Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
In a mixer having a pivotally supported drum pro-vided with opposed end walls, a paddle shaft extending longitu-dinally of the drum and including paddles thereon, the opposed end walls of the drum having external bearing assemblies journalling the drum for pivotal movement about a longitudinal axis concentric with the rotational axis of the paddle shaft, means disposed ex-teriorly of the drum for driving the paddle shaft, that improvement comprising shaft means connected with the paddle shaft and forming longitudinal extensions thereof, said shaft means being journalled in the bearing assemblies on the opposed end walls of the drum and being accessible exteriorly of the bearing assemblies, and means detachably connecting the shaft means with the paddle shaft to enable separation of the shaft means from the paddle shaft, said bearing assemblies enabling insertion and removal of the shaft means longi-tudinally in relation to the paddle shaft and bearing assemblies thereby enabling removal of the paddle shaft and paddles from the drum without removing the drum from its support.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a mixer having a pivotally supported drum pro-vided with opposed end walls, a paddle shaft extending longitu-dinally of the drum and including paddles thereon, the opposed end walls of the drum having external bearing assemblies journalling the drum for pivotal movement about a longitudinal axis concentric with the rotational axis of the paddle shaft, means disposed ex-teriorly of the drum for driving the paddle shaft, that improvement comprising shaft means connected with the paddle shaft and forming longitudinal extensions thereof, said shaft means being journalled in the bearing assemblies on the opposed end walls of the drum and being accessible exteriorly of the bearing assemblies, and means detachably connecting the shaft means with the paddle shaft to enable separation of the shaft means from the paddle shaft, said bearing assemblies enabling insertion and removal of the shaft means longi-tudinally in relation to the paddle shaft and bearing assemblies thereby enabling removal of the paddle shaft and paddles from the drum without removing the drum from its support.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
88 words
The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for driving said paddle shaft includes a large driven gear connected to the paddle shaft, a small driving gear meshed with the large gear, a power device having an output shaft driven at a high speed, and a speed reduction assembly interconnecting the output shaft and small driving gear, said speed reduction assembly in-cluding coplanar small and large pulleys and an encircling belt and coplanar small and large sprocket gears and an encircling chain arranged in series relationship.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein the small pulley is mounted on the output shaft, the large pulley and small sprocket gear being journalled on a projecting end portion of the paddle shaft outwardly of the large driven gear, said large pulley and small sprocket gear being rigidly connected, the large sprocket gear being rigid with respect to the small driving gear.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
114 words
The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said shaft means is in the form of a pair of stub shafts, each of said stub shafts being connected with an end portion of the paddle shaft closely adjacent to but spaced from the end walls of the drum, said stub shafts extending exteriorly of the drum for longitudinal re-moval of the stub shafts when the inner ends of the stub shafts are disconnected from the end portions of the paddle shaft, said paddles being rigidly and permanently secured to the paddle shaft, said bearing assemblies enabling insertion and removal of the stub shafts longitudinally in relation to the end portions of the paddle shaft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
87 words
The structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for driving the paddle shaft includes a prime mover, a speed reduction assembly interconnecting the prime mover and one of said stub shafts, said speed reduction assembly including a pair of meshed gears with one of the gears being secured to one of the stub shafts to enable longitudinal removal of the stub shaft and longi-tudinal movement of the meshed gears in relation to each other when the stub shaft is longitudinally removed from the drum wall.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
88 words
The structure as defined in claim 5, wherein said speed reduction assembly also includes a belt and pulley assembly and a sprocket chain and sprocket gear assembly arranged in series relation between the prime mover and pair of meshed gears thereby eliminating the necessity of employing a reduction gear unit, said prime mover including a relatively high speed output shaft connected to a smaller pulley of the belt and pulley assembly thereby enabling selective use of an electric motor or an internal combustion engine as a prime mover.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
140 words
The structure as defined in claim 6, wherein said drum includes handle means thereon to pivot the drum from a mixing position to a dumping position, said drum including a lateral opening between opposite end walls forming means enabling placement of materials to be mixed therein and discharge of mixed materials when pivoted to a dumping position, each of said bearing assemblies on the opposite end walls of the drum including outwardly projecting cylindrical bosses supported on longitudinally spaced support members forming a portion of a mobile frame having wheel means thereon to facilitate transport of the mixer to a desired site, said prime mover and speed reduction assembly being mounted on said frame and connected with the stub shaft on the end thereof which projects through the bearing assembly to the side of the support remote from the drum.