Tapered vertical blender with removable lid and anti-torque mount

A lid and auger assembly for a tapered vertical blender, the lid and auger assembly comprising:

• a panel;
• a plurality of mounting brackets extending from the panel;
• a mounting plate positioned over a center of the panel;
• a plurality of struts extending between the mounting brackets and the mounting plate, the struts joined to the mounting plate at positions offset from a center of the mounting plate;
• the auger assembly coupled to the mounting plate, the auger assembly comprising an auger screw extending through the center of the panel, an auger housing coupled to the auger screw and configured to permit rotation of the auger screw relative to the auger housing, a gear box coupled to the auger housing, and a motor coupled to the gear box, the gear box having at least one gear configured to communicate rotational energy from the motor to the auger screw.