Patent ID: 7243520

Claim:
A stripping assembly ( 10 ) for stripping a can from a punch in a can bodymaker ( 1 ), the assembly ( 10 ) comprising: a plurality of stripper fingers ( 12 ) spaced around an annular housing ( 32 ); a resilient O-ring ( 20 ) for biasing the tips ( 34 ) of the fingers ( 12 ) radially inwardly from the housing ( 32 ) into a central bore ( 5 ) of the bodymaker ( 1 ); a piston ( 14 , 54 ) within the housing ( 32 ) which, in use, when the punch is carrying a can through the bore on the forward stroke, lifts each finger tip ( 34 ) clear of the can carried on the punch, against the action of the resilient O-ring ( 20 ), and when the punch is on the return stroke, is disabled so as to allow the resilient O-ring ( 20 ) to cause the finger tips ( 34 ) to close and strip the can from the punch; and the fingers ( 12 ) being mounted upon a resilient O-ring ( 42 ) for self-aligning with the cut edge of the can on the return stroke of the punch.