IMPROVEMENTS IN SEAMING MACHINES FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL CANS OR CASES
Year: 1884

page_text: CORFULETE
SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the naturo
of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEAMING MACHINES FOR USE IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF METAL CANS OR CASES" and in what manner the same is to
be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The present Invention relates to machines for seaming heads upon metal cans
or cases and the object of the Invention is to provide a machine for automatically
double scanning the heads to flangeless sheet-metal cans, rapidly and so as to form
perfect double seams.
To this end the said Invention comprises a tool and its actuating mechanism, by
means of which the edge or horizontal flange of the counter sunk head is first bent
down or folded over the vertical wall of the can-body, and then such flange together
with the wall of the can-body embraced thereby turned down or folded upon itself.
It also comprises in connection with the tool, of mechanism for giving it the
requisite movements automatically, and of supporting and revolving the can; and
a tool or device for prossing the folded scaun close against the vertical wall of
the can-body, and mechanism for operating said tool in connection with the seam
forming tool. It also comprises the novel construction and combinations of
devices herein shown and described.
In the accompanying Drawing which forms a part of this Specification, and in
which similar letters of reference indicato like parts,
Figure 1 is a front view of a device or machine embodying the Invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation.
Figure 3 is a rear view.
Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the driving-shaft and clutch mechanism.
Figures 5 and 6 are detail views of parts of the clutch mechanism.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are enlargod detail views showing the position of
the seaming tools at different stages in the formation of the seam, and
Figures 12 and 13 are sectional detail views of parts hereinafter described.
Price21

page_text: These
In the Drawing A represents the frame of the machine, B B' the revolving chuck
for holding and rotating the can while the seam is being formed by the seaming
tools. The upper disk B of the chuck, is secured to a shaft b mounted in suitable
bearings on the frame of the machine, which shaft is continuously rotated by
means of a bevel-genr 6 meshing with a bevel-gear b³ on the pulley-shaft b. The
shaft b' is arranged horizontally and journaled in bearings 65 on the frame of tho
machine. C is the driving pulley keyed to this shaft. The lower disk B' of
the chuck is secured to a shaft be, which is journaled so as to reciprocate vertically
in a bearing b7 on the bracket A. The bracket A' is secured to the frame of the
machine by suitable bolts. C' represents the can, and c the head to be seamed or
secured thereto. The head c is counter-sunk in the usual manner, and has a
horizontal part or flange c' which rests upon the top edge of the can body. The
countersunk portion of the head is made to fit snugly within the can-body and the
chuck-disk B fits within the recess of the can-head, and serves as a support to
the can-body and head while the seam is being formed. D and E are a pair of
rock-shafts arranged on opposite sides of the machine, to the ends of which rock-
shafts the tool-holders or heads D' and E' are secured so as to rock with the shafts.
The rock shafts D and E are journaled upon adjustable sliding-heads D' and E³
mounted on the frame of the machine. By adjusting the slides D2 and E' in or
out, the machine may be adapted to cans of different sizes. D³ and Es represent
two stationary grooved 'cams, secured rigidly to the sliding-heads or blocks D²
and E, by means of which cains the tool-arms & and e, mounted in radial grooves
or ways on the heads D' and E', are reciprocated radially in and out on said tool-
holders or heads D' and E¹ as they are rocked. The tool-arms & and c are each
provided with pins or projections and e' which fit in these grooved cams.
pins or projections should preferably be provided with small friction rollers d' and c².
The seaming-tool consists of a beveled-edge roller F, and a smooth conical-roller F¹
journaled at right angles to each other on the sliding tool-arm d. The space
between these rollers is about equal to three thicknesses of the stock, and the first
operation of the tool is to turn or fold the horizontal flange c' of the head, as shown
in Figure 7, down over the edge of the can-body, as shown in Figure 8. The
grooved cam D³ is provided with a short kink or turn at its upper portion by
which the reciprocating motion is given to the tool-arm to perform this operation.
The circular central portion of the cam D³ then keeps the tool on the folded and
partially formed seam while the tool-arm rocks or swings down into the position
shown in Figures 9 and 10, thus turning the seam down and forming a fold in the
can-body, as shown in Figure 10, while the flange of the can-head is folded over it.
The tool G, consisting of a single smooth roller journaled on the tool-arm e serves
to turn or bend the folded seam, as shown in Figure 10, down flat against the wall
of the can-body, as shown in Figure 11. When the operation begins, the tools F F¹
and Garo in the position shown in Figures 1 or 7. During the first quarter turn
of the tool-arm d, or while it is swinging from the position shown in Figure 7, to
that shown in Figure 9, the tool-arm e moves to the upper part of its cam, and
then while the tool F F is being swung into the position shown in Figure 10, the
tool a comes back to near its original position, as shown in Figure 10 or 7. The
tool FF is then drawn back away from the can, as shown in Figure 11, by the
curve near the lower part of the cam D³, while at the same time the tool G is
brought down against the seam, as shown in Figure 10, and as the tool-arm c
continues to swing down, it pressos the seam flat against the wall of the can, as
shown in Figure 11. The lower portion of the cain E³ is eccentric from the upper
half of said cam, so that while the tool-arm is moving through the upper part of
the cam, the tool G does not press against the seam, but while the tool-arm is
moving down through the lower part of the cam, the tool G is pressed gradually
against the scam and performs the operation of turning the senin down against the
wall of the can-body. The cams D and E³ are both secured by scrows or bolts or
other suitable means to their respective sliding-heads D2 and E³, which are mounted
on suitable guides on the frame of the machine. These sliding-heads are provided

page_text: with adjusting screws D and E, by which they may be adjusted to and from the
cau as may be required to adjust the machine to cans of different sizes. The shaft D
is rocked so as to swing the tool-head or holder D₁ by means of the toothed
quadrant arm H which meshes with the toothed arm h on the rock-shaft D, and
the pitinan H' pivoted to said quadrant-arm H and connected to the revolving cam
wheel H on the shaft H. The shaft E is rocked so as to swing the tool-holder or
head E' secured thereto up and down from the rock-shaft D, by means of the
toothed quadrant-arm h³, connecting-rod ³, pivoted-lever or rock-shaft hª, and
bar which is connected to the arm secured rigidly to the rock-shaft E'. The
connecting-rod ³ is secured to the lever / by a set-screw or other suitable means
so as to adjust the arm to different lengths as may be required in operating upon
cans of different sizes, the lever being pivoted upon the adjustable head-block E³,
and the toothed-arm h² being mounted upon the sliding-bead D³. As the tool-
head D' swings down to the horizontal position, the crank-arm h² passes the dead
point and moves the rock-shaft h to the extreme of its throw, and as the head D'
continues to swing down the lover or rock-shaft h' is then turned in the opposite
direction and the movement of the head E' reversed as before described, that is to say
said head then begins to rock or swing down from the upper to the lower part of the
cam E³. The shaft H³ is journaled in suitable bearings H* on the fraine of the machine.
Power is communicated to it by means of a belt E³ from a small pulley H on the
counter-shaft H' which is provided with a spur-gear H that meshes with a spur-
gear H on the driving-shaft. The belt Ho operates a band-whoel K on a counter-
shaft journaled in suitable bearings on the frame of the machine; and this counter-
shaft is provided with a spur gear that meshes with a spur-gear K fitting loosely on
the shaft H³. The loose gear K' is clutched to the shaft H³ by means of a clutch K*
which engages with a corresponding clutch surface on the side of the gear K. The
clutch K is operated by a spring K³ surrounding the shaft H³ which abuts against
a collar K* secured to the shaft H³ in the ordinary manner. The operation of the
spring is to press the clutch K against the clutch surface of the gear when the
horizontal pivoted arm K is raised so that the pin K7, secured to the outside of the
clutch-slcove does not strike against said pivoted-arm. The pivoted-arm K° is
provided with a cam surface Ks on its side, so that when said arm is dropped so as
to rest upon the clutch-sleeve K³, it will operate to retract the clutch from its
engagement with the loose spur-gear K. The clutch-sleeve K is secured to the
shaft H³ so as to revolve with it by means of a pin K' which passes through said
shaft and through a slot K10 in said clutch sleeve. The pivoted arm K is raised.
so as to permit the clutch to engage the gear by means of a rod K", connected
with a bent hand-lever K which is pivoted to the frame of the machine in
convenient reach of the attendant, so that by moving this lover ho can operate the
clutch when desired. The shaft, b, is reciprocated vertically so as to chuck the can
from the cam-wheel H by means of the crank-shaft L, provided with two arms
and I, the former of which has a roller which engages with the cam H2, and the
latter of which is connected by a rod 1, with an arm P. on the crank-shaft
which is provided with another arm upon which said shaft rests or is
supported. The lower end of the shaft 60 should be made conical or tapering, and
the arm should be provided with a pivoted base-block . The rod is secured
in the end of the arm by means of a set-screw, so that said rod connections may
be adjusted as may be necessary to operate upon cans of different lengths. Mis a
tube or chamber containing a spring m, which presses against the lower end of the
crank-arm, so as to press the arm always against the cam-surface H².
The machine is ordinarily provided with a treadlo N, connected with an arm n
on the crank-shaft, so that the chuck-disk B₁ may be operated by hand when
desired, by simply loosening the set-screw which connects the rod with the
arm 3. P, is a friction-wheel provided with a friction-clamp p, which will serve to
steady the motion of the machine.
The tool-arm & is provided with a slot in its end, in which slot the bevel-
rollor F is mounted. The roller F¹ is journaled on the end of the tool-arın, and

page_text: should preferably be slightly conical in form.
This roller however may be rigid or
integral with the tool-arm d, but the preferable construction is to employ a
journaled roller as before described.
"
The tool-arms & and e, and the tools mounted thereon, both have a compound
rocking and radially reciprocating motion, the rocking or swinging motion being
imparted to the tool-arms by the rock-shafts, and the reciprocating motion being
imparted to the tool-arms by the cams D³ and E³. The disk B of the chuck,
operates in conjunction with the tools F, F¹, and G, and serves as a bearing or
support for the tools to operato against.
In the first step or operation, the roller F serves to turn the flange c down over
the can-body, and then the roller F¹ in connection with said rollor F serves to
turn the fold thus formed down upon itself and form the second fold of the seam.
The pivoted block or step 1º is made hollow or provided with a recess in which
fits the rubber or elastic block, and the metal plate 18 upon which a shaft 6° rests.
The purpose of this cushion 17, is to permit the chuck to yield slightly and thus
adjust itself to those slight variations in the height of the can, which sometimes
unadvoidably occur. This elastic cushion of the movable chuck or disc, may of
course be placed at some other point in the connecting or operating mechanism than
the block lo.
It may for example, be on the end of the arm upon which the cam H³ operates,
but we deem the block 7, as shown, the most convenient place, and the cushion may
consist of a spring or other elastic device instead of the simple rubber-block.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to. be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1** In a can seaming machine, the combination of a seaming-tool F F¹ mounted
on a rocking and radially reciprocating arm d, with tool G mounted on a rocking
and radially reciprocating arm e, substantially as specified.
2nd The combination of a compound soaming tool F F, sliding tool-arm d, tool-
holder D¹, rock-shaft D, adjustable sliding-head D2, and grooved cam D³ for
reciprocating said tool-arm as the tool-holder D' is rocked, substantially as
specified.
3rd The combination of compound seaming-tool F F', sliding tool-arın d, tool-
holder D', rock-shaft D, adjustable sliding-head D³, grooved cam D³, rock-shaft E,
seaming-tool G, aliding-arm e, tool-holder E', adjustable sliding head E³, grooved-
cam E, and arm h³, rod ³, rock-shaft h, bar h³, and arm ho for operating said
rock-shaft E, from the rock-shaft D, substantially as specified.
4th The combination of the revolving-chuck for the can, with rock-shafts E
and D, tool-holders secured to said rock-shafts, seaming-tools journaled on sliding-
arms mounted on said tool-holders, cams for actuating said sliding-arms, a cam and
mechanism connecting said cam with rock-shaft D, to operate the same, and
mechanism for actuating the movable disk of the chuck, substantially as specified.
5th The combination of the rocking tool-holders E' and D' with mechanism for
operating the same, substantially as specified.
6 The combination of the rocking tool-holders E' and D' with sliding tool-arms
mounted on said holders, and cams for actuating said sliding-arins, substantially as
specified.
7th The combination with the rock-shafts, tool-holders and seaming-tools mounted
thereon, of the pitman-rod H, cam-wheel H², shaft H³, gear K fitting loosely
thereon, provided with a clutch surface, clutch K³, spring K³ and collar K secured
to said shaft H³, and pivoted-arm Ko provided with cam-surface K³, and pin K'
secured to said clutch K², substantially as specified.
8th The combination of can-chuck-disk B' and shaft bo to which it is secured,
with crank shaft L provided with arms and ¹, cam H³, rod 7², crank-shaft lª
provided with arms and 1, substantially as specified.
9th The combination with the revolving-chuck for the can, of the tool-holder
secured to a rock-shaft and provided with radial grooves or guides, a sliding tool-

page_text: arm mounted in said grooves or guides, and a seaming-tool adapted to fold the
borizontal flange of the can-head over the vertical wall of the can-body and
mounted on said tool-arm, and a cam for operating said tool-arm as the tool-holder
is rocked, substantially as specified.
10th The combination with the revolving-chuck for the can, the upper disk of
said chuck fitting.within the counter-sunk head of the can so as to support tho
Bame, of the tool-holder secured to a rock-shaft and provided with radial grooves or
guides, a sliding tool-arm mounted in said grooves or guides, an a seaming-tool
adapted to fold the horizontal flange of the can-head over the vertical wall of the
can-body and mounted on said tool-arın, and a cam for operating said tool-arm as
the tool-holder is rocked, substantially as specified.
11th The combination of stationary revolving-disk B, movable revolving disk B¹,
shaft b, crank-shaft L provided with arms, cam H³, rod 1, crank-shaft l!,
provided with arms and, and pivoted block 10 provided with rubber cushions 17
and plate 8, substantially as specified.
12th The combination of the movable revolving disk B' and its shaft bª, of the
cam H and suitable connecting mechanism for operating said shaft 6° from the
cam H², said connecting mechanism being provided with an elastic cushion to
compensate for irregularities in the can-body, substantially as specified.
HAZELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicants.