Patent GB-170520-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for applying and sealing can ends to can bodies
IPC: B21D51/26
Filed: 1920-12-24
Abstract: 170,520. Jackson, W. J. Mellersh-, (Bowers Can Seal Co.). Dec. 24, 1920. Lids, making.-In a machine for sealing can-ends on to canbodies, a flanged canbody and a flanged canend to which a gasket ring has been applied are fed into axial alignment with the canbody supported a slight distance above the canend at a preliminary assembling position and afterwards moved to a final assembling position, during which movement the can-body and can - end are brought together with the gasket ring positioned between their flanges, in which position a sealing-strip is applied to clamp the flanges together with the gasket ring between them. The feeding of the can-bodies and canends to the preliminary assembling position is controlled so t h a t should either a canbody or can-end not be in position for feeding, the can-end or canbody will not be fed forward until the deficiency is supplied. The horizontal turret 19, Figs. 1, 2 and 4, which is carried by a vertical shaft 18 and rests upon a table 20 secured to the frame of the machine, is rotated step by step by bevel-gearing from a shaft 13 which is rotated intermittently through a Geneva wheel 14 and arm 15 from a shaft 12 driven through bevel-gearing from the overhead driving- shaft 4. The punch 24 for cutting-out the gasket rings is surrounded by a spring-pressed stripperring 25 and is carried by a vertical slide 23 operated by a pitman 21 from a crank 22 on the shaft 4, while the die-ring 30 is carried by a slide 29 operated by a pitman 27 from a crank 28 on the shaft 12. The turret is provided with circumferential pockets 31 adapted to be brought into alignment with an opening in the table 20 in which the cutting-ring 30 is normally located. The discs 33 of gasket material are fed one at a time from a holder 32 by a slide 35 which is provided at its inner end with a blade 38 to engage the lowermost disc and is actuated by a lever 40 pivoted to a rod 42 operated by a cam 46 on the shaft 12. The can-ends 50 are fed from a holder 47 by a slide 51 which is actuated by a lever 53 and rod 55 from the cam 46. Inclined portions 59, Fig. 2, on the slide engage levers 61 having adjustable fingers 64 to move the lowermost can-end of the' stock into the pocket 31 immediately beneath and in axial alignment with the gasket ring situated therein. The cutting-mechanism 24, 30 is located between the disc and can-end feeding-mechanisms. The gasket ring is removed from the shoulder 31<1> of the pocket 31 ,and deposited on the flange of the canend by the annular extremity 80<1>, Figs. 7 and 9, of a plunger 80 operated by a cam 75 on the shaft 4. On the upward movement of the plunger, a spring-pressed ejector-plate 81 carried by the plunger holds the ringed can-end down on a reciprocating feed-plate 86 which, on its forward stroke, places the can-end beneath a retaining spring 88<1>. On the return stroke of the slide 86, the ringed can-end is lowered on to the table 20, and on the next forward stroke the notched edge 88<2> of the slide moves the ringed can-end and a can-body into the final assembling position H. The can-body is preferably moved inwardly to the clamping-means in synchronism with the ringed can-end, the positioned can-body 103 being engaged by an extension 86<2>, Fig. 10, of an arm 86<1> on a slide 89 connected to the slide 86. A rack 91 on the plate 89 meshes with a wheel 92 gearing with a segment rack 94 secured to a vertical rock-shaft 95 which has a slotted clutch-member 96 at its upper end engaged by the tooth 97<1> of a spring-pressed sliding block 97 on a shaft 98 rocked by an arm 99 from a cam 102 on the shaft 4. The can-body 103 to which the end or bottom is to be applied is fed into the machine by an endless belt 104, and a reciprocating feed-slide 106 at the inner end of the belt moves the can-body transversely on to the supporting plate 113 under which the ringed can-end is brought. A rack 108 on the slide 106 meshes with a wheel 109 gearing with a segment rack 111 secured to the shaft 95. A hinged plate 115 holds the can-body in position on the plate 113 and in proper position relatively to the ringed can-end as both are moved to the final assembling position on the inward stroke of the slide 86. The metal sealing-strip 122 is fed from a spool 123 bv feed-rolls, 125. 126 to forming-rolls 133 and 134, 141 and 142 which are actuated by bevel-gearing from a shaft 67 driven through clutch mechanism from the shaft 13. The strip 122 is cut by a knife 149 interposed between the feed-rolls and the first set of forming-rolls. The knife is operated against the action of a spring 151 by a bell-crank lever 152 connected by a rod 154 to a lever 155 the free end of which lies in the path of the arm 86'. The sealing-roll 157, Fig. 13, is carried by a shaft 158 driven through bevel-gearing from the shaft 12; and the companion roll 169, which co-operates with the roll 157 for compressing the U-shaped strip on to the flanges of the clamped can-body and end, is mounted on a shaft 170 geared to the shaft 158. The hinged bearing-bracket 171 of the shaft 170 is connected by a link 176 to a cap 177 on the upper end of a vertical slidable shaft 178 having at its lower end a plunger 181 freely rotatable on a stud 182. A cam 180 on the shaft 4 depresses the cap 177 against the action of a spring 177<1>. The can-body and can-end positioner 192 is carried by a vertical shaft 191 operated by a lever 190 and rod 189 from a cam 185 on the shaft 161. The clutch mechanism for transmitting motion from the shaft 13 to the shaft 67 is actuated by a lever 194 the upper end of which is in line with a lug 194<1> on the slide 89. The sliding feedparts of the. machine cease to operate when no can-end is in position for its associated can-body or vice versa. A can-body detecting shoe 205<1>, Fig. 11, is carried at the lower.end of a slidable shaft 205 pivoted to a lever 203 having a forked end 203' engaged by a spring 202 in a slidable shaft 200 operated by a cam 198 on the shaft 4. When there is no can 103 in position beneath the shoe 205' to stop the downward travel of the rod 205, a shaft 208 geared to the rod 205 is partially rotated and a cam 209 disengages the clutchmembers 96, 97. A bushing 207 on the shaft 200 is geared to a shaft 211 which carries an eccentric 212, Fig. 9, connected to a bell-crank lever 214 having a finger 216 adapted to enter a channel 217 in the turret 19 close to each pocket 31. When there is no can-end 50 in the pocket 34 to stop the inward movement of the spring- pressed pin 218, the shaft 211 is partially rotated and a cam 220 disengages the clutch members 96, 97. When there is no can-body in position to be fed to the preliminary assembling position, the can-end in a pocket 31 is prevented by a spring-pressed yoke-lever 223 pivoted to the table 20 from being delivered to the preliminary assembling position. On the upward movement of the gasket-applying plunger 80, the lever 223 returns the previously depressed can-end to the pocket 31, the feed-slide 86 being stationary, and on the next movement of the turret 19 the can-end falls through a discharge opening 227, Fig. 4. In operation, a ringed can-end and can-body are fed by the reciprocating slides into axial alignment at the preliminary assembling position G, Fig. 2, the canbody being held separated from the can-end by the plate 113. On the next inward stroke of the slide 86 and plate 89, the can-end and can-body are transferred to the final assembling position H during which movement the can-body is gradually placed on to the ringed can-end. The plunger 181 then descends to clamp the body and end between the rotatable members 181, 183 and the sealing-rolls compress the U-shaped sealing-strip onto the flanges of the body and end, after which the upper sealing-roll is raised by the spring 177 and rotation of the sealed can ceases. Instead of supplying a stack of discs of gasket material, the gasket rings may be cut from a continuous web of gasket material intermittently fed forward. Or can-ends with the gasket rings previously applied by hand or other means may be fed to the canend feed-slide. The means for cutting and applying the gasket rings may be omitted and can-ends. without rings fed to the can-end feed-slide.