Patent ID: 7513138

Claim:
A single action press for manufacturing a shell for a can end, comprising: an upper tool having a single action and an opposed lower tool; a die center insert in said upper tool, said die center insert adapted for engaging a disc cut from a sheet of end material and cooperating with the lower tool to form said shell, said press further characterized in having a down stroke wherein said upper and lower tools move towards each other, said down stroke followed by an upstroke, and said forming including forming a fold in said shell; wherein said upper tool is constructed and arranged such that, during a portion of the upstroke of the press after the fold in the shell is formed, the die center insert disengages from said shell, while the periphery of said shell remains clamped between said upper and lower tools during said portion of said upstroke to thereby retain said shell in said press and prevent deformation of the fold formed in said shell, said upper and lower tools separating during a remainder of said upstroke to thereby allow said shell to be removed from said press.