Agitator assembly with a retractable blade assembly

An agitator assembly for mixing ingredients in a conventional food and beverage processing vat, said agitator assembly being driven by an agitator drive positioned above the vat and the vat includes a cover which defines an opening therein, said agitator assembly comprising:

• a shaft defining a first end and a second end, said first end for securing to the agitator drive, said shaft extending through the opening in the vat cover;
• and
• a retractable blade assembly defining
• an agitator shaft defining a first end and a second end, said first end of said agitator shaft being secured to said second end of said shaft, said agitator shaft further defining a blade arm slot, a shaft lifting pin slot and a shaft pivot pin opening each extending through said agitator shaft proximate said second end of said agitator shaft, said blade arm slot being disposed approximately 90.degree. from said shaft lifting pin slot and said shaft pivot pin opening, said shaft lifting pin slot being positioned above said shaft pivot pin opening;
• a lifting collar being cylindrical and defining an upper end, a lower end, two axial slots and two lifting pin openings, said two axial slots being oppositely disposed and extending from said lower end of said lifting collar, said two lifting pin openings being oppositely disposed proximate said lower end of said lifting collar, said two lifting pin openings being disposed 90.degree. from said two axial slots, said lifting collar being slidably received over said agitator shaft such that said axial slots are aligned with said blade arm slot;
• two blades each defining a blade arm and an agitator blade secured to said blade arm, said blade arm defining a blade lifting pin slot and a blade pivot pin opening, a portion of said blade arm of each of said two blades being receivable through said axial slots and in said blade arm slot of said agitator shaft, each of said two blades extending in opposing directions, said blade pivot pin opening of each of said two blades being alignable with said shaft pivot pin opening and receiving a pivot pin therethrough such that said two blades pivot with respect to said pivot pin, each of said blade lifting pin slots being alignable with said shaft lifting pin slot and said lifting pin openings and receiving a lifting pin therethrough such that when said lifting collar is raised with respect to said agitator shaft said two blades are lowered and when said lifting collar is lowered with respect to said agitator shaft said two blades are retracted, said retractable blade assembly being movable through the opening in the vat cover when said two blades are retracted.

An agitator assembly for mixing ingredients in a conventional food and beverage processing vat, said agitator assembly being driven by an agitator drive positioned above the vat and the vat includes a cover which defines an opening therein, said agitator assembly comprising:

• a shaft defining a first end and a second end, said first end for securing to the agitator drive, said shaft extending through the opening in the vat cover;
• and
• a retractable blade assembly defining
• an agitator shaft defining a first end and a second end, said first end of said agitator shaft being secured to said second end of said shaft, said agitator shaft further defining a blade arm slot, a shaft lifting pin slot and a shaft pivot pin opening each extending through said agitator shaft proximate said second end of said agitator shaft, said blade arm slot being disposed approximately 90.degree. from said shaft lifting pin slot and said shaft pivot pin opening, said shaft lifting pin slot being positioned above said shaft pivot pin opening;
• a lifting collar being cylindrical and defining an upper end, a lower end, two axial slots and two lifting pin openings, said two axial slots being oppositely disposed and extending from said lower end of said lifting collar, said two lifting pin openings being oppositely disposed proximate said lower end of said lifting collar, said two lifting pin openings being disposed 90.degree. from said two axial slots, said lifting collar being slidably received over said agitator shaft such that said axial slots are aligned with said blade arm slot;
• two blades each defining a blade arm and an agitator blade secured to said blade arm, said blade arm defining a blade lifting pin slot and a blade pivot pin opening, a portion of said blade arm of each of said two blades being receivable through said axial slots and in said blade arm slot of said agitator shaft, each of said two blades extending in opposing directions, said blade pivot pin opening of each of said two blades being alignable with said shaft pivot pin opening and receiving a pivot pin therethrough such that said two blades pivot with respect to said pivot pin, each of said blade lifting pin slots being alignable with said shaft lifting pin slot and said lifting pin openings and receiving a lifting pin therethrough such that when said lifting collar is raised with respect to said agitator shaft said two blades are lowered and when said lifting collar is lowered with respect to said agitator shaft said two blades are retracted, said retractable blade assembly being movable through the opening in the vat cover when said two blades are retracted, each of said two blades being extendable via centrifugal forces generated when said agitator shaft is rotated.