Agitation supporting and driving means for commercial food mixers and

Abstract

Means for supporting and driving agitators in commercial food mixers and the like as disclosed herein include structure for mounting and supporting the agitator(s) separately from the structure which rotatably supports the mixing bowl. The mixing bowl has a pair of spaced ends and is rotatably supported by trunnions fixed to such spaced ends and extending outwardly therefrom toward adjacent support frame members which have journals for rotatably cooperating with such trunnions to thereby support the mixing bowl. The agitator for the mixer is journaled in the spaced ends of the mixing bowl, such that the weight of the mixing bowl and the mix therein is not imparted to the agitator shaft. Preferably, th agitator is rotatably driven by drive-transmission means including drive gears disposed outside the mixing bowl and outboard of the support frame members but generally in alignment with the agitator shaft, and flexible drive means (e.g., V-belts or the like) interconnect such drive gears and a motor located at a position spaced from the agitator axis, e.g., at floor level. In the most preferred embodiment, the trunnion means for rotatably supporting the mixer bowl comprises a rigid cylinder which is also utilized as the housing for the agitator drive gearing, whereby the mixer bowl support and rotational mechanism is integrated with, but separate from, that of the agitators.