Mosher June 18, 1996
Abstract
Convenient access for quick and thorough clean-out and maintenance of an openable mixing chamber and both rotors in two-rotor continuous mixers for plastic materials is advantageously achieved by making each rotor in three separate pieces: a drive journal, a rotor body (also called a "rotor section" or a "rotor") and a driven journal. These three separate pieces of each rotor are axially aligned, with the rotor body being positioned between the drive journal and the driven journal. Each rotor body is disengageably coupled to its respective drive and driven journals. The drive and driven journals are rotatably mounted in bearing assemblies which are separate from the mixing chamber barrel (also called a "mixing chamber housing"). Consequently, both rotor bodies can be uncoupled from their respective journals for removal of both rotor bodies from an opened mixing chamber for providing unimpeded access to an entire interior surface of an opened mixing chamber and for providing unimpeded access to both rotors after their removal from the mixing chamber. The two drive journals and the two driven journals desirably may remain in their normal positions in their bearing assemblies during uncoupling and removal of the rotor bodies without disturbing these journals nor disturbing their bearing assemblies. By virtue of such three-piece construction of the rotors, non-split visco seals can be installed as shown encircling an end portion of each rotor body, thereby saving costs and complexity of prior art split components.
