High torque drive means for two closely spaced shafts which are also subjected to strong axial thrusts and application thereof to a double screw extruder

摘要

An apparatus for rotationally driving two closely spaced shafts comprises a driven gear on each shaft and two drive apparatus for driving each of the driven gears. The shafts are constrained to rotate at the same speed by interengaging teeth of the driven gears or by an idler gear. Four independent motors are used to drive the shafts. If the shafts are not parallel, the driven gears may be conical. Alternatively, the driven gears may be cylindrical, and each shaft may have thereon a conical gear, the conical gears being sized and positioned to mesh.