Patent ID: 7387431

Claim:
An apparatus having a vessel and a bearing apparatus for supporting a lower end of a rotating agitator shaft with respect to a stationary lower surface of the vessel, the apparatus comprising: a bushing cup having a cylindrical inner surface, and mounted to and projecting downwardly from the lower end of the agitator shaft; a pedestal hub mounted to the vessel by a plurality of legs attached to the vessel; an upwardly projecting bushing shaft having a cylindrical outer surface, and mounted to the pedestal hub; a cylindrical bushing element mounted to the inside of the bushing cup and surrounding the bushing shaft for rotational sliding contact with the cylindrical outer surface of the bushing shaft wherein the cylindrical bushing cup and the cylindrical outer surface of the bushing shaft overlap axially so that axial movement is accommodated and rotational sliding contact of the bushing element with the cylindrical outer surface of the bushing shaft is maintained during a range of axial movement between the cylindrical bushing cup and the cylindrical bushing shaft; and a top support plate disposed between the bushing shaft and the pedestal hub.