US 7,399,112 B2
Liquid mixing system for closed vessels
Gary Haughton, Oakville (Canada); and Alexander Gris, Proton Station (Canada)
Assigned to Enersave Fluid Mixers Inc., Oakville, Ontario (Canada)
Appl. No. 10/556,320
PCT Filed May 10, 2004, PCT No. PCT/CA2004/000704
§ 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Nov. 09, 2005,
PCT Pub. No. WO2004/098762, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 18, 2004.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/469026, filed on May 09, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2006/0221766 A1, Oct. 05, 2006
Int. Cl. B01F 11/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 366—258  [366/278; 366/332] 38 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mixing apparatus for use with a vessel having a contiguous sidewall substantially centered about and defining a longitudinal axis, the mixing apparatus comprising:
a base plate removably mountable atop the vessel;
a table frame removably mountable atop the base plate;
a housing removably mountable atop the table frame;
a mixing head comprising a generally annular blade body for immersion into the fluids to be mixed within the vessel, the blade body having a centrally positioned hub member defining a substantially vertically directed hub axis, said hub member being attached to and surrounded by a ring portion defining an orifice having a centre of symmetry;
a drive shaft for supporting the mixing head within the vessel and extending from the hub member to the housing;
a reciprocating drive assembly mounted substantially within the housing, the reciprocating drive assembly being operatively connectable to the drive shaft for imparting reciprocating longitudinal movement to the mixing head;
a linear bearing assembly mounted on the table frame in proximal relation to the housing with the drive shaft operatively slidable within said linear bearing assembly;
wherein the mixing apparatus is positionable atop the vessel with the drive shaft, hub axis and centre of symmetry all being substantially aligned with said longitudinal axis; andwherein the housing has a housing base plate adjacent its lower end, the table frame has a top plate adjacent its upper end, and wherein the housing is mountable atop the top plate in removable contacting relation therewith.