8380. Cumming, W. S. April 10. Metal, sheet, seaming and joining. - Relates primarily to means foruniting the boly-wall of a can with its bottom plate by means of a seam formed by folding the margin of the bottom plate over that of the body wall. Other improvements in machines of this character are also described. The machine comprises a die press with a reciprocating head, a cam ring supported on the press, and a forming-head mounted on the press-head and passing through the cam ring at each stroke of the press so that its forming jaws or wings are brought into operative engagement with the cam ring, dies for carrying sheet-metal blanks, and a carrier for the dies so that they may be brought successively into position for engagement with the forming-head. A side elevation of the machine is shown in Fig. 1, a vertical central section through the press in Fig. 3 when the press-head is at the uppermost part of the stroke with a metal body and bottom blank on the die, Fig. 7 the position of the corner jaws at the end of the down-stroke of the head, Fig. 8 a plan of the wings and heelplate, Fig. 10 a plan of the cam ring, and Figs. 19 and 21 modifications of parts of the machine. The reciprocating head is shown at A', and the rotating carrier-plate at B. The head A<1> carries the former upon which are mounted a plurality of wings G, adapted by the shape of the cam rings below to be forced against the can body and thereby to form the seam. Several dies E, each of which carries a blank, are mounted upon the plate B in such a way as to have limited vertical oscillatory movement in conjunction with the press-head. The head D is constructed with a stem d' in which the spring F is placed in order that it may press upon a plug f in contact with the inner arms of the wings G<1>. The upper end of the spring comes into contact with the horizontal bar N which, at the upward extremity of the stroke, strikes the stops a<1> on the main frame of the press. Two sets of wings G, G<1>, supported on trunnions, engage respectively the middle portions of the sides of the can blank and the sides and ends of the blank forming the corners. As regards the side wings G, to each is secured a fixed horizontal plate g<4>, upon which slides the jaw g<6> adapted to engage the margin of an outwardlyprojecting flange on the can body and the edge of the end-plate of the superimposed body, thereby forming a seam. The bevelled outer end g<7> of the jaw acts in contact with a portion of the cam ring C. By means of a hidden spring, a quick-sliding action of the jaw g<6> is ensured. The corner wings G<1> are similar'to the side wings. The heel-plate I, Fig. 3, for entering the end-plate of the can and affording a backing against which the seaming- jaws act, consist of segments which are attached by ball-and-socket connections. Blocks are secured in the die-head d so as to fill the spaces between the segments i. The cam ring has its inner surface formed partially with bevelled segments c<2> adapted to engage the corner wings G<1>, in order that they may be forced inwardly upon a depression of the head. Between the bevelled segments are mounted adjustable blocks c<3> for engagement with the sliding jaws of the side wings. Referring to the die, the plate E conforms to the figure of a body blank for which the press is adapted. It is formed with a raised centre portion with bevelled slides upon which the body blank may be seated. The stem e<2> has a vertical sliding engagement with the end of the plunger H, which is raised and lowered upon a helical spring by the angular movement of the lever arm K about the shaft K'. The shaft K<1> operates the arm K<2> which is in alignment with a slide K<3>, the slide carrying the dog K<4> which actuates the carrier B. The pawl K<4> engages with, and depresses, the arm K' during the time the slide K<3> is retracted, and when the die is in its operative position with respect to the forming-head. As the slide moves forward to actuate the carrier, the dog releases the arm K<2> and allows the inner end of the lever K to drop. If a single seam instead of a double seam is to be formed, the flange on the can body is omitted, and the projecting part of the flange on the end-plate made narrower. The forming-jaws then merely press downwardly and inwardly the end-plate flange upon the can body. In the modifications shown in Figs. 19 and 21, the corner and side jaws are each made of relatively-movable parts, the cam ring being provided with two separate cams for actuating each jaw. The corner jaws consist of two plates g<14>, g<15> one above the other, having slots engaged by guide-pins which pass upwardly through the bottom plate g<17> of the wing. Pins also engage springs in the wings. The inner part of the sam ring is formed with the projection c<14> adapted to engage the inclined ends of the shank of the lower plate. The ring is formed also with the inclined surface c<15> which engages the inclined edge of the plate g<14>. Each side jaw consists of an upper and a lower plate having slots engaged by a guide-plate.