US2107428A - Bail ear for sheet metal vessels and method of making the same - Google Patents

Description

Feb. s, 1938. E, EX'TON 2,107,428

BAIL EAR FOR SHEET METAL VESSELS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Dec. 24, 1935 Patented Feb. 8, 1938 I I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAIL EAR FOR SHEET METAL VESSELS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Isaac E. Sexton, Winchester, -Mass.

Application December 24, 1935, Serial No. 55,971 11 Claims. (01. 113-120) The object of this invention is to provide a ear proper is cut and pressed from sheet metal sheet metal vessel, such as a pail or bucket, with Q with a formation which provides a. cylindrical bail ears adapted to engage the ends of a bail, lateral wall l5, preferably of smaller diameter and each composed of two bosses one of which'is than the previously described boss, and a head imperforate and integral with the usual body, portion it which may be plane or convex, or em- 5 while the other is perforated to engage a bail end, bossed in any desired way. It is also formed with said bosses including parts which are convertible an outstanding annular flange 19, preferably dis.- by' pressure into an annular seam uniting the posed in a plane perpendicular to the cylindrical bosses. wall i5, and with an annular flange extension Of the accompanying drawing forming a part 20 of irusto-conical form depending and inclined 10 of this specification,- inwardly from the margin of the flange is. The

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sheet metal outer circumference of the flange I9 is considervessel having a bail ear made in accordance with ably larger than the diameter of the inner boss, the invention; and the edge of the flange extension forms the Figures 2 and 3 show in perspective the two circumference of a circle nearly equal in di- 15 bosses separated from each other, and partly ameter to the inner boss, but enough larger to broken away. I permit of being easily slipped over such boss. Figure 4 shows in section the two bosses as- The axial length of the flange extension is subsembled, and before they are united to each other. stantially equal to the height of the inner boss;

Figure 5 shows in section the completed bail wherefore when the outer boss is slipped over the 20 ear. inner boss, as shown in Fig. 4, the edge of the Figures 6 and '7 are views similar to Figures 4 extension 20 occupies the angle between the metal and 5 showing a supplement to the flange extensheet i2 and the side Wall of the inner boss while' sion hereinafter described. the flange i9 bears on the margin of the head i4.

Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figures 4 After the inner and outer b05868 ve bee s- 25 and 5 showing a beaded reinforcing edge on thesembled as thus described, they are subjected to flange extension. pressure applied axially against the flange as Figures 10 and 11 are views similar to Figures against a supporting or opposed pressure applied 4 and 5, showing a modification. to the opposite side of the metal sheet over an Figure 12 is a fragmental perspective view area which may he continuous, and at least is showing a bail designed to swing. suitably located to sustain the portion of the Figures 13 and 14 show a difierently constructsheet adjacently surrounding the inner boss. The ed bail ear. pressing means may consist of a die recessed at The size of the bail ear and the thickness of its end to bear directly on the flange i9 and to the sheet metal of which it is composed are conadmit the head part oi the outer boss without 5 siderably exaggerated in Figures 2 to ll. pressing upon it, and an opposing die or, equiva- The same reference characters indicate the lently, a table having a continuous, flat support-p same parts in all of the figures. a ing surface, as indicated by broken lines at 23 In the drawing 52 designates the body of a and 2d, respectively. The pressure thus exerted g sheet metal vessel. which is provided with ball causes the edges or the conical flange extension so ears as next described, each ear including two 2E5 to be displaced inwardly toward the axis and bosses. thus to indent the cylindrical wall 83 of the One of said bosses, called the inner boss, is im inner boss, forming a channel therein; while the perforate and integral with the body 92, and procontinuation of pressing action causes the injects outwardly therefrom. Said boss has an ner'hoss to be collapsed, with folding inward of as originally cylindrical wall 93 and a circular head its sides, and its margin to he clamped down id. It is formed by oii'setting the sheet metal upon the inturned edge of the flangeextension. used for making receptacles of the kind referred Thus the bosses are interlocked and united by to, by known methods of metal working, while an annular sea-in designated as/a whole by 25 the sheet is flat, in a manner such as to make the in Fig. 5. 5o encircling wall substantially perpendicular to This method oi uniting the members utilizes the metal sheet and the head of the boss suhthe flexibility oi the metal in an efiective man.- stantially parallel to the sheet, at least as to its her. It provides a smooth action which is not marginal portion. harsh on the metal, i. ve., does not risk over- The other or outer boss, which constitutes the straining or rupturing the metal. Each inem- 55 her, while being pressed into position, is able to adjust its dimensions while being changed in shape by and conformably to the other. Each member is adequately flexible in the directions I in which it is reformed by the pressing action. The inward bending of the sides of the inner boss tends to draw down the head of the boss and starts the folding action, which is then car ried further by the direct endwise pressurepf the dies with no stretching effect, but rather with a bending and possibly a compressive effect. The complemental members adjust and fit themselves together, and are maintained in closecontact with one another throughout the entire operation, without injury to either.

It will now be seen that the completed bail ear is composed of an outer and an inner boss, the inner boss including a channeled rim 13 integral with the body I2, and a circular head i4 integral with, and overhanging the channeled wall, while the outer boss includes a circular head IS, an annular wall 15 provided with an outwardly projecting flange i9 and an originally frusto-conical extension 20 of said flange projecting into the channel of-the wall 13, said extension. and the channeled rim forming an annular seam uniting the two bosses.

As before stated, the diameter of the head l6 and the rim I5 is preferably less than that of the head l4 and wall l3 of the inner boss. If desired, however, the diameter of the head I6 and wall l5 may be greater than that of the head I! and wall l3, as shown by Figures 10 and 11, the flange exwith a supplementalextension I22 which projects outward, and in the completed ear bears on and reinforces the body l2, as shown by Figure '7 Figures 8 and 9 show the flange extension provided with a rolled or beaded margin I23 which ball.

is incorporated in the seam 25, and reinforces it, as shown by Figure 9.

The head It ofthe outer boss is spaced from the head of the inner boss sufficiently to per-. mit the formation of two diametrically opposite bail-receiving orifices 21, (Figure 5),-in the rim I5 of the outer boss. Said orifices are adapted to receive the straight parallel end portions 28 of a bail and permit the sliding of said end portions, so that the'bail may be raised as shown by full lines in Figure 1, or depressed as shown by dotted lines. The end portions 28 are provided with enlargements 30 adapted to limit the raising of the The ball may include a straight handle portion 29 which restson the cover of the vessel when the ball is depressed. The ball may therefore be stored on the periphery and cover of the vessel when not in use so that it will have only a limited projection therefrom.

It is obvious that the heads l6 of the outer bosses may be provided with orifices arranged to receive hooked bail ends in a well known manner.

Figure 12 shows such an arrangement; the end' an annular seam uniting the two bosses.

and flattened by pressure in a manner similar to 5 that previously described, an annular double seam 25 uniting the two bosses, and an independently formed circular head 3{ Joined by an annularouter seam 35 to the hollow section 32.

When pressure is exerted on the assembled 1t parts the frusto-conical flange 33 is deformed and forced into the wall of the inner boss, thereby channeling said wall and forming the annular double seam 25 The hollow section 32 spaces the heads of the l.

bosses anydesired distance apart, and farther apart than would be possible when the outer boss is constructed in one piece as first described.

It will be seen that no leakage from the completed vessel through the bail can occur, and that 21 no-packing means is required.

The formation of the bosses and mode of procedure herein described lends itself to the very rapid completion of bail ears, since the assemblage of the constituent parts and the formation J of the seam which unites them may be effected by the single pressure movement of a die or plunger exerted toward a table on which the sheets of material provided with the integral bosses are supported. I have found it feasible to 3 complete in this way as many as 300 assembled and interlocked bail ears per minute in regular commercial production. After the bail ears have thus been made and assembled with the flat sheet metal, or blanks cut to suitable dimensions for a '3 .pail, bucket, or can, the sheets orv blanks are' curved or bent to the prescribed form of, and made into, finished pails or the like, of any desired character in any suitable way.

The principles'of the invention are not limited 4 to the formation of bail ears on the sides of pails and the like but include similar constructions in all other useful relationships, such as, for example, on pieces designed for the covers or end walls of sheet metal cans, etc. 4

' than the head portion ofthe inner boss, an annular wallseated on the margin of the head of 4 the inner boss and provided with an annular outwardly projecting flange seatedon and projecting outwardly from the head of the inner boss, and an annular extension of said flange projecting into the channel of the inner boss, said extension 1 and the channeled wall of the inner boss forming 2. A sheet metal vessel as specified by claim 1. said flange extension .having an annular out- 'wardly projecting reinforcing lip located on and l reinforcing the outer surface of the vessel body. 3. A sheet metal vessel as specified by claim 1, said flange extension having 9. rolled annular. bead on its outer margin forming a reinforcement. of said seam. l

. 4. A sheet metal vessel having bail ears each composed of an inner boss and an outer boss, the inner boss including an annular channeledwall projecting outwardly from and integral with the material of the vessel, and a circular head inl gin into the wall of the inner boss thereby chantegral with and overhanging the channeled wall, the outer boss including a circular head provided with an annular outwardly projecting flange and an annular extension of said flange projecting into the channel of ,the inner boss, said extension and the channeled wall of the inner boss forming an annular double seam uniting the two bosses, the wall of the outer boss being provided with diametrically opposite orifices, the vessel having a bail including straight end portions slidable in said orifices and provided with stops limiting anupward sliding movement of the bail.

5. A sheet metal vessel having bail ears each composed of an inner and an outer boss, the inner boss being integral with the vessel, and including an annular channeled wall projecting outwardly from the side of the vessel, and a circular head integral with and overhanging said channeled wall, the outer boss being composed of an inner hollow section having an integral inwardly projecting marginal zone at its inner end .forining with the channeled wall of the inner boss, an annular double seam uniting the two bosses, and a separately formed circular head joined by an outer seam to the outer end of the inner section of the outer boss.

6. That improvement in the method of providing a part of a sheet metal vessel with a bail ear, which consists in forming on the sheet metal of such part an outwardly -projecting inner boss including an annular wall integral with and projecting outwardly from the sheet metal part, and a head integral with said wall, providing an outer boss including a head, an annular wall integral with the head, an annularflange projecting outwardly from said wall and an annular flange extension projecting inwardly from the flange, and of substantially frusto-conical form and inclined inwardly so that its margin is formed to surround the inner boss, placing the marginof the flange extension over the inner boss and against the adjacent surface of the sheet metal .part, and exerting pressure onthe assembled parts to force the margin of the flange extension inwardly, and thereby cause it to form an annular channel in the wall of the inner boss.

7. That improvement in the method of providing a sheet metal part with a bail ear, which consists in forming on the sheet metal part an outwardly projecting integral inner boss including an annular cylindrical wall and a circular head integral with said wall, providing a sectional outer boss including an independently formed hollowsectlon having an inwardly projecting frusto-conical marginal zone at its inner end, and an independently formed circular head unitedfby an annular outer seam to said hollow section, placing form-said frusto-conical flange and force its marthe margin-0f said frustoconica1 zone against the sheet metal part around the inner boss, and exerting pressure on the assembled parts to deneli-ng said wall .and forming an annular double seam uniting said bosses.

8. The method of securing to a piece of sheet metal an element of sheet metal which comprises forming an upstanding boss on said piece of sheet metal so that the side wall of said boss is substantially perpendicular to the portions of the piece immediately surrounding said boss, forming on said element a flange extending radially outward and an extension on said flange having a length approximately equal to theheight of the boss and inclined inwardly to fit its terminal edge against the side wall of said boss, placing said element on said boss, and pressing on said flange to cause said terminal edge to indent a channel in the side wall of the boss and to flatten the boss so as to pinch the marginal portion of said extension in said indented channel.

9. The method of securing a sheet metal attachment to a piece of sheet metal which comprises forming an, upstanding boss on said piece with integral side and head walls, of which the side Walls are substantially perpendicular to the surface of the piece immediately surrounding said boss, forming said attachment with a substantiallyplane flange of which the inner diameter is less and the outer diameter greater than the diameter of said boss, and with an extension on said flange of a length substantially equal to the height of the boss and inclined inwardly to make the area surrounded by its terminal edge substantially equal to the area of the boss, and then pressing said flange and boss simultaneously toward the plane of the piece with force sufllcient to deflect the edge part of the flange extension inwardly and to fold the margin of the boss over the edge of the extension.

10. A sheet metal article having an integral, outwardly projecting boss formed with a channeled annular wall and a head joined to said wall, combined with a sheet metal outer boss having a peripheral flange bearing on the marginal portion of said head, and an inwardly turned extension projecting from the outer rim of said flange nd iputer rim ogsaid flange, the flange overlapping "the marginal portion of the head of the firstnamed boss and said annular extension being turned inwardly and confined within said channel.

ISAAC E. SEXTONZ

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