connected to a drive shaft has the impeller and its shaft mounted in an assembly which extends through an opening into the tank and closes that opening. The assembly has a cylindrical hub with a passageway through which the shaft extends out of an open end of the hub. Bearings which are made of materials resistant to the aggressive material in the tank are mounted in the hub and journal and support the shaft. The passageway is part of a confinement region which is terminated by a confinement shell which separates inner and outer rotors of a magnet coupling. The inner rotor is connected to the shaft, directly or through a gear train (preferably a planetary gear set). The outer rotor is connected to a drive shaft.

Mixer systems

Lab mixer for biotechnology

A mixer system for aggressive (toxic, hazardous, corrosive, etc.) materials which are mixed (agitated, suspended, circulated, etc.) in a tank with an impeller connected to a drive shaft has the impeller and its shaft mounted in an assembly which extends through an opening into the tank and closes that opening. The assembly has a cylindrical hub with a passageway through which the shaft extends out of an open end of the hub. Bearings which are made of materials which are resistant to the aggressive material in the tank are mounted in the hub and journal and support the shaft. There are no dynamic seals which close the confinement region so that the aggressive materials can be present therein. In the event that it is desirable that the bearings be replaceable or the confinement region be sterilized, or purged, an expandable elastomeric collar may be disposed either at the end of the hub below the bearings, which may then be mounted in a cartridge in a hub which is removable therefrom, or in a plate spaced from the hub. Purge or pressure release passages may be provided which are opened and through which purging or sterilizing gas is introduced into the confinement region.

Growing community of inventors

Holley, NY, United States of America

Stephen L Markle