EEEK! A SPIDER...

The photo actually shows two stainless steel agitator tripods, frequently called “spiders”.  Stacked up like this, they look a bit like a 6-legged spider…

These tripods are used when it is necessary within the agitation design to control shaft movement from the tank bottom.  One example is a tank outfitted with a sweep or scrape agitator.  In this instance, the lateral movement of the sweep or scrape must be stabilized to prevent the mixer from hitting the tank sidewall. The agitator shaft spins inside a teflon steady bearing located in the circular opening in the center of the spider.

Find out more about tank agitation at https://www.stainlessfab.com/agitation.html .