Patent ID: 7305861

Claim:
A single action press for manufacturing a shell for a can end, comprising: a first tool and an opposed second tool; a die center insert in said first tool, said insert adapted for engaging a disc cut from a sheet of end material to form said shell, said press further characterized in having a down stroke wherein said first and second tools move towards each other to form said shell, said down stroke followed by an upstroke, and means for applying and removing a force to said center die insert in said axial direction, said means operating in a cycle of said press so as to (a) apply said axial force to said die center insert during said down stroke; and (b) remove said axial force at approximately the commencement of the upstroke and restrain movement of said die center insert relative to surrounding structure during said upstroke to thereby cause said die center insert to disengage from said shell, said shell remaining clamped between said first and second tools during at least a portion of said upstroke to thereby retain said shell in said press, said first and second tools separating during a remainder of said upstroke to thereby allow said shell to be removed from said press; wherein said means is constructed and arranged to (c) re-applying said axial force to said die center insert during the upstroke.