General Signal Corporation

Walter C Webster

Ronald J Weetman

Dominic Borraccia

Jeffrey S Gambrill

Jonathan C Everdyke

A mixer impeller, which is adapted to mix and blend liquids and liquid suspensions in industrial and commmercial applications and is subject to forces which tend to work the impeller loose from attachment with its driving shaft, is secured to the shaft by collars (locking rings) which are threaded on the ends of hubs from which the blades of the impeller extend. In order to secure the attachment of the collars to the hub, a locking key is inserted between the collar and the shaft. The inner periphery of the collars are tapered outwardly away from the shaft. The neck of the locking key has portions which are deflected against these tapered inner peripheries when a pin is inserted through the neck of the locking key. A ramp on the collar mates with a ramp on the key to prevent reverse rotation (working loose) of the collar. The impeller is restrained against axial movement by the collar and against rotational movement by being keyed to the shaft and restricted by the ramp on the collar. Removal of the key for impeller replacement and maintenance is readily accomplished using the ramps on the surfaces of the collars and shoulder of the key which bear against each other. Upon removal of the locking pin, the inside of the neck deflects inwardly and the key is urged out of the collar, when the collar is unscrewed from the hub.

Mixer impeller shaft attachment apparatus

A method of injection molding a thermoplastic material around a two-piece insert having a rotational axis through which a bore passes is disclosed. The insert is formed from two pieces which are axially spaced to define an annular gate through which the injected thermoplastic material passes radially outward. This technique is particularly useful for forming mixing impellers, because it orients fibers contained within the thermoplastic material in a radially outward direction within the impeller's blades to provide increased strength. The insert also allows improved performance for injection molding parts by reducing their cross-sectional thickness to optimal values. The insert also allows machining the bore without harming the injected plastic material.

Growing community of inventors

Brockport, NY, United States of America

Walter C Webster