Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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APPA~ATUS F~ SUPPORTING
~ BODY FOR RECIPROCAL MOV~MENT
Field of Invention
~ his invention relates to providing a support for an
elongated body so that the elongated body may be subjected
to reciprocating movement and more particularly to a
~ethod for supporting a ram for reciprocating movement
such as a ram used in machines ~or forming metal such as
a can forming machine.
Backqround of the Invention
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There are many different processes and machines
which utilize a body that is reciprocated bac~ and forth
to perform work. There have always been problems in
supporting such a reciprocating b~dy, particularly when
~he reciprocation is in a~horizontal direction. This
problem exists in some of the machines used to form can
~odies.
A typical method manufacturing two piece cans
consists of making a circular blank and then drawing the
blank to form a shallow cup. ~he cup is fed in position
ahead of a punch attached to the ram, and then is ormed
by the ram through a redraw die and a plurality of
ironing dies located in a tool pack housing.
~ Presses for directing the movement of the ram may ~e
: either mechanical or hydraulic~ Exemplary of mechanical
machines are U.S. Patent No. 3,702,559 to ~asselbac~ et
al. entitled ~Can Bodymaking ~achine~ and ~,696,675 to
. Maytag entitled ~Jetal Working Crank an2 Slide ~ress
: Mechanismn. T~e ram in the HasselbacX invention slides
on guides with an attached cam follower cooperating with
cam grooves on a barrel cam. The barrel cam is mounted
on a shaft driven by an electri~ motor. The ram in the
Maytag invention is mounted on a carriage with wheels
which run on the top and bottom surfaces of hardened way
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strips. The wheels are adjusted with a predetermined
a~ount of preload to avoid ~lack in the wheels. The
carriage i~ ~riven by a crank and connecting rod attached
to a parallel motion assembly.
Typically, ~echanically dri~en rams can be driven at
high speeds but do not always provide uniform punch speed
or ~ravel in a straight line motion, which is critical to
co~tinuously producing uniform can walls. The Maytag
in~entiDn o~er~omes some of these problems ~ut the
mouement of a hëavy carriage upon which the r~m rides
inherently requires a significant amount of service time.
Wear items such as bearings ~nd cam followers must
constantly be replaced. When such items are replace, the
complete ram system must be calibrated and each wheel
in~ividually loaded. Regrinding the hardened way strips
al~o c~ntributes to the significant ~down time.~ ~educing
~do~wn time" and increasing efficiency is significant in
light~of the fact that can bodymachines typically run 24
hours per day and can produce as many as~30 cans per
minute.
Summary of the in~ention
It is an object of this invention to support a body
while permitting reciprocal movement of the body in a
horizo~tal direction.
It is another object of this invention to supp~rt a
body while permitting leciprocal movement of the ~ody at
; rates of hundreds of times a minute in a horizontal
direction with a minimum of body rotation and deviation
from a straight line motion.
It is a further object of this inventi~n to support
a ~ody while permitting reciprocal ~ovement of the body
at rates of hundreds of times a minute in a horizontal
direction utilizing the weight of the body to maintain
the body in contact with the support.
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It i~ a further o~ject of thi~ invention to ~upp~rt
a body while permitting reciprocal movement of the body
at s~tes of hundreds ~f times a minute in a ~orizontal
direction utilizing the weight of the bod~ to maintain
the body in contact with the support and to dampen out
vibrations caused by the change in direction of movement
of the body and/or the work performed by the body.
The foregoing objects are accomplished by this
invention by providing ~means for supporting a body
while permi~ting reciprocal mo~ement of the ~ody and is
particularly directed to means for supporting a recipro-
cal ram used in apparatus for forming can bodies. The
invention also provides means for dampening vibrations so
as to limit damage to the apparatus normally resulting
from such vibrations. Also, by minimizing ~ibrations,
the can making efficiency is increased.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention a ram
cradle assembly an~-a ram having an outer surface shaped
to cooperate with angularly relàted surfaces on the ram
cradle assembly are substituted for the carriage and
hardened way strips ~f the apparatus disclosed in the
Maytag patent. The ram cradle assembly comprises at
least two spaced apart supports wherein each support
c~mprises two angularly related rollers havin~ generally
cylindrical surfaces. A ram is provided with two angular-
ly related planar surfaces extending in a direction
generally parallel *o the lon~itudinal axis of the r~m.
The angular relationship of the planar surfaces is the
same as the angular relation5hip of the r~llers so that
the ram may be supported by the ram cradle assembly with
the planar surfaces on the ram in contact with the
cylindrical surfaces of the rollers. The weight of the
ram is generally sufficient to insure that the ram
remains in contact with the rollers. ~owever, in the
preferred embodiment, additional means are provided to
apply a force urging the ram into firmer contact with the
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rollers. This for~e apply mg means comprises at least two spaced apart
rollers, each of which has a qenerally cylindrical surface. The ram is
provided with ancther planar surface extending in a direction generally
parallel to the longitudlnal axis of the ram and located so that it
will be contacted ~y the force applying rollers. Any means, such as a
sprin3, may be used to apply the force to the force applying rollers.
In summary, therefore, the present invention may be considered as
providing a machine for forming can bodies, the machine comprising a
ram supported by a frame for reciprocal movem~nt along a horizontal
path, the ralm being provided with support surfaces comprising at least
tw~ planar surfaces extending in a direction parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the ra~m, the planar surfaces being
circumferentially spaced apart from each other, a pair of horizontally
spaced apart supporting means each comprising roller means mounted to
: the frame, the roller means being in contact with each of the spaced
apart planar surfaces, each roller means being mounted for rotation,
dampening means affixed to the frame and in contact with the outer
- surface of the ram duri~g itg reaiprocal movement along the horizontal
path, the can}erlnJ means ~eLng positioned between the roller means and
the end of the ram, at least one freely rotatable roller secured to the
frame and having a generally cylindrical outer surface, a thir~ planar
surface on the ram ex*crding in a direction parallel to the
longitudinal axis, an~ m~ans for urging the one freely rotatable roller
into conta~t with the third planar surface whereby the means for
supporting in conjunction with the means for urging provide straight
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horizontal line movement without deviation or rotation during the
reciprocal movement of the ram.
~ he dampendna means, in the preferred e=bodim~nt of the invention,
comprises a rope packing that is supported on the ram cradle assembly
and is in circumferential contact with the adjacent portions of the
cuter surface of the ram. m e preferred rope packing comprises Teflon
coated cotton or fiberglass rope.
other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent
from the following more partic~lar description of preferred emkodiments
as illustrated in the acccmpanying drawings in which like reference
characters refer to the same parts throu~hout the various views. The
drawings are nct neoe ssarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed
upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
Brief Description of the Drawing
Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus of this invention; and
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apEaratus of this i~vention.
Detailed Description of t~e Inventi,on
In Fig. 1, there is illustrated a ram cLadle assembly 2 which, Ln
the preferred em~odiment of the m vention, is mounted on the frame 10
illustrated in Fig. 2 of the Maytag patent. The end portion (not
~hown) of the ram 4 extendinf from the right side of Fig. 1 is
connected to the straight line m~kion assembly 20 of Fig. 2 of the
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Maytag patent. The end portion (not shown) of the ram 4
extending from the left side of Fig. 1 is connected to the
redraw sleeve 40 of Fig. 2 of the Maytag patent. Thus,
the ram cradle assembly 2 and the ram 4 of this in~ention
S have been substituted for the ram carriage 26 and the ram
27 of the Maytag patent. While the preferred embodiment
is illustrated for use in the apparatus disclosed in the
Maytag patent, it is understood that the concepts of this
invention may be used with any mechanism wherein a body
needs to be supported so that the body can be reciprocated
in a horizontal direction at various rates of
reciprocation, such as hundreds of times a minute.
The ram cradle assembly 2 comprises a pair of
rails 6 and 8 secured to the frame 2 in Fig. 6 of the
Maytag patent. Support plates 10 and 12 extend between
the rails 6 and ~ and are secured to each rail by suitable
means such as the threaded bolts 14. A plurality of
spacer blocks 16 extend between the support plates 10 and
12 and are secured in place by threaded bolts 18.
A pair of freely rotatable supp~rt rollers 20 and
22 having angularly related generally cylindrical surfaces
24 and 26 are mounted in recesses in each of the plates lO
and 12 and secured thereto by suitable means such as bolts
(not shown). As illustrated in Fig. 2, the rollers 20 and
22 are mounted between a pair of spaced apart lugs 28 and
held in position by nuts 30. Th~ ram 4 is provided with
two angularly related planar surfaces 32 and 34, each of
which extends in a direction generally parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the ram 4. An opening 36 is provided
in each of the plates 10 and 12 to provide for the passage
of the ram 4 through the plates 10 and 12. The ram 4 is
supported on the rollers 20 and 22 so that the planar
surface 32 is in contact with and supported by generally
cylindrical surface 24 and the
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planar surface 34 is in contact with and supported by
generally cylindrical surface 26. The weight of the
~am 4 ~ooperates with the angula~ relationsh~p ~f the
planar surfaces 32 and 34 and the angular relationship of
the generally cylindrical surfaces 24 and 26 to retain
the longitudinal axis of the xam 4 from movement in any
direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis during
the reciprocal movement of the ram 4. Although only two
rollers and two planar surfaces are ill~strated in
~ig. 2, it is to be understood that more than two ~ollers
and two planar surfaces may be used. In all instances,
the an~ular relationship of the planar surfaces corre-
sponds to the angular relationship o~ the generally
cylindrical surfaces of the rollers.
As stated a~ve, the weight o~ the ram is sufficient
to hold it in position during the reciprocal movement.
Howe~er, it is highly desirable that there be n~ sliding
movement be~ween the planar surface on the ram a~d the
generally cylindrical surface on the roller. This is
particularly so at the end of the reciprocal movement in
the one direction and the start of movement in the
opposite direction. Therefore, means ~re psovi~ed to
ensure a relative rolling relationship ~etween the planar
surface on the ram and the generally cylindrical surface
on the roller. The preferred embodiment for accomplish-
ing this rollins relationship is illustrated in Figs. 1
an8 2 and c~mp~ises ~ollers 38 and 40 ha~ing generally
cylindrical surfaces 42 and 44 and mounted on the plates 10
and 12. The mounting means comprises a ~o~etailed recess
46 in the plates 10 and 12 ana a corresponding dovetailed
proiection 48 on a support member ~0 which depends from a
plate member ~2 which is secured to each plate 10 and 12
by threaded bolts 54. The support member 50 has two
spaced apart proje~ting portions 56 each of which is
provided with a vertically extending re~ess 58~ The
rollers 38 an~ 40 are mounted in bearing blocks 60 which
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have projectfng portions 62 mounted for sliding movement
in the recesses ~8. The relationship between the bearing
blocks 60 and the ~ecesses 58 is ~uch ~o as ~o allow
movement of the bearing block 60 in a vertical direction
but to prevent relative movement in a horizontal direc-
tion. The upper portion of the bearing block 60 is
attached to the lower portion of a spring 64. The upper
portion of the spring 64 is attac~ed to a plate 66 having
a threaded mem~er 68 projecting therefro~ and extending
through an opening in the plate member 52. A nut 70 is
threaded on the member 68 so that the tension of the
spring 64 may be adjusted. The ram 4 is provided with a
planar ~urface 72 and, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is in
contact with the generally cylindrical ~urface 42 of the
rQller 38, The springs 64 function to ~aintain the the . -
rollers 38 and 4D in contact with the planar surface 72
and to apply an additional force on the ram 4 to ensure
- the desired rolling relationship between the planar
sùrfaces and the generally cylindrical surfaces. The
amount of force applied by rollers 38 and 40 is controlled
by adjustment of the spring 64.
In the preferred embodime~t of t~e invention, the
ram 4 is reciprocated at rates of hundreds of times per
minute. In order to minimize vibr~tions, dampening.means
are pro~i~ed. In the preferred embodi~ent, the dampening
means comprises a rope packing 74 in contact with the
outer surface of the ram 4. The ~Dpe pac~ing 74 is
mounted in a holder 76 sec~red to a plate 78 mounted in
spaced relationship to the plate 12 by spacing means 80.
A packing push plate 82 is ~ounted on the holaer 76 by
threaded bolts 84. The rope packing 74 is a conve~tional
half and half rope pac~ing formed frcm Teflon coated
cotton or fiberglass.
While the preferred embodime~ts of the invention
have been illustrated and described herein, it may be
otherwise embodied and practiced within the scope of the
claims.
