Charging assembly for mixing vessel

A charging assembly for introducing a product into a mixing vessel (2), comprising:

• a) a stirring mechanism including a drive shaft (1) extending into the vessel through a top port (3) thereof, said top port (3) having a top port connecting flange, an agitator (7) connected to a lower end of the drive shaft (1) and driving means (20) connected to an upper end of the drive shaft (1), said driving means having a drive connecting surface surrounding drive shaft (1), said driving means (20) being disposed above top port (3) of the vessel (2), said drive shaft having an upper portion defined by the distance between the drive connecting surface and the top port (3);
• and
• b) an adapter element (10), having an internal surface between upper and lower ends of the adapter element, a top connecting surface proximate the upper end of the adapter element and a bottom connecting surface proximate the bottom end of the adapter element, said adapter element being connected between the driving means (20) and the top port (3) so that the top connecting surface of the adapter element (10) is connected to the drive connecting surface and the bottom connecting surface is connected to the port connecting flange so the adapter element completely surrounds upper portion (1a) of the drive shaft (1), the adapter element (10) having at least one inlet port (11) for introducing said product into an annular space (13) defined between the internal surface of the adapter element (10) and the drive shaft (1) and then into the vessel (2).