US3322403A - Agitator - Google Patents

Description

May 30, 1967 c. F. MURPHY AGITATOR IIIIIIIII INVEN'IOR.

United States Patent C) 3,322,403 AGHTATOR St. Louis Park, Minn, assignor to line, Minneapolis, Minn a corporation This invention relates to an improved liquid agitator, and more specifically, to an improved hook agitator which may be utilized to uniformly mix paints and like liquids, used in industrial spray painting and which includes a novel means for mounting and securing the agitator to the containers in which the paints are customarily shipped and stored.

Heretofore, there have been a number of different agitators which could be utilized to mix paints and other viscous liquids. However, because many of these agitators could not be mounted on the containers in which the industrial paints were .generally stored, special containers had to be used to mix the paints. This, of course, was cumbersome and time consuming since it meant that the paint had to be poured into the special container, and often after mixing, poured into another container for use. Moreover, the cost of the additional containers and unproductive labor time increased the expense of the painting operation.

Moreover, in some instances, containers have been used for storing industrial paints which have open or removable tops, and when such containers are used, the agitator was either mounted or clamped directly on the side of the container or supported above the container by a special frame or jig. However, even these containers are not entirely satisfactory, particularly for use in the field, since dirt and other particles can easily get into the paint and since the frames or jigs were often expensive, heavy and inconvenient to use.

Furthermore, when industrial paint is shipped and stored in bulk, it is, and has long been, customary to ship and store the paint in conventional 55-gall0n metal drums having two relatively small diameter bung openings formed in the nonremovable top. Thus, in the past, when such drums have been used, the uniform mixing of the paint required for spray painting could only be obtained by emptying the paint from the drums and mixing it in another container. This, as noted above, was not only bothersome but added to the cost of the painting operation.

Briefly and in contrast, the present invention contemplates an improved liquid agitator which may be used to uniformly mix paints in a conventional, SS-gallon drum without requiring the use of frames or jigs of any modification of the drum. The improved agitator is mounted on the top of the drum with the agitator paddle extending into the drum through one of the aforementioned small diameter bung openings. The agitator is firmly secured to the drum by novel means that cooperates with the threads formed about the bung opening and the side of the drum. More specifically, the agitator includes a threaded portion, smaller in size than the threaded opening in the top of the drum, which easily fits within the threaded opening and which is moved into and clamped in engagement with the threaded opening by another part of the agitator that contacts the side of the drum in a manner explained more fully hereinafter. For increased versatility, the agitator is adapted to accommodate different sized conventional motors or power units, which may be quickly and easily interchanged, and for increased efiiciency the agitator paddle is statically balanced and is constructed so that, upon rotation, it imparts both horizontal and vertical mixing motion to the paint in the drum thereby insuring uniform mixture of the paint.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved agitator which may be utilized to mix liquids such as paints or the like, in conventional containers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hook agitator which may be used to mix uniformly paint in a conventional SS-gallon metal drum.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hook agitator including novel means for mounting the agitator on a conventional 55-gallon drum. This novel mounting means cooperates with the relatively small threaded bung opening formed in the top of the drum whereby the agitator may be mounted or removed with a minimum of time, effort and skill from the drum.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved agitator having a threaded portion which slidably and loosely fits within the threaded bung opening of a conventional SS-gallon drum and which is urged into engagement with the threads of the threaded opening by another portion of the agitator that is adapted to engage the side wall of the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved agitator which may be used to uniformly mix the paint in a conventional SS-gallon drum without requiring the use of special frames or jigs or any modification of the drum.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hook agitator having a novel agitator paddle which requires a minimum power input and which, when rotated, imparts both horizontal and vertical mixing motion to the liquid and generates a much larger volume of positive agitation than heretofore possible. A related object of this invention is to provide an improved agitator which uses a conventional motor or power unit and which permits the facile interchange of the motor or power unit so as to be capable of economically and efiiciently mixing of fluids having different viscosities.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hook agitator, which is sturdy, easy to maintain, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and provides excellent mixing of relatively viscous liquids, such as paints and the like.

Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the accompanying specification, claims and drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial vertical sectional view showing the improved agitator mounted on the top of a conventional SS-gallon drum;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view showing the main body portion of the agitator;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the resilient connection between the motor drive shaft and the agitator paddle.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the resilient coupling taken along line 44 in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the agitator blade taken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown a conventional 55-gal1on metal drum 10 having a cylindrical side wall 12 and a circular top 14 recessed slightly below the upper end or rim 16 of the side wall 12. As is customary, top 14 is integrally attached to the side wall and has two threaded, diametrically opposite bung opening-s formed therein. However, for convenience, only the larger, two-inch diameter threaded opening 18 is shown in FIGURE 1. The bung openings of these drums are normally closed by threaded bungs or caps, not shown, which permit the filling, venting and storage of liquids, such as paint and the like in the drums.

An agitator unit 22 embodying the principles of this invention is shown mounted on the top 14 of the drum 10. The unit 22 comprises a main body 24 which may, for

example, be a one-piece casting and which has a central axial bore 26 extending therethrough. The lower neck portion 28 of the body is small enough to fit within the bung opening 18 and the end 30 thereof extends within the drum. Counter bores 32 and 34 are formed coaxial with the bore 26 in the upper neck portion 36 of the body 24, and are interconnected by a shoulder 38. When the unit is mounted on the drum, the axis of bores 26, 32 and 34 forms an acute angle with the top of the drum 10, and as shown in FIGURE 1, this acute angle is approximately 70.

An air motor 40 is mounted on the upper end 36 of the body 24 and may be connected to a source of pressurized air, not shown, through a flexible hose 42 and a quick disconnect coupling, shown at 44. The motor 40 may be any standard rotary air motor which is capable of operating at a speed of 300 rpm. in a full dmm of 100 cp. viscosity paint. Such a motor is the /2 horsepower rotary air motor, Graco Model No. 101-140, distributed by the Gray Company, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota. However, if more power is required, a 1 horsepower air motor such as Graco Model No. 101-388, also distributed by the Gray Company, Inc., may be utilized. A conventional air valve, not shown, is used to start and regulate the speed of the motor and thus the agitator.

The cylindrical hub 46 of the motor 40 fits snugly within counter bore 32 with end 48 thereof abutting against the shoulder 38. A plurality of set screws 50 are spaced evenly about the outer periphery of the neck portion 36, and these set screws are used to hold the hub 46 of the motor firmly within counter bore 32. As will be apparent, the motor may be quickly and easily removed from the agitator unit by the simple expedient loosening of the set screws 50 and lifting the motor off the body 24.

The rotatable drive shaft 52 of the motor 40 extends from the end 48 of the housing into the counter bore 34 and is connected at its terminal end 54 to the upper plug end 56 of the tubular agitator paddle 58 by means of a conventional resilient coupling 62 of the type made by the Lovejoy Manufacturing Co. of Chicago, Illinois, as hereinafter more fully described.

The coupling 62 includes two generally annular, metal fittings 64 and 66 which are secured to the ends 54 and 56 of the paddle 58 and the shaft 52, respectively, by set screws. Each of the fittings 64 and 66 includes a body portion 68 and 69 and a pair of diametrically opposite segments or lugs 72 and 73, respectively, which project from the body portions, in the manner shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. When assembled, the fittings 64 and 66 are mated together with the ends of the lugs of one fitting adjacent the body portion of the other fitting. Moreover, as shown in FIGURE 4, a spider type, synthetic rubber and fabric gasket or washer 74, formed in the general shape of a cross patee, has four segments 76 which are positioned between the adjacent lugs 72 and 73 of the fittings 64 and 66. The use of the washer 74 enables the coupling to transmit torque without metal to metal contact between the fittings. Moreover, in addition to provide a resilient drive connection between the motor 40 and the paddle 58, the design of the coupling aids in the speed and ease in which a motor may be mounted or dismounted from the agitator unit.

A shown in FIGURE 1, the tubular paddle 58 extends through the bore 26 and into the interior of the drum. In bore 26, the paddle is journaled by pair of cylindrical, porous bronze sleeve bearings 78 that are self lubricating and are arranged adjacent to the ends of the bore. An annular thrust collar 82 is carried by the paddle and is positioned within the bore 34 adjacent to the shoulder interconnecting bores 26 and 34. The collar 82 is secured to the paddle by a set screw thereby permitting the collar may be easily removed or replaced. In a like manner, a slinger ring 84 is mounted on the paddle adjacent the lower end 30 of the body 24 so as to prevent the liquid in the drum from entering the bore 26 during mixing. Also it should be noted that the collar 82 and ring 84 are of identical construction and may be used interchangeably.

As mentioned above, the paddle 58 extends into, and toward the center of the drum through the bung opening 18. Moreover, within the drum, the paddle is bent slightly at 86, so that it may intersect the vertical center line of drum thereby insuring uniform mixing. Further, as shown in FIGURE 1, the lower portion 88 of the paddle is bent so that the paddle assumes a generally I shape.

In addition the lower terminal end 92 of the paddle is flattened, sealed and bent thereby forming a blade 94 which is disposed at an angle of approximately 45 with the bottom of the drum. The construction of the blade 94 is such that when the paddle is rotated, the liquid or paint in the drum experiences both vertical and horizontal mixing, so as to insure a complete and thorough mixing of the paint. In other words, the paint is not only forced to rotate about the vertical axis of the drum but is also mixed or moved in a vertical direction due to the angle of the blade 94.

Referring again to FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be seen that the lower neck portion 28 of the body 24 is generally circular in configuration and of a size which is less than the standard two-inch internal diameter of the threaded bung opening 18. A plurality of threads 102 are formed on a segment of the neck portion 28, generally facing away from the center of the drum. These threads are identical to the internal threads 104 formed about the bung opening 18 and are designed to engage the internal threads 104 when the portion 28 is positioned Within the opening 18 and moved to the left, as viewed from FIG- URE 1. Moreover, it is obvious that the threads 102 do i not have to be identical to the threads 104 so long as the threads 1102, 104 can mate or engage together. Likewise, the size of the threaded segment can, of course, vary from, for example, 50-150, and in fact the only limit on the size of the segment is that the neck portion 28 must be able to be easily inserted within the opening 18. Thus in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, the segment should be less than The body 24 also includes a pair of integral arms 106 and 108 which are positioned in a plane parallel to the top 16 of the drum as shown in FIGURE 2. These arms 106 and 108 are generally L-shaped and the ends thereof project beyond the side wall 12 with the flange or base portions 109, 110 extending below the top edge 16 of the side wall 12. The base portions 109, 110 have threaded apertures 112 formed therein which receive threaded studs 114. Each of the studs 114 has a handle or bar 116 at one end and a foot member 118 formed on the other end adjacent the side wall 12 so that the foot member 118 may engage the side wall 12 immediately below the upper rim or end 116 as shown in FIGURE 1.

The agitator unit may be mounted on a drum in the following manner: The studs 114 are rotated by turning the handles 116 so that the feet 118 are retracted or, in other words, moved toward the bases 109, 110, and the lower end 92 of paddle 58 is then inserted into the drum 10 through the bung opening 18 until the agitator is generally positioned as shown in FIGURE 1. The body 24 is then moved to the left, as in FIGURE 1, so that the threads 102 engage the threads 104 formed about the bung opening. Handles 116 are then turned so that the stud 112 is rotatably advanced until the feet 118 are firmly pressed against the side wall 12. The motor 40 may be connected to a source of compressed air through coupling 44 and the hose 42 and the paint in container uniformly mixed. The opposite procedure is utilized to remove the agitator from the drum.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that the improved agitator of this invention may be used to uniformly mix paints or like liquids in the conventional 55- gallon drums in which the paints are customarily shipped and stored, without the need of using special jigs or frames or of modifying the drums. The resulting savings in both time and convenience of doing this, rather than having to pour the paint into other containers for mixing, is obvious.

Moreover, the novel means for mounting the agitator on the drums permits the agitator to be used in the field, and to be mounted or dismounted from the drums with a minimum of time, effort and skill on the part of person using the agitator. In addition, the agitator is easily cleaned since only the smooth tubular paddle, and no pivoted joints, are in the paint.

In addition, the agitator paddle insures thorough and complete mixing of the paint in the drum with a minimum power input because the novel construction of the paddle generates a large volume of positive agitation in the paint than heretofore possible. Further, in order that the agitator may be also efiiciently used to mix fluids having different viscosities, the agitator is constructed whereby the dilferent size motors may be used with it.

Thus, in summary, this improved agitator clearly fulfills a longstanding need in the industry in that it provides an inexpensive means for quickly, easily and uniformly mixing industrial paint in conventional 55-gallon drums.

It should be noted that various changes may be made in the arrangement and details of construction of the specific embodiment of the agitator unit described herein without departing from the principles of the invention. For this reason it will be understood that the scope of the invention is limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An improved agitator particularly adapted for use with a container of liquid having a threaded opening in the top thereof, said agitator comprising: a body including a portion which has a maximum transverse dimension less than the diameter of the threaded opening and which is adapted to be positioned within the threaded opening and engage a part of the threads of the threaded opening and including means for engaging a side wall of the container for urging said portion of the body into engagement with the part of the threads of the threaded opening; paddle means supported by said body and adapted to extend within the container; and motor means supported by said body and operatively connected with said paddle means for rotating said paddle Within the container.

2. The improved agitator as described in claim 1 in which: said portion of said body slidably extends within the threaded opening and has threads formed thereon which are adapted to engage the threads of said threaded opening.

3. The improved agitator as described in claim 2 in which: said portion of said body is smaller than said threaded opening; and said side engaging means includes at least one arm extending from said body with the terminal end thereof adapted to firmly engage the side of the container and to clamp the threads on said portion of said body into engagement with the threads of said threaded opening.

4. The improved agitator as described in claim 3 in which: said paddle means comprises a tubular member which extends into said container through said threaded opening; said tubular member being supported at one end by said body and having the other end formed in substantially a J configuration.

5. The improved agitator as described in claim 4 in which: the terminal portion of the other end of said tubular member is a flat blade which is disposed at an angle to the bottom of the container whereby rotation of said tubular member causes the liquid in the container to be mixed both horizontally and vertically.

6. The improved agitator as described in claim 5 in which said blade forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees with the bottom of the container.

7. The improved agitator, as described in claim 4, in which: a resilient coupling interconnects said one end of said tubular member with said motor means; and said motor means includes a motor that is removably mounted on said body. I

8. The improved agitator as described in claim 3 in which: said arm is integral with said body and is adapted to project beyond the side of the container with the terminal end of said arm extending downwardly below the upper edge of the side; said terminal end carrying means for engaging the side of said container.

9. The improved agitator as described in claim 8 in which said last mentioned means includes a threaded stud having a foot portion at one end thereof which is adapted to engage the side of said container upon rotation of said stud in one direction and to move away from the side of said container upon rotation of said stud in the opposite direction.

10. The improved agitator as described in claim 1 in which: said body is mounted on a conventional 55-gallon drum having at least one eccentrically positioned, relatively small diameter threaded bung opening formed in its top; said body including a portion which extends within said threaded opening and has threads formed thereon through a segment Which extends through an are having an extent of from 50 to that engage the threads of said threaded opening; said body also including at least one integral arm which projects radially outwardly beyond the side of said drum and which has a terminal end that extends downwardly below the upper edge of the side of said drum; said terminal end of said arm carrying means for selectively engaging the side of said drum and urging the threaded portion of said body into engagement with the threads of said threaded opening whereby said agitator may be securely mounted on said drum; and in which said paddle means includes a statically balanced tubular member which extends through said threaded opening and into the interior of said drum with one end of said tubular member being connected to an air motor means carried by said body and the other end consisting of a blade whereby rotation of said tubular member causes the liquid in said drum to be mixed both horizontally and vertically.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,608,391 11/1926 Hand et al 259107 2,073,925 3/1937 Farrington 259l07 2,162,400 6/1939 Heath 259108 2,794,627 6/1957 Rodwick 259-108 2,854,202 9/1958 Blume et a1 259107 3,132,850 5/1964 Puchalski 259108 3,223,389 12/1965 Simmonds 259-106 IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner,

ROBERT W. JENKINS, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN IMPROVED AGITATOR PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR USE WITH A CONTAINER OF LIQUID HAVING A THREADED OPENING IN THE TOP THEREOF, SAID AGITATOR COMPRISING: A BODY INCLUD ING A PORTION WHICH HAS A MAXIMUM TRANSVERSE DIMENSION LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE THREADED OPENING AND WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED WITHIN THE THREADED OPENING AND ENGAGE A PART OF THE THREADS OF THE THREADED OPENING AND INCLUDING MEANS FOR ENGAGING A SIDE WALL OF THE CONTAINER FOR URGING SAID PORTION OF THE BODY INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PART OF THE THREADS OF THE THREADED OPENING; PADDLE MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID BODY AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND WITHIN THE CONTAINER; AND MOTOR MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID BODY AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID PADDLE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID PADDLE WITHIN THE CONTAINER.

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