US2469401A

US2469401A - Can closing machine

Info

Publication number: US2469401A
Application number: US632292A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ronald E J Nordquist
Original assignee: American Can Co
Current assignee: Primerica Inc
Priority date: 1945-12-03
Filing date: 1945-12-03
Publication date: 1949-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 1966-05-10

Description

May 10, 1949. R. E. J. NORDQUIST CAN CLOSING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 3, 1945 7%2/W 7%M4 Z ATTORNEYS May 10, 1949. R. E. J. NORDQUIST 2,469,401

CAN CLOSING MACHINE I Filed Dec. 3, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 47 I 36 I f Z7 3; 34 E /5 /7 D ,4

.JL-! Z4 Z6 53 H 2 I5 n 17 55 1 INVENTOR.

l 1 fi/mmi ATTORNEYS y R. E. J. NORDQUIST I 2,469,401

CAN CLOSING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1945 5 Shets-Sheet s INVENTOR Ma a. 71 2232? ATTORNEYS Patented May 10, 1949 CAN CLOSING MACHINE Ronald E. J. Nordquist, Maplewood, N. J assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 3, 1945, Serial No. 632,292

2 Claims.

This invention relates to can closing machines and the like and has particular reference to can and cover feeding devices for bringing individual covers gradually into parallel and registered position on a filled can while it is being fed along a straight line path of travel preparatory to sealing, thereby preventing spilling of fluid contents of the can.

In the usual form of cover feeding devices, covers are delivered to an assembly station in elevated position above the can and assembly is accomplished by lifting the can to meet the cover. During this lifting action of the can spilling of its contents frequently occurs.

The present invention contemplates overcoming these diificulties by feeding filled cans along a substantially straight line path of travel in a horizontal plane to an assembly station. Can covers for the individual cans are fed from a different source along a curved path of travel and are cammed down gradually to the plane of the top of an advancing can while coming into alignment with the can, the can cover and the can meeting at an assembly station whereupon both can and cover move together along a straight line path of travel to a sealing station.

An object of the invention is the provision in a can closing machine, of a can feed-in device for propelling filled cans to be sealed along a straight line path of travel toward a sealing mechanism and of a can cover feeding device for advancing can covers along a curved path of travel such cover feeding devices bringing individual covers into parallel and registered position onto moving cans so that both can and cover thereafter move along a straight line of travel as an incident to sealing, such can movement being without spilling of any fluid contents from the can.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a machine of the character described having can and cover feeding devices, of stationary means in the cover feed for shifting the can covers from their curved path of travel into a straight line path of travel Where the covers advance parallel to and in registration with the filled and moving cans, a registered can and cover being clamped together just prior to sealing whereby spilling of fluid contents of the cans is prevented.

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.

Referring to the drawings: p r

Figure l is a fragmentary sectional plan view showing the important parts of a can closing machine embodying the present invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken substantially along the lines 2-2 and 33 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1 looking in the 0pposite direction to that indicated by the arrows.

As a preferred embodiment of the present invention the drawings disclose the important parts of a high speed can closing machine wherein an individual can cover is fed into parallel and registered position onto a filled and moving can, so that the can and cover may thereafter move along a straight line path of travel while being clamped together as a unit for introduction into a pocket of a rotatable turret which may be a part of a sealing mechanism for such a can and cover.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a filled can A is shown as being introduced into the machine by a feed-in conveyor ll operating in a groove l2 of a conveyor table It. The conveyor H has a plurality of spaced and laterally extending feed arms l4 which engage the side walls of the cans and advance them along the conveyor table 113 in proper sequence for assembly with individual covers B at an assembly station C. The conveyor Il may be driven in any suitable manner from the present or from an adjacent machine.

The assembly station C is located slightly in advance of a can and cover sealing station D on the straight line path of travel of the moving cans. As a filled can A moves toward station C, the can enters into one of a plurality of turret pockets l5 of a rotatable turret I6. There preferably are six pockets in the turret. The cans A are in the turret pockets when assembling, clamping and sealing of the cans with their respective covers take place.

The heavy arrows extending in a straight line from right to'left in Fig. 1 indicate the path of the incoming can. The light curved arrows show the path of the cover. These paths intersect on the center line of the assembly station C and the curved path terminates. Thence from the center line of the assembly station C to the center line of the sealing station D a continuation of the straight path of the heavy arrow then indicates the joint aligned path of travel of both can and cover.

The turret i6 is secured to a hollow sleeve I! of a rotary member l8 (Fig. 3). This sleeve is mounted on a vertical shaft 22. Shaft 22 is journaled in suitable bearings in the lower part of the machine which, for the purpose of this invention need not be shown. This shaft may be operated in any convenient manner from its lower end and rotates the turret l6 and the rotary member I8 in unison and in proper time with the .;conveyor "1].

The covers B are ied individually toward "the station C for assembly with the respective cans A by a cover feed turret 23 (Fig. 1). Such a turret is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft 24 journaled in a bearing 25 of the machine. Shaft 24 may be driven in any:suitab1e .manner in time with the conveyor 1 I and with-the s'ha'ft The rotatable turret it receives and supports both the filled cans A and (the covers B and carries them through the seaming operation. For this purpose, turret It has a lower horizontal web 26 and an upper l'horizontal web v21. The pockets it are located :in :the lower web 126. "Pockets .15 are formed :by vtsemi-icircular openings 28 partially'surroundedxby setbackverticalwalls 3-2. This produces ;a:semi-;cir,cular support :ledge .da'forzeach pocket. -Such'a, ledge serves tolocate and to support the filled cans A initially-in its turret pocket.

The .upper horizontal .web '21 .is formed with semi-circularpockets E l. Each pockettl .is in axial alignment with .:a turret pocket i115. Pocket :34 is;partial1y surrounded-by: asemi-circular. ledge :35. Such a ledge is cut backsufiiciently for-entrance of 'a cover B superimposed on a can :flang E -formed on the upper end of the filled can A -('F. 1'g. 3).

The cover -feed turret 23 hereinbefore mentioned also has :a plurality of :spaced .zsemicircular pockets 36. There are;preferably-si-x such pockets. A pocket [36 is brought into register with a corresponding pocket 31% when a filledcan Aand its superimposedcover B are deliveredinto sealing-position at station D (Figs. '1 ,andi3) It isatthis time that the pockets 3d, 36 cooperate to enci-rcle the-outerperiphery of the-cover B so that .it :is aligned 'onto the flange E of @the can incidental to a sealing operation.

Preparatory to the covers reaching the cans, they are separated in conventional manner from a suitable source of supply and then-are advanced by the turret secured in the turret back "of each pocket 36. These fingers extend up to engage and to advance the cover which-is directlyabove but not yet-into the corresponding turret .pocket.

The .covers'B arersupported,whilerbeing-so adyanced, in a stationary cover carrying segment plate .38 mounted :on the machine mainframe. This .segment plate is located above the turrets it and 23 and above the conveyor H (Figs. .1 and 2).. The-segment plate ,is formed with :a track 42 on its under surface and such .a track includes inner and outer supporter cover carrying ledges 1 33, M. This support trackJmay"be formed "separately or as :an integral part of ft-he segment plate 38.

The inner and ,outer-supportledges 43, Materminate :adjacent the assembly station -C :in roundedand gradually sloping edges :45, :46 :(Figs. 1 and 2). It is'overthese edges that the peripheral edge of each cover 3 passes as it descends 1 into the turret pocket and thence onto a;fi1led canAxat'th-e assembly station C.

As the cover B descends into the :position just :described .at station TC, a .can knockout 41 moves :down, engages the itop :of=1the-;cover and A feed finger 'or stud '31 .is

. member l8 and includes a seaming chuck 52 and 1a \coacting seaming roller 53 operable against the chuck for a seaming operation.

.Thermovement'of the cover B up to this time has been along a substantially circular path of travel-while that-of'the filled can has been along .a substantiallystraight line path of travel. It is desirous and also the purpose of this invention to change the path of travel of the cover at this point so that it moves in the straight path with the-advancing can. This is done by .a :shifting of rthe .coverIB outwardly relative to the center .of the rotating turret :23, the cover remaining .in the :turret ;pocket 36. There :is no pause in the .cover or can-advancement from the assembly station; C :to the sealing station. D.

:Innrder to effect t'his change in travel during the advancement of the cover B, the terminal end of-the track 32 in the segment plate-38 is so shaped -.as atfid, to shift 'or-camthecover into .the 'desired straight line path of travel. This is best illustrated in ,Fig. 1 of the-drawings.

During advancement toward station .D the cover is held onto theoan by the can knockout 4'1. The-can andits'cover are only vmomentarily on the turret ledge '33 :prior to being :lifted and rotated forzseaming as will now'be. described.

.Preparatory to the sealing operation, the -can and .cover :-are tightly clamped :together and are liftedzintossealing position. This is accomplished by-arotatableplungertli -(-Fig. 3 which is operated in time with other moving parts of the machine. Thereare six such plungers, vone for each .of the turret pockets. Plunger 55 moves .up and. engages within thecountersunk bottom of the can A to center the-canand to lift ittogether withthe-coverB and'also the knockout 41. This .tightlyzclarnps thecan and cover between the can knockout and the-plunger which move up as .a unit -.until the cover B .is against the seaming chuck .52. Can and cover thereupon rotate at high speed through :the driving action of the seaming chuck 52. The seaming roller 53 moves in eat :the proper time -.to effect the seaming operation in the usual manner.

The seaming operation-is carried out while the turret 4.6 is rotated. Can and cover upon being sealed are lowered and discharged from the machine. Other -filled cans and covers then enter into-the Yemptiedturret pocket I15 and the cycle of operation is repeated.

.Itris :thought that the invention and :many of .itszattendant advantages will :be understoodirom theforegoingdescription, and itwill .be apparent that-Narious lchanges maybe :made in the'form, ennstruction and arrangement of the parts without departing from ithe spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described be- :ing merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

1. In a can closing machine for sealing "covers onto -filledcans, the combination of a rotatable sealing turret having spaced peripheral pockets for receiving cans and "covers for sealing, a can feed-in device for propelling filled cans along a straight line path of travel toward said sealing turret and for introducing them into said sealing turret pockets, a can cover feeding device for advancing can covers along a curved path of travel and for introducing a can cover into a sealing turret pocket in a position above a can received in said pocket, means for moving an advancing can cover out of its curved path of travel and into a straight line path of travel in alignment with the straight line path of travel of the moving cans, and means disposed adjacent the path of travel of said covers for supporting and gradually lowering the aligned advancing cover to position it on said received and pocketed can for retaining the fluid contents in the can during further movement.

2. In a can closing machine for sealing covers onto filled cans, the combination of a rotatable sealing turret having spaced peripheral pockets for receiving cans and covers for sealing, a can feed-in device for propelling filled cans along a straight line path of travel toward said sealing turret and for introducing a can cover into a sealing turret pocket in a position above a can received in said pocket, means for moving an advancing can cover out of its curved path of REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,581,201 Guether Apr. 20, 1926 1,895,184 Douglass Jan. 24, 1933 2,344,546 Krueger Mar. 21, 1944 2,345,870 Guenther Apr. 4, 1944 2,371,186 Renard Mar. 13, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 248,462 Great Britain Mar, 4, 1926