Stirring device for laboratory fermenters

Claim 1

COUPLING MEANS FOR A LABORATORY FERMENTER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER WITH A DIAMETER OF LESS THAN THIRTY INCHES, A HINGED COVER FOR CLOSING SAID CHAMBER, A DRIVING IMPELLER SHAFT EXTENDING CENTRALLY THROUGH SAID COVER AND HAVING A PORTION ABOVE SAID COVER WHICH MAY BE DRIVEN AND HAVING ANOTHER PORTION CENTRALLY DEPENDING FROM SAID COVER AND BEING ADAPTED TO NORMALLY EXTEND IN VERTICAL POSITION IN SAID CHAMBER, AND A DRIVEN IMPELLER SHAFT LOCATED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, SAID COUPLING MEANS BEING LOCATED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND COMPRISING TOP AND BOTTOM ENGAGEABLE PLATES, SAID TOP PLATE BEING CENTRALLY AFFIXED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID DRIVING SHAFT AND BEING IN NORMAL POSITION THERETO, SAID BOTTOM PLATE BEING CENTRALLY AFFIXED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID DRIVEN SHAFT AND BEING IN NORMAL POSITION THERETO, SAID TOP PLATE BEING SO LOCATED IN SAID CHAMBER THAT WHEN SAID COVER IS OPENED SAID PLATE DOES NOT ENGAGE THE SIDES OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID PLATES BEING PROVIDED ON THEIR OPPOSING FACES WITH MAGNETIC MEANS, SAID PLATES BEING ADAPTED WHEN SAID COVER IS IN THE CLOSED POSITION TO ENGAGE EACH OTHER MAGNETICALLY IN A FIXED AND REGISTERED POSITION AND WITH BOTH IMPELLER SHAFTS BEING IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT, AND INTERLOCKING MEANS LOCATED ON THE OPPOSING FACES OF SAID PLATES TO PREVENT SILPPAGE THEREOF DURING HIGH SPEED ROTATION OF SAID IMPELLER SHAFTS AND MEANS OF MAINTAINING SAID DRIVEN IMPELLER SHAFT IN VERTICAL PORITON WITH ITS TOP PLATE IN ALIGNMENT FOR MAGNETIC ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BOTTOM PLATE OF SAID DRIVEN SHAFT.