September 1942 ET-199 
 
 United States Department of Agriculture 
 Agricultural Research Administration 
 Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine 
 
 A POWER-DRIVEN MIXER FOR MAKING OIL EMULSIONS 
 
 By Minter DuPree and Willis Mathis, 
 Division of Fruit Insect Investigations 
 
 Although power-driven mixers suitable for making very small 
 amounts of oil emulsions are on the market, it was found desirable, 
 in making emulsion stock for experimental spraying, to have a mixer 
 with which 2 or 3 gallons could be prepared at one time. The 
 equipment developed for this purpose consists of an electric motor 
 and a mixer head mounted on a 2- by 10-inch dressed pine board 
 32 inches long, swung in a supporting frame by means of two iron 
 pins so placed that the weight is equal on either side of the pins. 
 The pins act as a pivot, allowing the end of the board on which the 
 agitator and shaft are mounted to be tilted up, as shown in figure 
 1, and to come to rest against the end-piece when lowered, as shown 
 in figures 2 and 4. By slipping the mixing vessel toward the 
 mixer with the board tilted up, and lowering the agitator and shaft 
 into it at the same time, the equipment is made ready for use 
 (fig. 3). This feature, besides making it possible to place the 
 vessel in position without lifting the entire apparatus, also 
 allows the agitator to be raised and lowered at an angle in the 
 material, providing more efficient mixing. The i-hp. motor has a 
 speed of 1,750 r.p.m. It is mounted by means of four 5/16- by 
 2-f—inch bolts in slots so that the belt can be tightened when 
 desired. A 2^-- inch pulley is mounted on the shaft of the motor. 
 
 The mixer head consists of a y- inch pipe 10 inches long, 
 reamed to allow the free passage of a ■§■- inch steel shaft 30 inches 
 long, mounted with a 2-§~ inch pulley and agitator, as shown in 
 figure 4. Brass bushings 3/4 inch long are fitted in each end of 
 the pipe to serve as bearings for the j- inch shaft. (Ball or 
 roller bearings may be substituted for these, but are more expen- 
 sive.) The pipe is welded to a piece of 2-inch angle iron 4 inches 
 long containing two drilled holes for mounting on the board. This 
 is mounted so that the pulley on the motor is centered with the 
 pulley on the shaft. The shaft is held in place with |- inch-wide 
 brass collars and set screws, the collars being placed en the 
 shaft at each end of the pipe. A small grease cup is fitted onto 
 the pipe just under the top bearing and furnishes sufficient 
 lubrication for both bearings, as the pipe can be kept packed with 
 grease. 
 
- 2 - 
 
 The agitator is a 4-inch steel disk, 3/16 inch thick, with 
 hub and set screw for fitting on the shaft. In order to increase 
 the agitation, the disk contains six |— inch holes reamed at an 
 angle and three crimps equal distances apart (fig. 5). A paddle 
 type of agitator may also be used, and the length and pitch of the 
 blade can be made suitable for the type of agitation desired. The 
 power is transmitted by means of a \- inch V belt. 
 
 The frame is constructed of 2- by 2-inch dressed cypress, 
 cut as follows: 
 
 Front legs 2 pieces, 28 inches long. 
 
 Back legs 2 pieces, 29^ inches long. 
 
 Side pieces, top 2 pieces, 14 inches long. 
 
 Side pieces, bottom 2 pieces, 22 inches long. 
 
 Ends, back and front 4 pieces, 10£ inches long. 
 
 The side and end braces are 5/16-inch iron rods, cut as follows: 
 
 Side braces 2 pieces, \1\ inches long. 
 
 End braces 3 pieces, \Z\ inches long. 
 
 The joints formed by the legs and side pieces are fastened by 
 means of light \- by 2\- inch stove bolts. Other joints are fastened 
 with wood screws. One pair of legs is sloped as shown in figure 4 
 to make the machine stable. 
 
 The total cost of the materials, exclusive of labor in 
 assembling the parts, amounted to about $20. 
 
 Explanation of Illustrations 
 
 Figure 1. — Agitator and shaft in raised position. 
 
 Figure 2. — Mixer in normal position. 
 
 Figure 3. — Mixer and vessel ready for operation. 
 
 Figure 4. — Drawing of side and end views of mixer. 
 
 Figure 5. — Details of agitator disk, top and side views. 
 
FIG. I 
 
 FIG. 2 
 
 .3 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/powerdrivenmixerOOunit_0 
 

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