Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 336247
CAN BODY MAKING APPARATUS
This invention relates generally to a can
body making apparatus and more particularly to an
improvement in the ram assembly apparatus for
maintaining more accurate alignment of the ram during
the reciprocation thereof and in the redraw apparatus
for providing and maintaining more accurate alignment
of the can blanks with the ram and the tool pack
containing the can forming and ironing dies.
A can body making apparatus is disclosed in
U.S. Patent No. 3,696,657. The ram carriage and
redraw carriage are each mounted on rollers which move
over carriage way strips. Each pair of upper and
lower rollers are urged toward each other so as to be
in firm contact with the carriage way strip located
therebetween. Both the ram and redraw carriages are
reciprocated at rates sufficient to form about two
hundred cans a minute. The constant reciprocal
movement of the ram and redraw carriages and the tight
engagement of the rollers on the carriage way strips
result in wear which causes misalignment of the ram or
of the can blanks by the redraw sleeve. It is
understood that this misalignment is small, between
about o.oos and O.olo of an inch, but such
misalignment can result in defective cans.
This invention provides ram assembly means
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~for a can body making apparatus wherein ram means are
mounted on ram carriage means which have a pair of
liquid bearing means for mounting the ram carriage
means for reciprocal movement over a pair of fixedly
5 mounted, spaced apart, elongated shafts. Also, guide
means, such as liquid bearing means, are provided for
guiding the reciprocal movement of the ram means
therethrough.
This invention also provides a redraw
apparatus for a can body making apparatus wherein the
redraw carriage is slidably mounted on a pair of
spaced apart support posts for reciprocal movement
thereover, which support posts are fixedly mounted on
the housing holding the can forming and ironing dies.
The invention also provides counterbalancing means for
supporting at least a major portion of the weight of
the redraw actuating rod, also known as the push rod,
to substantially eliminate the weight on the carriage
sleeve for more efficient operation.
In the preferred embodiment of the
invention, ram assembly means are provided for a can
body making apparatus having means for reciprocating a
ram carriage means and a ram means along their
longitudinal axes so that the ram means push a can
blank through can forming and ironing dies to form a
can body. The ram assembly means include a pair of
spaced apart, elongated shafts having generally
cylindrical outer surfaces and which are fixedly
mounted on a fixed frame means. The ram means are
mounted on a ram carriage means that have a pair of
spaced apart liquid bearing means each having a
cylindrical inner surface for reciprocal movement over
the elongated shafts. The liquid bearing means has a
plurality of arcuately shaped pocket means, each of
which is supplied with a liquid, preferably from the
coolant supply of the can body making apparatus, at
suitable pressures. Each liquid bearing means also
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~as iiquid return means for removing the liquid
supplied to the pocket means. Guide means, preferably
comprising liquid bearing means, are fixedly mounted
on the frame means and are located so that the ram
means are supported for reciprocal movement
therethrough. A redraw carriage including a redraw
sleeve is located between the ram assembly means and
the can forming and ironing dies and functions to hold
a can blank in the proper position against the can
forming and ironing dies 80 that the ram means will
push the can blank through the can forming and ironing
dies to form a can body. The redraw apparatus
includes a redraw carriage that is provided with a
pair of spaced apart bearings having generally
cylindrical inner surfaces. A pair of spaced apart
support posts are fixedly mounted on the housing
holding the can forming and ironing dies and have
generally cylindrical outer surfaces. The redraw
sleeve is slidably mounted on the spaced apart support
posts for substantially friction free movement
thereover. The longitl1~; nA 1 axes of the spaced apart
support posts and bearings are parallel to the
longitll~ i nA 1 axis of the ram means and the redraw
sleeve holds the can blank 80 that the longitudinal
axis thereof is aligned with the longitudinal axis of
the ram means. Reciprocating means are provided for
providing reciprocal movement of the redraw carriage
over the spaced apart support posts. A counter-
balancing means, comprising a plurality of springs
mounted in a fixed position and applying a force
against a portion of the reciprocating means, removes
substantially all of the weight on the redraw carriage
to virtually eliminate wear of the bushings and posts.
An illustrative and presently preferred
embodiment of the invention is shown in the
accompanying drawing in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view;
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Fig. 2 is an elevational view with parts in
section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an elevational view with parts in
section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of
Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 i8 a side elevational view of a plate
means forming a part of the counterbalancing means;
Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the
spring holding means of the counterbalancing means;
Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of
Fig. 5;
Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of
Fig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the ram
assembly means to be substituted for those in Fig. l;
Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the ram
carriage means of Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is a left side elevational view of
Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 is a right side elevational view of
Fig. 10;
Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken on
the line 13-13 of Fig. 9;
Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on
the line 14-14 of Fig. 13; and
Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the
manifold means taken on the line 15-15 of Fig. 9.
In the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, a
frame lo has a ram carriage 12 mounted thereon for
reciprocating movement over a pair of spaced apart
opposed way strips (not shown). The ram carriage 12
has a ram 14 mounted thereon so that during the
forward stroke, the ram 14 will pass through
the redraw apparatus 16, having a cup feeding
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means 17, and through the housing 18 containing the
can forming and ironing dies 6imilar to those in U.S.
Patent No. 3,735,629. The mech~n~sm for reciprocating
the ram carriage 12 includes the motor 20, the pulley
wheel 22, the crank shafts 24, the crank arms 26, the
crank pins 28, the main connecting rod 30 and cross-
head members 32, all of which are conventional.
The redraw apparatus 102 of this invention
is illustrated in Figs. 1 - 4 and comprises a redraw
carriage 40 having a conventional redraw sleeve 42.
The redraw carriage 40 is provided with a pair of
spaced apart longitudinally extending bores 44 and 46
which are located on both sides of bushing 48 mounted
in the redraw carriage 40. One end of each bore 44
and 46 is enlarged and bearing means 50 and 52 are
fixedly mounted therein. The bearing means 50 and 52
preferably comprise a hardened steel bushing having a
cylindrical inner surface 54. The redraw carriage 40
is also provided with a pair of bores 56 in which are
mounted rocker pivots 58 similar to those in the
Maytag patent. The redraw carriage 40 also is
provided with passageways 60. A rocker arm 62 similar
to the one in U.S. patent 3696657 has extensions 64
which extend through the passageways 60 and are
pivotally mounted on the rocker pivots 58 to provide
the force to reciprocate the redraw carriage 40.
A pair of spaced apart support posts 70 and
72 are fixedly mounted on the housing 18 holding the
can forming and ironing dies (not shown). Each of the
support posts 70 and 72 has a cylindrical outer
surface 74 and has a longit~;nAl axis extending
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ram 14. The
redraw carriage 40 is slidably mounted on the support
posts 70 and 72 by placing the bearing means 50 and 52
over the support posts 70 and 72. Conventional
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~fittings 76 are provided for supplying lubrication for
the bearing means 50 and 52. This slidable mounting
of the redraw carriage, as illustrated in Figs. 1 - 4,
is substantially friction-free and minimizes any wear
caused by the reciprocating movement of the redraw
carriage so that proper alignment of the redraw sleeve
with the ram assembly and the housing holding the can
forming and ironing dies is maintained.
The redraw carriage 40 is reciprocated by
conventional mechanism as illustrated in Figs. 1 - 3.
The rocker arm 62 is attached to a shoe 78 which
supports the conventional movement arresting means 80
including the spring 82 and adjustable stop screw 84.
The shoe 78 is attached to the end 86 of the actuating
rod 88 and the end 90 of the actuating rod 88 is
pivotally connected to the cam follower lever 92
having a cam follower 94 which is urged against a cam
96 rotated by the wheel 22. An air cylinder 98 is
mounted on a fixed support 100 with the free end of
its piston rod 102 pivotally connected to the
actuating rod 88 at approximately the mid-point
thereof. The air cylinder 98 exerts a constant force
on the actuating rod 88 through the piston rod 102 to
maintain the cam follower 94 in contact with the cam
96 to provide the reciprocating movement to the redraw
carriage 40.
A counterbalancing means 110, illustrated in
Figs. 1 and 5 - 8, is provided for applying a force on
the redraw actuating bar 88 so as to substantially
eliminate any weight on the redraw carriage 40. The
counterbalancing means 110 comprises an angularly
shaped member 112 having passageways 114 and 116 so
that it may be secured by headed bolts 118 to the
housing of the air cylinder 98. A support member 120
having a U-shaped opening 122 is positioned on the
support 100 and secured thereto by a set screw 124. A
plurality of holes 126 are formed in the support
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~membèr 120 and extend partially therethrough and have
openings in the upper surface 128 thereof. A coiled
spring 130 is located in each hole. As illustrated in
Fig. 1, the support member 120 is located relative to
the member 112 so that the coiled springs 130 are in
contact with a generally planar bottom surface 132 on
the member 112. Pivot means 134 are provided for
pivotally connecting the end of the piston rod 102 to
the redraw actuating bar 88. This pivot means 134 is
connected to the redraw actuating bar 88 at a
generally central location. The coiled springs 130
function to provide a force on the member 112 so as to
counterbalance the weight of the redraw actuating bar
88 and its associated structures so that there is
substantially no weight placed on the redraw carriage
40. Set screws 136 are threadedly mounted in threaded
bores 138 in the support member 120 so that the ends
thereof are in contact with the coiled springs 130 so
that the amount of force being applied by the coiled
springs 130 may be adjusted. This counterbalancing
means 110 virtually eliminates any wear of the bushing
means 50 and 52 and the support posts 70 and ?2 so
that proper alignment of the redraw sleeve with the
ram assembly and the housing holding the can forming
and ironing dies is maintained.
The redraw carriage 40 and the redraw sleeve
42 are reciprocated over the support posts 70 and 72
to position a can blank (not shown) to be contacted by
the ram 14 and be pushed through the can forming and
ironing dies in the housing 18 to form a can body.
Ram assembly means 150, to be substituted
for the ram assembly means of Fig. 1, are illustrated
in Fig. 9 and comprise a fixed support frame means 152
secured to a foundation (not shown). A pair of spaced
apart, elongated shafts 154 and 156 are secured at a
fixed location on the support frame means 152 by
suitable means (not shown). The elongated shafts 154
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and i56 have generally cylindrical outer surfaces 158
and 160. Ram carriage means 170 are illustrated in
Figs. 10 - 12 and include a generally rectangularly
shaped central body portion 172 and two end members
174 and 176 having arcuately shaped end surfaces 178.
Liquid bearing means 180 and 182 are secured to the
arcuately shaped end surfaces 178 by suitable means,
such as by welding. The liquid bearing means 180 and
182 have a plurality of liquid inlet means 184 and a
plurality of liquid outlet means 186 for purposes
described below. Also, the top surfaces 188 and 190
of the liquid bearing means 180 and 182 are generally
planar and are provided with a plurality of threaded
bores 192 for mounting a manifold means thereon as
described below. A central recess 194 is formed in
the end member 174 and has a plurality of spaced apart
threaded bores 196 for mounting the ram means as
described below. A central cavity 198 is formed in
the end member 176 and is dimensioned to be coupled to
the drive means for reciprocating the ram carriage
means 170 as described below.
Manifold means 200, illustrated in Figs. 9,
13 and 15, are secured to the top surfaces 188 and 190
by suitable means (not shown) such as threaded bolts
in the threaded bores 192. The manifold means 200 has
a main body portion 202 having a liquid inlet means
204 and a liquid outlet means 206. A passageway 208
receives liquid from the liquid inlet means 204 and
distributes the liquid through branch passageways 210
through the liquid inlet means 184 of the liquid
bearing means 180 and 182 to an annular passageways
212. Liquid is removed from the liquid bearing means
180 and 182 through a passageway 214 connected to
branch passageways 216 which receive liquid from
radially extending passageways 218 in fluid
communication with the liquid outlet means 186 in the
liquid bearing means 180 and 182 and pass such liquid
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~through liquid outlet means 206 and then to a drain
basin, as described below.
The liquid bearing means 182 are illustrated
more particularly in Figs. 13 and 14 and comprise a
hollow elongated housing means 230 having the
generally planar top surface 190 and a generally
cylindrical inner surface 232 having a centrally
located radially inwardly projecting flange portion
234. Two liquid bearing members 236 each having a
generally cylindrical outer surface 238 having
substantially the same diameter as the generally
cylindrical surface 232 are positioned in mating
relationship therewith and in abutting relationship
with the flange portion 234. An end closing member
240 having an axially inwardly projection portion 242
is secured to the elongated housing by suitable means
(not shown), such as bolts in threaded bores, to
restrict the flow of the liquid out of the bearing
members 236 so that the liquid will flow through the
liquid outlet means 186. Each liquid bearing member
236 has a generally cylindrical inner surface 244 in
which are formed a plurality of spaced apart pocket
cavities 246 each of which has an arcuate surface 248
which is a portion of a cylindrical surface having an
axis offset from the axis of the general cylindrical
inner surface 244. A centrally located radially
exten~ing passageway 250 is in fluid communication
with each pocket cavity 246 and the annular passageway
212. Suitable fittings (not shown) are mounted in
each passageway 250 to control the flow of liquid into
each pocket cavity 246. Access openings 254 are
provided for permitting insertion or adjustment of the
fittings and when the bearings are in use, these
access openings 254 are sealed with plug means (not
shown).
Ram means 260 are illustrated in Fig. 9 and
comprise a ram 262 having a generally cylindrical
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~uter surface 264 having substantially the same
diameter as the inner diameter of the can body to be
formed. The ram 262 has an integral flanged portion
266 which is positioned in the central recess 194 and
secured therein by suitable means (not shown) such as
bolts secured in the threaded bores 196. Guide means
268 are fixedly mounted in support members 270 fixedly
secured to the support frame means 152. The guide
means 268 comprise liquid bearing means 272 similar to
liquid bearing means 180 and 182 except that the
housing means thereof contains only one liquid bearing
member 236. Manifold means (not shown) will provide
liquid to the liquid inlet means 184 and remove liquid
from the liquid outlet means 186. The longitudinal
axes of the elongated shafts 154 and 156, the liquid
bearing means 180, 182 and 272 and the ram means 260
are in parallel relationship with each other. A ball
and socket means 274 is used to connect the end member
176 to the main connecting rod 30. It is understood
that suitable fittings and sealing members are used
where necessary to control the flow of the liquid. In
the preferred embodiment, the liquid used is taken
from the pool of coolant used conventionally with can
body making apparatus.
In the operation of the apparatus
illustrated in Figs. 9 - 15, the ram carriage assembly
150 is mounted on the fixed support frame means 152 so
that the front end portion 276 of the ram 262 will
pass through the redraw apparatus 16 and the housing
18 containing the can forming and ironing dies.
Liquid conducting means 276 are connected to the
liquid inlet means 204 and a coolant storage tank 278
to provide coolant from the coolant storage tank 278
as the liquid to each of the liquid bearing means 180
and 182. The coolant is provided at suitable
pressures so that the pressure in each of the pocket
cavities 246 is between about 150 and 500 psi and
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prefe`rably about 200 psi. The coolant comprises about
97 per cent water to which are added solubles. Liquid
conducting means 280 are connected to the liquid
outlet means 206 and to a drain basin 282 for removing
s coolant passing through the liquid bearing means 180
and 182. The connecting rod 30 applies reciprocating
forces on the ram carriage means 170 so that the ram
262 moves back and forth through the redraw apparatus
16 and the housing 18 so as to form can bodies at the
rate of between about 150 and 300 can bodies per
minute. The liquid bearing members 236 permit
substantially friction free movement of the ram
carriage means over the elongated shafts 154 and 156
and ram 262 through the liquid bearing means 272 so
that there is substantially no wear to cause
misalignment problems. Also, the liquid bearing
members 236 provide pressure equalization means so
that the ram carriage means move over the elongated
shaft means 154 and 156 in an equilibrium position.
The ram assembly means of this invention weighs less
than~that illustrated in U.S. patent 3696657 so that
it may be moved using substantially less power. The
lighter weight also allows the reciprocation to be
reversed more easily so that more cans may be produced
each minute. Also, by substantially eliminating wear,
downtime and maintenance are substantially reduced.
While an illustrative and presently
preferred embodiment of the invention has been
described in detail herein, it is to be understood
that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously
embodied and employed and that the appended claims are
intended to be construed to include such variations
except insofar as limited by the prior art.
