Power bowl lift, motor mount and tensioner for mixing machine

1. A mixing machine, comprising:

a head including a rotatable output member for receiving a mixer tool;

a mixer body including a bowl receiving portion below the head, the bowl receiving portion mounted for movement between a lowered position away from the head and a raised position toward the head,

a drive assembly for effecting rotation of the rotatable output member and including an input shaft operatively associated with the rotatable output member, a drive motor having an output shaft, a drive linkage extending between the motor output shaft and the input shaft, the drive linkage including one of a belt or a chain defining a loop enclosing the motor output shaft and the input shaft; and

a linear actuator connected for powered movement of the bowl receiving portion back and forth between the lowered position and the raised position, a movement axis of the linear actuator enclosed by the loop.

2. The mixing machine of claim 1 wherein the mixer body includes a column and the drive motor is located in-line with the column and the output shaft extends upward.

3. The mixing machine of claim 2 wherein the input shaft connects to the rotatable output member through a gear system within the head.

4. The mixing machine of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the linear actuator extends above a height of the belt or chain.

5. The mixing machine of claim 1 wherein an upper portion of the linear actuator is located at a height that is the same as a height of at least part of the belt or chain.

6. The mixing machine of claim 1 wherein the head includes a pair of mounts therein, an upper shaft portion of the linear actuator operatively connected to the mounts.

7. The mixing machine of claim 6 wherein the mounts are enclosed by the loop.

8. The mixing machine of claim 6 wherein the mounts are unitary with a metal casting of the head.

9. The mixing machine of claim 8 wherein the drive linkage comprises a bolt drive linkage and the loop is defined by a belt, the metal casting further includes first and second spaced apart mount portions unitary therewith, the drive motor includes a mount bracket having a first side connected to the first mount portion to form a hinge axis about which the mount bracket rotates, the mount bracket having a second side connected to the second mount portion by a securing mechanism for preventing rotation of the mount bracket about the hinge, the securing mechanism having a released state to allow rotation of the mount bracket about the hinge.

10. The mixing machine of claim 1 wherein the movement axis is defined by a moving arm that extends partially internal to a housing, and the linear actuator includes a drive motor aligned alongside the movement axis.

11. The mixing machine of claim 1 wherein the linear actuator comprises a screw type actuator.

12. The mixing machine of claim 1 wherein the linear actuator and the drive motor operate independently of each other such that the linear actuator can move the bowl receiving portion even when the drive motor is stopped.

13. A mixing machine, comprising:

a head including a rotatable output member for receiving a mixer tool;

a mixer body including a bowl receiving portion below the head, the bowl receiving portion mounted for movement between a lowered position away from the head and a raised position toward the head;

a drive assembly for effecting rotation of the rotatable output member and including a drive motor; and

a linear actuator connected for powered movement of the bowl receiving portion back and forth between the lowered position and the raised position, wherein the linear actuator and the drive motor operate independently of each other such that the linear actuator can move the bowl receiving portion even when the drive motor is stopped; and a metal casting within the head wherein an upper portion of the linear actuator is connected with the metal casting and wherein the drive motor is pivotally mounted to the metal casting.

14. The mixing machine of claim 13 wherein the linear actuator comprises a screw type actuator.

15. A mixing machine, comprising:

a head including a rotatable output member for receiving a mixer tool;

a mixer body including a bowl receiving portion below the head, the bowl receiving portion mounted for movement between a lowered position away from the head and a raised position toward the head;

a drive assembly for effecting rotation of the rotatable output member and including a drive motor;

a linear actuator connected for powered movement of the bowl receiving portion back and forth between the lowered position and the raised position, wherein the linear actuator and the drive motor operate independently of each other such that the linear actuator can move the bowl receiving portion even when the drive motor is stopped;

wherein the linear actuator includes an upper end that is connected to a metal casting within the head;

wherein the metal casting includes a pair of spaced apart mounts unitary therewith, the upper end of the linear actuator is connected to each of the mounts.