Drive device for a rotatable shaft

Abstract

A drive device (140) for the rotatable shaft (44) of a mill (10) is disclosed including first and second, diametrically opposed carriers (142). In each of the carriers (142), the ends of first and second bearing plates (152, 154) and of a motor plate (176) extend through parallel slots (148-150) formed in parallel, first and second housing plates (144) and are secured to adjustment plates (164) located outside of and slideable on the housing plates (144). Screw mechanisms (168) extend between and adjustably relate the housing and adjustment plates (144, 164) to provide relative sliding therebetween. A jack shaft (156) rotatably mounted by first and second bearings (158, 160) carried by the bearing plates (152, 154) includes a sheave (162) located intermediate the bearing plates (152, 154). A motor (180) is mounted to the motor plate (176) and has an output shaft (182) coupled to an end of the jack shaft (156) to avoid overhung loads to the motor (180). The rotatable shaft (44) is rotatably related to the jack shaft (156) by belts (198, 202) extending around sheaves (162, 196, 200) on the jack shaft (156) and the rotatable shaft (44) in diametrically opposite directions to avoid overhung loads being transferred to the rotatable shaft (44).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.