EP0219676A2

EP0219676A2 - Automatic tapering machine for the accomplishment, by means of sequential taperings, of the head opening of metal containers and the like

Info

Publication number: EP0219676A2
Application number: EP86112633A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Moreno Stocco
Original assignee: TUBETTIFICIO EUROPEO SpA
Current assignee: TUBETTIFICIO EUROPEO S.P.A.
Priority date: 1985-10-22
Filing date: 1986-09-12
Publication date: 1987-04-29
Also published as: IT8523488V0; EP0219676A3; IT206681Z2

Abstract

Tapering machine, of the type with pieces-bearing rotary table (2) opposite to a tool-bearing plate (5), particularly suitable to accomplish, in a plurality of sequential tapering stations and in a completely automatic way, the end tapering into a cone shape of the mouth of metal containers, substantially of the head opening (mouths) of such cylindrical containers with closed bottom as can and the like, already painted or pre-treated on their outer surface.

Description

Disclosure

The objiect of the present invention is a tapering machine, of the type with pieces-bearing rotary table opposed to a tool-bearing plate, particularly suitable to accomplish, in a plurality of sequential tapering stations and in a completely automatic way, the end tapering into a cone shape of the head opening (mouth) of metal containers, substantially of the mouths of such cylindrical containers with closed bottom as can and the like, already painted or pre-treated on their outer surface.
It is known that the tapering machines of the type with horizontal-axis rotary platform peripherally bearing a well-defined numer of seats for housing said metal cans (made from aluminum or metal alloys), require the continuous supply of the cans, taken and fed to the various seats, and a plurality of tapering tools, borne by a plate or platform, axially translatable from and towards said can-bearing platform; the tools are so shaped, as to produce more and more pronounced sequential taperings of the can end, during the programmed halts of the can-bearing platform, until the desired cone-shaped, or the like, tapering, complete with the necessary finishing operations, of the mouth is accomplished. The tapering, carried out at sequential stations (halts), causes, as it is known, a partial plastic deformation of the can constituting material, so as to allow a conical mouth to be obtained, ready to receive an airtight closure cover.
It is known as well that the multiple-stations tapering machines of the prior art show serious drawbacks, often not completely and efficaciously solved, both as for the regularity of feeding, positioning and blocking of the cans in the seats of the rotary platform, and as regards the evennes of the finishing operations of the opening head, the possibility and convenience of check and inspection of the various tapering operations, besides the careful and complete elimination of the swarfs caused by the end turning operations and by the possible operations of machining of the "shoulder" of ended can.
In general, the difficulties and solutions adopted up to now to the purpose of efficaciously solving all these problems of different nature requiring different solutions, cause eventually an unsatisfactory productivity and considerable scraps not always acceptable from the economic viewpoint, besides, often, even high burdens and costs.
Therefore, purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic tapering machine forhead openings or mouths of metal cans, so structured as to solve to a practically integral extent, and in an efficacious way, all the problems and drawbacks up to now observed in the machines of the prior art, with evident advantages as regards the efficiency and regularity of operation, as well as the quality of mouths obtained, and the productivity.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a machine of the above-specified type, suitable to be used for cans of also rather different dimensions, having limited overall dimensions, and such to allow the easy access by the operators, for the necessary control and maintenance operations.
These and still other purposes, which shall be evidenced still more clearly by the following disclosure, are achieved by an automatic tapering machine for the accomplishing of finished mouths of metal cans and the like, having either closed or open bottom, and also already painted and/or pre-treated on their outer surface, of the type involving a horizontal-axis and intermittently-revolving platform with peripheral axial seats for housing the cans, an opposite axially-translatable table bearing a plurality of tapering tools and belts or conveyors for cans feed and unloading, which machine is constituted, according to the present invention, by a support frame wherein housed is said platform intermittently revolving around a horizontal axis, and on the outer periphery of which provided are a plurality of hollows or seats having their axis parallel to the platform axis, destined to receive and retain a can to be tapered, at the basis of the platform, and tengentially to the same, the end being positioned of a conveyor-feeder of cans, kept equally spaced by retaining means provided with partly arcuate teeth, such to be housed and retained by depression-means on the periphery of a revolving drum or roller with peripheral niches, so dimensioned as to sequentially bring each can to a position of introduction into the loading seat which gets positioned, with predetermined and synchronized intermittence, in front of said can, first means being provided to slide said can into said seat, second means being provided for blocking the same by pincers, sleeve, rings or the like, with pneumatic, mechanical, or the like clamping when said can arrives at the second machining station (halt), as well as means being provided for lubricating the end of the can destined to be tapered, in a third machining station, to said revolving platform opposite being provided a reciprocatingly translatable plate bearing a plurality of known tools for the sequential and gradual tapering of the peripheral area destined to form the mouth, at a predetermined plurality of sequential halting stations, at the last machining stations provided being support means, fastened onto the frame, bearing revolving tools for the turning of the neck, for the subsequent rolling and turning of the mouth rim and for possible further machining operations, at the station wherein the unloading of cans occurs extractor means being provided, of pin type, or the like, driven by bucking by a stationary cam, or the like, to unload the finished can, through a further revolving drum provided with niches under suction, onto a belt-conveyor for bringing away the same can, withsaid machine sucking means being finally associated for the removal of the swarfs arising from the turning, and the like, of the mouth, as well as sensor means, associated to an operation and programming panel-board, suitable to carry out the sequences of all operating steps of loading, tapering, finishing and unloading of the finished cans.
More particularly, and always according to the invention, inside said can-bearing, revolving platform and coaxially to it, provided is a bellows-shaped casing, or the like, suitable to protect at least the means for the transmission of reciprocating motion to the tool-bearing table from the swarfs, and the like, produced at the mouth finishing stations.
Further structural and functional characteristics of the tapering machine according to the invention can be evidenced by the following description, referring to the attached drawing tables, supplied to only indicative and not limitative purposes, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a front view of a tapering machine accomplished according to the invention and limited to the most important and meaningful elements, part of which are displayed in schematic form, for easiness of interpretation;
Fig. 2 shows a transversal-diametric section taken along path A-A of Fig 1, and
Fig. 3 shows, partly in a schematic way, a longitudinal -axial section taken along path B-B of Fig. 2.

Referring to such figures, the tapering machine of the present invention is constituted by a support frame 1, having box-like shape, inside which mounted are: a can-bearing revolving platform 2, with horizontal axis 3, driven by its own driving means, not shown, and housed inside a housing 4, with predetermined-intermittence and synchronized halts, like in the types on the known art.
Opposite to said rotary platform 2 positioned is a circular table 5, laying on a vertical plane, and reciprocatingly translatable from and towards said rotary platform, which plate is peripherally equipped with a plurality of tools 6, of known, type, so shaped as to taper, gradually, and at each halt of the rotary platform, the end portion of the cans, already blocked inside the platform seats (as it shall be clarified hereunder), so to accomplish, at the end of the subsequent tapering operations, a finished mouth, such taperings substantially conferring to the same mouth a conical shape by partial plastic deformation of the metal material constituting the tubes or cans undergoing the tapering process. Associated with said revolving platform mounted are a can conveyor-feeder 7 and a similar conveyor 8, destined to convey the finished cans to the unloading.
More particularly, according to the invention, platform 2 provides housing seats 2a-2b-2c-2d...etc., peripherically at equally spaced positions and constituted by cylindrical hollows having their axis parallel to platform revolution axis 3, inside which means are provided for the stable clamping of cans 9, after their sliding into said hollow, as it shall be explained hereunder; these means are constituted by pneumatically or mechanically actuated pincers means (not visible in the figures), or by inflatable elastic rings.
The selection of said means is carried out relatively to the dimensions of the cans to be tapered. The feeding, in prearranged sequence, of the cans into the first hollow or loading station 2a (see Fig 1) is instead carried out by means of an endless conveyor belt 7, provided with slanting- and partly-arcuate-teeth spacers 10, to constitute retaining niches for the individual cans 9 (Fig. 1).
The belt 7 draws continuously the individual cans from a can-bearing chain belt provided with horizontal, laterally protruding pins, on each of which a can is freely slid, such chain belt being of known type, and already used also to the purpose of feeding the cans, in a spaced-apart arrangement to other machines for other machinings. Each can which arrives to the end of conveyor belt 7 is drawn by wheel or drum 11, peripherally provided with teeth 11a hook-shaped, or similarly shaped, viz., so arcuate to constitute axially extending half-channel-shaped niches, such to house each can unloaded by gravity from belt 7. Drum 11 is rotatable around an axis parallel to the axis of seats 2a-2b, and so forth, of the platform, and each niche thereof is set under suction, to keep the can fastened during drum revolving. When the can comes to be axially lined-up with the mouth of the loading seat (for example, that indicated with the number 2a in Fig. 1), suction is discontinued, and the can, already axially lined up with the hollow 2a, is pushed into the inside of the same seat (as can 2f shows in Fig. 2), by a pusher, it too axial, of known type, and hence not shown in the figures.
After the sliding, the platform rotates, and stops in position 2b, and here the can is blocked, as already said, by pneumatic pincers or the like. Thus, each can loaded in the seat 2a is blocked in station 2b, it is then lubricated - by suitably oiled pads or the like - in the subsequent station 2c and then, in the following stations, the tool-bearing plate 5 is moved towards the platform, thus carrying out sequential and gradual taperings of can neck.
The tapering, viz., coning operations end, for example, at station 2r, because the other operating stations are used for the operations of finishing of the now cone-shaped mouth. Said finishing operations are accomplished by a device integral with the machine base, and generally indicated in Fig. 1 with the number 12. This device is provided with a tool for can neck turning at station 2s, a tool for conical neck rim rolling at the subsequent station, a tool for further neck end turning at the following station and, if required, further tools for the machining of the neck shoulder to accomplish, for example, a channel collar for the hooking of a cover and an end polishing of the same neck.
As Fig. 1 shows, all these tools are driven to rotate by means of pulleys 13-14 and a set of transmission belts 15. When the platform is in its operating stage, the finishing device 12 is kept always revolving.
When the last finishing step has ended, the can is axially extracted from the seat by a pusher associated to the platform and actuated by bucking by a cam, or the like (not shown); the pusher-extractor, when performing the can extraction operation, pushes backwards the same pusher which has inserted the can into the loading seat, thus positioning the pusher in position ready for the insertion of the subsequent can. The finished can, extracted from the seat, is drawn by a revolving drum provided with hooks 16, it too with niches under suction, and is hence placed on the unloading belt 8, which too is provided with slanting-teeth spacers 10a.
Always according to the invention, the box-like frame 1 is provided in its upper part with a protection cover 17, of transparent material, such as plastic or the like, which can slide along opposite guides 17a, to allow the inspection and the access to the inside and which, in its backwards motion, lifts a front cover 18, hinged in 19 (Fig. 2); the lifting of this cover occurs by the effect of a sliding slider 20, associated to a slanting rod 21, hinged at its opposite end.
Furthermore, coaxially with the revolving axis of platform 2, applied is a bellows-shaped protection 22, which prevents the machining swarfs from adhering to the tapering tools and to the motion transmission means, whilst all the equipment housed inside said box-like frame 1 is depressurized, through intake ducts 23, to the purpose of evacuating the same swarfs.
The device is equipped with sensors of known type to the purpose of synchronusly accomplishing of the movements of the various operating steps with the progresses of the feed and unloading belts; said sensors are connected, through shielded cables 24, to outer programming and operating panel-boards.
Finally, the belts are pivotally mounted on cantilever studs 25 and 26 (Fig. 3), with the advantage that the access to the machine for the necessary operations of servicing and check operations is made easier.
Obviously, in the practical embodiment, to the invention as disclosed, structural modifications and changes in materials, as well as changes in the number of the seats for the cans, and of the tools, according to the materials and dimensions of the same cans, can be done always within the protection scope of the same invention.

Claims

1. Automatic tapering machine for the accomplishing of the mouth of cylindrical metal cans and/or containers, of the type consisting of a revolving can-bearing platform and of a tool-bearing plate opposite to it, and reciprocatingly movable relatively to the same platform, as well as with endless conveyor belts for the feed and the unloading of the same cans, characterized in that it is constituted by a support frame wherein housed is said platform revolving around a horizontal axis, and along the outer periphery of which provided are a plurality of hollows or seats, with their axis being parallel to the axis of the platform, destined to receive and house a can to be tapered, at the basis of the platform, and tangentially to the same, the end being positioned of a conveyor-feeder of cans, kept equally spaced by retaining means provided with partly arcuate teeth, such to be housed and retained by depression-means on the periphery of a revolving drum or roller with peripheral niches, so dimensioned as to sequentially bring each can to a position of introduction into the loading seat which gets positioned, with preset and synchronized intermittence, in front of said can, first means being provided to slide said can into said seat, second means being provided for blocking the same by pincers, sleeve, rings or the like, with pneumatic, mechanical, or the like, clamping, when said can arrives at the second machining station (halt), as well as means being provided for lubricating the end of can destined to be tapered, at a third machining station, to said revolving platform opposite being provided a reciprocatingly translatable plate bearing a plurality of known tools for the sequential and gradual tapering of the peripheral area destined to form the mouth, at a predetermined plurality of sequential halting staions, with at the last machining stations provided being support means, fastened onto the frame, bearing revolving tools for the turning of the neck, for the subsequent rolling and turning of the mouth rim and for possible further machining operations, at the can unloading station extractor means being provided, of pin type, or the like, driven by bucking by a stationary cam, or the like, suitable to unload the finished can, through a further revolving drum provided with niches under suction, onto a belt-conveyor for taking away the same can, with said machine associated being finally intaking means for the removal of the swarfs arising from the finishing working of the mouth, as well as sensor means, associated to an operating and programming panel-board, suitable to carry out the sequences of all operating steps.

2. Tapering machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for sliding the can into the loading seat are constituted by an axial pusher, sequentially driven with the operating steps of the revolving platform and destined to be then extracted, to be ready for a subsequent intervention, by an analogous, opposite and coaxial pusher, actuated by said kinematic driving means, of cam type, or the like.

3. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said plurality of revolving tools for turning, rolling, cleaning, and the like, the finished mouth are collected on one single stationary support, and are actuated by their own power means, through transmission pulleys and belts, kept always running during the tapering steps.

4. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the whole support frame is accomplished in box-like shape, kept constantly depressurized to the purpose of evacuating the machining swarfs.

5. Machine according to claims from 1 to 4, characterized in that associated to said revolving platforms is, internally, a bellows-shaped casing, or the like, positioned coaxially with the means for transmission of motion to the tool-bearing table and to those of the revolving platform, suitable to protect said transmission means from the swarfs produced during the mouth machining steps.

6. Machine according to preceding claims, characterized in that the feed and unloading endless belts are mounted on cantilevered rotation axles, so to make easier the access to the machine for the necessary inspection and servicing operations.

7. Machine according to preceding claims, characterized in that said frame, formed as box-shaped body is provided in its upper portion with a flat lid or cover, made from transparent material, such as plastic, translatable along guides and anchored to a front lid or cover, it too made from transparent material, so to cause the opening, by slanting relatively to the vertical, of said transparent front cover during the operation of translation of the upper, flat cover.