US2338055A - Conveyer organization for can end drying machines - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 28,1943.

' P. E. PEARSON ET AL CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1942 9 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 28, 1943. 2,338,055 CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR C.AN END DRYING MACHINES I P; E. PEARSON ET AL Filed. April 16, 1942. 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 28, 1943. i P. E. PEARSON ET AL I 2,338,055

CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES 9 Sheets-She et 3 Filed April 16, 1942 Dec. 28, 1943. P. E. PEARSON ET AL C(DNVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END I DRYING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1942 9 Sheets-sheet 5' fun E 4 'Dec. 28, 1943. PIE. PEARSON ET AL CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1942 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 28, 1943. P. E. PEARSON ET AL 2,338,055

CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN 'END DRYING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1942 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 Dec. 28, 1943. I P E. PEARSON ET AL. 2,338,055

CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES FiledApril 16, '1942 9 Sheets-Sheet s M iii; Z56

' 1 ".ll'is l jlm Dec. 28, 1943. P. E. PEARSON ET AL 2,338,055

CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1942 9 Sheet-Sheet 9 2 Ma I Lhasa rams Patented Dec. 28 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES Paul E. Pearson and Ralph M. Mei-o, Chicago, 111., assignors to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April is. 1942, Serial Nn. 439,280

17 Claims.

The invention relates generally to drying apparatus and primarily seeks to provide a novel machine structure adapted for efliciently drying the protective or sealing compound coatings usually applied to can end closure units.

Machines for drying can ends have been provided heretofore, and an approved type thereof includes sets or pairs of elevator screws between which the can ends are fed and which are rotated in a manner for elevating the can ends in spaced relation within a casing in' which drying air is passed between the spaced ends, the screws being mounted on a rotor which is indexed station-by-station about a vertical axis, and the can ends being fed between the screw pairs at a receiving station at the bottom of th rotor and discharged at a discharging station at the upper end of the rotor after a suitable drying interval. I'hese machines have been adaptable for the drying of circular can ends only and it is the purpose of the present invention to provide certain new and useful improvements in machines of this type designed to adapt them for drying sealing compound or protective coatings on can ends of irregular or oblong shape, efiiciently and without danger of damaging the same by jamming.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated, in which is provided a rotor and means for indexing the same about a vertical axis within a drying casing, can end elevating screw pairs on said rotor, and means cooperating with the screws for receiving and holding the can ends with their longitudinal axes disposed radially, there also being included novel indexing means for assuring accurate reception and delivery of the can ends without jamming' Another object of the invention i to provide an improved machine structure of the character stated, in which the can ends are individually received at the bottom of the rotor and are gradpally fed upwardly in a plurality of individual columns on the screw pairs within the casing while having drying air passed therebetween,'and

stacking'guides and a pair of cooperating short length lifting screws which elevate the can ends individually, initially in spaced relation, and then support the stack of ends. 1

Another objectof the invention is to provide an improved machine structure ofthe character stated, in which are included an upper feeder mechanism effective to deliver can ends from the drying casing to the lowering or cooling screws, and a lower feeder mechanism for transferring the can ends from the cooling screws to the stacking screws, both said mechanisms being driven from a common shaft.

Another objector the invention is to provide in a'machine of the character described, can end feeding and transferring means of the character stated including an upper reciprocating feeder and a lower reciprocating feeder, a shaft and crank arm for reciprocating one said feeder, and a sleeve and crank arm for reciprocating the other feeder, said sleeve being prockable about said shaft, and there being included means for preventing jamming of at least one of said feeders.

With the above and other objects in view which will more fully appear, the nature Of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figures 1 and in together comprise a plan view of a machine structure embodying the invention, the drier casing beingshown in horizontal section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged part side elevation and part vertical longitudinal section, the sectioned portion being viewed principally at the axis of the drier casing.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section of the machine taken through the axis of the drier casing.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken at the position of the dried can end delivery station.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken through the can end cooling and stacking equipments. r

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken on the'line .6-6 on Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a detail vertical cross section taken on th line 1-4 on Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical cross ection illustrating the driving mechanism for the can end delivering and transferring feeders.

tion herein illustrated, the drier embodying the herein disclosed invention is illustrated in combination with a sealing compound applying unit in which the sealing compound intended to assure the sealing of the joint between the can body ends and the can bodiesmn which they are applied is deposited on the flange portions of the can ends, and a curler unit in which the edges 01' the can ends are curled in a manner well known in the art. In this diagrammatic illustration in Figures 1 and 1a of the drawings, a common base is shown, and on this base the sealing compound applying unit generally designated 6, the can end edge curling unit generally designated I, and the drier unit generally designated 3 are mounted. Since the structural details of the sealing compound appiying unit and the curling unit form no part of the present'invention, further detail description of these units is deemed unnecessary herein.

The drier unit includes a base frame 3 upon which is mounted a drive housing Ill, and on the drive housing is supported a gear housing II including a top or table portion l2 equipped with a circularopening l3 therein for accommodating the positioning of the drier rotor to be described in detail hereinafter.

A bearing well I4 is formed in the drive housing Ill, and in thi well a rotor sleeve I5 is mounted to rotate about a vertical axis in suitable antifriction bearings IS. The sleeve is equipped with a disk enlargement ll provided with twelve upstanding, equi-distantly spaced indexing rollers 18. The drying rotor herein disclosed is a six station rotor, and it;;is= to be understood that one of the indexing rollers is provided for each station, and that one such roller is disposed intermediately of each two station-associated rollers. In other words, the indexing disk IT is equipped with six main indexing rollers and six intermediate or auxiliary indexing rollers in the particular illustration herein made, it being understood that the number of rollers will vary according to the number of stations provided on the rotor.

A rotor haft I9 is freely mounted within the sleeve I5 and has a driver disk 23 keyed to the lower end thereof beneath'the indexing disk I1,

and'this driver disk has overload release drive i cooperation with the disk I! through ball and recess equipments 2| opposed by a disk 22 longitudinally-slidably mounted on the hub of the disk 20 and yieldably pressed against the overload release balls by an abutment ring 23 and compression springs interposed between it and said disk 22. The ring 23 is opposed by anti-friction bearings 24, and the center shaft I3 is supported upon an adjustable end thrust bearing 25. See Figures 2 and 3.

A driver shaft 26 is horizontally rotatable in bearings 21 provided in the drive housi g Ill and has an indexing cam 28 longitudinally-adjustably secured thereon as at 29. See Figures 2, 3, 9 and 10. The indexing cam is equipped with indexing grooving generally designated 33 and which includes a central dwell portion 3| which extends a limited number of degrees about the cincumference of the cam depending upon the rest or dwell interval intervening indexing movements of the rotor and merges at one end into a movement imparting groove portion 32 opening through one side of the cam and at its other end into a roller receiving groove portion 33 opening through the other side of the cam. Between the side opening grooving portions 32 and 33, the cam is provided with a movement imparting groove portion 34 which open through both sides of the cam and is engageable only with the intermediate or auxiliary indexing rollers disposed between each adjacent pair of station-associated indexing rollers. In the diagrammatic illustration in Figure 9, the intermediate or auxiliary indexing rollers which engage in the cam grooving 34 alone are illustrated by a single circle whereas the remaining or station-associated rollers are indicated by double circles.

By reason of the provision of the particular form of indexing cam indicated in Figures 9 and 10, very accurate indexing of the drying rotor is eflected, and jamming of parts because of inaccurate registry of parts during normal functioning of the machine is thus avoided. During a period in which rotation or indexing movement is being imparted to the rotor, one of the auxiliary rollers indicated by a single circle in Figure 9 is engaged in the cam grooving 34 and one of the main indexing rollers indicated in Figure 9 by a double circle is engaged in the main grooving 3|, 32, but during the idle or dwell period, only said main indexing roller is engaged in the main grooving 34. Thus the intermediate or auxiliary rollers do not function to hold the rotor during dwell periods, but merely, serve toaccurately control positioning of the rotor during turning. This particular arrangement of indexing rollers is found very advantageous because the individual stations on the drying rotor have to be placed quite a distance apart, and without the intermediate or auxiliary rollers the necessary accurate control of the, indexing movements of the turret would be difficult, and objectionable overthrowing or misalignment of parts might result.

Should it be attempted to operate the machine with any moving part thereof jammed by interpositioning of any obstructing object, the indexing of the sleeve 15 could go on without imparting rotation to the jammed shaft l9. Under these conditions the disk 22 would be displaced longitudinallyby movement of. the balls 2| out of their driving recesses in the manner well known in the art. This movement of the disk along the axis of the shaft can be utilized to actuate any conventional form of circuit controlling switch 35 for the purpose of discontinuing the supply of power to the driving motor and stopping the machine. r I

In order to provide for the driving of parts hereinbefore described, the shaft 26 is equipped with a worm wheel 36 to which rotation is imparted by a worm gear 31 mounted on a drive shaft 38 rotatably mounted in supporting bearings provided in the drive housing It, said shaft 38 being driven through belt and pulley connections 39 from the motor 43 supported on the base 5. A control clutch 4| preferably is included in the power transmitting connections and may be actuated by a suitable hand lever equipment 42. See Figures 1a, 2 and 3.

The shaft 26 also drives a cam shaft 43 which is verticallydisposed and rotatable in bearings 44 suitably supported on the machine framing in the manner bestillustrated in' Figures 1a, 2 and 8 of the drawings, said shaft being driven through a bevel gear couple 45. The purposeof this cam shaft will be described hereinafter.

The driver shaft 26 also imparts rotation to a unit driving shaft 46 which is horizontally rotatable in bearings 4'! mounted on the base 6, the

drive being effected through sprocket and chain connections 48 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures la and 2 of the drawings. The shaft by a pitman 54 with a crank 65 secured to the lower end of an actuator shaft 56 which is rockably mounted in vertical position in suitable bearings 51. The shaft 56 is equipped with a crank 68 at its upper end which is link-connected, as at 59, to a reciprocating feeder 60 including feeder fingers 6| which are engageable with can ends 62 which have been curled on the curler unit 1 for the purpose of feeding them one-by-one over the feedways 63 into the drying machine. The can ends 62 are oblong in shape, as is clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 1a of the drawings, and one of the features of the present machine is that of providing novel equipments for accurately handling and positioning irregularly shaped can ends of this type, as distinguished from the usually handled round can end units.

On the table l2 surrounding the rotor opening I4 is mounted an insulated casing or shell 64 which is closed at the top by a cover 65 supported on standards 66 extending upwardly from the table; See Figures la, 2 and 3: The cover member 64 is provided with a central throat 61 equipped with a spider-mounted bearing 68 positioned for'providing an upper support for the rotor shaft l9, and the central throat 61 also supports a depending air sleeve 69. Heated air is directed downwardly through the throat 61 and sleeve 69 from the outlet throat I0 of a circulating fan 1| which is supported upon a plate 12 mounted on the upper ends of the previously mentioned standards 66. The heated air passing downwardly through the casing 64, or at least some thereof, passes out through a casing outlet 13. Since the particular heating means for the air and the means for directing the heated air constitute a separate invention and are covered in a separate application, further detailed description of these features is deemed unnecessa'ry herein. v

A rotor head 14 is keyed to the shaft l9 and has a rotor aflixed thereto. See Figures 1a, 2, 3 and 11. Individual bearings I6 are secured, as at H, to the rotor 15, and each bearing rotatably supports a screw shaft 18 to which is affixed a lifter screw sleeve 19. Each screw sleeve extends upwardly through the ring 80 recessed in the top of the rotor 15 and is equipped witha spiral screw rib 8| secured in a spiral groove in the sleeve and formed to provide a quick pitch screw portion 82 at the lower end and aquick pitch screw portion 83 at the upper end. These screw sleeves are arranged in cooperating pairs in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure la, the can ends 62 being delivered between individual associated pairs of the screw sleeves as they are presented serially at the receiving station by the indexing of the rotor 16 by operation of the reciprocating feeder equipment 68, 69, 6| hereinbefore referred to.

A driving pinion 84 is keyed to the lower end of each shaft 18, beneath the respective bearing 16, and all of the pinions 84 mesh with and have rotation imparted thereto by a large diameter driver gear 86. See Figures 2, 3 and 11. The gear 86 has a smaller diameter'gear 86 formed integrally therewith or attached thereto, and these gears freely rotate together about a hub 81 keyed as at 88, to the shaft l9, said hub having affixed thereto a large diameter gear 89. As is best illustrated in Figure 11 of the drawings, the gear 89, being rotated with the rotor shaft I9 each time it is indexed, imparts rotation to an gear 86, the attached gear 85 and the individual pinions 64 meshing therewith.

A full rotation is imparted to each pinion 84 and the attached lifter screw sleeve 19 during each full turn of the rotor I5 andits shaft l9 about their axis. At each full rotation of the lifter screw sleeve 19 of each cooperating pair,

the can ends supported on the spiral groove rib 1 thereof will each be lifted one space or pitch distance. In this manner, additional room is made at the bottom of the screw sleeves for receiving additional can ends, and drying can ends are progressively lifted into position for being removed at the top of the screw sleeves. The quick pitch spiral rib portions 82 and 83 respec-. tively provided at the bottoms and tops of the lifter screw sleeves serve to suitably space the can ends for proper cooperation, without interference, with the devices which serve to feed the can ends into and from the casing.

A headpiece 93 is secured, as at 94, to the upper end of the rotor shaft l 9 for rotation therewith, and this headpiece has individual bearings 95 afiixed thereto, as at 96, for 'rotatably supporting the upper ends of the screw sleeves 19. Each individual bearing supports a depending stud 91 which provides a rotatable bearing for the'upper end of one of the screw sleeves.

The headpiece 93 is suitably skeletonized or equipped with openings for permitting entry of air from the air sleeve 69 into the open upper end of a perforated distributor sleeve 98 which surrounds the shaft l9 in spaced relation in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, and is supported at its lower end on a head 99 secured to said shaft. The perforated sleeve 98 extends down between the lifter screw feeds throughout approximately two-thirds of the depth of the casing and terminates just above the outlet 13 in the manner illustrated in Figure 3.

A two-piece supporting plate I89 is aflixed to rigidly supported, as at I02, at their upper ends beneath the headpiece 83. A ring I03 surrounds the table opening I3 and is equipped with a receiving opening I04, registering with the pr viously described feedways 83, and the individual can ends fed into thedrier casing by the feeding equipments 58, 60, 6! are fed between the individual pairs of lifter screw sleeves through this opening and through the receiving opening I05 provided in said casing.

Supporting brackets I06 are disposed radially between the pairs of lifter screw sleeves in the manner illustrated in Figure 1a of the drawings, and these brackets include angled portions I01 which are stepped over the ring I03, as at I08, said stepped over portions serving as bottom supports for outer guide rods I09 which cooperate with the stop and guide rods MI in accurately guiding upward movement of the can ends in the manner clearly illustrated in-Flgures 1a and 3 of the drawings. The rods I08 are supported at their upper ends in angled brackets I I0 which are similarly stepped over the upper stationary ring III, said ring also being broken at the side opposite the bottom receiving opening I04 to permit outfeeding of the dried can ends through thedelivery outlet I I2 in the casing. See Figure 4.

Upon a bracket II3, suitably supported on the upper .portion of the machine framing, are provided dried can end delivering feedways II4 disposed to receive can ends fed through the delivery outlet II 2. The dried can ends fed over these quick pitch thread portions 6 at the top or receiving ends thereof, and quick pitch thread portions H1 at the delivery or bottom ends thereof. Each of the sleeves of the screws generally designated II5 includes a stud II8 extending upwardly into a. supporting hearing I I0 mounted on the bracket H3, and a depending stud I 20 rotatably mounted in a bearing I2I supported in a bracket I22 which is secured, as at I23, to the framing. See Figures 1a, 2, 5 and 6.

A slide I24 is horizontally reciprocable between the feedways I I4 and is link-connected, as at I25,

to a reciprocating crank arm I26. The slide carries a pivoted finger equipment I21which is lifted by a spring I28 against a limiting stop I29 and which is shaped to engage over the heel of a can end at the near side thereof each time the slide is moved to the position illustrated in Figure 4 to engage a can end indexed to the discharging station and lifted into the discharging position as illustrated in that figure. This manner of causing the finger equipment to engage at the near side of the can ends minimizes the necessary travel of the slide toward and between the lifted screws and facilitates the discharging of the dried can ends. The slide also includes an intermediate finger equipment I30 which is lifted by spring means I3I against a limiting stop I32, and it will be noted by reference to Figure 4 of the drawings that this finger equipment is shaped to engage behind the can ends and yet is free to move under them on the retraction of the slide without damaging contact therewith. The slide also carries an end feeder finger equipment I33 which is yieldably elevated by spring means I34 engageable with a heel I35 which also serves as a stop limiting upward movement of the finger equipment with the nose portions I86 overlying the can end edge portions in the manner illustrated in Figure 4.

Each time the slide I28 moves to its limit in the feeding direction, it delivers a dried can end between the pair of lowering screws and over an opening I31 in the feedways through which the can ends can be lowered by said screws. being lowered, the cans are guided at the ends by guide rods I38 which aresupported at their lower ends on a bracket I38 which is mounted over the bracket I22. See Figures 5 and 6. The bracket I39 extends over lower feed or transfer ways I40 which are supported, as at I, on the bracket I22 on which the can ends are lowered by the lowering screw 5. While being lowered, thecan ends are guided at the sides by bars I42, a pair of which straddle each-screw in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 5, and these bars are secured, as at I43, on the bracket I38.

A slide I44 is reciprocabie in the ways I40 and is link-connected, as at I45, to a reciprocating crank I46 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 1a, 2 and 6 of the drawings.

The previously mentioned reciprocating crank I46 is secured to an actuator shaft I41 which is vertically disposed and rockable in bearings I48 attached to the machine framing, and the reciprocating crank I46 is secured to a sleeve I40 which is rockable about the shaft I41 in the manner illustrated in Figures 1a and 8 of the drawings. The sleeve has a crank I50 secured thereto, and this crank is connected by'a pitman and strap I5I with an eccentric I52 adjustably secured upon the cam shaft 43. The shaft I41 is equipped at itslower end with a crank I53 which is connected by a pitman and strap I54 to an eccentric I55 adjustably mounted on the cam shaft 43, and this pitman and strap connection includes a yieldable telescopic section I56 which is yieldable in the direction of movement thereof effective to move the slide I24 toward the elevating screws so that should the rotor in any manner be turned. so as to present a lifter screw in the path of movement of the slide, the slide driving connections can yield without damaging the. parts. I

- While they are being lowered by the lowering screws II5, guided by the rods I38 and bars I42, the can ends are cooled, and, as each can end is spaced from the remaining can ends a greater distance by the quick pitch screw portions II 1, the slide I44 serves to transfer it from the lowering screws to a stacking equipment soon to be described. For this purpose, the slide is equipped with a single spring-lifted feeder I51. See Fig- I ures 5 and 6.

Each time the slide I44 moves forwardly, the feeder finger I51 thereon engages a dried and cooled can end and transfers it into position between two short lifter screws I58 forming a part of the stacking mechanism. These screws I58 adjustable idler sprocket I65, and about a sprocket I66 adjustably secured, as at I61, on the previously described cam shaft 43.

While aaaaojcs Operation 'Ihe various reciprocating feeders and the indexing mechanism are accurately coordinated in the manner hereinbefore described so that the can ends are fed to and from the drying rotor without danger of being damaged by jamming.

Each time the rotor is indexed so as to present screws thereon rotated, the individual can ends and beneath the cooperating guide rod I08. As the rotor is successively indexed and the lifter will be lifted in spaced relation by the screws and guided by the rods IIII, I09 in the'manner hereinbefore described, having the sealing compound or other coating thereon thoroughly dried in this upward movement through the casing.

As each can end ultimately reaches the discharging position and is lifted an additional distance above the underlying can ends in the manner illustrated in Figure 4, this space lifting'is effected in such timed relation with the operation of the feeder slide I24 that the end finger equ pment I24 thereon w ll. move under the can end and engage the heel thereof at the near s de in the manner illustrated in Fi ure 4. It will be observed'by reference to th s figure that an abutment plate I68 projects radially from the headpiece 93 between each cooperat ng pa r of lifter screws so as to hold each can end being' d scharged The dried can ends are next lowered by the lowering screws H and are cooled during this process by lowering. af er which they are transferred one-by-one fr m the lower ng screws to the stacking scrcws I58 by the slide and feeder finger equ pment 4,. I51.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arran ement of parts may be variously changed and modified w thout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In indexing means, a rotor adapted to be indexed through a succession of stations, an index ng disk secured to the rotor and'having a plurality of equidistantly spaced indexing rollers projecting therefrom, there being one main roller associated with each station and an auxiliary roller disposed intermediately of every two adjacent main rollers, and a rotary indexing cam comprising a drum having indexing grooving in its periphery inwhich to receive said rollers, said grooving including a dwell portion merging at its ends into main roller inlet and exit end portions opening through respective ends of the drum in circumferentially spaced relation and an auxiliary groove traversing the drum angularly between the inlet and exit groove end portions and eflective to receive and act upon only the auxiliary rollers. i

2. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a canv cular relation on the rotor, means :for indexing the rotor to present the pairs-ofscrews serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, and means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said indexing means including an indexing disk secured to the rotor and having a plurality of equidistantly spaced indexing rollers projecting therefrom, there being one main roller associated with each pair of lifter screws and an auxiliary roller disposed intermediately of every two adjacent main rollers, and a rotary indexing cam comprising a drum having indexing grooving in its periphery in which to receive said rollers, said grooving including a dwell portion merging at its,ends into main rollerinlet and exit end portions opening through respective ends of the drum in circumferentially spaced relations and an auxiliary groove traversing the drum angularly between the inlet and exit groove end portions and effective to receive and act upon only the auxiliary rollers. i I

3. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end l fter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcentered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving stationto be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, a stationary ring disposed in the casing and having a guide opening therein through which the can ends are fed between the screw pairs as they are presented at the receiving station, said rotor being disposed to rotate Within said stationary ring, and a bracket radially disposed between each adjacent pair of screws, each said bracket including an angular portion stepped over said ring and forming a bottom support for an outwardly located vertical can end guide at a level above the level at which the. can ends are fed in at the reends at said delivery station.

supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station,

4. In a machine of the character described, a-

a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially atsaid stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong cari ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screwsof the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair of parellel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, means for guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said lowering screws, and means for discharging the can ends from the lowering screws.

5. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs-of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to'be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, means for guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said. lowering screws, a pair of stacking screws disposed in parallel relation a distance from the lowering screws, and means for feeding the can ends one by one from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws to be stacked thereby.

6. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said'frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across .the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, means for guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said lowering screws, a pair of short length stacking screws dis- 7 posed in parallel relation a distance from the lowering screws, stack guides extending above the stacking screws for confining and guiding the can end stack as it is formed on the stacking screws, and means for feeding the can ends one by one from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws.

7. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, mean at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to en,- gage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, means for guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said lowering screws, a pair of stacking screws disposed in parallel relation 8. distance from the lowering screws, means for feeding the can ends one by one from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws to be stacked thereby, said lowering and stacking screws each having a driving sprocket on its lower end, and means including a single driver chain engaging all said sprockets for driving the lowering and stacking screws.

8. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said lifter screws including quick pitch portions at their upper ends effective to widely space the can ends at the delivery station, and said discharging means comprising a reciprocable feeder slide including an end portion projectible into the space provided between can ends at the delivery station by said quick pitch portions and having thereon a feeder finger engageable under and with the can end end portions outermost on the rotor or nearest to said slide.

9. In a machine of the character described, a

supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of, pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at-said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to beengaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said located at the top of the casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, means for guidin I the can ends while they are being lowered by said lowering screws. and means for discharging the can ends from the lowering screws.

10. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said lifter screws including quick pitch portions at their upper ends effective to widely space the can ends at the delivery station, said discharging means comprising a reciprocable feeder slide including an end portion projectible into the space provided between can ends at the delivery station.

by said quick pitch portions and having thereon a feeder finger engageable under and with the can end 'end portions outermost on the rotor or nearest to said slide, said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casing andbetween which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, means for guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said lowering screws, a pair of stacking screws disposed in parallel relation a distance from the lowering screws, and means for feeding the can ends one by one from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws to be stacked thereby. v

11. In a machine of the character described, a

supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a canend delivery station, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said lifter screws including quick pitch portions at their upper ends effective to widely space the can ends at the delivery station, said discharging means comprising a reciprocable feeder slide including an end portion projectible into the space provided betweencan ends at the delivery station by said quick pitch portions and having thereon a feeder finger engageable under and with the can end end portions outermost on the rotor or nearest to said slide, said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, means for guiding the canends while they are being lowered by said lowering screws, a pair of short length stacking screws disposed in parallel relation a distance from the lowering screws, stack guides extending above the stacking screws for confining and guiding the can end stack as it is formed on the stacking screws, and means for feeding the can ends one by one from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws.

12. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means, for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide 'means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowerscrews to be stacked thereby, and a common means for driving the means for discharging the can ends at the delivery station and also the means for feeding the can ends from the lowering screws to the stacking screws:

13. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said station, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said delivery station being located at the top of thecasing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, means for guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said lowering screws, a pair of stacking screws disposed in parallel relation a distance from the lowering screws, means for feeding the can ends one by one from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws to be stacked thereby, each of said means for discharging can ends at the delivery station and for feeding can ends from the bottom of the lowering screws comprising a reciprocatory feeder and there being included a crank arm for imparting movement to each reciprocatory feeder, a rock shaft to which one said crank arm is aflixed, a sleeve rockable about the rock shaft and to which the other crank arm is affixed, and means for rocking the rock shaft and the rockable sleeve.

14. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station, aplurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise tothe rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating one from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws to be stacked thereby, each of said means for discharging can ends at the delivery station and for feeding can ends from the bottom of the lowering screws comprising a reciprocatory feeder and there being included a crank arm for imparting movement to each reciprocatory feeder, a rock shaft to which one said crank arm is afflxed, a sleeve rockable about the rock shaft and to which the other crank arm is aflixed, a rotary driver shaft having two eccentrics affixed thereto, and a pitman and strap connecting each eccentric with one said crank arm;

15. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station,

, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can with each pair of screws and disposed to engage Y can and edges across the major axes thereof,

means for discharging can ends at said delivery- .ends while they are being lowered by said lowering screws, a pair of stacking screws disposed in parallel relation a distance from the lowering end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, means for guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said lowering screws, a pair of stacking screws disposed in parallel relation a distance from the lowering screws, a reciprocatory feeder for feeding the can ends one by one from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws to be stacked thereby, a crank arm for imparting movement to each reciprocatory feeder, a rock shaft to which one said crank arm is affixed, a sleeve rockable about the rock shaft and to which the other crank arm is affixed, a rotary driver shaft having two eccentrics aflixed thereto, and apitman and strap connecting each eccentric with one said crank arm, at least one said pitman having a yieldable section therein effective to prevent part damage due to jamming of the connected reciprocatory feeder. i

16. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across screws, means for feeding the can ends one by the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station,

said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, means for guiding the can ends L while they are being lowered by said lowering screws, a pair of stacking screws disposed in centrics aiiixed thereto, and a pitman and strap connecting each eccentric with one said .crank arm, said lowering and stacking screws each having a driving sprocket 01' its lower end, a driver sprocket on said rotary driver shaft, and a single driver chain engaging all said sprockets for driving the lowering and stacking screws. I

17. In a machine of the character described. a supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can and receiving station, a can end delivery station. a plurality 01 pairs oi spaced parallel vertical can v 9 end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing- -the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the litter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, and means for discharging can ends at said delivery station; said rotor including a central vertically disposed shaft, and said lifter screw rotating means comprising, a large spur gear movable with the rotor shaft, a double spur gear freely ro-,- tatable about said rotor shaft, a double idler gear meshing with the large spur gear and with said double spur gear and effective to impart rotation from the former to the latter, and a spur gear on each litter screw meshing with and driven by said double spur gear.

PAUL E. PEARSON. RALPH 11. mo.

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