Abstract: A drive mechanism having drive and driven shafts for automatically providing increased torque when the loading on the driven shaft is increased beyond a predetermined limit, for example upon start-up of a loaded conveyor. The shafts are interconnected by a pair of sprockets and chain drive assemblies of differing ratios. Under normal loading the output shaft is driven through a friction clutch by the sprocket and chain drive assembly providing the highest output speed. Under heavy loading, the friction clutch begins slipping and a one-way clutch is activated to drive the output shaft through the lower speed sprocket and chain drive assembly.

Abstract: A grinder-mixer having a trough-shaped mixing tank, a horizontal transfer and mixing auger seated along the bottom of the tank and extending into the hammer mill, and a vertical auger in the tank for elevating the material for recirculation or discharge. Mixing capacity is increased with the larger tank and bridging of material is minimized with steeply inclined tank walls, a centrally mounted agitator and the trough-mounted mixing auger. Power train demands are reduced through utilizing only two auger conveyors to transfer material from the hammer mill, mix it in the tank and elevate it for recirculation or discharge. Improved intermixing is provided through stepped pitch flights provided on the horizontal mixing auger.