An agitator (10) for a kitchen device (68), the kitchen device (68) having: a vessel (56) with a bottom wall (62) and an upwardly extending side wall (70), the bottom wall (62) and the side wall (70) providing a space (72) to receive ingredients to be processed, the side wall (70) extending upwardly to a rim (74) that at least partly surrounds a top opening (76) to the space (72); a blade assembly (54) located in the space (72) to process the ingredients and to be rotatably driven in a rotation direction (22) about a generally upright axis (20); and a drive assembly to rotatably drive the blade assembly (54) about the axis (20); the agitator (10) including: a hub (12) to be coupled to the blade assembly (54) so as to be rotated thereby about the axis (20); a plurality of arms (14) fixed to the hub (12) and extending outwardly therefrom so as to have a major direction of extension that is generally radial relative to the axis (20); and wherein at least one of the arms (14) projects below said hub (12) so as to provide a scraping member (48) adjacent the bottom wall (62) to move ingredients relative to the bottom wall (62).

A blending device having an interlock system which may comprise a plurality of subassemblies. A thermal detector may be configured to be proximity with matter being blended for human consumption. Interlock system may further include a blade interlock contact and a compressive contact. The blender vessel may be configured to compress the compressive contact to a communicative configuration when connected with the blade assembly. Interlock system may utilize a blender base assembly that has base interlock contacts and a motor. The blade assembly may be configured to releasably mount to the blender base assembly and may cause the base interlock contact and the blade interlock contact to come into electrical communication with each other. The interlock system may ultimately result in the motor being obstructed from operation unless certain conditions are met. The interlock system may further utilize one or more than one logic circuit element.

A blender includes a blade assembly including a main blade shaft that is coupled to a first blade and a first main coupler so as to rotate in a forward direction and a reverse-rotation blade shaft that is coupled to a second blade and a first reverse-rotation coupler so as to rotate in a reverse direction, a gearbox assembly including a main gear shaft coupled to a second main coupler, which is engaged with the first main coupler, so as to rotate in the forward direction, a plurality of gears configured to convert the forward rotation of the main gear shaft to reverse rotation, and a second reverse-rotation coupler configured to transmit the reverse rotation transmitted through the plurality of gears to the first reverse-rotation coupler, and a case that has the gearbox assembly provided therein.

A blending device having an interlock system which may comprise a plurality of subassemblies. A thermal detector may be configured to be proximity with matter being blended for human consumption. Interlock system may further include a blade interlock contact and a compressive contact. The blender vessel may be configured to compress the compressive contact to a communicative configuration when connected with the blade assembly. Interlock system may utilize a blender base assembly that has base interlock contacts and a motor. The blade assembly may be configured to releaseably mount to the blender base assembly and may cause the base interlock contact and the blade interlock contact to come into electrical communication with each other. The interlock system may ultimately result in the motor being obstructed from operation unless certain conditions are met. The interlock system may further utilize one or more than one logic circuit element.

The invention provides a feed-mixing wagon (1) for animal feed, comprising a frame with a drive, a container (4) with a continuous wall (5) with a feed-unload opening, a feed auger which is arranged in the container for mixing and cutting animal feed and comprising an auger shaft (8) and an auger body (10) which is arranged around it in a spiral which has several blades, wherein the blades comprise at least one blade (11) of a first, long type and at least one blade (12) of a second, short type, and wherein at least one blade of the short type is situated closer to the bottom (6) than at least one blade of the long type. As a result of the various blades in the described configuration, the cutting and mixing behaviour can be adjusted in an optimum way.

A device for the processing of liquids and/or solids includes a disposable layer adapted to shield a working surface from coming into contact with, and being fouled by, the processed liquids and/or solids, and apparatus suitable to apply a negative pressure in a gap between the disposable layer and the working surface, thereby causing the disposable layer to adhere to the working surface.

An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis subsystems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.

An individual frozen drink dispenser includes a housing having a base configured to support a blender cup, a dispensing chamber disposed above the blender cup and configured to support a frozen beverage container containing frozen ingredients suitable for preparing a frozen drink, at least one dispensing mechanism configured to move from a pre-dispense position to a dispense position in which the dispensing mechanism drives the frozen ingredients from the frozen beverage container into the blender cup, and a drive mechanism coupled to the housing and configured to drive the movement of the dispensing mechanism from the pre-dispense position to the dispense position. A method of preparing a frozen drink is further disclosed.

A system for preparing a polymeric mixture includes: a containment device configured to distribute dry polymeric materials; a receiving chamber in fluid communication with the containment device; a wetting bowl; a dispersing channel; and a mixing chamber connected to the dispersing channel. A method of preparing a polymeric mixture includes distributing water and dry polymeric materials through the various components of the system and mixing the materials with the mechanical mixing device.

A blender assembly includes a blender jar having a bottom wall. The bottom wall includes first and second surfaces opposing one another and an interior edge defining an opening. A bearing housing is positioned at least partially within the opening and is spaced apart from the first surface of the bottom wall and the interior edge of the bottom wall. A nut is operably coupled with the bearing housing and is spaced apart from a second surface of the bottom wall. A gasket assembly is positioned to maintain a spacing of the bearing housing and the nut relative to the bottom wall. The gasket assembly is positioned over the interior edge of the bottom wall.