Patent Publication Number: US-2003235109-A1

Title: Mixer apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/811,309 filed Mar. 15, 2001 which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/808,550 filed Mar. 14, 2001 which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/590,347 filed Jun. 8, 2000 which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/562,167 filed May 2, 2000. All the subject matter of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] The present invention relates to a mixer apparatus for mixing livestock feed. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vertical auger mixer having at least one auger.  
       [0004] 2. Information Disclosure Statement  
       [0005] Cattle farming requires the mixing of various livestock feeds for subsequent distribution. Additionally, mixers can be used for mixing other materials such as composts and the like. Sometimes such mixing of feeds includes depositing at least one bale of hay into a mixer container together with other additives. The materials within the container are mixed by means of at least one auger which rotates within the container so that an intimate mixing of the contents of the container is obtained. Although many mixers employ a pair of horizontal interacting augers extending longitudinally along the container, several mixers have been proposed in which the auger or augers are disposed vertically.  
       [0006] In the prior art mixers of the vertical auger type, such mixers sometimes include a pair of augers in which the rotational axes of the augers are disposed spaced and parallel relative to each other. Furthermore, each of such augers is driven by a separate drive which supplies rotary motion to each of the augers from below.  
       [0007] Also, some mixers have a single auger. However, the aforementioned twin auger mixers suffer from the following drawbacks. First, the provision of two 90 degree drives and associated planetary reduction gearboxes is extremely expensive and involves the manufacture of many parts. Second, access to such gearboxes requires removal of the gearboxes from underneath the mixer and then disassembly of such gearboxes. Third, the augers include continuous flighting which provides less agitation of the feed. Fourth, at the end of a mixing operation, an operator will usually find it necessary to rev up the power take off in an attempt to throw materials centrifugally away from the augers so that the augers are cleaned. Fifth, when weighing materials to be mixed, inaccurate measurements are made when the mixer is on uneven ground. Such inaccuracies are caused mainly because when a load cell is disposed at the hitch of a drawbar, the reading reflects a vector rather than a vertical weight when the mixer is tilted. Most of the aforementioned drawbacks are also applicable to single auger mixers and the cost of providing a planetary gearbox and other parts is considerable.  
       [0008] Also, the apparatus according to the present invention includes a final driven wheel which has a diameter of at least three foot and preferably a diameter of at least five foot.  
       [0009] The present invention provides a vertical auger mixer apparatus which overcomes all of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior art arrangements.  
       [0010] Therefore, it is a primary feature of the present invention to provide a mixer apparatus in which the final driven wheel has a diameter of at least three foot and preferably a diameter of at least five foot for simplifying and thus reducing the cost of the apparatus and for enabling frozen bales of feed to be processed.  
       [0011] Other features and advantages of the mixer apparatus according to the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description contained herein of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0012] The present invention relates to a mixer apparatus for mixing livestock feed. The apparatus includes a container for the reception therein of the feed. The container has a housing and a wall extending away from the housing, the wall defining an opening disposed remote from the housing for the reception therethrough of the feed. The arrangement is such that the housing and the wall define therebetween an enclosure for the feed received through the opening. An auger is disposed within the enclosure, the auger having an axis of rotation extending through the housing. Additionally, a substantially horizontally disposed drive pinion is provided which intermeshes with a final driven wheel which is driven by the drive pinion and disposed substantially horizontally within the housing. The final driven wheel is rotatable about the axis of rotation, the final driven wheel being drivingly connected to the auger so that when the final driven wheel is rotated within the housing, the auger is rotated therewith within the enclosure for mixing the feed. Also, the final driven wheel has a diameter of at least three foot.  
       [0013] In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the final driven wheel has a diameter of at least four foot. More specifically, the final driven wheel has a diameter of at least five foot. Also, the final driven wheel is a bull gear having at least 50 gear teeth. More specifically, the final driven wheel has from 56-105 gear teeth and is flame hardened.  
       [0014] The final driven wheel has a thickness within a range from 1 to 2 inches and the pinion which intermeshes with the final driven wheel has between 10 and 12 gear teeth.  
       [0015] The pinion which intermeshes with the final driven wheel has a thickness within a range from 1.50 to 4.50 inches and has a thickness which is greater than a thickness of the final driven wheel.  
       [0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pinion which intermeshes with the final driven wheel is fabricated from steel and then hardened.  
       [0017] Many modifications and variations of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description contained hereinafter taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, such modifications and variations fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mixer apparatus according to the present invention having twin augers;  
     [0019]FIG. 1 a  is a perspective view of a mixer apparatus having a single auger;  
     [0020]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the mixer apparatus shown in FIG. 1 a;    
     [0021]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the mixer apparatus shown in FIG. 2;  
     [0022]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0023]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0024]FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of the auger shown in FIG. 2;  
     [0025]FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the drive gear pinion and driven wheel shown in FIG. 1 a;    
     [0026]FIG. 7 a  is a similar view to that shown in FIG. 7 but shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0027]FIG. 7 b  is a view taken on the line  7   b - 7   b  of FIG. 7 a;    
     [0028]FIG. 8 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 7 of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0029]FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a further embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0030]FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic representation viewed from the top of another embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0031]FIG. 11 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0032]FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line  12 - 12  of FIG. 11;  
     [0033]FIG. 13 is a view taken from beneath the mixer apparatus shown in FIG. 3; and  
     [0034]FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the hitch bar as shown in FIG. 1.  
     [0035] Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the various embodiments of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0036]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mixer apparatus generally designated  10  for mixing livestock feed and the like  12 . The apparatus  10  includes a container  14  for the reception therein of the feed  12 . The container  14  includes a housing generally designated  16  and a wall  18  extending away from the housing  16 . The wall  18  defines an opening  20  which is disposed remote from the housing  16  for the reception therethrough of the feed  12 . The arrangement is such that the housing  16  and the wall  18  define therebetween an enclosure  22  for the feed  12  received through the opening  20 . An auger  24  is disposed within the enclosure  22 , the auger  24  having an axis of rotation  26  which extends through the housing  16 . The mixer apparatus  10  further includes a further auger  136  which is disposed within the enclosure  22 , the further auger  136  having a rotational axis  138  disposed approximately parallel and spaced from the axis of rotation  26  of the auger  24 . The mixer  10  also has a drive wheel  112  which is common to the auger  24  and the further auger  136 , the drive wheel  112  having a further axis of rotation  114  which is disposed spaced and approximately parallel relative to the axis of rotation  26  of the auger  24  and the rotational axis  138  of the further auger  136 .  
     [0037] As shown in FIG. 1, the mixer apparatus  10  also includes a final driven wheel  28  disposed within the housing  16 , the final driven wheel  28  being rotatable about the axis of rotation  26 . The final driven wheel  28  is drivingly connected to the auger  24  so that when the final driven wheel  28  is rotated within the housing  16 , the auger  24  is rotated therewith within the enclosure  22  for mixing the feed, the final driven wheel  28  being driven by the drive wheel  112 .  
     [0038] As shown in FIG. 1, the container  14  further includes a frame  34  for supporting the housing  16  thereon. The container  14  also includes a plurality of wheels  36  and  38  which are rotatably secured to the frame  34  for permitting transportation of the mixer apparatus  10 . Additionally, the container  14  includes a hitch bar  40  which is secured to the frame  34  for facilitating transportation of the mixer apparatus  10  by a tractor or the like (not shown).  
     [0039]FIG. 1 a  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention in which the mixer has a single auger. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the various features to be described relative to the single auger mixer are equally applicable to the twin auger mixer described with reference to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1 a , the housing  16 ′ includes a base  42  and a rim  44  having a first and a second end  46  and  48  respectively. The first end  46  of the rim  44  is secured to the base  42 . A floor  50  is disposed between the auger  24 ′ and the final driven wheel  28 ′, the floor  50  being secured to the second end  48  of the rim  44  such that the base  42 , the rim  44  and the floor  50  define therebetween an encasement  52  for the final driven wheel  28 ′. Furthermore, the floor  50  defines an access hole  54  for permitting removal and replacement therethrough of the final driven wheel  28 ′. The floor  50  includes a cover  56  which has been removed for clarity in FIG. 1. The cover  56  is for covering the access hole  54 .  
     [0040]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the mixer apparatus shown in FIG. 1 a . As shown in FIG. 2, the cover  56  defines an aperture  58  through which the axis of rotation  26 ′ extends so that driving of the auger  24 ′ by the final driven wheel  28 ′ is permitted. Moreover, the cover  56  includes a bearing  60  which extends through the aperture  58 , the bearing  60  being disposed between the auger  24 ′ and the final driven wheel  28 ′ for bearingly supporting the auger  24 ′ and the final driven wheel  28 ′ for permitting rotation of the auger  24 ′ and the final driven wheel  28 ′ when the final driven wheel  28 ′ is being driven.  
     [0041] As also shown in FIGS. 1 a  and  2 , the floor  50  defines an array of bores  62 ,  63  and  64  disposed around the access hole  54 .  
     [0042]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus  10 ′ shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the cover  56  has a peripheral edge  66  which defines a plurality of holes  68 ,  69  and  70 . A plurality of fasteners  72 ,  73  and  74  are arranged such that each fastener such as fastener  72  extends through a hole such as hole  68  of the plurality of holes  68 - 70  and an aligned bore such as bore  62  of the array of bores  62 - 64  shown in FIG. 1 a  for removably fastening the cover  56  to the floor  50 . The encasement  52  is filled with lubricant  76  for lubricating the final driven wheel  28 ′ as shown in FIG. 2.  
     [0043] Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 a - 3 , the wall  18 ′ extends angularly away from the housing  16 ′. Preferably, the wall  18 ′ defines a discharge outlet  78  shown in FIG. 3 for the discharge therethrough of the feed  12 ′. The discharge outlet  78  includes a door  79  and at least one rotary expeller  80  for moving the feed  12 ′ away from the enclosure  22 ′.  
     [0044]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, a discharge outlet  78   a  includes a conveyor  82  for conveying the feed  12   a  away from the enclosure  22   a  and a door  79   a  which is movable relative to the discharge outlet  78   a.    
     [0045] In another feature of the present invention as shown in FIG. 2, the auger  24 ′ includes a core  84  and flighting generally designated  86  is connected to the core  84  so that when the auger  24 ′ rotates as indicated by the arrow  88  as shown in FIG. 1 a , feed  12 ′ disposed within the enclosure  22 ′ is mixed. The core  84  is of cylindrical configuration and the flighting  86  is disposed helically around the core  84 . More specifically as shown in FIG. 2, the flighting  86  includes a first portion  90  and a second portion  92  which is staggered relative to the first portion  90  such that movement of the feed  12 ′ as indicated by the arrow  94  between the first and second portions  90  and  92  respectively is interrupted. The first portion  90  has a first and a second end  96  and  98  respectively and is of spiral configuration. The first end  96  is disposed adjacent to the housing  16 ′. The second portion  92  has a first and a second extremity  100  and  102  respectively, the first extremity  100  being disposed in an adjacent spaced relationship relative to the second end  98  of the first portion  90 . The second portion  92  also is of spiral configuration. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the core  84  could be of conical configuration or of square cross sectional configuration without departing from the spirit and concept of the present invention.  
     [0046]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, an auger  24   b  includes a first portion  90   b  which is a paddle  91  and a second portion  92   b  is a further paddle  93 . The further paddle  93  is disposed in staggered relationship with paddle  91  as shown in FIG. 5. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, both of the paddles  91  and  93  extend from a core  84   b  of the auger  24   b.    
     [0047]FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of the auger  24 ′ shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 6, the flighting  86  has an inner edge  104  and an outer edge  106 , the inner edge  104  being connected to the core  84 . The outer edge  106  is canted towards the housing  16 ′ such that discharging and cleaning of feed  12 ′ from the auger  24 ′ during an unloading operation is facilitated.  
     [0048]FIG. 7 is an enlarged top plan view of the final driven wheel  28 ′ shown in FIG. 1 a . As shown in FIG. 7, the final driven wheel  28 ′ is a gear wheel. The gear wheel  28 ′ includes a plurality of straight teeth  108 ,  109  and  110 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gear wheel  28 ′ has a diameter D of at least three foot.  
     [0049]FIG. 8 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 7 of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the final driven wheel  28   c  is a driven sprocket wheel with driven sprocket teeth  108   c ,  109   c  and  110   c . Also, as shown in FIG. 8, a drive wheel  112   c  is a sprocket having teeth  116   c  for driving the driven wheel  28   c  by a drive chain  148   c.    
     [0050] As shown in FIG. 1 a , the apparatus  10 ′ also includes a drive wheel  112 ′ having a further axis of rotation  114 ′ which is disposed spaced and approximately parallel to the axis of rotation  26 ′ of the auger  24 ′, the drive wheel  112 ′ driving the final driven wheel  28 ′. More particularly, the drive wheel  112 ′ is a drive gear pinion having a plurality of teeth  116 ,  117  and  118 . The final driven wheel  28 ′ is a gear wheel having gear teeth  108 - 110  as shown in FIG. 7 which intermesh with the plurality of teeth  116 - 118  of the drive gear pinion  112 ′ so that when the drive gear pinion  112 ′ is rotated as indicated by the arrow  120 , the final driven wheel  28 ′ and the auger  24 ′ are rotated. The floor  50  is disposed between the auger  24 ′ and the final driven wheel  28 ′, the floor  50  being secured to the second end  48  of the rim  44  such that the base  42 , the rim  44  and the floor  50  define therebetween the encasement  52  for the final driven wheel  28 ′. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the floor  50  and the base  42  further define a cavity  122  for the reception therein of the drive gear pinion  112 ′. The mixer apparatus  10 ′ further includes a drive gear pinion bearing  124  which is secured to the base  42  for rotatably supporting the drive gear pinion  112 ′ within the cavity  122 . A drive shaft  126  is secured to the drive gear pinion  112 ′, the drive shaft  126  extending through the housing  16 ′ so that when the drive shaft  126  is rotated as indicated by the arrow  128 , the drive gear pinion  112 ′, the final driven wheel  28 ′ and the auger  24 ′ are rotated.  
     [0051]FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the drive gear pinion  112 ′ and driven wheel  28 ′. As shown in FIG. 7, the mixer apparatus  10 ′ further includes a guide  130  disposed in a vicinity of the plurality of teeth  116 - 118  of the drive gear pinion  112 ′ and the gear teeth  108 - 110  of the final driven wheel  28 ′. The arrangement is such that when the plurality of teeth  116 - 118  intermesh with the gear teeth  108 - 110  of the final driven wheel  28 ′, the intermeshing teeth  108 - 110  and  116 - 118  are guided by the guide  130  into an intermeshing relationship by the guide  130  as shown in FIG. 2. The guide  130  is secured to the drive gear pinion  112 ′ and is disposed between the drive gear pinion  112 ′ and the base  42  as shown in FIG. 2.  
     [0052]FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the mixer  10  shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 9, the further auger  136  is disposed within the enclosure  22 , the further auger  136  having a rotational axis  138  disposed approximately parallel and spaced from the axis of rotation  26  of an auger  24 .  
     [0053] As shown in FIG. 9, the drive wheel  112  is common to the auger  24  and the further auger  136 . The drive wheel  112 , part of which is shown in FIG. 9, includes the further axis of rotation  114  which is disposed spaced and approximately parallel relative to the axis of rotation  26  of the auger  24  and the rotational axis  138  of the further auger  136 . The further axis of rotation  114  of the drive wheel  112  is disposed between the axis of rotation  26  of the auger  24  and the rotational axis  138  of the further auger  136 .  
     [0054]FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic representation viewed from the top of another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 10, the axis of rotation  26   e  of the auger  24   e  and final driven wheel  28   e  is disposed between the further axis of rotation  114   e  of the drive wheel  112   e  and the rotational axis  138   e  of the further auger  136   e . The drive wheel  112   e  is a drive gear pinion, the drive gear pinion having a plurality of teeth  116   e - 118   e . The final driven wheel  28   e  is a gear wheel having gear teeth  108   e - 110   e  which intermesh with the plurality of teeth  116   e - 118   e  of the drive gear pinion  112   e  so that when the drive gear pinion  112   e  is rotated, the final driven wheel  28   e  and the auger  24   e  are rotated.  
     [0055] As shown in FIG. 10, the mixer apparatus  10   e  further includes a further final driven wheel  140 , the further final driven wheel  140  being a further gear wheel having further gear teeth  142 ,  143  and  144  which are driven by the plurality of teeth  108   e - 110   e  of the driven wheel  28   e . The arrangement is such that when the drive gear pinion  112   e  is rotated, the final driven wheel  28   e  and the auger  24   e  are rotated and the further final driven wheel  140  and further auger  136   e  are rotated. As shown in FIG. 10, a gear  141  is disposed between the wheels  28   e  and  140 .  
     [0056]FIG. 11 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 11, a drive wheel  112   f  is a first drive sprocket.  
     [0057]FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line  12 - 12  of FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 12, the mixer apparatus  10   f  further includes a second drive sprocket  146  which is secured to the first drive sprocket  112   f  and is disposed coaxially relative to the first drive sprocket  112   f . A drive  148   f  extends around the first drive sprocket  112   f  and the final driven wheel  28   f  so that when the first drive sprocket  112   f  is rotated, the drive  148   f  rotates the final driven wheel  28   f . Also, a further final driven wheel  140   f  is a further driven sprocket wheel. A further drive  150  extends around the second drive sprocket  146  and the further final driven wheel  140   f  so that when the second drive sprocket  146  is rotated, the further drive  150  rotates the further final driven wheel  140   f . The drive  148   f  is a first roller chain drive and the further drive  150  is a second roller chain drive.  
     [0058] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the arrangement shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 could include replacing the driven and drive sprockets with driven and drive pulleys with the drive roller chain being replaced with a belt drive. Similarly, the further driven and further drive sprockets and further roller chain drive could be replaced by a further driven pulley, further drive pulley and further drive belt respectively.  
     [0059]FIG. 13 is a view taken from beneath the mixer apparatus  10  shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 13, a plurality of wheels  36 ′ and  38 ′ shown in FIG. 1 a  includes the first wheel  36 ′ and the second wheel  38 ′ disposed spaced and coaxial relative to the first wheel  36 ′. A first load cell  152  is disposed between the first wheel  36 ′ and the frame  34 ′ and a second load cell  154  is disposed between the second wheel  38 ′ and the frame  34 ′ as shown in FIG. 13.  
     [0060]FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the hitch bar  40  as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 14, the hitch bar  40  is connected to the frame  34  and is disposed remote from the wheels  36  and  38 . A third load cell  156  has a first and a second end  158  and  160  respectively, the first end  158  of the third load cell  156  being secured to the frame  34 . A clevis  162  is attached to the second end  160  of the third load cell  156 , the clevis  162  being rotatable as indicated by the arrow  164 , about a longitudinal axis  166  of the third load cell  156 . The arrangement is such that during a weighing operation which is dependent on measurements from the first, second and third load cells  152 ,  154  and  156 , the rotatable clevis  162  adjusts to a difference in an inclination of the mixer apparatus  10  and a tractor (not shown) so that side pressures and inaccuracies in measurements from the third load cell  156  is decreased.  
     [0061] Also, according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1 a , the present invention relates to a mixer apparatus  10 ′ for mixing livestock feed  12 ′. The container  14 ′ has a housing  16 ′ and a wall  18 ′ extending away from the housing  16 ′, the wall  18 ′ defining an opening  20 ′ disposed remote from the housing  16 ′ for the reception therethrough of the feed  12 ′. The arrangement is such that the housing  16 ′ and the wall  18 ′ define therebetween an enclosure  22 ′ for the feed  12 ′ received through the opening  20 ′. An auger  24 ′ is disposed within the enclosure  22 ′, the auger  24 ′ having an axis of rotation  26 ′ extending through the housing  16 ′. Additionally, a substantially horizontally disposed drive pinion  112 ′ is provided which intermeshes with a final driven wheel  28 ′ which is driven by the drive pinion  112 ′ and disposed substantially horizontally within the housing  16 ′. The final driven wheel  28 ′ is rotatable about the axis of rotation  26 ′, the final driven wheel  28 ′ being drivingly connected to the auger  24 ′ so that when the final driven wheel  28 ′ is rotated within the housing  16 ′, the auger  24 ′ is rotated therewith within the enclosure  22 ′ for mixing the feed  12 ′. Also, the final driven wheel  28 ′ has a diameter D of at least three foot.  
     [0062] In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the final driven wheel has a diameter D of at least four foot. More specifically, the final driven wheel has a diameter D of at least five foot.  
     [0063]FIG. 7 a  is a similar view to that shown in FIG. 7 but shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7 a , the final driven wheel  28 ′ is a bull gear having at least 50 gear teeth. More specifically, the final driven wheel  28 ′ has from 56 to 60 gear teeth and is flame hardened. As shown in FIG. 7 a , the wheel  28 ′ has 58 gear teeth  108 ′,  109 ′ and  110 ′.  
     [0064]FIG. 7 b  is a view taken on the line  7   b - b  of FIG. 7 a . As shown in FIG. 7 b , the final driven wheel  28 ′ has a thickness T within a range from 1 to 4 inches and the pinion  112 ′ which intermeshes with the final driven wheel  28 ′ has between 10 and 12 gear teeth as shown in FIG. 7 a.    
     [0065] The pinion  112 ′ has a thickness t within a range from 1.75 to 3 inches and has a thickness t which is greater than a thickness T of the final driven wheel  28 ′.  
     [0066] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pinion  112 ′ which intermeshes with the final driven wheel  28 ′ is fabricated from steel and hardened.  
     [0067] In a final driven wheel having a diameter of 85 inches there will be 105 teeth whereas in a smaller driven wheel having a diameter of 60 inches, there will be 58 teeth.  
     [0068] In operation of the mixer apparatus  10  according to the present invention, the cover  56  is unbolted from the floor  50  and the auger  24  and final driven wheel  28  are removed upwardly as a single unit so that immediate inspection and servicing of the final driven wheel  28  and drive wheel  112  is permitted. Also, reassembly of the unit  32  which includes the auger  24  and final driven wheel  28  is a simple operation in which the unit is lowered through the enclosure  22  followed by refastening the cover  56  to the floor  50 .  
     [0069] The present invention provides a vertical auger mixer having a number of unique features which reduce the cost of production thereof and provide a mixer which permits easy access for inspecting and servicing the drive gears thereof.