Abstract:
An apparatus for resisting rotational movement of can ends in a downstacker is provided, that includes a housing having a bore, a ring having a bore that is disposed within the housing, a second ring having a bore that is disposed within the housing and a sleeve having a bore that is disposed within the housing wherein the bores of the ring, the second ring and the sleeve are in substantial alignment relative to each other. A method of resisting the rotational movement of can ends in a downstacker is also provided.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to an apparatus for handling can ends, and more particularly relates to an insert that restricts the rotation of can ends in a downstacker. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is concerned with the handling of can ends in a downstacker that restricts the rotation of the can ends in a downstacker that feeds can ends into a compound liner apparatus, a conversion press, an end seaming apparatus or offline test equipment for further processing. Can ends can be lids in a two piece can, lids and bottoms in a three piece can or bottoms of a two piece can with a screw cap on the other end. Typically, can ends are supplied in sticks consisting of a stack of can ends that are placed in a downstacker and are individually fed from the bottom of the downstacker onto a starwheel of the compound liner apparatus, conversion press, end seaming apparatus or offline test equipment for further processing. An example of a downstacker that contains a stack of can ends can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,362. 
   A continuing problem that can be encountered in the handling of can ends in a downstacker is that rotational movement of the feed screws in the compound liner apparatus, conversion press, end seaming apparatus or offline test equipment can cause the can ends in the downstacker to rotate. Rotational movement of the can ends relative to each other can cause abrasion on the surface of the can ends. Abrasion of the can ends could lead to the build up of wear debris from the abraded can end that could contaminate the contents of a beverage or food container and lead to the accumulation of wear debris in the compound liner apparatus, conversion press, end seaming apparatus or offline test equipment. The accumulated debris in these machines must eventually be removed in a time consuming cleansing operation of the machinery that would cause production line down time. Additionally, abraded or scratched can ends are not aesthetically pleasing to an end user customer purchasing a beverage or food container because end user customers expect a beverage or food container to not be damaged. Abraded or scratched can ends are particularly unattractive in the case of colored ends. Thus, a need exists in the art to provide an apparatus that restricts the rotation of can ends in a downstacker. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus that provides resistance to the rotational movement of can ends in a downstacker. 
   It is another object of the invention to provide a method for resisting the rotational movement of can ends in a downstacker. 
   Certain objects of the invention are achieved by providing an apparatus for resisting rotational movement of can ends in a downstacker that provides a housing having a bore with a flange at one end of the housing and a step at a second end of the housing. Also, a ring having a bore is provided that is disposed within the housing, the ring having a one end and a second end, the second end of the ring located by the step of the housing. Additionally, a second ring having a bore is provided that is disposed within the housing, the second ring having a one end and a second end, either the one end or the second end of the second ring is located by the one end of the ring. Also, a sleeve having a bore is provided that is disposed within the housing, the sleeve having a one end and a second end, the second end of the sleeve located by the one end of the second ring wherein the bores of the ring, the second ring and the sleeve are in substantial alignment relative to each another. 
   Other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a method for resisting rotational movement of can ends in a downstacker that comprises providing a ring with a bore adapted to provide an interference fit between the ring and the can ends, and restricting the rotational movement of the can ends in the bore of the ring by applying an interference fit between the ring and the can ends. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a cross sectional view of the first embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view in cross section of the first embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a second embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view in cross section of the second embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In  FIGS. 1-3 , the first embodiment of an apparatus  10  for resisting rotation of can ends in a downstacker is shown. The principal components of the apparatus are a generally T-shaped housing  12  that has a flange  14  at one end and a step  16  at a second end and a cylindrical bore  18  that extends through the housing  12  that is adapted to receive the remaining components of the apparatus  10 . 
   Threaded bores  20  are disposed in the flange  14  that are adapted to receive throaded screws to secure the housing  12  to a conventional compound liner apparatus, conversion press, end seaming apparatus or offline test equipment. A ring  22  with a tapered bore  24  is slidably disposed within the housing  12 . The ring  22  has one end that is flat and a second end that is flat that is located by the step  16  of the housing  12 . 
   In certain embodiments, spacer rings  26  and  27  are disposed within the housing  12 . Spacer rings  26  and  27  are commonly referred to in the industry as shims. The function of the spacer rings  26  and  27  is discussed below. A flexible ring  28  with a lip  30  at one end is disposed within the housing  12 . The lip  30  of the ring  28  is located by the one end of the ring  22  or by the spacer ring  26  when a spacer ring  26  is disposed above ring  22 . Preferably, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a plurality of flexible fingers  32  is provided along the entire circumference of the ring  28  as an integral component of the ring  28 . A bore  34  of constant inner diameter extends through the flexible ring  28 . 
   A cylindrical sleeve  36  with a smooth cylindrical bore  38  is slidably disposed within the housing  12 . The sleeve  36  has a flat surface at one end and a second end of the sleeve  36 . The second end of the sleeve  36  is located by the lip  30  of the ring  28  or by the spacer ring  27  when a spacer ring  27  is disposed above the ring  28 . 
   The apparatus  10  is inserted below a downstacker rod cage that holds a stack of can ends. The T-shaped housing  12  along with the other components of the present invention are affixed to a downstacker assembly in a manner that is well known in the art. An example of a T-shaped housing that is affixed to a downstacker assembly is shown in  FIG. 5  of U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,629. Basically, the T-shaped housing is affixed to a compound liner apparatus, conversion press, end seaming apparatus or offline test equipment by threadedly engaging screws through threaded bores  20  in the flange  14  of the housing  12  and threaded bores located on the machines. Another feature of the apparatus  10  is that it is retrofitable to existing machines that are used in the industry. 
   In operation, with the components of the invention in an assembled relationship as shown in  FIG. 1 , a stack of can ends is disposed within the apparatus  10 . Rotational movement of the can ends is restricted because the can ends have a slight interference fit with the bore  34  of the ring  28 . Gravity or slight pressure applied to the stack of can ends urges the can ends through the bore  34  until the can end is expelled from the ring  28 . In the preferred embodiment, gravity or slight pressure urges the can ends through the plurality of fingers  32  such that the fingers  32  extend outwardly until the can end is expelled from the ring  28  and is transferred to a compound liner apparatus, conversion press, end seaming apparatus or offline test equipment for further processing in a manner that is well known in the art. Rotational movement of the can ends can also be restricted by redesigning the separating knives, splitter knives or feed screws that are typically found in a conventional compound liner apparatus, conversion press, end seaming apparatus or offline test equipment. Such an approach would require the components not to all turn in the same direction. Modifying the rotation of these components would be more labor intensive and costly than the approach developed in the various embodiments of the present invention. 
   In certain embodiments, it has been found that one or more spacer rings  26  placed below the ring  28  raises the height of the ring  28  when it is disposed within the housing  12 . Raising the height of the ring  28  assists the plurality of fingers  32  to extend outwardly when can ends are engaging the bore  34  of the ring  28 . Also, in certain embodiments, one or more spacer rings  27  placed above the ring  28  raises the height of the sleeve  36  when it is disposed within the housing  12 . Raising the height of the sleeve  36  ensures that the edge of the sleeve  36  is flush with the edge of the housing  12 . 
   In  FIGS. 4-6 , the second embodiment of an apparatus  110  for resisting rotation of can ends in a downstacker is shown. The principal components of the apparatus  110  are a generally T-shaped housing  112  that has a flange  114  at one end and a step  116  at a second end and a cylindrical bore  118  that extends through the housing  112  that is adapted to receive the remaining components of the apparatus  110 . 
   Threaded bores  120  are disposed in the flange  114  that are adapted to receive threaded screws to secure the housing  112  to a conventional compound liner apparatus, conversion press, end seaming apparatus or offline test equipment. A ring  122  with a bore  124  is slidably disposed within the housing  112 . The ring  122  has a beveled edge  125  at one end of the ring  122  and has a flat portion on a second end of the ring  122 . The second end of the ring  122  is located by the step  116  of the housing  112 . 
   A flexible ring  128  is disposed within the housing  112  that has a beveled edge  129  at one end and has a recess  131  at a second end that is adapted to receive a beveled edge. The recess  131  engages the beveled edge  125  of the ring  122 . A bore  134  extends through the flexible ring  128 . In an alternate embodiment, a plurality of fingers can be provided along the entire length of the ring  128  as an integral component of the ring  128  in the manner shown in the embodiment of FIG.  3 . 
   A cylindrical sleeve  136  with a smooth cylindrical bore  138  is slidably disposed within the housing  112 . The sleeve  136  has a flat surface at one end and a recess  139  at a second end of the sleeve  136  that is adapted to receive a beveled edge. The recess  139  of the sleeve  136  engages the beveled edge  129  of the ring  128 . 
   The apparatus  110  is inserted below a downstacker rod cage in the same manner as described above for the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-3 . For the sake of being concise, that description will not be repeated. The apparatus  110  is retrofitable to existing machines that are used in the industry. In operation, with the components of the invention in an assembled relationship as shown in  FIG. 4 , a stack of can ends is disposed within the apparatus  110 . Rotational movement of the can ends is restricted because the can ends have a slight interference fit with the bore  134  of the ring  128 . Gravity or slight pressure urges the can ends through the bore  134  until the can end is expelled from the ring  128  and is transferred to a compound liner apparatus, conversion press, end seaming apparatus or offline test equipment for further processing in a manner that is well known in the art. In an alternate embodiment, gravity or slight pressure urges the can ends through the plurality of fingers provided along the entire length of the ring  128  such that the fingers extend outwardly until the can end is expelled from the ring  28  for further processing. 
   In certain embodiments, it has been found that one or more spacer rings  140  placed above the sleeve  136  increases the height of the sleeve  136  to ensure that the edge of the sleeve  136  is flush with the edge of the housing  112 . Spacer rings  140  are commonly referred to in the industry as shims. 
   In the embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 1-6 , the housings  12  and  112 , the rings  22  and  122 , and the sleeves  36  and  136  were manufactured from aluminum alloy. Alternatively, the housings  12  and  112 , the rings  22  and  122 , and the sleeves  36  and  136  could be manufactured from steel alloys, other metallic alloys, thermoplastic materials or urethanes as well. Also, it has been found to be an ergonomic improvement to manufacture such components from lighter weight aluminum alloys, thermoplastic materials or urethanes because the lighter weight components reduce strain to an end user inserting the apparatus  10  and  110  under a rod cage in a downstacker. In the embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 1-6 , the rings  28  and  128  were manufactured from urethane. Alternatively, the rings  28  and  128  could be manufactured from other suitable thermoplastic materials as well. 
   While the embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 1-6  have been designed to restrict the rotation of can ends in a downstacker used in the manufacture of beer, beverage or food containers, the invention would be equally applicable to the manufacture of any can end. Also, while the embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 1-6  have been designed to restrict the rotation of can ends made from aluminum alloy, the invention would be equally applicable to restrict the rotation of can ends made from steel alloy or other metallic alloys as well. Additionally, while the embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 1-6  have been designed to restrict the rotation of  202  diameter can ends, the invention would be equally applicable to other diameter can ends as well. The number  202  refers to a industry standard designation. A  202  diameter can end is equivalent to a 2 and {fraction (2/16)} inch diameter after the can end is seamed onto a can body. A  204  diameter can end would be equivalent to a 2 and {fraction (4/16)} inch diameter after the can end is seamed onto a can body. These dimensions are nominal and not precise measurements. 
   In  FIGS. 1-6 , the rings  28  and  128  all provide a contacting force or interference fit with the can ends to restrict the rotational movement of the can ends. The contacting force or interference fit with the can ends may be relatively small when gravity provides the urging force on the stack of can ends. Alternatively, the contacting force or interference fit with the can ends can be significantly greater when the urging force is applied to the stack of can ends by a mechanical pusher device. 
   Having described the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention may be otherwise embodied within various functional equivalents disclosed within the scope of the appended claims.