US1621580A - Double-seaming machine - Google Patents

Description

Mar ch 22, 1927.

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DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed March 22. 19'23 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 my invention is a doubleseaming machine,

LIAM CAMERON, OF CHICAGQ, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNDR T0 CERON CAN MACHINERY COMIAITY, 'OF CHIGAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

. DOUBLE QEAMING MACHINE.

Application filed March as, 1923. Serial No. sea-res.

This invention relates to machines for applying can ends, either tops 01' bottoms, to can bodies. While the machine shown and described as illustrative of the principles of adapted to double seam: curled ends onto flanged can bodies, it should be understood that the principles o-fthe invention may be embodied in machines for applying straight flanged ends.

Furthermore, while the machine herein disclosed is particularly desirable for capping filled cans, since it is adapted to hand the cans with a minimum of agitation and slopping ofthe liquid'contents of the cans, the machine may, if desired, be employed for applying ends to unfilled cans, or totubular can bodies which have notbeen previously equipped with either top or bottom.

One of the primary purposes or this invention is to provide a machine ca able oi. performing the functions indicate Which ,will be capable of applying ends to cans at a much higher speed than machines heretofore employed for this purpose.

The machine is furthermore extremely,

simple in construction possessing fewer moving and operating parts than has heretofore been considered necessary in machines of this character, and because of its simplicity,.it is extremel accurate and reliable 1n operation and is a so very durable.

In addition to the features mentioned, a machine embodyilig my invention is capable of being quickly and-accurately adjusted by manipulation .of a single adjusting device,

whereby the machine may be almost instantly adjusted to accommodate can bodies of various heights. e

Another feature of the invention resides in novel means for feeding thecan bodies and spacing'them in the desired relation before they enter the machine proper, and in this connection it may be mentioned that 'the general design of the. machine is such that the bodies may be spaced much closer together than has heretofore been considered possible, thereby enabling a greater number to be fed through the "machine in a given length of time than could be fed it they were spaced farther apart.

Another feature resides in novel mechanism for truing or rounding up the can bodies so as to make them truly circular in form in order that they mayreadily enter the circular flange caps.

A further and very important feature of this invention .is the provision of novel seaming mechanism whereby the can ends are secured to the. can bodies. In the form of the invention shown this mechanism is adapted to double seam curled ends onto nism for revolving the same, greatly simplifies the construction of my present machine and enables it to be built much smaller and more compactly than previous machines of this general character.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel and improved mechanism for feeding the caps from a magazine to the point of application to the can bodies, which mechanism includes a novel no can,.no cap control, which precludes the feeding of caps in the event of failure or absence-of can bodies. v

, Another object is to provide an automatic marking device by 'means of which the caps are marked with any desired number, letter or character duringtheir travel from the. magazine to the pointof application to the man bodies.

urther features of the invention reside in the provision of novel ,means for posi: tivelv ejecting the ca ped cans from the spindle chucks, means ror positively depressing the cam followers which serve to elevate the can bodies and caps into engagement with the chucks, means for stopping the rotation of the can bod tion, and means incorporated in the can raissupporting plates after the completion 0 the seaming opera- 25 1 so that their upper edges may be introdu'ced into the flanged caps disposed directly above the bodies. The caps are fed from a lowered for inspection after its passage through the first set of seaming rolls.

Other objects and many of the inherent advantages of this invention should be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by referenceto the follow- .ing description when considered in connecless carrier on which, near the delivery end thereof, the bodies are automatically spaced the requisite distance apart by novel spacmg mechanism. The bodies then successively enter a star wheel which revolves in peripheral proximity to a spiderprovided' with peripheral body receiving pockets. The pockets of the. spider in conjunction with the companion pockets of the star wheel serve to true or round up the bodies magazine tothe spider, on which-they are clamped and held in position over the pockets so as to be in exact alignment with the can bodies inthe pockets. During the travel of the can ends from the magazine to the spider, the can ends pass a marking station at which-a suitable character or mark is automatically applied to the ends. A can end and body having been aligned as explained, the body is now lifted to'project its upper end into the flange of the end, whereupon the body with the end thereon is further elevated to press the end firmly against a revolving spindle chuck. The body is supported-at its lower end upon a freely rotatable plate, and as the end is chuc can end and body until they are spinning at a relatively high rate of speed. The spinning bodies are then carriedforward by the continuously revolving spider, bringing the peripheryof the can end ,into engagement with the primary seaming mechbrought into engagement with the revolving 'anism'comprising one or more freely rotatable seaming rollers. When a pair of rollers as shownisemployed thedistance between these rollers is slightly ,less than the initial diameter ofthe can end, and as the rapidly spinning end is urgedagainst these rollers the margin ofthe end'will be bent or our ed downwardly and inwardly until the diameter is reduced to the distance between the rollers,- whereupon the can body and end will pass between these rollers.

The

artially seamed end then engages a Bacon or final seaming mechanism shown a rotary movement is imparted to the operation is performed, so that when the canwith the end thereon passes thismechanism, the end is securely double seamed to the body. The body with the end secured thereto is then discharged from the machine in the usual manner.

With this brief description of the general operation of the machine, referende will now be had't'o the drawings for a more detailed disclosure thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation left at Fig. 1, the can feeding mechanism,

looking toward the the enclosing housing, and a portion of the base of the machine being removed to more clearly disclose certain mechanisms;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

;- Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on.

the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal view onlthe line 55" of Fig. 2;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views on the lines 66 and 7-7, respectively, of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on theline 8-8 of Fig. 4; I

Figs.'9,-.10= and 11 are vertical sectional Views on the lines 9- -9, 10-10, and 1111, respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12-is a plan view showing the top of the machine; v j 1 Fig. 13* is a side elevation of the can lifting roller depressing cam, looking in the direction of the arrow 13 in Fi 7 i Fig. 14: is a fragmentary detail view looking in the direction of the arrows l4-14 in Fig. 6'

Fig.1) is a sectional detail view of the seaming roller supporting rings taken on the line 15-15 of Fig. 6;

i lly in section,- tahen substantially on the line 16-16 of Fig. 4

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary el vation, par- I Fig. 17 is a similar view, partially in secanother position;

Fig. 18 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the cap feeding and can body spacing mechanisms;

Fig. 19 is a-sectional viewon the line v1941.9 of Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 is a face view of one of the can, cap and body receiving packets formed on the spider wheel;

Fig. 21 is a sectional view showing the cooperative relation between the pockets on the spider wheel and star wheel, respectively;

tion, showing. themarking mechanism in 7"showing the initial relation of acap to a mounted for vertical adjustment. Upon this column portion 31 is mounted a box or cascan body;

Fig. 23 is a similar view after the first seaming operation; and

Fig. 24 is a similar-view after the final "seaming operat on.

Frame construction. From an inspection of the drawings it' will be observed that the entire machine issupported upon a hollow, inverted base 25, carrying at one side the feed table 26 alongwhichy the-can bodies are fed into the machine, and at'the opposite side, upon an adjustable post27, a deliverytable or chute 28 upon which the capped bodies aredischarged from'the, machine. At the back of the machine there is mounted upon the base 25, 'as will be, apparent from Figs. 2, and 3," a hollow pedestal 29, in which the lower portion 31 of a side column is telescopically ing 32, housing certain mechanismywhich will be later-described, and surmounting the box is the upper portion 33 of the side column which is laterally bent at its upper end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A center column 34: is rotatably supported near its lower end upon ball bearings 35 carried by a vertically movable ad'usting, member 36. Vertical movement of t is column relatively to the adjusting member is precluded by a lock nut 37 threaded onto the lower end of thel column, this nut being 3 lit throughout a portion of its periphery an equipped with a set screw 38 b which the nut may bespread and'locke to the column. An upperspider or spindle carryinghead '39 as securedby a key 41 to the upper end of the center column. A hollowsupporting standard 42, carried by the base 25, is shaped to surroundthe adjusting member 36 and also a portion of the column 34, and upon a shoulder 43, formed around this standard, a lower spider. 44; is rotatably su ported. The weight of this spider is carried upon a hearing ring 45, and the spider is held against upward displacement'by afianged retaining ring 46 secured to the bottom thereof, an

engaged in a circumferential groove in the standard 42, aswill be apparent from Figs. 2 and 8. To prevent the entrance of liquid, dirt and othenfo'reign matter into the spider bearing, a sealing ring 47 is fitted snugly around the column 34 and secured by screws or otherwise to the spider,-and a ring of packing material 48 is interposed between the lower face of this ring and the upper end of the standard 42".'

'Drioing mechanism. 7 Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive,

it will be observed that the machine is driven '76,'and 77, res ectively, (Fig. 3) has a ring by power applied from any suitable source to'a belt pulley 49, loosely mounted on a shaft 51, to which a driving connection is established through a clutch 52 of any pre-,

'ferred construction adapted to be manually.

controlled from the front of the' machine through a hand-lever 53, connected by a link 54 to an'arm 55 fixed upon a rock shaft 56, which has fixedly mounted on its other end a clutch actuating 310118.57;

Withinthebase 25 the drive shaft 51' is provided with a gear 58,: which meshes with and drives a gear 59, keyed to a cross-shaft 61. A bevel gear 62, also fixed on the shaft 61,

meshes with and drives a companion gear 63' fixed, together with aspungear 64:, upon the a lower end of a hollow shaft .65, journaled in a bearing 66 and held against endw ise displacement'by a lock nut 67 threaded onto the upper end of the hollow shaft. A verticalshaft 68, having-its'lower end tele-' :copically'projecting into the hollow shaft 65 and 'splined thereto by means oi a driving spine 69, extends upwardly from the base through the housing, 32, where within the housing it carries the cams 71 and 72, and abovethqhousin the cam 7 3, the functions of. which cams will be later explained.

A second. verticalshaft 74, mounted in upper, intermediate and lower bearings 75,

to its lower en a gear 78 which meshes with and is driven by the gear-.645. A pinion 179, keyed. to the shaft 7 4:, meshes with and drives gear 81 fixed'upon the perimeter or the spi erv 4:4,fand by which. rotary movementis imparted to the spider. A'second pinion 82, splinedtothe upper portion of shaft-74 so as to be; capable ofvertical movement with respeettto the shaft, meshes with a ring-gear 83 surrounding and fixediy securedto the upper spider 39, and through,

spider. The ear'ratios between the two ring gears an their driving pinions, both mounted on thecshaft 74, being equal, the

(eyed 'which rotary movement is imparted to this upper and lower spiders 39 and 44 are driven at; the same speed in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing plan sections of the machine. v 1 p The shaft 61 is also provided with a worm 84 meshing with anddriving a worm wheel I 85 keyed to a short hollow shaft .86, mounted in suitable bearings 87,. the gear 85 being preferably enclosed in a housing 88 containing an oil bath for lubrication purposes. A vertical shaft 89, splined to the hollow shaft 86,is rotatably driven'thereby and is also capable of vertical adjusting movements relatively thereto;,.,, This* vertical shaft ex- 4 tends upwardly tlirtiuglithe center column 34 and'is journaledatits up r end in a. bearin 91 carried by the oveifinging or-- tion 0 the side column {33 A gear w eel 92, fixedly secured by a key 93 to the shaft the vertical distance between 89 and resting upon the upper end of the center column 34, limits downward. movement of the shaft 89, while upward displacement is prevented by a collar 94 fixed by a set screw 95 to the shaft 89 immediately be- Height adjustment.

In order to accommodate the machine to cans of various heights, it is necessary that the lower spider 44, which carries the can supporting plates, and the upper spider 39, which carriesthe spindle chucks between which and the supporting plates the can bodies are clamped, be capable of adjustment and regulation. With this end in view, I have provided mechanism by means of which the upper spider may be vertically adjusted relative'y to the lower, and which will now be ex lained.

eferring particularly to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the supporting. member 36, which through the ball bearings 35 carries the center co;umn 34 upon which the upper spider 39 is carried, is circumferentially screw threaded, as indicated at 101, and is received in and/supported by an interiorly threaded supporting ring 102 carried upon the top of the machine base 25. The member 36, while capable ofv vertical movement relatively to the frame, is retained against rotative movement by a key 103, projecting inwardly from the supporting standard 42- into a vertical groove 104, formed at one side of the member 36. It will be manir'rest,

therefore, that rotative movement of the ring 102 will, through the threaded engagement with the supporting member 36 cause this member and the standard 34 carried thereby, and also the upper spider 39 mounted onthis standard, to partake of vertical adjusting movements relatively to the lower spider 44. This rotary movement of the ring 102 is imparted thereto by a pinion 105 meshing with gear teeth upon the periphe of the ring. This gear is manually operate from a crank or handle 106 at the front of the machine, through the intermediary of a pair of bevel pinions 107. a

The lower member 31 of the side column is, as previously noted, telescopically disposed within the supporting pedestal 29, and,

1,e21,5so

this column also is vertically adjustable synchronously with the center column 34. With this end in view, the telescoping lower portion of the column 31 is provided with external screw threads 108' meshing with a surrounding adjusting ring 109, also supported upon the base 25. To hold thecolumn' against rotation while permitting of vertical adjusting movements, a spline 111' so as to secure the requisite spacing between the upper and lower spiders, and at the same tlme maintain the requisite driving relation between the various mechanisms. The adj ustment is very simple, may be very quickly,

easily and accurately performed, and the parts remain automatically locked in adjusted position by reason of the low pitch threaded connection between the adjusting rings and the parts with which they respectively engage. During vertical adjusting movements. the shaft 89 telescopes within the shaft 86, the shaft 68 similarly telescopes within the shaft 65, and shaft 74"remains vertically stationary, but the splined connection between this shaft .and the driving pinion 82permits this pinion to slide vertically of the shaft as the side column is moved upwardly or downwardly.

'Uan body feeding and spacing.

The can bodies 115, either -unequipped with ends or provided with bottoms only,

and filled or unfilled, as the case maybe,

are placed manually or are delivered from the preceding machine in the line onto the outer end of the feed table 26. The top of this table is provided with adjustable side pieces 116 between which the cans are fed along by an endless conveyor 117, com

prising, as shown in Figs. 1, 9, and 10, a

series of pivotally connected links 118, each "equipped with a head or plate 119 adapted to travel along the upper surface of the table, which is centrally slotted to accommodate the links of the conveyor which are trained over a driving sprocket 121 fixed on a shaft 122. (Figs. 1 and 9) and at the other end of the table over an idler sprocket 123. The rear end of the shaft 122 is provided with a gear 124 meshing with and driven by a gear 125 fixed on'a shaft 126 which is also equipped with a sprocket Wheel 127 driven by a sprocket chain 128 from a driving sprocket 129 fixed upon a shaft 131, to which is also fixed within the base of the machine a gear wheel 132, which meshes with and is driven by the gear 97 on the shaft 98. The conveyor is therefore conranged in predetermined spaced relation so that they will each arrive at the truing up star wheel at the proper time. For the purpose of spacing the bodies on the conveyor, a spacing star wheel 133 is mounted at the rear of the conveyor so .that its perimeter overlies the conveyor, and as the wheel revolves in a clockwise direction, viewing Figs. 4 and 18, the projections of the wheel are intruded between successive bodies, thus separating and spacing the bodies so that when'they leave the wheel they are disposed in accurate and predetermined spaced relation. The spacing wheel is mounted upon the upper end of a shaft 134, which, as will be apparent from Figs. 10 and 11, is provided with a bevel gear 135, meshing with and driven by a companion gear 136 fixed upon a shaft 130. extending transversely of the feed table and provided at its other end with a sprocket wheel 137 by which the shaft is driven through a sprocket chain 138, trained over a driving sprocket 139 on the shaft 122. The tension on chain 138. is regulated by means of an adjustable idler 141.

For the purpose of initially stopping the bodies so that they will not jam against the spacing wheel, I have provided a stop finger 142, adapted to be reciprocated through the frontwall 116 of the C{feed table into and out of the path of the a van'cing bodies on the conveyor. This stop fin er is adjustably clampedby means of a screw 143 into the split upper end of a lever 144, fulcrumed at 145 upon the side wlall of the feed table, and provided intermediate its ends with a cam follower 146, which is urged against the face of'a cam 147, carried upon the shaft 130. In order to provide for-adjustment of this cam to properly time the movements of the finger, the cam is provided with armate slots 148 through which bolts 149 extend, and by which the cam is clamped to the outer face of the sprocket Wheel 137. The.

cam follower is urged a ainst the face of the cam 147' by a tracti e spring 151, and

when a low portion of the cam travels be-..

neath the follower, the finger 142 is projected into the path of an advancing can body. The bod 'is stopped by this finger until the prece ing body has been spaced therefrom byv the spacing wheel, whereupon the finger is withdrawn, permitting the body to be advanced bythe conveyorinto engagement-with the next depression in the spacing wheel. It will be apparent, therefore, that the advancing bodies are initially stopped by the stop finger and held for a predetermined period against movement, whereupon the finger is withdrawn and the body is permitted to advance and be properly spaced with respect to the preceding body'by action of the spacing wheel.

Gap feeding.

The can ends 01' caps 152 are stacked in a magazine 153, Figs. 4, 18 and 19, rearwardly of the feed table, the magazine being mounted upon a'bracket or shelf 154, sup; ported from the machine frame. The caps are fed, one at a time, from the bottom of the stack and are advanced along the shelf the lowermost cap from the others, as shown in Fig. 19, so that upon forward movement of the slide the cap is engaged in the rearmo'st dog 156 and moved forwardly along the shelf to the intermediate position shown. The slide is then retracted, the dogs upon rearward movement being. adapted to.tilt downwardlyand pass beneath the caps, and upon the next forward movement the previously removed cap is carried to the extreme position shown at the right in Fig. 19, wherein it is engaged in the pocket.of the upper spider 39. A. holding dog 159, nionnted on the shelf. prevents return movement of the cap from this position.

The slide 155 is reciprocated by means of a lever 161 adjustably connected with the slide by a clamping belt 162 in conjunction with a nut 163 thereon, which clamps against a collar 164. The lever is fulcrumed at 165 in the box 32 carried b the side column, as will be apparent from hig. 4, and the other arm of the lever is equipped with a cam follower 166, which is held against the perimeter of the cam? 1, Figs. 2 and 4, by means of a tractile' spring 168. At each revolution slide;

of the cam 1 the bell crank lever 161 is oscillated to reciprocate the cap feeding Nocom, no cap.

slide 155 comprisesa forward portion carry ing the forward dog 156, and to wh'ch the operating lever 161 is attached, and also a rear portion 169 slidably associated with the forward portion and carrying the rear dog 156, which removes the caps from the magazine. The rear portion 171 of the slide member to which the actuating lever 161 is connected has pivotally mounted thereon at 172 a rearwardly extending tail 173 comprising a shoulder 174 adapted to engage the rear end of the slide portion rear dog 169by which this slide portion is moved forwardly with the other-portion, and a cam extension 175. An expansion spring 176 interposed between the forwardly pro-' jecting end of the tall 173 and the member 155 normally retains the tail in the position shown in Fig. 19;, so that the rear slide member 169 will be carried back and forth by the forward member 155.

. A longitudinally movable bar or shaft .177 extending transversely of the shelf 15%,

has fixed thereona collar or roller 178 normally held by an expansion spring 179. in the path of the inclinedcam 175 on the tail 173. If, upon reverse movement of the slide and tail, that is, movement to the left viewing Fig. 19, the collar 178 is in the path of the inclined cam 175 of the tail, the tail will be depressed, thereby releasing the driv ing shoulder 174 from engagement with the rear. end of the slide member169, so that upon the next forward movement of the slide member 155, the member 169wil l remain stationary. Under these; circumstances, no caps will be fed from the magazine by the The position of the collar 178 is, however, determined by the presence or absence of a can body just rearwardly of the spacing wheel. At this point an arm 181, adjustablv mounted 'upon a vertical rock shaft 182, (Figsl 9 and 18), has a cam shaped extension 183 normally projecting into the path of the advancing can bodies. Another arm 184, fixed to a lower end of shaft 182. is normally urged toward the right, viewing Fig. 18, by a spring 185 to project the arm 181 into the path of the cans. A swivelled link 186 connects the outer end of arm 184 the upper spider 39, the caps are hel with the bell crank lever 187, fulcrumed at 188, the arm 189 of this lever being adapted to bear'against a second collar 191 fixed on the shaft 177.

When no can is engaged with the arm 181, the parts will be held byjsprings 185 and 17 9 in the normal position shown'in Fig. 18. At each return movement of the slide member 155, the tail 173 will be depressed by the roller 178, thus disestablishing driving connection with the rear slide member169. No caps will therefore be fed from the magazine to the machine. When, however, the arm 181 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction by engagement of a can body with the cam 183, the bell crank lever 187 will be rocked in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 18, thereby through its arm 189 moving the shaft 177 against the action of the spring 179 to carry th roller 178 out of the path of the returning tail 173, thereby permitting the tail to be rocked under the action of s ring 176 so as to engage the shoulder 174 with the slide member 169, whereby the slide is carriedforward to remove a'cap from the magazine upon the next actuation of the lever 169. it will be apparent," therefore, that each succeeding can body will actuate the lever 181 so as to move the roller 178 out of the path of the tail and permit the feeding of a cap. In the absence of a can bod however, the various parts will be held in normal position, as previouslyexplained,-

thereby disconnecting therear slide member 169 from the driving mechanism and preventing the feeding of a cap.

I Cap holding.

During their travel from the ma azine to d against upward displacement 'by a. painof plates 191 and 192 beneath which the caps travel along the shelf. The spider 39 is so timed in its movements with respect to the cap feeding mechanism that one 01 the pockets 193v of the spider will be disposed in alignment Hill with an advancing cap and in position to receive the same, as illustrated in Fig. 18. Reverse movement of the cap from the pocket revented, as previously mentioned. by

the holding dog 159. j The shape of these pockets 193 on the upper spider 39 is best shown in Figs. 18, 20 and 21, from an inspection of which it will'be observed'that each pocket has a cutaway portion- 194-flanked oneither side by a holding portion which comprises a groove 195 adapted to receive a cap, and by the bottom of which groove the cap is supported. Beneath this groovethe pocket comprises a can flange receiving portion 196, and below that a smaller can body receiving portion 197. A can cap positioned in the groove 195. as previously-explained, is carried by the spider as itrevolves in a clockwise direction in position to be disposed above and in alignment with a can body which is fed to the spider by mechanism which will later be described.

During its travel with the spider, the cap is ;pressed down against the supporting shoulder of the groove 195 and c amped against displacement from the pocket by a clamping rod 180 (Fig. 8) carried by the upper spider 39 and forced downwardly into clamping engagement with the cap by an upper stationary cam 190. The detailed construction of this mechanism will be explained more fully in connection with the chuck spindle structures.

Rounding up the bodies.

and is carried by the wheel as it revolves in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig; 4, into a companion pocket 193 on the spider wheel 39. The rear w'all 116 of the feed table is curved as indicated at 201, Fig. 18, to permit of the arcuate movement of the can bodies under the influence of the wheel 199.

The pockets 198 of the star wheel 199 are complementary to the pockets 193 of the spider wheel,- except that on the star wheel no provision'is made for accommodation of the can caps. Each star wheel pocket therefore comprises a can flange receiving portion 205 complementary to the portion 196 of the star wheel pocket, and a can body receiving portion 206 complementary to the body receiving portion 1970f the spider wheel pocket. As the star and spider 'wheels revolve, the pockets thereon are moved into opposed relation, thereby completely encircling the can bodies so that by the conjoint action of the opposed-pockets the bodies and the flanges are rounded up and brought into truly circular form, and when the bodies are now elevated into engagement with their respective caps disposed in the grooves 195 of the pockets immediately above the bodies, the flanges of the bodies, being held by the pockets in truly circular form, will enter the downturned flanges of the caps which are to be double seamed thereto. It will be apparent, therefore, that even should some of the bodies be considerabl distorted so that they are not circular in orm, the action of the cooperating pockets on the star and spider wheel above the can bodies.

Lifting the bodies and caps.

The body conveyor 117 being on the same level as the top of the lower spider 49, it will be manifest that as the bodies are moved by the star wheel 199 from the conveyor, they are slid onto and supported by this lower spider. Referring now to Figs. 3 and 8, it will be observed that the lower spider is equipped near its periphery with a-plurality of, in the present instance ten, can body supporting plates 207, each of which is carried upon a rotatable spindle 208, having a convex bottom bearing end 209,which rests upon the convex upper face of a hearing button 211, secured by a'pin 212 extending into a vertical slot in the button so that the button is capable of vertical movement, but is retained against rotation. This pin extends inwardly from. a sleeve or hollow shaft 213 within which the spindle 208 projects, and thebutton is yieldably supported in this sleeve beneath the spindle upon a coiled expansion spring 214. The sleeve 213 is vertically reciprocable in a bored bearing 215 formed in the spider 4A, and is held against rotation therein by a roller 216 engaged in a vertical slot 217 formed in the lower end of the hearing. The lower portion of the sleeve is shaped to provide a bifurcated head 218 in which upon a shaft 219 is mounted a roller or cam follower 221, adapted to travel upon a circular cam 222 surrounding the base of the standard 42. As the spider revolves, the rollers 221 will travel up the rise in the cam 222, thereby liftin their respective cam supporting plates 2 07 from the position shown at the right in Fig. 8to that shown at the left. This upward movement elevates the can body into engagement with its respective cap so that the flange of the body enters the flange of the cap, whereupon further upward movement of the body carries the cap upwardly. therewith into engagement with the rotating can spinning chucks, which will now be described.

Spinning the bodies" and caps.

fit the top of the cap. Upward thrust upon the chuck and spindle exerted by upward pressure of the body and cap produced by the action of the cam 222 upon the lifting rollers 221, is absorbed in the anti-friction roller bearings225 with which each spindle is equipped. The clamping rods 180, previously mentioned, extend centrally through their respective spindles, and at its lower end each rod has slidingly secured thereto by a pin 226 a head 227 provided with slots 228 into which said pin projects. An expansion spring 229 normally urges this head downwardly so that when the rod is depressed, thehead will extend downwardly beyond the chuck in position to engage the center of the cap, which has just'been fed into a pocket of the spider. Each rod is normally heldin its uppermost position by an expansion spring 231 surrounding its upper end and interposed between the top of the spindle 223 and a head 232 pinned to the rod. The stationary arcuate earn 190 (Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 14) is carried by spokes 233 radiating from a head 234 which is securely bolted'to the hub 235, formed at the end of the side column member 33. This cam is provided with an active portion 230 tFig. 2) which is adapted to depress a rod just after a cap has been fed into a spider pocket so that the head 22?- is yieldingly forced downwardly upon the cap'to clamp it in the pocket and prevent displacement therefrom during the travel of the cap toa position over-its respective can body. The

rod travels oil? from this active portion of the cam approximately at the time that-the elevation o the can body begins, and when gagement with and clamped against the spindle chuck 224, the rod is free to assume the elevated position shown in Fig. 8, permitting the body and cap to be clampedloetween the chuck and the'supporting plate 207. The spring 214 beneath the plate provides aresiliency for the clamping action be: tween the chuck and supporting plate which obviates any danger of injury to the machine or can body which might result from slight variations in the length of the bodies, it no compensation for such irregularities were provided.

Each spindle has keyed to its upper end a pinion 236. which meshes with and is :driven by the gearwheel 92 on. the shaft 89, and this pinion is locked against accidental displacement by a split lock nut 237 including a set screw 238 by which the locking action is secured. Since the spiders, and consequently the spindles,are revolved in a clockwise direction, viewing Figs. 4 and d, and the wheel 32 is revolved in a counter-clockwise direction, it will'be apparent that a high speed of rotation will be imparted to the spindles, not only as the result of the high gear ratio between the gear wheel 92 and the spindle pinions 236, but also because of the fact that the spindles are traveling as neaneeo a whole with the spiders in a direction opposite to that of the gear wheel. -When, therefore, a can body and cap have been lifted into engagement with a rapidlyrevolving spindle chuck and have been securely clamped thereto, the cap and body will par- Seaming mechanism.

Instead of providing for each spindle chuck carried by the spiders a pair of seaming rolls with mechanism for revolving the same around the axis of the can bodies and for moving the rolls radially toward and from the bodies, my present invention contemplates the passing ot the spinning bodies and caps thereon past seaming rolls disposed, in the path of travel ot the advancing caps. When the rolls are arranged in pairs. as

here illustrated, the spacing of the rolls is somewhat less than the original diameter of the can caps; consequently, as the rapidly spinning caps are carriedinto engagement with these freely rotatable rolls, the edges of the caps are forced downwardly and in:

wardly into a seam formation until the diameter of the caps has been reduced sumciently to permit the passage of the cap between I the rolls. By this construction the usual complicated -mecha nisrn for moving the seaming rolls radially and for revolving them bodily around the caps is eliminated, and the bodies and caps are permitted to be fed by continuous motion past the relatively fixed seaming rolls, whereby the seaming operations are performed much more rapidly and with less consumption of power than heretofore.

Furthermore, in prior machines each can.

has been operated upon by one set ot'rolls, and it an imperfect can is delivered from the machine, it is dificult to ascertain which of the various sets of seaming mechanisms is out of order. The maintenance of all of the seaming mechanisms in pro er working order has also beena considers le task. In my "present invention, however, all the loans are operated upon by the same seaming mechanism, and if a leaky can is delivered from the machine, the dificulty can be very speedily corrected. Furthermore, the can receiving ockets on the s ider of previous machines rave necessarily een spaced at art a considerable distance in order to a low room for rotation ofthe seaming rolls be ill] Elli

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