GB1044539A - Improvements in and relating to the production of metallic tubular container bodies - Google Patents

Abstract

1,044,539. Making cans; bending; welding by pressure. REYNOLDS METALS CO. July 1, 1963 [July 5, 1962], No. 26025/63. Headings B3A, B3E and B3R. A method for producing separated tubes of aluminium or aluminium alloy suitable for making cans comprises producing longitudinally spaced transverse slits in a strip of material, the slits terminating adjacent the strip edges, curling the strip to bring the edges adjacent one another, uniting the edges to form a partially slitted tube, and severing the unslitted portions between the slits and strip edges to form separated tubes. A strip to be formed into tubes is fed from spools 22 and 24, Fig. 1A, to a joining device where, when a new spool is to be used, the old and new strips are overlapped and clamped at 28, cutters 30 shear the strips, the strips are butt welded at 32, and the weld is ground at 34. The strip 20 passes from a unit 36 having automatically or manually operated driving wheels 37 and a brake 38, to a similar unit 60 by way of an accumulator comprising a pulley 50 mounted on a movable carriage 54 which provides a constant feed of strip at 60 despite temporary stopping of the strip for joining. Any curl in the strip is straightened out by rollers 64 and 66, and the strip after alignment and speed regulation has small holes 94 and 96 (Fig. 6, not shown) punched near its edges which are then joined by slits 98. A photo-electric cell ensures register of the slits with the holes. The strip is passed between skelping rollers 128 and 130 (Fig. 16, not shown) adjustable by handwheels 134, to bring the strip edges together for welding. A seam weld is produced by a high frequency induction welding head 144 and the portions 100, Fig. 9 (not shown) between the slits are severed to separate tubes 156. The tubes may then be given bottoms and tops and filled.