Patent ID: 7112052

Claim:
A powder compacting machine comprising a pair of synchronously rotating compacting elements that mesh with each other circumferentially to define a compacting gusset, a first of said compacting elements comprising a rotatable first compacting roll connected to a first drive shaft assembly; said first drive shaft assembly comprising a first stub shaft connected to a first side of the first compacting roll, and a second stub shaft connected to a second side of the first compacting roll; said drive shaft assembly being operable to drive said first stub shaft, said first and second stub shafts each being provided with a first claw-like projection integral therewith and engageable with said first compacting roll; a second of said compacting elements being connected to a second drive shaft assembly, said second drive shaft assembly comprising a third stub shaft connected to a first side of said second compacting roll and a fourth stub shaft connected of a second side of said second compacting roll, and drive shaft assemblies being drivingly interconnected by meshed gears mounted on the second and third stub shafts; the second of said compacting rolls being in meshing engagement with said first compacting roll and provided with recesses complementary to and adapted to receive said second-claw-like projections on said third and fourth stub shafts: in at least one rotational position, said second claw-like projections adapted to be slid laterally in between said third and fourth stub shaft claw-like projections to be coupled to said third and fourth stub shaft to connect and disconnect said third and fourth stub shafts; and wherein said stub shafts and said compacting elements are each provided with an aligned bore and wherein a screw shank occupies each bore and the each shank is adapted to serve as a centering bolt for one of said compacting rolls; and wherein the compacting rolls are adapted for removal from the stub shafts and out of the machine without removal of one of the stub shafts.