Drive apparatus for an extruder

Abstract

A drive apparatus for an extruder includes a speed reduction mechanism unit and an output distributing mechanism unit separated from each other. The speed reduction mechanism unit is a planetary gear speed reduction mechanism including a hollow gear connected in mesh with a main input shaft through a plurality of gears giving a selectively variable speed change ratio and located on the outer periphery, a supporting shaft of a sun gear which constitutes an auxiliary input shaft, and a planetary frame of planetary gears which constitutes an output shaft, wherein the speed reduction mechanism unit and the output distributing mechanism unit are connected to each other by only an output shaft joint, and the main motor or auxiliary motor is selected by a switching lever to widen the running range of the motors.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.