Horizontal mixer apparatus and method with improved shaft and seal structure

A horizontal mixer for mixing and processing materials comprising:

• a mixing chamber generally horizontally disposed and having an inside chamber space configured for receiving material to be mixed;
• an elongated rotatable mixing shaft extending longitudinally through the chamber space and having opposing ends, each end extending through a respective opening in an end wall of the chamber, the shaft including at least one mixing element coupled thereto;
• a drive apparatus operably coupled to a drive end of the mixing shaft for rotating the shaft and mixing element to mix material placed in the chamber space;
• a stub end of the shaft having a bearing portion extending through said end wall opening opposite the drive end of the shaft;
• a sleeve bearing operably engaging said bearing portion of the shaft stub end, the sleeve bearing operable for rotatably supporting said stub end proximate the respective end wall opening when the shaft rotates;
• a sealing shroud coupled with the chamber proximate said shaft stub end, the sealing shroud covering a portion of the shaft stub end;
• a static shroud seal disposed between said sealing shroud and said chamber, the static shroud seal being out of direct contact with said rotatable shaft stub end;
• the sealing shroud and static shroud seal effectively isolating the shaft stub end such that leakage through the sleeve bearing and stub end between the chamber space and outside atmosphere is generally prevented;
• whereby the shaft stub end is durably supported and is sealed from the atmosphere.

A horizontal mixer for mixing and processing materials comprising:

• a mixing chamber having an inside chamber space configured for receiving material to be mixed and including a rotatable mixing shaft extending through the chamber and having opposing ends, each end extending through a respective opening in a chamber end wall, the shaft including at least one mixing element coupled thereto;
• a stub end of the shaft extending through the respective end wall opening;
• a sleeve bearing operably engaging said shaft stub end and operable for rotatably supporting said stub end proximate the end wall opening when the shaft rotates;
• a sealing shroud coupled with the chamber proximate said sleeve bearing, the sealing shroud covering a portion of the shaft stub end;
• a static shroud seal disposed between said sealing shroud and said chamber, the static shroud seal being out of direct contact with said rotatable shaft stub end;
• the sealing shroud and static shroud seal effectively isolating the shaft stub end such that leakage through the sleeve bearing and stub end between the chamber space and outside atmosphere is generally prevented;
• whereby the shaft stub end is durably supported and is sealed from the atmosphere.

A stub end seal structure for supporting and sealing the stub end of a horizontal mixer shaft which extends through an opening in an end wall of the mixer chamber, the seal structure comprising:

• a sleeve bearing operably engaging said shaft stub end and operable for rotatably supporting said stub end proximate the end wall opening when the shaft rotates;
• a sealing shroud configured for coupling with the chamber proximate said sleeve bearing, the sealing shroud covering a portion of the shaft stub end;
• a static shroud seal disposed between said sealing shroud and said chamber, the static shroud seal being out of direct contact with said rotatable shaft stub end;
• the sealing shroud and static shroud seal effectively isolating the shaft stub end such that leakage through the sleeve bearing and stub end between the chamber space and outside atmosphere is generally prevented and generally unaffected by the rotation of the mixer shaft;
• whereby the shaft stub end is durably supported and is sealed from the atmosphere proximate the chamber end wall.