Patent ID: 7419109

Claim:
An apparatus for attaching hammers to a hammer mill, said apparatus comprising: at least one hammer for a hammer mill, said at least one hammer having an opening disposed in one end thereof corresponding to a pivot axis, said opening being of a first diameter; a sleeve having a central opening therein being operatively attached to the hammer mill, the sleeve being disposed in said opening in the one end of the at least one hammer; said sleeve having a first cylindrical outer surface having a second diameter, said second diameter being only slightly smaller than the first diameter of the opening in one end of the at least one hammer; said sleeve having a second cylindrical outer surface having a third diameter, said third diameter being larger than said second diameter; a shoulder extending from the second cylindrical outer surface to the third cylindrical outer surface; an annular groove disposed in the first cylindrical outer surface; and a snap ring being selectively disposed in the annular groove, said snap ring having an outer diameter which is larger than the second diameter, where by the at least one hammer will be disposed between the shoulder and the snap ring.