Mixing apparatus

Claim 1

IN A MIXING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION OF AN UPSTANDING MIXING VESSEL HAVING A TRUNCATED CONICAL SIDE WALL WITH THE LARGE DIAMETER END AT THE TOP THEREOF AND A BOTTOM WALL WITH AN OUTLET THEREIN; A SHAFT EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID VESSEL PARALLEL TO SAID SIDE WALL AND BEING DIVIDED, AT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE SHAFT, INTO FIRST AND SECOND PARTS; A HELICOIDAL CONVEYOR BLADE EXTENDING ALONG SAID SHAFT; MEANS MOUNTING SAID SHAFT IN SAID VESSEL FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE SHAFT AND FOR SIMULTANEOUS REVOLVING MOVEMENT ABOUT THE CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID VESSEL, SAID MOUNTING MEANS INCLUDING AN ARM ROTATABLE ABOUT SAID CENTRAL AXIS OF THE VESSEL AND HAVING THE UPPER END OF SAID SHAFT JOURNALLED THEREIN, AND COOPERATING BEARING MEANS AT THE LOWER END OF SAID SHAFT AND ON SAID BOTTOM WALL, RESPECTIVELY, SAID COOPERATING BEARING MEANS CONSISTING OF MEANS DEFINING A CONICAL RECESS AND A CONICAL POINT ENGAGING IN SAID RECESS, SAID CONICAL RECESS HAVING AN APEX ANGLE GREATER THAN THE APEX ANGLE OF SAID CONICAL POINT BY MORE THAN TWICE THE ANGLE ENCLOSED BY SAID AXIS OF THE SHAFT AND SAID CENTRAL AXIS OF THE VESSEL SO THAT SAID CONICAL POINT AND RECESS HAVE ONLY SINGLE POINT CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER DURING THE ROTATION AND REVOLVING MOVEMENT OF THE SHAFT; ENGAGED FIRST AND SECOND CLAW CLUTCH MEMBERS ON SAID FIRST AND SECOND PARTS, RESPECTIVELY, OF THE SHAFT, SAID CLUTCH MEMBERS HAVING RECESSES OPENING AXIALLY TOWARD EACH OTHER; AND SPRING MEANS DISPOSED UNDER COMPRESSION IN SAID RECESSES OF THE CLUTCH MEMBERS FOR URGING SAID FIRST AND SECOND PARTS OF THE SHAFT AXIALLY APART AND THEREBY MAINTAINING ENGAGEMENT OF SAID CONICAL POINT IN SAID CONICAL RECESS.