Importance

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Abstract

A bearing mount particularly useful for mounting a non-driven end of a rotary shaft of an inclined or vertical agitator used for the processing of materials such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, foodstuffs and the like in kettles wherein such materials are mixed or stirred either with or without scraping of inner wall surfaces of the kettles, the present bearing mount provides a bearing surface for the distal end of the rotary shaft of the agitator which extends into the interior of the kettle toward inner walls of the kettle and which said distal end requires a bearing mount to hold the end of the shaft in a desired spaced relation from the wall of the kettle. The bearing mount of the invention comprises an idler bushing mounted to the distal end of the shaft, the idler bushing having bearing surfaces which are complementary with bearing surfaces provided by an idler pin removably mounted to an idler base fixed to the inner wall of the kettle. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the idler pin is formed of a self-lubricating nickel alloy which meets USDA standards for metal to metal contact in food processing situations where the use of lubricant is regulated. The structure of the bearing mount of the invention can be rapidly disassembled for cleaning and can be readily repaired in the event of excessive wear or damage to the idler pin or idler bushing by replacement of same.

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First Claim