Metal deforming – By use of tool acting during relative rotation between tool... – During rotation of work
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2001-01-30
Larson, Lowell A. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
By use of tool acting during relative rotation between tool...
During rotation of work
C198S576000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178797
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems of machines for reshaping cylindrical metal bodies, i.e., cans. In particular, the present invention is directed to a linking apparatus and method for connecting different machines that are used to shape cans.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are a wide variety of cylindrical containers constructed from different materials and in different configurations to accommodate a wide variety of uses. Various types of ductile metal cans are used to provide packaging for a wide variety of foods, beverages and others products, the package being hermetically sealed and possibly under natural or created pressure conditions, or under vacuum.
One popular can, offered in different sizes, is the so-called beer/beverage can having a unitary drawn can body to which an easy-opening end is attached after filling. Other cans, often of the wide-mouth type, are used to package cheese spreads, nuts, and other food products which may be only hermetically sealed, or may be vacuum packed in some instances or packed with an inert gas under pressure in other instances. Additionally, products that use aerosol or other propellants are commonly packaged in metal cans.
In aggregate, the market demand for all of the various types of metal body cans amounts to billions of units.
Originally, metal cans were formed of three separate pieces. A rectangular metallic sheet was rolled into a cylinder, with the seam portion along its length being soldered or welded to a leak-proof state. The top and bottom edges of the cylindrical body were flanged to accept an end wall element at each end thereof. The end walls were sealed to the cylindrical body by means of the conventional double seaming operation.
More recently, three-piece container bodies have been increasingly replaced, especially in the beverage field, with two-piece drawn and ironed cans. In such a system, a circular blank of sheet material is drawn into a cup-like shape. Subsequently, the cup is redrawn to lengthen the sidewall and reduce the diameter thereof. Next, the sidewall is lengthened and thinned by ironing between punch and die members. Finally, the closed bottom is forced against a bottom former, which shapes the bottom portion, adding strength to the container.
At first, these two-piece containers were flanged and given a single end wall in the same manner as the three-piece container. However, since both top and bottom end walls were not necessary, space savings in storage of filled containers and metal usage reduction could be realized by necking the open edge portion of the container body inwardly, prior to placing the end wall thereon, such that the end wall diameter did not exceed the side wall diameter of the container body. Such an inward necking of container bodies is now commonplace.
In a further attempt to reduce metal usage, it was next proposed to reduce further the diameter of the open container edge by means of additional necking stages. Thus, container bodies were necked as many as eight times, then flanged, on a single fixed base machine. This proved successful in further reducing metal usage, without substantially adversely affecting the container.
Traditional installations combined the various processing stages in a single “fixed base” machine. Such fixed base machines were extremely large, heavy and cumbersome to ship and install. Moreover, these fixed base machines could not be reconfigured to accommodate alternative or additional processes.
More recently, installations for making and processing cans of metal are known in which the ironing of the can bodies from cups, the trimming of the can rim, the forming of the can bottom, the washing and drying, inside coating and decorating, and finally also the making of the can rim and the flanging are carried out in successive operations on separate machines. Relatively expensive transporting devices interconnect these separate machines. Because the production output of these interconnected separate machines is not always the same, it becomes necessary to incorporate branches in the transporting devices, as well as accumulation devices, for the production flow to split or be rejoined.
A disadvantage of these known combinations of separate machines and transporting devices is that they also require considerable space because of the relatively great number of individual machines and all the transporting devices that are required between the individual machines. Another disadvantage of these known combinations is that the branching-off and rejoining of production flows requires complicated circuits and systems for controlling the installation. Yet another disadvantage of these known installations is that the transporting devices frequently damage the cans passing through the relatively long and frequent direction-changing path.
Over the years, the assignee of the present invention has been responsible for numerous advances in can making technology. These innovations have enabled increases in line speed and improvements in quality and productivity, while significantly reducing materials costs. Previously, the assignee has introduced such innovations as a tandem drive system and a modular necking system.
The assignee's tandem drive system
100
is illustrated in
FIGS. 6-8
. The tandem drive system
100
commonly drives two otherwise separate machines
102
and
104
with a single motor
110
. A pair of drive pulleys
112
are identically driven by the motor
110
. A pair of drive belts
114
and
116
transfers torque from the drive pulleys
112
to a pair of driven pulleys
118
and
120
, respectively. Torque from the driven pulley
118
is transferred to the first machine
102
via a right-angle drive unit
122
, and torque from the driven pulley
120
is transferred to the second machine
104
via a right-angle drive unit
124
.
A vacuum star-wheel
130
is used to convey cans from the first machine
102
to the second machine
104
. The star-wheel
130
includes a plurality of pockets
132
around its circumferential periphery for engaging and moving a sequential flow of can bodies. Each of the pockets
132
is shaped to correspond to the curvature of the can bodies and includes one or more suction surfaces (not shown) for engaging and retaining a can body in a respective one of the pockets
132
. The star-wheel
130
is rotated via an arrangement
140
including a drive pulley
142
turned by the first machine
102
, a drive belt
144
, and a driven pulley
146
connected to the star-wheel
130
.
Referring to
FIG. 8
, a pair of idler wheels
148
ensure that the drive pulley
142
rotates in the opposite direction of rotation with respect to the driven pulley
146
. This is necessary for handing-off the can bodies from the first machine
102
to the star-wheel
130
. A tension wheel
150
ensures that the drive belt
144
transfers the torque between the drive pulley
142
and the driven pulley
146
.
In operation, the pockets
132
are controllably connected to a vacuum source
106
of the first machine
102
for selectively engaging and releasing a can body. The can bodies are engaged and released based on the angular position of the star-wheel
130
and the relative position of a pocket with respect to the first and second machines
102
and
104
.
The assignee's modular necking system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,231, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The modular necking system dramatically decreases wasted floor space, can damage, labor and training. The reduction of costly space and air consuming trackwork, elevators and other redundant equipment offers a significantly simpler process and significant savings. The modular system minimizes installation and platform costs, and controls can transportation throughout the entire process. This reduced can handling, as compared to that of interconnecting trackwork and conveyors, preserves can quality and reduces spoilage.
Applicants of the present invention have recognized that there is a need to provide a cou
El Hachem Mohamad Hachem Saadi
Marshall Harold James
Delaware Capital Formation Inc.
Foley & Lardner
Larson Lowell A.
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