GB875331A - Method of and means for locating the seams of cans in can soldering machines - Google Patents

Abstract

875,331. Orientating cans. GREEN & LAXTON Ltd. Jan. 22, 1960 [March 12, 1959], No. 8572/59. Class 78 (1). [Also in Group XXII] An arrangement for locating the longitudinal seams of cylindrical cans to be soldered in an automatic can-soldering machine comprises means to deliver cans one at a time on to a pair of parallel rollers rotatable to rotate a can thereon, means to stop the rotation of a can on the rollers when the seam is in its lowermost position, means to stop the rotation of the rollers after the rotation of the can has stopped and means for moving the can from the rollers. The can rotating station is provided at the feeding end of a slideway, e.g. a pair of parallel rails, at points along which are arranged a flux bath and a solder bath, and comprises a housing 11 carrying a pair of rollers 12, 13 in line with the slideway. The rollers are rotated by chain wheels 14, 15 and a chain wheel 16 connected by a clutch 18 to a main shaft. Cans are fed on to the rollers 12, 13 down an inclined shoot 19, 20 adjustable in width, having a block 21 with pins 22, 23 held by plate 26 on a lever 27 with a cam follower 28 in the position shown with pin 22 projecting into the shoot and spring-urged in the direction of arrow 24 to a position in which the pin 23 projects into the shoot, one complete movement of the block 21 from the position shown to its other position and back again effecting the release of one can. A feeler arm 29 above the rollers 12, 13, and carrying a spring-pressed blade 31 is movable back and forth by a lever 35 having a cam follower 37 and has a cut front portion 33 so that when it is moved forwards its leading end is lowered. A timing shaft 38, driven by the main shaft, carries three cams 39, 40, 41 for a follower 42 coupled to the clutch 18, the follower 37 on the arm 35 and follower 28 on arm 27. Operation.-Cans are fed into the shoot with their axes parallel to rollers 12, 13 to be released one at a time by the block 21 to roll on to the rollers. At this point the clutch 18 is engaged to rotate the rollers and thus the can and the feeler 29 is moved forward and the feeler 31 is lowered into contact with the can. When the raised seam engages the feeler its rotation is stopped and after the cam is stopped the clutch is disengaged to stop the rollers. Then the arm 29 is withdrawn and the can is moved axially to the flux and solder baths by a projection carried by a conveyer chain beneath the slideway. A second conveyer chain ahead of the main conveyer may be provided to move each can from the rollers 12, 13 and a pair of arms may be swung adjacent the front and rear of the can on the rollers to prevent it moving or tipping.