US2130518A - Seaming head - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 20, 1938. N. P.' BACH 2,130,518

EAMING HEAD Filed Sept. 3, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Rig Z aff f /s $47 U7 @j INVENTO sept. 2Q, 193s. N. P. BACH f 2,130,518`

' SEAMING HEAD v v Filed sept'. 3,' A1935' s sheets-sheet s jing head taken lsubstantially' along the broken Patented sept. 20, 193s SEAMINGIIEAD Neils P. Bach, Geneva, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 3, 1935, SerialNo. 39,078

'o claims.

-body and end closure parts in a finished seam o f uniform thickness throughout.

An object of the invention is the provision of seaming mechanismjof compact and simple con struction wherein the seaming rollers are' carried in controlled paths of travel around the contour of a can and Aend closure to be seamed and may be'adjusted for wear so that they will accurately follow associated can contour following rollers during the seaming operation to eiect an'interfolding of thecan 'and end closure parts in a iinished seam having a yuniform thickness throughout and having the s ame peripheral contour as that of the containerl Another yobject is the` provision in such a mechanism of devices for shifting the seaming rollersv` Y.

and the can contour following rollers as a unit relative to the controlling means and in respect to the can contour without altering the -shape of the path of travel of the rollers around the can contour. e Another object is the'provision in a mechanism of this character wherein the seaming rollers maybe adjustably moved into alignment with the 'can contour following rollers and 'the aligned rollers moved as a unit in respect to the contour of a. can to be seamed without dsassociation from the controlling means and yet permitting movement between the rollers relative to each other.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which; taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. Allieferringto the drawings:

Figure 1 is 'a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a can closing machine showing'sin crosssection'a seeming head embodying the instant: invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional .view o f the seamline 2-2 in Fig. 1, parts being broken back;

Fig. 3 is an elev tion of a detail of the seaming head as viewed s bstantially along the line 3 3. in Fig. 2, parts being broken away;

` Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one 'of the seaming units;

Fig.' 5 is an enlarged part sectional view and part elevation taken substantially along the broken line 5 5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken subf stantially along the broken line 6-6 in Fig. 5,- partsnbeing broken back and other parts removed;

Fig. 7. is an enlarged side elevation andvertical sectional view of the seaming head otjFlg. 2, the 10 "sectional part being taken substantially along the broken line l-l in Fig. 2 ;v and Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical sectional views taken" substantially along the `lines 8`8 and 9 9 respectively in Fig. 6. y1 5 'I'he preferred( form of apparatus disclosed in the drawings comprises a support housing or f frame i l (Fig. 1) which may be partof a seaming machine of either the single spindle lor the multiple spindle type. .When the machine has a single spindle the housing I lis stationary, whereas if the machine is of the multiple spindle type, this housing may form part of a rotating element or turret. l

'I'he housing Il supports a seaming head comprising stationary and movablelparts. The stationary parts of the seaming lhead proper are carried on a head sleevel2 which is held at its upper end ina split bearing formed as a semicircular boss I3 in the housing. The sleeve is tightly clamped in the bearing by a bearing cap I4 which is formed aspart of a housing cover4 having a depending skirt portion I5 which encloses the front and sides of the entire seaming mechanism The headsleeve is vertically supported in its bearing on a anged nut i6 which" .threadedly engages the upper end of the sleeve and which is screwed tightly on top oftheboss I3 and cap I4.l Y. S i .'I'he head sleeve l2 extends down through the 40 movable parts of the 'seaming head and at its lowi er end is formed Hwith a laterally extending ange,

i8. A stationary pattern cam I9 having a. cam track 2l is held on the bottom face of the 'head sleeve ange for guiding seaming rollers lin a path 4of travel around a`can to be. closed.

The cam is held on the ange by a cam Isleeve 22 which isV .centrally disposed inside the head sleeve. i2. The lower` end or the cam sleevels' threadedly-secured vin the 'cam at its center while the upper end of the sleeve isprovided with an enlarged head 23 which rests on top of the upper exd of the head sleeve l2 for vertically supporting .the cam. By turning the' head 23 the cam is drawn up into tight fitting engagement z with the head sleeve ange I8, the cam being A chuck. 26 is secured to the bottom of the cam I9 for cooperative action with 'the seaming Vrolls in performing the seaming operation and for locating and assisting holding the cam and can end to be seamed. The shape or contour of this chuck is the same as the shape of the can and likewise the shape of the cam track 2| is of the same shape. .These contours are rectangular in form for a rectangular can. For a circular can these. contours would be circular.

For holding the can there is provided a lift plunger 3| which is mounted on the upper end of a stem 32, having vertical sliding movement in a bearing 33, formed in a web 34, which projects outwardlyfrom the housing I I and which extends under the seaming head.` The stem is raised and lowered in timed relation with the other moving parts of the machine by any suitable and well known means. Such a plunger supports a can 35 on which a cover or end closure 36 has preferably been loosely applied. As the can and coverl are raised with the rising plunger, the cover is pressed against `the chuck 26 in the usual manner, the can and cover being clamped stationary between the chuck and the plunger throughout the seaming operation.

The moving or rotating parts of the seaming head proper (Fig. 1) are carried on two separate sleeves, a head frame sleeve 38, mounted on the vhead sleeve I2, and a seaming cam sleeve 39 mounted on the sleeve 38. The sleeve 39 is journaled in a split bearing formed as a semi# `circular boss 4| `in a web 42 ofthe housing I I.

The lower end of the sleeve extends below the y bearing and is keyed to a barrel cam 41 which is continuously rotated bythe gear 46 and which engages with the under side of the bearing thus preventing vertical movement of thesleeve. The cam 41 is held in this position against the bearing by a collar46 which is disposed in a recess 49 formed in the lower end of the cam, and which threadedly engages thelower end of the sleeve 39.

'I'he upper end of the head'irame sleeve 38,v

like the seaming camjs'leevel Y39, is also provided with a laterally extending ange 52 which restsl on top of the gear 46, and which in turn carries a gear 53. This lattergear isprovided with a 'central'hub 54 which encircles-the head Vsleeve I2 tends below the lend of the cam sleeve 39 and terminates in a shouldered end which carries an inverted dish shaped head frame 55. The head frame is continuously rotated by the gear 53 through the sleeve connection and comprises a central hub 56 which is keyed to the end of the sleeve 38 and is held in place by a collar 51,

which threadedly engages the extreme end of the sleeve 38. The hub is formed with a horizontal' lower converging tapered surfaces 16, 11.

aladinoT A extends down over and spaced'away from the stationary cam |9.

The head frame carries devices in which the seaming rollers are mounted and which move them into and out of engagement with the can and cover parts while they are moved around the can`contour guided by the pattern 'cam for effecting the seaming operation. There areitw'o sets of these devices, identical in construction and simultaneously actuated but disposed diametrically on opposite sides of the can. Hence it is thought necessary to fdescribe only one device in detail.

I The device comprises in part a horizontally disposed pattern cam arm 6| (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and '1) which is formed at one end with a vertical pivot sleeve 62, and this sleeve is mounted in a bearing 63, which projects inwardly from the vertical wall 59 of the head frame 55. The sleeve is held in the bearing by a nut 64 (Fig. 5) which' rests on the bottom of a recess 65 formed in the top of the. bearing and which threadedly engages a shouldered upper end of the sleeve.

The free end f the arrn`6| carries a cam roller 61 (Fig. A7) which is rotatably mounted on a bushing 68 with its lower end in engagement with a shoulder formed by an enlarged depending'skirt portion 69. It is this roller which is moved'in `the stationary pattern cam groove by the rotating head frame for guiding the seaming roller around the can contour.' The roller is held on the bushing by a spring ring 1| which engages the top end of the roller and which is disposed in a groove 12 formed in the upper end of the bushing. The bushing in turn isfadjustably mounted on screw threads 13 formed von a stud 14 which is riveted into the end of the pattern cam arm 6I.

v The cam roller 61 engages within the pattern cam track 2| and is provided with upper and These surfaces engage Y .with correspondingly tapered surfaces 18, 19 formed in the cam track, the surfacev 18 being formed in the outer track, while the surface 19 is formed on the inner track, the angles of inclination of all the tapers beingequal yfor a purpose hereinafter explained.

A seamingroller arm 8l is disposed below the pattern cam arm 6| and moves with it.. At one y end, this arm is formed with a` bore 82 the edges of which form a bearing which is mounted on a pivot shoulder 83 of a hollow cap 84. T he cap is secured to the -bottom face ofthe arm 6| byscrews 85 (Fig. 4) and held in spaced relation vthereto by spacer blocks 86 which surround the screws. In this manner the cap supportsthe seaming roller arm and holds it against the bottom vof the cam arm while at the same time providing a pivot for the former which is coaxial with'the sleeve 62 of the latter.

The opposite or free end of the seaming roller arm 8| is bifurca-ted as at 88 (Figs. 4 and 7) and carries a stud 89 on which is mounted a seaming roller 9|, the central axis of the stud. and roller being in direct alignment with the central axis of the cam roller when the former is directly under the latter.

The seaming roller arm 8| and the cam roller arm 6| lare adapted to be moved about their common pivot point as a unit and yet at times they are capable'of having movement relative to each other. For this purpose the free endsof the arms are yieldingly tied together by a coiled spring 93 (Figs. 1, 5 and`6). Onel end of the spring hooks over a pin 94 which is secured in the end of the 75 through a swivel block 95 which is mounted in a lug 96 formed as a part of the cam roller arm 6|.`

Movement of the arms relative to each other as when moving thel seaming roller into and out of seaming position, is effected by a wedge slide ||l| (Figs. 5 and 6) which is horizontally disposed in a channel |02 formed in the bottom of the cam roller arm 6|. The wedge slide is held against vertical displacement between the top of the channel and the top of the seaming roller arm 8|. The forward end of the wedge slide is formed in a blunt wedge |03 (Fig. 6) the side walls of which merge into a pair of parallel wall sections |04. These latter sections extend into outwardly projecting cam protuberances |05 which form an enlarged part on the sides of the wedge slide. This step form of the wedge slide eiects a wedging action when the slide is moved longitudinally. Adjacent one side of the wedge m3 a fixed pin |||1 is secured in the topof the seaming roller arm 8| and carries a roller |08 (see Fig. 8 also). The channel |62 in the arm 6| is cut out in a recess |09 to provide clearance for thisv roller.

On the opposite side of the wedge |53 a roller is mounted on a pin ||2 which is carried in a lug ||3 formed as an integral part of a plate IM. The lug extends through the side wall ofthe channel |02 in a slot H5 cut in the cam roller arm 5| (see also Fig. 6). The plate is secured to the outside of the arm, one end being held in a tight tting groove |6 cut in the lug 95 while its other end is held by an adjusting screw 1 which passes through the plate and is threadedly engaged in the arm. This construction permits of adjustment of the roller relative to the cam arm 6| thereby providinga means of shifting the seaming roller arm di relative to the cam arm in order to bring'the seaming rollerinto axial alignment with the cam roller. .This adjusting or set-` ting of the seaming roller into its proper position is done before actual operation of the machine begins.

Relative movement of the arms 6|, 8| in one direction, moves the seaming roller into seaming position.' This action is effected by a forward movement (to the right) of the wedge slide ||l| which moves the wedge VH13 between the rollers |08, causing them to ride up on the step wall., |55 and to thereby spread the arms apart orshift them relative to each other against the resistance of the spring 93 and into the position of Fig. 6. For this purpose the wedge slide |0| at its rear end, i. e. opposite to the wedge en d |03, is enlarged and is provided with atapered cam slot |2| (Figs. 5 and 6). The slot is disposed adjacent the central axis of the cam roller arm sleeve S2 and engages with an angularly positioned cam ilnger |22 having tapered surfaces |23 which correspond and engage with the tapered surfaces of the cam slot. The cam vfinger is formed on the bottom of a vertical plunger |24 which is slidably disposed inside the sleeve 62.

The plunger is moved up and down in the sleeve to actuate or impart a b'ack and forth movement "to the wedge slide IM. For this purpose the plunger extends above thel top of the sleeve and carries a collar |25 which is secured in lace by a screw |26. The collar is termed with an annulai groove |21 which is engaged by a pair of roll ers |28 mounted on the inner'ends of pins |29 carried in the bifurcated end of a lever |3| (Figs. 2, 3 and' 5).

The lever is disposed adjacent the seaming cam 41' and at its'oppositeA end it is mounted on a pivot shaft |32 which is carriedtin bearings |33 formed on the top of the wall 58 of the rotating head frame 55. Intermediate its ends the lever carries a shouldered' stud |35 which is locked in position by a nut |36. One end of the stud extends beyond the lever and carries a cam roller |31 (Fig. 2) which engages within a cam groove |38 `of the cam 41. It is the rotation of this cam which actuates the lever |3|, the plunger |24 Vand wedge slide lill to move the seaming roller into seaming position.

The rotations'of the seaming cam d1 and the head frame 55 are effected by what is commonly known as differential gearing, which include the gears 46, 53 hereinbefore briey referred to. The gear 53 meshes with a gear |4| (Fig. 1) which is l mounted on a vertical continuously moving shaft |42, journaled in a bearing M3, formed in the igusing and a bearing IM formed in the web on the shaft id! just below the gear Mi.

The gears Mi, are rotated at a uniform speed but the gear 45, being larger than the gear 53 revolves at a slower speed than the gear 53 and the effect is a retarding movement of the cam d1 relative to the revolving head frame 55; In one complete cycle of operation for completing the seaming of a single can, the cam rollers |31 are caused to traverse one half way around the groove |38 in the cam 41.

The shape of the camgroove .|38 is such as to move the wedge |03 forward between the rollers Hi8, causing them to move 'apart and ride up tire seaming operation, being guided around the can in this alignment by the cam roller 61 traversing the pattern cam groove 2|. In this manner, with a simply constructed pattern camv having the same shape as the can and cover contour and with the seamingroller always in alignment with the cam roller during the seaming operation, the seaming roller is compelled to follow the exact contour of the can and cover and hence a proper seam, especially at the can corners in the case of non-circular cans, is effected. v

To. compensate for wear in the seaming roller and still maintain the proper axial alignment betweenthe seaming roller and cam roller, an adjustment is provided whereby the arms 6| 8| may be moved as a unit relative to the cam groove 2|. This is effected c y an adjusting screw |46 (Figs. 4, 6 andj?) which is carried in a bore |41 formed in a boss |48 of the cam arm 6|. One end of the screw i's provided with a head which is formed with a collar |49 which engages the end of the -boss and a reduced slotted part |5| which extends beyond the collar where it is readily-accessible for l adjustment oi the screw by means of a suitable tool. This part' of the screw head projects .through an opening |52 in a plate |53 which is ment.

'I'he opposite endo! the screw |46 is threaded and engages with worm teeth |55 (Figs. 6 and 7) formed in the skirt 69 ofthe cam roll bushing 58. By rotating the screw the, bushing maybe turned The gear 46 meshes with a gearl d5 mountedl on the screw threads 13 of the'stud 14 and thus raise or lower the cam roller in its track 2|. Adjustment of the cam roller in this manner shifts its axis transversely of the groove along its tapered surfaces and simultaneously shifts both arms 6|, 8| as a unit moving the seaming roller toward or away from the chuck 26 as the case may be.

After completion of the seaming operation the seaming rollers are withdrawn to enable removal of the closed can. At this time the cam groove |38 moves the plunger |24 upward and causes the cam iinger |22 to slide thevwedge slide |0| rearward. This action withdraws the wedge |03 from between the rollers |08, I I so that the rollers ride oi the steps |04. This shift in position also moves the protuberances |05 into engagement.

with a pair of pins i6| |52 and causes thepins to ride upon the protuberances. These pins are disposed one on each side of the wedge slide (see Fig. 6), the pin |6| being engaged in the upper arm 6| (Fig. 9) while the pin |62 is engaged` in the lower arm 8|. Engagement of the pins by the protuberances spreads or moves the pins apart causing a relative movement between the arms in a direction opposite to that hreinbefore mentioned. This movement of the slide aided by the spring-93 draws the arms 6|, 8| toward each other and thus positively withdraws the seaming rollers from seaming position. This action shifts the seaming roller out of alignment with the cam roller which disalignment is maintained until the seaming roller arm isagain moved into seaming position. f The closed can is now removed from the chuck 26 by the lowering of the lift plunger 3|. 'This v removal is assisted by a knockout pad |65 (Figs. 1

and?) which normally is housed witliin a recess |66 formed in the bottom of the chuck. The pad is carried on the end of a vertical rod |67 (Fig. 1) which extends up throughthe center of th chuck 26 and cam I9 into the cam sleeve 22 where it' joins with a rod |68 by means of a tongue and groove connection |69. The upper end of the rod |68 extends beyond the sleeve 22 and may be actuated by any suitable means .operating in time with the other moving parts of the machine to strip the closed can fromthe chuck.-

The description of one seaming roll and associated cam roll mechanism applies equally as well to the other seaming and cam roll mechanism, there being usually a rst and second operation seaming roll needed, to produce the well known double seam between can body `flange and cover flange.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the inven-V tion or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages., the form hereinbefore described'being merely a' preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: i 1. In a seaming head for uniting can covers to can bodies, the combination of a seaming roller `arm, a seaming roller on said arm for interfolding parts of a said can and cover, a canr roller arm associated with said seamingroller arm, a cam roller on said cam roller arm, acam track for' ally aligning said rollers, and adjusting means for shifting said cam roller in said. cam track for moving said arms laterally as a unit relative to said can and cover for effecting a like relative lateral movement of said seaming roller while maintaining its axial alignment with said cam IOlll.

2. In a. seaming head for uniting can covers to can bodies, the combination of a seaming roller arm, a seaming roller on said arm for interfolding a part of a said can'and cover, a cam roller armJ associated with said seaming roller arm, a cam roller on said arm, ay cam track for guiding said cam roller and said seaming roller relative to rotation between said rollers and said can and cover, means for adjusting said seaming roller arm relative tosaid cam roller armifor axially aligning said rollers, adjusting means for shifting said cam roller in said cam track for moving said arms laterally as a, unitrelative to said can and cover forie'ecting a like relative lateral movement of said seaming roller whilemaintaining its axial alignment with said cam roller, and means for moving said seaming' roller arm independently of said cam roller arm to dis-align said rollers to permit positioning of a can and cover to be Seamed and for realigning said rollers to effect the seaming operation. y

3. In a seaming head for uniting can covers to can bodies, the combination of a stationary chuck for holding a can and cover to be searned, a head frame having rotative movement around said chuck, seaming devices including a seaming roller carried o n and rotating with said head frame, contour following devices including a tapered cam and cooperating with a stationary tapered cam track for guiding said seaming dew'ces around the contour of said can and cover, means for adiusting said-seaming devices relative to said` contour following devices whereby the rollers will be in axial alignment for the seaming operation, automatic means for moving said seaming roller relative to said cam roller and towards and away from said can cover 'while' rotating with said head frame for effecting the seaming operation, and adjusting means for shifting said roller andgsaid seaming roller as a unit relative to said chuck while still maintaining the rollers in ,their axial alignnent. Y

4. In a seaming head for uniting' can covers to can bodies, the combination of a can support for holding a can and cover during a seaming operation, a head frame having rotative movement relative to said support and the can and cover carried thereon, a seaming roller arm carrying a seaming roller for seaming said cover to said canfa cam 'roller arm associated with said seaming,l roller arm and carrying a cam roller, a stationary cam track in which said cam roller 'operatesfor guiding said seaming r'oller, around the contourvof said can and cover,v means for axially aligningdsaid rollers for the seaming operation while stillpermitting relative movement between them, and adjusting means operable at will for shifting said cam roller in said camy track for moving said arms as' a unitV relative'to said can and cover while maintaining the axial alignment between said rollers.

5. rIn a. seaming head f uniting container lcovers to container bodies, the combination o f a seaming roller for interfolding parts of the container and cover, a cam roller associated with said seaming roller and adapted to movey in a controlled path relative to saidcontainer and cover,

into alignment with said cam roller for-performa cam track for producing the controlled guiding of said cam roller, and means for adjusting said rollers 'as a unit relative to said cam track so as to eect a lateral adjustment of said seaming roller.

6. In a seaming head for uniting can covers to can bodies, the combination of a seaming roller for interfolding parts of the lcan and cover, a cam roller associated with said seaming roller and adapted to move in a controlled path of travel relative to said container and cover, a tapered cam track for guiding said cam roller, and means for adjusting said cam roller in said tapered cam track to laterally adjust said rollers as a unit while maintaining axial alignment therebetween.

7. In a seaming head for uniting can covers to can bodies, the combination of a sea'ning roller for interfolding parts of the can and cover, a cam roller movably associated with said seaming roller, a cam track for guiding said rollers as a unit around said can cover, means for adjusting said seaming roller into axial alignment with said cam roller, means for adjusting said aligned rollers as a unity relative to said cam track so as to effect a lateral adjustment of said seaming roller ing the seaming operation.

`8. In a seaming head for uniting cancovers to'v can bodies, the combination of a seaming roller arm, a seaming roller on said arm for interfolding parts of a can and cover, a cam' roller arm` associated with said seaming roller arm, a cam -roller on said cam roller arm, a cam track for guiding said cam roller and said seaming roller relative to rotation between said rollers and said can and cover, and means for adjusting said cam roller in said cam track for moving said arms laterally as a unit relative to said can and cover.

for adjusting said cam roller relative to said cam track in a direction substantially parallel to the llongitudinal axis of the container body whereby to eifect a lateral adjustment of said seaming roller.relative to said container body.

NEILS P. BACH.

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