US2687163A - Machine for reforming can bodies - Google Patents

Description

\ Filed NOV. 1, 1951 Aug. 24, 1954 w. R. SMITH 2,687,163

MACHINE FOR REFORMING CAN BODIES 4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 24, 1954 w. R. SMITH MACHINE FOR REFORMING CAN BODIES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. l, 1951 vlll i7 i7 i4 if Aug. 24, 1954 w. R. SMITH MACHINE FOR REFORMING CAN BODIES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 1, 1951 INVENTOR. W/M/AM E055 /M/T/V Iii/M Aug. 24, 1954 w. R. SMITH 2,687,163

MACHINE FOR REFORMING CAN BODIES Filed NOV. 1, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JTTOEA/EVS Patent 1,962,166.

Patented Aug. 24, 1954 MACHINE FOR REFORMING CAN BODIES William Ross Smith, Portland, 0reg., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 1, 1951, Serial No. 254,325

6 Claims. (01. 153-32) The present invention relates to a machine for reforming can bodies by restoring them to their original shape after they have been flattened as for shipment and storage, and has particular reference to magnetic devices for removing the reformed can bodies from the machine. This is an improvement upon the machine disclosed in United States Patent 1,962,166 issued June 12, 1934, to F. M. Yost on Apparatus for Reforming Can Bodies.

An object of the instant invention is the provision of a can body reforming machine with a magnetic discharge device wherein short length and light weight magnetizable can bodies, which heretofore have frequently may be readily handled.

Another object is the provision of such a machine wherein positive control may be had over the can bodies as they leave the reforming mandrels with the result that less jamming of the machine and less spoilage of the can bodies obtain.

Numerous other objectsand advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better undere stood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a topplan view of an improved can body reforming machine embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. l, as viewed from the lower portion of that figure;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. l, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 4. is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the broken line 4-4 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawings disclose principal parts of a can body reforming machine of the character shown in the above mentioned Yost In such a reforming machine, flattened sheet metal can bodies, which originally were cylindrical and tubular, are received in stacked formation in a magazine 2| (Figs. 1 and. 2) fromwhich jammed the machine,

they are fed horizontally and individually by a pair of reciprocating feed bars 22. The feed bars 22 advanced a flattened can body into a spreading station 23 where vertically disposed suction cups 24 engage against the flattened sides of the can body and partially spread them apart as an initial step in the reforming operation. After such an initial spreading operation the feed bars 22 advance the can body toward and force 1 the partially spread can body onto an aligned cylindrical mandrel 26 having an outer pointed end over which the body is spread with the result that the body is further spread into a more cylindrical shape.

There are a plurality of the mandrels: 26 arranged in a circle and they project horizontally from a vertically disposed rotatable disc 21 mounted on and keyed to a horizontal shaft 28 (see Fig. 3) journaled in a bearing bracket 29 and in bearings of a gear housing 30 both of which are secured to a frame 3| which constitutes the main frame of the machine. The disc 21 is rotated intermittently to advance the mandrels along a circular path of travel past various working stations. For this purpose the disc shaft 28 carries a disc indexing gear 35 having an interrupted helical thread which meshes with and is driven by a continuously rotating helical pinion 36 disposed within the gear housing 30.

The pinion 36 is mounted on a main drive shaft 31 which is journaled in bearings formed in the gear housing 30 and in a pair of spaced bearing brackets 38 (Figs. 1 and 4) secured to the main frame 3|. The main drive shaft 31 is rotated continuously in any suitable manner, preferably through a flywheel 39 carried on one end of the shaft.

After a partially spread can body is received on a mandrel 26, the indexing disc 2'! is partially rotated to advance the mandrel into an idle station and then into a reforming station. At the reforming station a rolling pressure is exerted against the side wall of the can body on the mandrel to iron out any creases or irregularities in the body and to thus reform the body into its original smooth true cylindrical shape. This results in a can body A upon which further operations may be performed as an incident to its incorporation into a can or container.

This reformin of the can body preferably is effected by a pair of reforming rolls 4|, 42 which are disposed at the reforming station and are located immediately below the path of travel of the mandrels 26. The rolls 4|, 42 extend parallel with the mandrels and are positioned close together and on opposite sides of the mandrel at the reforming station as best shown in Fig, 4. The rolls are mounted on short shafts 43, d4 journaled in bearings in bearing blocks 45 mounted for reciprocation toward and away from the mandrel along a radial line of the disc 2'5. Reciprocation of the bearing blocks 45 is effected through a lever connection with a barrel cam il carried on and rotated by the main drive shaft 31. This structure together with the rest of the machine thus far described is clearly disclosed in the above mentioned Yost Patent 1,962,166.

The reforming rolls 4|, 42 as disclosed in the Yost patent are continuously rotated in the same direction by driving shafts 48, 49 (Figs. 2 and 3) which are connected by universal jointed rods 52 to the roll shafts 43, 44. The driving shafts 48, 49 are rotated by a pair of gears 54, 95 mounted on the shafts respectively and an intermediate idler gear 55 carried on a stud 51. The first gear 5 5 meshes with and is rotated by a driving gear 59 carried on a cross-shaft 3| journaled in a pair of spaced bearing blocks 62 secured to the machine frame 3|. The crossshaft 6| extends back toward the main drive 37 and is continuously driven by this shaft through a bevel pinion 53 (Fig. l) on the cross-shaft 6| and a bevel gear 64 on the main drive shaft.

Thus when a mandrel 25 carrying a partially reformed can body is indexed into position at the reforming station, the rotating reforming rolls 4|, 42, through movement of their bearing blocks 45, press the side wall of the can body against the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel and hence the body is rotated onthe mandrel and simultaneously ironed-out into the true shaped can body A. As disclosed in the Yost patent, the mandrels 26 are rotatably mounted on the indexing disc 21 to permit of this rotation of the can body. During this reforming operation, the mandrel is backed up by an anvil 66 (Fig. 4) located in a boss El projecting from the bearing bracket 29 as in the Yost patent.

After the reforming operation, the reformed can body A is slightly larger in diameter than the mandrel 26 on which it is carried. In this condition the can body is advanced by the indexing disc 21 through an idle station and thence into a discharge station. As an improvement on the machine disclosed in the Yost patent, the

loose fitting reformed can body A is retained against inadvertent displacement from its mandrel 25 as the mandrel travels from the reforming station to the discharge station. This is effected by a stationary curved plate H which extends between these two stations as shown in Fig. 4 and is disposed adjacent the pointed ends of the mandrels 29 between the mandrels and the indexing disc shaft 28. The outer edge of the piate is concentric with the path of travel of the mandrels and is tangent to the outer periphery of the mandrels, being very close to the mandrels but not touching them. The lower end of the plate at the reforming station overlaps the mandrel at this station so that the plate will engage the outer edge of a can body and retain the body in place on the mandrel while at the reforming station and also while traveling toward and through the subsequent idle station. The upper end of the plate H terminates short of the discharge station so that the reformed can body may be readily removed from the mandrel.

At the discharge station the reformed can body A is stripped off its mandrel 25 longitudinally thereof and is carried to a discharge chute 13 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) by an improved discharge device. This discharge device comprises a horizontally disposed endless chain conveyor 14 which preferably is parallel with and immediately above a mandrel 26 at rest at the discharge station as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The conveyor overlaps the mandrel for its full length and extends toward and overlaps the chute 13.

The discharge conveyor 14 operates over a pair of spaced sprockets l5, 16 mounted on short shafts ll, 78 journaled in suitable bearings formed in a pair of spaced and parallel horizontally disposed guide rails 19 located one on each side of the conveyor. The guide rails 19 are supported on upright brackets 3| secured to the machine frame 3|. The sprocket shaft '12 preferably is a conveyor driving shaft and is rotated by a bevel gear 62 carried on the shaft. This bevel gear meshes with and is rotated by a bevel gear 33 carried on one end of a driving shaft 84 which is located adjacent one of the guide rails 19 and is journaled in bearings 85 projecting from this guide rail. The shaft carries and is driven by a sprocket 86 which in turn is rotated by an endless chain 87 operating over a sprocket 88 on the reforming roll driving shaft 8|. Thus the travel of the discharge conveyor 14 is continuous and is timed with the other moving parts of the machine, the conveyor traveling in a clockwise direction as shown by the arrow in Fig. 3.

At spaced intervals along the discharge conveyor 14 the endless chain carries rectangular shaped guide plates 9| which support permanent magnets 92 secured thereto in a fixed position. There is one magnet on each guide plate 9| and they travel with; the conveyor 14 as it operates over the sprockets l5, 16. The guide plates 9| are of a width just sufficient to pass between the guide rails '19 (see Fig. 2) so as to guide the magnets along a straight line path of travel as they advance with the conveyor. Adjacent the mandrel end of the conveyor 14, the guide rails 79 carry a pair of horizontally disposed short tracks or guide members 94 (Fig. 3) having tapered entrance ends 95 upon which the guide plates 9| ride to vertically locate the magnets 92 relative to the mandrel at the discharge station. There is one guide member 94 on the inner face of each guide rail 19.

Hence during the period when a mandrel 2B is at rest at the discharge station, the continuously moving conveyor 14 carries a guide plate fil and. its magnet 92 around the sprocket 15 adjacent the plane of the lower run of the conveyor and causes the guide plate 9| to ride along the guide members 94. In this position of the guide plate 9| its magnet 92 is in a depending relation immediately above the mandrel 26. The guide members 94 accurately locate the magnet close to the mandrel 26 with the result that as the magnet 92 moves along the mandrel it engages the outer surface of the side wall of the reformed can body A intermediate its ends and thus picks up the can body and removes the body endwise from the pointed end of the mandrel.

With the reformed can body A thus suspended from the magnet 92 the conveyor 14 advances the chute l3. Whenthe can body is fully over the chute it engages a stripper finger 96 (Figs. 2 and 3) projecting upwardlyfrom the outer wall of the chute and into the path of travel of the can body and thus strips thebody off the magnet as the magnetpasses by and continues on up onto the upper run of the conveyor 14 for a repeat operation. The stripped off can body A falls into the chute'jfl and is directed to any suitable place of deposit. 'For this purpose the chute 13 preferably is disposed in an inclined position as best shown in Fig. 2. 1,,

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies, the combination of a mandrel for receiving and supporting a flattened can body to be reformed, means disposed adjacent said mandrel for reforming the can body on said mandrel, means for moving said mandrel and reformed body to a discharge position, a conveyor disposed adjacent said mandrel at said discharge position, means for actuating said conveyor, a magnet carried on said conveyor for engaging the reformed can body on said mandrel for removing the body longitudinally from said mandrel, a guide plate for said magnet carried by said conveyor, and guide rails for said plate extending alongside said conveyor for engaging said moving plate to retain said magnet in a predetermined position relative to said conveyor and said mandrel during engagement and removal of the body from the mandrel.

.2. In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies, the combination of a mandrel for receiving and supporting a flattened can body to be reformed, means disposed adjacent said mandrel for reforming the can body on said mandrel, means for moving said mandrel and reformed body to a discharge position, a conveyor disposed adjacent said mandrel at said discharge position, means for actuating said conveyor, a magnet carried on said conveyor for engaging the reformed can body on said mandrel for removing the body from said mandrel, a guide plate for said magnet and carried on said conveyor, guide rails extending longitudinally of and adjacent said conveyor for engaging said moving guide plate laterally and thereby guiding said magnet along a predetermined path of travel with said conveyor, and guide members disposed adjacent said guide rails andin the path of travel of said guide plate for engaging said moving plate and thereby positioning the moving magnet relative to said mandrel for proper engagement of the magnet with the reformed can body on the mandrel to facilitate removal therefrom.

3. In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies, the combination of a rotatable disc, a plurality of mandrels on said disc for receiving and supporting flattened can bodies to be reformed, means for rotating said disc intermittently for advancement of said mandrels in an arcuate path individually and successively into a can body discharge station, a stationary retaining plate disposed adjacent the path of travel of said mandrels and extending to said discharge station, said retaining plate having an edge substantially con' centric with the path of said moving mandrels and closely spaced from the outer surfaces of the mandrel for retaining reformed can bodies in place thereon until positioned at said discharge station, a conveyor disposed at said station, said conveyor extending longitudinally of and adjacent a mandrel at rest atsaidstation, means for actuating said conveyor continuously, and a plurality of spaced magnets on said conveyor for selectively and individually engaging and removing individual reformed can bodies from the mandrels advanced into said station.

4. In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies,-the combination of a horizontally disposed mandrel for receiving and supporting a partially reformed flattened can body to be fully reformed, means for moving said mandrel in a path substantially normal to the axis of the mandrel, means adjacent the path of said mandrel for feeding a partially reformed flattened body to the mandrel, means for reforming said body while on the mandrel, a conveyor disposed above the path of said mandrel and movable longitudinally relative to the mandrel, means for actuating said conveyor, a magnet carried on said conveyor and having a body engaging surface substantially parallel with the mandrel for engaging a reformed can body on said mandrel and for removing the body longitudinally therefrom, a guide plate carried by said conveyor adjacent said magnet, guide rails extending alongside said conveyor for laterally engaging and guiding said moving guide plate, and guide members extending longitudinally of and below said conveyor for engaging the under side of said guide plate to accurately space said magnet above said mandrel and the reformed body thereon and thus insure proper engagement of the moving magnet with said reformed body to facilitate removal of the body from the mandrel.

5. In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies, the combination of a horizontally disposed mandrel for receiving and supporting a partially reformed flattened can body to be fully reformed, means for moving said mandrel in a path substantially normal to the axis of the mandrel, means adjacent the path of said mandrel for feeding a partially reformed flattened body to the mandrel, means for reforming said body while on the mandrel, a conveyor disposed above the path of said mandrel and movable longitudinally relative to the mandrel, means for actuating said conveyor, a magnet carried on said conveyor and having a body engaging surface substantially parallel with the mandrel for engaging a reformed can body on said mandrel and for removing the body longitudinally therefrom, a stationary guide plate extending alongside the path of said mandrel to said conveyor and having an edge closely spaced from the cylindrical surface of the mandrel to retain a can body on the mandrel, a guide plate carried by said conveyor adjacent said magnet, guide rails extending alongside said conveyor for laterally engaging and guiding said moving guide plate, guide member extending longitudinally of and below said conveyor for engaging the underside of said guide plate and to accurately space said magnet above said mandrel and the reformed body thereon and thus insure proper engagement of the moving magnet with said reon and conveyed hyeaid :magnet for stripp n the bodyfmom the magnet.

-.6, In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies, the combination of a mandrel for receiving and supporting a flattened can body to be reformed, means disposed adjacent said mandrel for refiorming the :oan body on said mandrel, means for moving said mandrel and reformed body to a discharge position, a conveyor disposed adjacent said mandrel at said discharge position and being capable of slight lateral movement-with respect to the mandrel, means for actuating said conveyor, a magnet carried on said conveyor for engaging the reformed can body :on said mandrel for removing the body longitudinally irom said mandrel, and guide means disposed adjacent said conveyor and engaging with the magnet formaintaming said magnet :in a predetermined position relative to said mandrel during [engagement and removal of the body from the mandrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 513,776 Gray et a1 Jan. 30, 1894 672,663 Baxter et a1 Apr. 23,1901 929,798 Spain Aug. 3, 1909 1,962,166 Yost June 12}, 19.34;

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