Patent ID: 8393820

Claim:
A rotationally locked drive assembly for a VSI crusher, the VSI crusher having a bearing cartridge assembly and an impeller rotatably connected thereto, the rotationally locked drive assembly comprising: a drive shaft rotatably securable in the bearing cartridge assembly, the drive shaft including a tapered upper end portion having one or more threaded apertures, a unitary locking key having a central body, a plurality of integral extensions radiating from said central body, and one or more fastener receiving holes, a flywheel for removably securing the impeller thereto, the flywheel having a top surface, a tapered center opening and a top opening key receptor, said tapered center opening extending downwardly from said top surface and shaped to correspond to the tapered upper end portion of said drive shaft, said top opening key receptor extending upwardly from said top surface for locking said locking key in rotational alignment with said flywheel, said locking key removably received in said key receptor, the upper end portion of said drive shaft removably received in said center opening forming a taper joint between said drive shaft and said flywheel, and one or more fasteners, each of said fasteners having a fastener head and a threaded fastener shaft, each of said fasteners received in one of the fastener receiving holes of the locking key such that the fastener head of each of said fasteners is rotatably retained by said locking key, each of said fasteners received in one of the threaded apertures of said drive shaft, such that tightening said fasteners secures said locking key to the upper end portion of said drive shaft, captures said locking key in said key receptor and presses said flywheel onto said drive shaft to fortify said taper joint.