Drive mechanism for cement mixer and the like

A drive mechanism for a load rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis, comprising:

• a gear housing formed at its top with an aperture surrounded by an annular seating surface;
• a load shaft journaled generally horizontally in said housing and projecting from a side thereof;
• a bevel gear keyed to said load shaft inside said gear housing;
• and
• a driving unit detachably mounted on said housing, said unit including a casing outside said housing having a peripheral flange resting directly on said seating surface, a motor inside said casing, a drive shaft positively coupled with said motor extending through said aperture into said housing, a bevel pinion on said drive shaft meshing with said bevel gear inside housing, said drive shaft having a threaded extremity projecting beyond said pinion, said casing and said pinion being provided with extensions forming confronting surfaces in said housing, an antifriction bearing interposed between said extensions, spacing means inserted between said bearing means and one of said confronting surfaces for establishing a predetermined depth of penetration of said pinion into said housing, and fastening means including a nut on said extremity holding said pinion, said bearing and said spacing means in position.