Mixing apparatus
AssigneeFluid Management Limited Partnership
InventorsAnthony Altieri, Jr., Melvin F. Sass
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clamping fixture slides between a pair of guide rails and includes a pressure plate between the guide rails. Lock plates with internal openings for receiving the guide rails are held captive on the pressure plate. An operating bar with stepped ends, one adjacent each locking plate, is deflected by a cam mechanism to incline the lock plates relative to the guide rails, thus wedging the lock plates to prevent further sliding along the guide rails. Return springs are provided to urge the lock plates to an unlocked position when pressure on the operating bar is released. A mixing apparatus using the clamping fixture is also disclosed.
Claims25
Clamping fixture for slidable mounting between a pair of generally parallel spaced apart guide rails, comprising:
- a pressure plate insertable between said guide rails;
- at least two lock plates adjacent aperture for receiving a respective guide rail so as to slide along the guide rail, said aperture having a locking edge;
- a bar extending between said lock plates, said bar having end portions for engaging said lock plates, with a central, cam-engaging portion therebetween;
- an operating shaft movable between locked and unlocked positions, and having a cam mounting portion adjacent said central portion;
- cam means mounted on the cam mounting portion and engaging the cam-engaging portion;
- the cam-engaging portion of said bar including edge means defining an aperture for receiving the cam mounting portion of said operating shaft with said cam means engaging said edge means to displace said bar;
- and
- displacement of said operating shaft moving said cam to displace the bar and move the lock plates so as to bring the locking edges into binding engagement with the guide rails to prevent movement of the pressure plate with respect to the guide rails.
Clamping apparatus for mixing the contents of a closed container, comprising:
- a pair of parallel spaced apart guide rails;
- a frame supporting said guide rails;
Mixing apparatus for mixing the contents of a closed container, comprising:
- an outer frame;
- an inner frame disposed at least partly within the outer frame;
- a pair of generally parallel spaced apart guide rails supported by the inner frame;
- frame mounting means between the inner and outer frames for mounting the inner frame for mixing motion within the outer frame;
- a motor mounted to the outer frame and coupled to the inner frame to move the inner frame with a mixing motion;
- a pressure plate insertable between said guide rails;
- at least two lock plates adjacent the pressure plate, one lock plate for each guide rail, each lock plate including an aperture for receiving a respective guide rail so as to slide along the guide rail, said aperture having a locking edge;
- a bar extending between said lock plates, said bar having end portions for engaging said lock plates, with a central, cam-engaging portion therebetween;
- an operating shaft movable between locked and unlocked positions, and having a cam mounting portion adjacent said central portion;
- cam means mounted on the cam mounting portion and engaging the cam-engaging portion;
- the cam-engaging portion of said bar including edge means defining an aperture for receiving the cam mounting portion of said operating shaft with said cam means engaging said edge means to displace said bar;
- and
- displacement of said operating shaft moving said cam to displace the bar and move the lock plates so as to bring the locking edges into binding engagement with the guide rails to prevent movement of the pressure plate with respect to the guide rails.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.