US1983081A - Home seaming machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4; \1934.

A. G. HOPKINS HOME SEAMING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28, 1932 INVENTC$R v Arihur G.Hopkms ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 4, 1934 I .unlrso s TA :ras PATENT o es-Io]: t Losaosih j v v '7 .normsEAMiNG moment I p i Arthur G; "Hopkins, Maspeth, YL, assignorto Metal Packageflorporation, New York,'. N. Y., a T

, corporation ofDelaware 1 1 Application November '26, 1932, Seria'lNo. 644,466

. This invention relates ate-seaming machines,- especially double seaming machines for sealing cans, and more particularly to a "compact, portable, vmannally operableseaming machine adapt 5 ed for honseholdnse. if

Small seaming machines for household-use are already known but. have not attained great popularity because some are difficult tooperate, requiring ,rdexterity' and experience; others, although automatic, are :diiiicultto ioperatabecause considerable @force is needed to drive the .machine; while still otherswdo not uniformly produce assatisfactory seal. 'lllhe primary and gen-- eral object :of the present invention resides in the provision :of a homelseamingvmachine which will be reliable, 'eilicient, sirnple, rugged, portable, and economical; which will be substantially fully automaticrin operation; which will consistently enable even an inexperienced operator; to produceypenfect seals; and which will be, smooth in operation and which will require but little effort lac-drive. i More specifically, it is one i'important object of the present invention to simplify the-seaming roller mechanism by the provision of a "single seaming roller plate or yokeimovement \of which operates :both thirst and :second operation :seaming rollers. A tu-rther and-important feature and object of the present invention resides in an .1111- so usual arrangement 1710f the seaming roller yoke,

providing iorwoperationgof the seaming .roll er at a substantia l mechanical advantage, thereby developing a maximum seaming roller pressure with a minimum of "operating .lI-BSlStBJlOB; The aro5 rangement is further so designed as to provide s.

relativelyltangential movement of the seaming roller relative to the can bein operated upon, resulting in increased smoothness of operation. Further objectsof the present invention cen- ;.eo ter about the can. table and liftermmeohanism therefor, and include r-making the same readily adjustable 'for different .heigh-tswof can, and providing a balanced thrust or pressure on the table when lifting the same.

5 To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other ;-ob.iects as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the seaming machine elements and their melation one-to the other, .as' hereinafter aremore particularly described in the specification and sought to :be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which: m

.,-F. ig. l is .a ,partiallysectioned side elevation of a seaming machine embodyingfeatures of my .55 invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 2-21in Fig.1.;

Fig; 3 is adiagram explanatory of .a feature of [the invention; and i Fig. 4 is a section tl-n'ough the detachable chuck.- i r 1 m r Referring to the drawing, the specific form of machine here illustrated comprises a frame includingea base 12 and an elevated head 14 interconnected by the generally upright support 65. means '16. i This frame rmayhif desired, *be made of .asingle casting, as shown. .Dhe .base .12 .carries an elevatable camtable .18, while the head 14 carr-ies achuck .20 mounted on'aich-uck spindle 22.

The head .14 isturther provided with a seaming 7.0 roller plate 30, generally in the form of a bifurcated yoke member. This member is preferably pivotedtat one end, as-by meansof bearing :screw 32 threaded intohead 3.4,;and is actuated at its opposite end preferably automatically,- as by 75. means-of cam andscam follower mechanism 34 and36. .Iheg-firstand second operation seaming rollers are respectively indicated at .38 and 40 and (are preferably mounted "on oscillatable plate 30 intermediate the-pivot 32 {and the cam follower 36,1ih consequence of which the cam 01' operating doroe is multiplied by substantial mechanical ad-vantage when applied to the seami-ng roller. The plate 30 isso shaped that it .may oscillate. without interference from (the chuck spindle 22, and, in the-particular case hereishown, the plate 80 is out away-as is indicated at 42,, to provide ample clearance around the chuck spindle. i

i It will the understood that the yoke plate 30, with its spaced arms '44, moves as :a single rigid integraltmit, so that the cam follower rollers 36 are fixedly spaced. The cam 34 is preferably a face cam thesurfaces of which may desirably be formed -.d-irectly upon. opposite. sides .of worm gear 104. The camfaces .34 are preferably similar and parallel, and thespacing or width of the cam therebetween ispreferably equal to the spacing :between the cam .followers :3 6. With this arrangement .the cam provides ,positive movement of the yoke plate toward oneside and then'toward the other, thereby bringing the first and second operation seaming rollersalternately into engagement with the can being sealed. To steady and guide the yoke plate during its operation, the ends 48 thereof be smoothly finished .and heldin grooves or rails .50 formed in the machine frame.

'I'he seaming .rollers fisrand 40 are preferably fixed-.adjustably mounted on the yoke plate 30 so as to enable the machine to accommodate cans of different sizes. Specifically, the seaming rollers are rotatably carried on seaming roller arms 52 themselves pivoted on yoke plate 30 by pins 54. Pins 54 further carry adjustment forks 56 the body or intermediate portion of each of which is provided with a plurality of holes 58 so located as to mate with one or another of a plurality of holes 60 drilled through the yoke plate 30. It will be readily understood, from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, that by removing the pin 62, the adjustment plates 56v may be moved as desired to accommodate a particular diameter of can, whereupon the pin 62 may again be dropped through. the appropriate mating holes 58 and 60, thus firmly locking the adjustment forks rigidly in their new position. The position indicated in Fig.2 is, of course, the outermost adjustment intended to accommodate a can of maximum diameter, such a can being indicated at '70.

The outer ends of adjustment forks 56 are provided with pressure screws 64 threaded therethrough and bearing against the-seaming roller arms 52. Screws 64 permit a fine adjustment of the maximum compression caused by the seaming roller. The adjustment is maintained by means of a lock nut 66.

Can '70 rests upon can table 18 the upper surface of which is preferably provided with a plurality of concentric grooves corresponding to different standard can diameters. The can table is mounted at the upper end of a threaded stud '72 which is reciprocably mounted in base 12, as by the use of an unthreaded extension '74. The base 12 is provided with an upwardly facing cam surface '76 which mates with a cam element '78 provided with operating means, here consisting simply of an outwardly extending manually operable lever 80. (Jams '76 and '78 both concentrically surround the vertically reciprocable stud '72, the latter being slidable therethrough. Stud '72 has threaded thereon an adjustment nut 82 the adjustment of which may be locked by cooperation with a similar adjustment nut 84. It will be evident'that upon oscillation of lever 80, cam '78 will be elevated by the coaction of the mating cam surfaces, and cam '78 will in turn lift adjustment nut 82 and with it thethreaded stud '72 and consequently the can table 18. It has already been mentioned that the can '70 is of maximum size, and consequently table 18 is in its lowermost position. To accommodate a smaller can, it is simply necessary to turn the nuts 82 and 84 downwardly on threaded stud '72, thereby elevating the initial position of the can table. The final position of the can table after swinging handle will be higher than the initial position by the amount of lift of the cam sur- 60' face '76, and the adjustment of nuts 82 and 84 is itself an adjustment of the pressure which will be exerted between table 18 and chuck 20 during the seaming operation.

To provide for a certain amount of yieldability when applying the lifting pressure to the can, the can table 18 is preferably resiliently related to stud '72. This may be accomplished by one or a plurality of compression springs, or, if desired, a slightly compressible Washer made of resilient material may be interposed, as indicated at 86 in Fig. 1. The, can table 18 is both rotatably and slightly reciprocably related to the centering screw 88, the friction of thrust preferably being taken upon an intermediate metallic washer 90.

It should be noted that cams '76 and '78, instead of being provided with merely a single helical surface, are preferably provided with multiple cam surfaces. In the particular case here shown, four such surfaces are provided. This balances the ressure exerted between the cams, and consequently balances the upward thrust on the can table.

In changing the size of can to be sealed, it is necessary to change the chuck 20 as well as the table height and seaming roller positions. To change the chuck 20 it is simply necessary to unscrew the knurled restraining nut 91 and thereupon to remove the chuck 20 downwardly from the lower end of the chuck spindle 22. The new chuck plate is applied by reversing this operation. Relative rotation of the chuck and chuck spindle is prevented by properly mating the end 92 of the chuck spindle and the hole 94 through the chuck, as, for example, by making the same square in cross section or round with a flattened side, thereby keying the same together for positive rotation.

The remaining mechanism of the machine is relatively simple and is almost self-evident from inspection of the drawing. The head 14 is provided with a horizontal drive shaft 96 which, for simplicity, is manually operated by rotating an appropriate crank 98. Drive shaft 96 is geared both to chuck spindle 22 and to cam 34 by appropriate gearing preferably providing for a number of complete revolutions of the chuck spindle for a single revolution of the cam. In the specific case here shown, drive-shaft 96 is geared to chuck spindle 22-through bevel gears 98 and 100. Drive shaft 96 is geared to cam 34 through a worm 102 and mating worm gear 104. It is evident that the gear ratio produced by the bevel gears is far higher than that produced by the worm mechanism, and consequently the can being seamed is rotated a substantial number of times during the firstand second seaming operations, both of the latter taking place during a single rotation of the worm gear 104. Chuck spindle 22 is rigidly secured to bevel gear 100, and its upper end is preferably reduced in diameter and carried in a bearing bushing 106, this being threaded into the machine head 14. Worm gear 104 is carried on a transverse horizontal shaft 108 the outer ends of which are carried in bearings formed in the side walls of head 14, these bearings being omitted in Fig. 2 in order to clarify the construction of the seaming roller mechanism.

' The advantages obtained by the seaming roller plate arrangement heretofore described may perhaps be better explained by reference to the explanatory diagram of Fig. 3. Referring to this figure, the seaming roller plate is pivoted at 32 and is operated by pressure upon a cam follower 36 the resulting movement of which is transferred to a seaming roller 38 which bears against the periphery of a can '70. The theorem of Varigron states that if a body is in equilibrium, the algebraic sum of the moments about any point is equal to zero. The moment of a force about a point is, of course, the product of the magnitude of the force and the length of the perpendicular drawn from the point to the line of action of the force. Referring now to Fig. 3, the moment of the cam roller 36 about pivot 32 is equal and opposite to the moment of the seaming roller 38 about pivot 32. It will be evident that the perpendicular to the cam follower force, indicated at 110, is several times the length of the perpendicular to the seaming roller force, indicated at 112, thus clearly showing the substantial gain in pressure or mechanical advantage obtained by the present layout. At the same time, no-loss in compactness is entailedybecause the seaming roller plate is arranged to extend directlyacross the top of the can and issodesigned as not to'interfere in its movement with the chuck spindle. This advantage app1ies,of course, to both seaming rollers, for both have increased force applied thereto. This increase in pressure may be explained fromanother viewpoint. Referring to Fig, 3, it

will be evident that seaming roller 38 moves about the lever arm lll and consequently describes an are extending in the same direction as the peripheral arc of can 70, the arcs intersecting relatively tangentially or at an acute angle- Consequently seamingroller 38 moves an appreciable distance which is substantially greaterthan its actual movement inwardly radially of the can.. It thereforefollows that theperipherallydirected force appliedto seaming roller 38 issubstantially multiplied as applied radially to the can. i I i The seaming roller moves in an are gradually.

approaching the circumference of thecan in the direction of rotation of the can, the curves differing by only a very small pressure angle, and this small pressure angle is extremely desirable because it obviates any tendency to wrinkle or crimp the seam. The arrangement produces a positive but nevertheless smooth and gradual seaming operation, and. forms perfect seals at all times and under all conditions. It will be understood that while, for the] sake of simplicity and symmetry, the opposite seaming roller 40 has not been positioned to move in. the direction of rotation of the can, as has just been described in connection with seaming roller 38, it is. possible to rearrange the mechanism, if desired, to produce this result on both seaming rollers. However, it issatisfactory to apply the same to only;

oneseami ng roller becausethe'result inquestion is mostimportant and rmost desirable as applied to the first seaming operation. I

It is believed that the mode of constructing.

and operating the seaming machine of. my invention, and the many advantages thereof, will, for the most part, beapparent from the foregoing detailed description. The machine may be permanently fastened in a suitable location, or it may be temporarily clamped by an appropriate C clamp toa convenient table or ledge from which.

it may later be removed and stored away after a batch of cans havebeen sealed. In operation, the filled canwith a loose cover thereon is simply placedon the can table; the liftlever is then oscillated to elevate the can and compress the same against the chuck; and the crank is then turned until the first operation seaming roller moves into engagement with the can and. away, and the second operation seaming roller moves into engagement with the can and. away. Both seaming rollers will then be disengaged from the. can, and, by returning the lift lever back to initial position, the finished sealed canmay be removed- After completing a batch of cans, if it is desired to change the size of can being operated upon, it is simply necessary to accommodate the desired change in height by altering the position of the lock nuts on the threaded stud controlling the elevation of the can table. A change in diameter is accommodated by changing the chuck and by moving the seaming rollers relative to the yoke plate. The sealing of cans of the new dimension terference by the chuck may then he proceeded ready been described. I

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in. preferred form, many changes and modifications may bemad'e in the structure diclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, definedin the following claims. r

I claim: I

r l. A seaming machine comprising can supporting and rotating mechanism, a seaming roller plate, means at one end of said plate pivotally mounting the same, means at the opposite end of the plate for operating the same, and a seaming roller intermediate the ends of the plate, whereby the seaming roller is moved with substantial mechanical advantage. l i

2 A- seaming machine comprising can supporting and rotating mechanism including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate extending across thetop of the chuck, means at one end of said plate pivotally mounting the same, means at the opposite end of the plate for operating the same, and a seaming roller intermediate the ends of the plate,said plate being so shaped as to be oscillatable without interference by the chuck-spindle.

3. A seaming machine comprising can. supporting and rotating mechanism including a chuck and chuck spindle, a single seaming roller plate extending across the chuck, means pivotally mounting the same, a cam and a cam follower for operating the same, andfirst and second operation seaming rollers on said plate, said plate being so shaped as to be oscillatable without inspindle, and said seaming rollers being disposedon opposite sides of the chuck spindle so as to operate alternately upon opposite sides of a cam supported in the machine.

4. A seaming machine comprising can supporting and rotating mechanism, a seaming roller plate, means atone end of said plate pivotally mounting the same, meansat the opposite end of the plate ioroperating the same, and a pair of seaming rollers intermediate the ends of the plate, said seaming rollers being disposed on opposite sides of the chuckspindleso as to operate alternately upon opposite sides of a can sup ported in the machine.

5. A seaming machine comprising can supporting and rotating mechanism including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate extending across the chuck, means at one end of said plate pivotally mounting the same, means at the opposite end of the plate foroperating the'same, and a pair of seaming rollers intermediate the ends of the plate, said plate being so shaped as to be oscillatable without interference'by the chuck spindle, and said seaming rollers being disposedon opposite sidesof the chuck spindle so as to operate alternately upon opposite sides.

of a can supported in the machine. l

6. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can including a chuck and chuck spindle, aseaming roller plate, means at one end of said plate pivotally mounting the same, cam follower means at the opposite end of said plate, and a seaming roller mounted on said p"ate intermediate the pivot means and camfollower means, a cam cooperating with said cam follower for oscillatingthe platefadrive shaft, and gearing interconnectingsaid drive shaft, said chuck spindle, and said cam.

71A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating-a'can including a chuck with exactly as has al- Ill) and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate, means at one end of said plate pivotally mounting the same, cam follower means at the opposite end of said plate, and seaming rollers mounted on said plate intermediate the pivot means and cam follower means, a cam cooperating with said cam follower for oscillating the plate in order to bring the seaming rollers alternately into operation upon a can, a drive shaft, and gearing interconnecting said drive'shaft, said chuck spindle, and said cam.

8. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can, a seaming roller plate, means at one end of said plate pivotally mounting the same, means at the opposite end of said plate for operating the same, and seaming rollers fixedly-adjustably mounted on said plate intermediate the pivot means and cam follower means, said fixed adjustment means providing adjustment of the location of the seaming rollers on the plate to accommodate different sizes of can.

9. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate, means at one end of said plate pivotally mounting the same, cam follower means at the opposite end of said plate, and seaming rollers fixedly-adjustably mounted on said plate intermediate the pivot means and cam follower means, said plate being centrally cut away about the chuck spindle to permit oscillation of the plate, a cam cooperating with said cam follower for oscillating the plate in order to bring the seaming rollers alternately into operation upon a can, said fixed adjustment means providing adjustment to accommo date different sizes of can, a drive shaft, and gearing interconnecting said drive shaft, said chuck spindle, and said cam.

10. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can, a seaming roller plate having bifurcated arms, means pivotally mounting the plate to permit oscillation thereof, a pair of cam follower rollers on the inner sides of the arms of the plate, a double-face cam situated between said follower rollers and having a width equal to the spacing therebetween, the faces of the cam being parallel to jointly provide oscillating movement of the plate, and first and second operation seaming rollers mounted on said plate and so disposed as to operate alternately upon said can.

11. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can, a seaming roller plate having bifurcated arms, means pivotally mounting the plate to permit oscillation thereof, a pair of cam follower rollers on the inner sides of the arms of the plate, a double-face cam situated between said follower rollers and having a width equal to the spacing therebetween, the faces of the cam being parallel to jointly pro vide oscillating movement of the plate, the outer sides of the plate being provided with first and second operation seaming rollers mounted on arms fixedly adjustable relatively to the plate to accommodate different sizes of can.

12. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate having a body and bifurcated arms, means pivotally mounting the end of the body to permit oscillation of the plate, a pair of cam follower rollers on the inner sides of the arms of the plate, a double-face cam situated between said follower rollers and having a width equal to the spacing therebetween, the faces of the cam being parallel to jointly provide oscillating movement of the plate, the outer sides of the arms of the plate intermediate the pivot and cam followers being provided with seaming rollers mounted on arms fixedly adjustable relatively to the plate to accommodate different sizes of can, the center portion of said plate being so shaped as to permit movement of the plate relative to the chuck spindle.

13.A relatively small compact portable seaming machine for home canning, comprising a frame including a base, a head, and a support therebetween, said base carrying a can table and means for elevating the same, said head carrying a chuck and chuck spindle for rotating a can supported on the can table, a seaming roller plate pivotally mounted below said head at one end of the plate, a cam follower mounted on the opposite end of said plate, a cam cooperating with said cam follower for oscillating said plate, a seaming roller mounted on said plate intermedi ate the pivot and cam follower for movement into engagement with a can, a shaft, and gearing interconnecting the shaft with the chuck spindle and the cam.

i l. A relatively small compact portable seaming machine for home canning, comprising a frame including a base, a head, and a support therebetween, said base carrying a can table and means for elevating the same, said head carrying a chuck and chuck spindle for rotating a can supported on the can table, a single seaming roller plate pivotally mounted below said head, a cam follower mounted on said plate, a cam engaging said cam follower for oscillating said plate, first and second operation seaming rollers mounted on said plate and disposed for alternate movement into engagement with a can, a

manually operable crank, and gearing intercon- A necting the crank with the chuck spindle and the cam.

15. A relatively small compact portable seaming machine for home canning, comprising a frame including a base, a head, and a support therebetween, said base carrying a can table and means for elevating the same, said head carrying a chuck and chuck spindle for rotating a can supported on the can table, a seaming roller plate pivotally mounted below said head at one end of the plate, a cam follower mounted on the opposite end of said plate, a cam engaging said cam follower for oscillating said plate, a pair of seaming rollers mounted on said plate between the pivot and cam follower for movement in alternation into engagement with a can, said plate being cut away to prevent interference with the chuck spindle during movement of the plate, a drive shaft, and gearing interconnecting the drive shaft with the chuck spindle and the cam.

16. A relatively small compact portable seaming machine for home canning, comprising a frame including a base, a head, and a generally upright support therebetween, said base carrying a can table and manually operable means for elevating the same, said head carrying a chuck and chuck spindle for rotating a can supported on the can table, a seaming roller plate pivotally mounted below said head at one end of the plate, a cam engaging said cam follower for oscillating said plate, a pair of seaming rollers fixed-adjustably mounted on said plate between the pivot and cam follower for movement in alternation into engagement with a can, said plate being cut away to prevent interference with the chuck threaded stud freely reciprocable through and removable from said passage and mating cams, a can supporting table resiliently mounted at the upper end of said stud and beneath said chuck,

and adjusting means for regulating the height of the can table both for can size and holding pressure, said means including lock nuts threaded on said stud and resting upon the lifter cam for taking the lifting pressure thereof and transferring the same to the stud and can table.

' ARTHUR G. HOPKINS.

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