an apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic materials such as thermoplastic adhesives referred to as &# 34 ; hot melt &# 34 ; adhesives . more specifically the apparatus includes a pump support which extends downwardly into a melter tank and which supports a rotary vertical pump shaft driving a pump located near the bottom of the melter tank . the pump support is configured to mount the pump shaft journal in a recess above the top of the melter tank and the rotation of the drive shaft adjacent to vertical columns of the pump support stirs the melted material in the melt tank .