A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid food products is provided with a frame, a product processing unit and a control unit for driving the processing unit; the processing unit is in turn provided with a first vessel which is set in rotation about its central axis by a brushless gear motor and which defines inside it a product processing chamber, a stirrer provided with a spatula mounted inside the processing chamber, and a movement unit for moving the stirrer; the movement unit for moving the stirrer imparts to the spatula, through two distinct linear actuators, a first movement, towards and away from the bottom of the first vessel, and a second movement, independent of the first, towards and away from the inside wall of the first vessel.

An agitator includes a central shaft, a radially spaced array of vanes and a shroud encircling the central shaft so as to intersect the vanes perpendicular to the vanes' depth and along their length, thus defining an inner passageway between the shroud and the central shaft and an outer passageway between the vanes, radially extending outwardly of the shroud.

An auger protection system used in a stirring system is disclosed. According to a first preferred embodiment, an auger protection system is provided which protects augers on a stirring machine from breaking or bending. Accordingly to this first preferred embodiment, the auger protection system includes a switch which is enclosed in a housing and connected to a timer which supplies power to a gear motor that propels the unit around a silo. Preferably, the housing for the holding switch is attached pivotally to the structure on which the down auger is connected. Additionally, the auger protection system preferably further includes a spring which is connected to a pivot assembly and which extends horizontally and comes in contact with the down auger at one end.

A French press rod assembly configured to be operably engaged with a French press coffee pot wherein the French press rod assembly provides an element to engage therewith to stabilize the French press rod assembly during removal of the filter screen. The French press rod assembly includes a shaft having a first end and a second end. A handle is secured to the first end of the shaft and a filter screen is removably secured to the second end of the shaft. The shaft has surroundably mounted thereto proximate the second end an engagement member. A flow member is rotatably secured to the shaft wherein the flow member is intermediate the second end of the shaft and the engagement member. In a preferred embodiment of the flow member, the flow member is rotatably mounted to the shaft and includes a plurality of blades.

A French press rod assembly configured to be operably engaged with a French press coffee pot wherein the French press rod assembly provides an element to engage therewith to stabilize the French press rod assembly during removal of the filter screen. The French press rod assembly includes a shaft having a first end and a second end. A handle is secured to the first end of the shaft and a filter screen is removably secured to the second end of the shaft. The shaft has surroundably mounted thereto proximate the second end an engagement member. A flow member is rotatably secured to the shaft wherein the flow member is intermediate the second end of the shaft and the engagement member. In a preferred embodiment of the flow member, the flow member is rotatably mounted to the shaft and includes a plurality of blades.