Patent ID: 9527127
Filing Date: 2016-12-27
CPC Classification: B21D

Claim Text:
1. A method for forming a can end with controlled thinning of formed portions of the can end, the method comprising: cutting a can end blank from a sheet of material in a forming press; clamping a portion of the can end blank between a first tool and a second tool in a generally horizontal orientation; providing a third tool carried by an upper punch assembly of the forming press; controlling a fourth tool independently of other tools of the forming press to move between an extended position and a retracted position; extending the fourth tool; forming a cup in the can end blank with the fourth tool and a fifth tool to form a cupped can end blank; clamping a portion of the cupped can end blank between a sixth tool and a seventh tool; retracting the fourth tool; contacting a central portion of an outer surface of the cup with an eighth tool to hold the central portion of the cup stationary as the clamped portion of the cupped can end blank is moved downward so that the material between the central portion of the cup and the clamped portion of the cupped can end blank is free formed with limited contact with any of the tools; and providing a lower shelf on the eighth tool to prevent overextension of free formed material, wherein the third tool, the fifth tool, the seventh tool and the eighth tool define a final geometry of the free formed portion of the cupped can end blank at the bottom of the forming stroke of the forming press.