US2575104A

US2575104A - Art of trimming cans or the like

Info

Publication number: US2575104A
Application number: US707705A
Authority: US
Inventors: Halowich Michael
Original assignee: GERHARD HALOWICH CORP
Current assignee: GERHARD HALOWICH CORP; GERHARD-HALOWICH Corp
Priority date: 1946-11-04
Filing date: 1946-11-04
Publication date: 1951-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1968-11-13

Description

Nov. 13, 1951 WI H 2,575,104

v ART OF TRIMMING CANS OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 4, 1946 34 X fla i l I 23 INVENTOR. 24 29 20 6) 51W aiizfiw firm/m.

Patented Nov. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT V OFFICE 16 Claims.

Thepresent invention relates generally to improve'ments in the art of trimming the brims of cup-like articles and relates more specifically to an -improved method of and apparatus tor dressingthe raw end edges of cans or similar articles formed of relatively rigid material.

' The primary object of'my invent-ion is to provide an improved method :of and apparatus for rapidly andreileotively trimming the brims of rig-idcup-shaped articles formed of sheet metal or other relatively thin sheet-like material.

When cans or other cup-shaped articles. are extruded or drawn from .sheet material so as to provide seamless structures, the brims are ordi nari'ly rough and jagged. and must be dressed so as '=to:.provide smooth marginal edges. Heretoioreit-has been common commercial pra tice to trim itheserawbrim edges of circmar and noncircular cans, by r volving the su cessiv upshaped articles about their central axes and by presenting the revolving brims to cutters, but

this method has proven quite unsatisfactory.

mainly because the side wall distortion caused by rapidly rotating the flexible sheet metal re-, ceptacles prevented accurate trimming and frequently tore or left burrs and other Waste material upon the can edges. While it has also been proposed to insert successive extruded or drawn sheet metal seamless cans or the like between dies which snugly engaged the internal and external surfaces of the cups, and by subsequently shearing the'raw edges on" with the aid of a revolving cutter; no proper provision was made With this prior proposal, for rapidly inserting and ejecting the successive cans into and out of the retaining dies without undesirable distortion and alteration in length, so that this method was too cumbersome and tedious for high speed operation and commercial use.

It is therefore a more specific object of this invention to provide an improved method of trimming circular or non-circular metallic or plastic cans or cups, whereby the articles may be properly dresse'dto accurate dimensions in rapid succession and with minimum waste of material due" to tearing of the thin receptacle stock.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide simple and highly efficientapparatus for carrying on the commercial exploitation of :my improved can trimming method.

A further specific-object of my invention is to provide means for facilitating high speed but, cf: ficient trimming of cans or other cup-shaped articles of diverse sizes and shapes, automatically and with minimum danger of injury to attend? ants, and without side Wall distortion.

Still another specific object of the present invention is to provide improved .instrumentalities for quickly presenting successive cupeshaped articles to a constantly revolving cutter for edge trimming purposes, and for immediately theree after ejecting the finished articles away from the zone of cutting without damage.

An additional specific object of the invention is to provide an automatic can edge trimmer which is simple and compact in construction, and which is moreover highly efficient in operation and flexible :iniits adaptations.

These and other specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed: description.

A clear conception of the several steps and features involved my improvement, and, of the operation of. a typical. machine adapted to ex:- ploit the improved method, may. be had by referring to the drawin a ompanyin and form ing a part. of this specification wherein like ref,- ercnce characters des s at th same or similar narts'in thevarious views.

, Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic part sectional side elevation of a typical can trimmer embodyin my invention, the section being taken along the vertical longitudinal central plane of the unit while in the ctor trimm n a can;

' Fig, 21s a fra ment of a similar view of the can trimmer, but showing a trimmed can being elected or d livered away irom the cuttin zone; and

Figifi a transverse vertical section through the assemblage of F taken a on he line B -Land view d in he di tion 03-" t e arrows, Whi th inven ion ha mb en show and described he ein as havi g-be n embod d i a ypial'can tr mmer o erati g upon {me al ic or plac tic cup-shaped receptacles having approximately re tan ular ansve s cross-section. it. is n t my desire or intention to unnecessarily limit the scope' orto restrictthe utility of the improved features vby virtue of this special embodiment.

Reterring to. the drawing, the typical machine for carrying on the improved can trimming method and which is shown by way of illustration, comprises in general a base 6- providing a sturdy support for a fixed member I having one end of a horizontal stud 8 fixedly mounted therein, and being provided with a central opening 9 extending through both the member and the stud; a pulley or sheave I rotatably mounted upon the member I and stud 8 by means of antifriction bearings II, I2 and being revolvable at high speed by a V-belt I3 coacting with a peripheral groove I4 formed in the sheave; one or more knife bladesor cutters I6 firmly secured to an end face of the sheave III by means of cap screws I1, and having sharp cutting edges revolvable about the stud 8 on the side of the pulley remote from the support member I; a stationary plug or core I8 firmly but detachably secured to the opposite or overhanging end of thestud 8 with the aid of clamping screws I9, and being formed to slidably receive and to snugly fit the interiors of seamless drawn cans 28 or similar cup-shaped articles; an annular chuck 22 fixedly mounted upon the base 6 so as to surround the.

core I8 and being provided with radially movable clamping jaws 23 resiliently urged toward the plug by flexible means 24 such as springs or rubber blocks, and being guided in their movement by bolts 25 coacting with guide slots 26 or otherwise; a can chute 28 for conducting the successive untrimmed cans 20 into positions of alinement with the core plug I8 upon a stationary supporting block 29 secured to the base 6 on the side of the chuck 22 remote from the pulley I3 and member I; an injecting plunger 30 movable horizontally across the top of the block 29 to snugly position the successive cans 20 upon the plug I8 between the chuck jaws 23; a knock-out rod 32 for the finished cans 20, reciprocable within the central opening 9 of the member I and stud 8 and being provided with a central passage or hole 33 communicable with a source of fiuid under pressure such as compressed air; and a finished can ejecting plunger 34 movable horizontally across the top of the block 29 transversely of the direction of travel of the injector plunger 30.

The base 6 of the unit may be formed of any durable material and the member I, chuck 22, and block 29 may be firmly secured thereto in any Suitable manner as by welding, and the stud 8 should be rigidly secured to the member I in perfect axial alinement with the sheave I0 so that the anti-friction or ball bearings II, I2 will be truly coaxial with each other at all times. The knives or cutters I6 one or more of which may be utilized, should be firmly attached to the driving pulley I0 so as to prevent possible shifting of the cutters relative to their supporting sheave, and this sheave Ill may be driven by the belt I3 from any suitable source of power such as an electric motor, so as to revolve the knives at high speed. The bearings II, I2 should also be so formed as to prevent possible displacement of the cutters I6 along the axis of the machine; and the end of the core plug I8 nearest the pulley II), should be positioned and firmly held by the clamping screws I9 so that the cutting edges of the knives will just clear this plug end.

As previously indicated, the plug or core I8 should be formed to snugly but slidably fit the interiors of the particular cans 28 which are to be trimmed, and the chuck jaws 23 should also be formed to snugly but resiliently engage the adjacent external can surfaces. As shown, the plug I8 and jaws 23 are adapted to coact with approximately rectangular cans of a definite length, but when circular or otherwise shaped longer or shorter cans or cups are to be trimmed, the internal core and external jaws may be quickly and conveniently replaced by other corresponding parts adapted to properly cooperate with the new sizes or shapes of the articles, by merely releasing the jaws retaining bolts 25 and removing the jaws 23, and by thereafter releasing the core clamping screws I9 and removing the plug, or by unscrewing the stud 8 from the member I and subsequently removing the plug I8 from the stud. The resilient means 24, which may be either springs or rubber blocks, urge the jaws 23 radialiy toward the central axis of the unit, and should be sufiiciently strong and flexible to effect proper clamping of the cans 20 while being trimmed, but should not unduly resist admission and removal of the successive cans 20; and the entering ends of the jaws 23 should preferably be rounded as shown so as to properly guide the can edges toward the cutting zone.

The can supply chute;28 may be of any desired and well known type capable of delivering the successive untrimmed cans 20 upon the block 29, either by gravity or otherwise; and the horizontally movable can injecting plunger 30 may be positively reciprocated in any suitable manner and properly timed, so that it will positively move the successive untrimmed cups or cans 20 oil of the block 29 into the chuck 22 and over the plug I8 into the path of the knives, and will be Withdrawn so as to permit free ejection of the finished cans 20 from the cutting zone. Such removal of the trimmed cans 20 after each cutting operation has been completed, may be effected either mechanically alone with the aid of the knock-out rod 32, or by fluid pressure alone admitted through the passage or hole 33 in the rod 32 while the latter is held stationary, or by the combined action of the knock-out rod being moved and by the admission of fluid under pressure through the hole 33.

The knock-out rod 32 which snugly but slidably coacts with the longitudinal central opening 9 formed in the member I and stud 8, may be periodically reciprocated in any suitable manner by a cam or crank cooperating with its end nearest the member I, and the central fluid conducting hole 33 extends from the can engaging end of the rod 32 to a point sufiiciently remote from this end to insure proper delivery of ejecting fluid when both mechanical and fluid pressure knockout is being effected. The central passage 33 is constantly communicable through a series of lateral ports 36 with a chamber 31 formed in the member I, and thi chamber 31 is communicable through a pipe 38 and past a valve 39 with any suitable source of fluid under pressure such as a compressed air reservoir or pump. The valve 39 is operable by a cam or eccentric 48 to admit air or other fluid under pressure to the central passage 33 in the knock-out rod 32 whenever a can 28 has been properly dressed, and providing fluid pressure ejection is being utilized either alone or in connection with mechanical ejection. If no fluid pressure can ejection is being employed, the cam 40 may be disconnected from its driving source; and when no mechanical ejection is being used, the knock-out rod 32 may likewise be disconnected from its driving source; but in case both types of ejection are utilized,

amps-l both the valve 39 and the rod 32'shouid be periodically actuated a-t properly timed intervals;

The final can removing plunger 34 which'is movable horizontally transversely 'ofthe direction of movement of the injector plunger 39; and over the top of the can supporting block 29, maybe reciprocated in any-suitable manner and at properly timed intervals,-se as to simultaneously sweep thesuccessive finally trimmed cans 20 oil of the block 29 and-to advance the-suocessiveuntrimmed cans which drop upon the block 2 9 l he suecessive new cans 29 drop by gravity into alinement with-the plunger 34 whenever the latter has been retracted and a new can 29 is being pushed onto the plug it by the other plunger-39. The successive finished cans 29 may be allowed to drop through an opening 42 in the base 6, or they may be otherwise removed,.and it will-be noted that when the successive untrimmedcans are delivered to the machine by gravity from an upright supply chute 2 9, the can stack is supported either by the can removing plunger. 34 during presentation of a new can, or by the supporting block 29 a in Fig. 2 whenever a can is being trimmed. The timing of the

plungers

39, 34. and of the knock-out devices must therefore be such that no interference between parts results, and the various operations should be (affected automatically and. in rapid succession in order to permit high speedand effective trimming of at least one hundred cans per minute.

While the normal operation of the improved can trimming unit should be apparent from the foregoing detailed description of its construction, a short resume will be given. When the machine has been properly equipped with a plug I8 and chuck jaws 23 of suitable shapes and sizes, and untrimmed cans 29 are being supplied by the can chute 28, the sheave 19 may be rotated to revolve the cutters l9 and the mechanisms for actuating the knock-out rod 32, the

plungers

39, 34 and the valve 39 should be set in motion. The injector plunger 39 will then push each of the successive cans 29 which are deposited upon the block 29 over the fixed plug or core l8 and between the jaws 29, thereby causing the rough brims or edges of the cans 29 to enter the path of revolution of the knive 19. As these can edges advance into the cutting zone, they are sheared off in helical formation until the bottom surface of each can engages the adjacent end of the plug l8 and the can motion is arrested, whereupon the trimming operation will have been completed. The snug fitting core l9 insures smooth finishing at the brim edge of each can 29, and prevents undesirable distortion of the cans, and the sharp revolving cutters l9 gradually slice off the excess material without tearing or burring the edges. I

After a out has been completed, the injector plunger 39 is promptly withdrawn, and immediately thereafter the knock-out devices are actuated. If mechanical removal is utilized alone, no fluid under pressure is admitted through the passage 33 in the knock-out rod 32, but this rod is merely moved toward the finished can 29 and pushes the latter off of the plug I9 onto the block 29 and toward the retreating plunger 39. If fluid pressure removal is employed alone, the knockout rod 32 will not be moved, but will remain in the position shown in Fig. 1, while the valve39 will be actuated by the cam 49 to admit fluid under pressure from the source through the pipe 38, chamber 3i, ports 39 and passage 33 to the can interior, thereby likewise shifting the finished can off of the plug 18 and :onto the block 29 toward the retreating plunger 39. In cases where both mechanical and fluid pressure removal is desired, both the knock-out rod 32 and the valve 39 will be actuated simultaneously, thereby obtaining joint action during ejection of the completed cans 29 from the cutting zone.

When the successive finished cans 29 have been conipletelyremoved from the plug I8 and chuck jaws 23, the valve 39 should be closed, and the rod '32 should be quickly withdrawn from within each can, whereupon the fluid under pressure will escape from the can interior, and the final ejector plunger 34 may be actuated to sweep the finished articles from the block 29. Aftereach such final delivery'of a completed can 29, the plunger 34 will be quickly withdrawn to permit the lowest unfinished can 29 in the chute 28 to drop into properposition upon the cleared supporting block 29, and the previously finished cans 29 will drop through the opening 92, while the plunger 39 again becomes active to promptly inject the new properly positioned can into the cutting zone. The successive steps of the improved method are thus quickly and automatically repeated so as to accurately and effectively trim the cans 2 9 "in rapid succession.

From the foregoing detailed description of the construction andoperation of the unit, it will be apparent that my invention provides an improved method of and apparatus for rapidly and effectively trimming cans or other cup-shaped receptacles, without distorting or otherwise damaging the articles. The invention is applicable to cans or other receptacles of various sizes and shapes, formed of metal, plastic, stiff paper, or other sheet-like material, and the improved mechanism i adapted to automatically perform the successive steps of the method both positively and safely. Either mechanical removal, or fluid pressure ejection, or both types of knock-out may be utilized at the will of the operator; and while the unit is extremely simple and compact in construction, it still has enormous capacity and 'requires minimum attention. The invention has gone into highly successful and satisfactory "commercial use, and is obviously very flexible in its adaptations; and the improved units may be manufactured and operated at moderate cost for diverse uses.

It is also noteworthy that the various parts of the improved mechanism should be formed of suitable wear-resistant materials and properly lubricated so as to insure long life, and the ends of the plugs 18 nearest the knives it may be hardened or faced with a hardened plate so as to guard against excessive wear, while the antifriction or ball bearings also reduce the power consumption to a minimum. It should also be apparent that any other method of feeding the untrimmed cans onto the block 29 may be utilized, as for example, the well-known type of curved can chute 28 which delivers the cans 29 laterally onto thesupporting block 29 and causes the newly presented cans to push the finished cans off of this block, thereby eliminating the use of the plunger 34. The use of the plunger 36 for simultaneously removing the finished cans 29 and for presenting or positioning the new cans in proper alinement with the plug I8, however insures perfect positioning of the successive receptacles in line with the feed plunger 39, thereby assuring reliable functioning or performance of the mechanism at high speed. Such modifications-of unimportant parts-of the mechanism are obvious to those skilled in the art, but the helical shearing of the excess metal at the can brims by feeding the cans gradually into the path of the rapidly revolving cutters is an important feature which has contributed to the success of my invention.

It should be understood that it is not desired t limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise steps of the method, herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended, claims may occur to persons skilled in the art. It is also contemplated that specific terms used herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the objects and purposes of the invention, and that the term can shall include any cup-shaped or tubular receptacle formed of any material.

Iclaim:

1. In a can brim trimmer, a fixed core formed to snugly engage the interior of a can, means for sliding the can axially along said core in one direction, a cutter revolvable about the can axis and cooperating with said core to shear excess stock from the brim edge of the can, and means for positively moving the trimmed can in the opposite direction to remove it from said core.

2. In a can brim trimmer, a fixed core formed to snugly engage the interior of a can and having a plane end surface, means for sliding the can axially along said core toward said surface, and a cutter revolvable about the can axis and cooperating with said core to helically shear excess stock from the brim edge of the can and to provide a final brim edge lying in the plane of said surface, said core acting as a stop to arrest the sliding motion of the can.

3. In a can brim trimmer, a fixed core formed to snugly engage the interior of a can, means for sliding the can axially along said core, a cutter revolvable about the can axis and cooperating with said core to helically shear excess stock from the brim edge of the can, and means extending into the can through said core for removing the can from the core when all excess stock has been removed.

4. A can brim trimmer comprising, a stationary core formed to snugly engage the internal brim portions of the cans, means cooperable with the external bottom surfaces of the cans for advancing the latter axially along said core, a cutter revolvable in close proximity to one end of said core and being cooperable with the brim edges of the advancing cans to helically shear excess stock from said edges, and means resiliently engaging the exteriors of the cans during said advancement.

5. A can brim trimmer comprising, a stationary core formed to snugly engage the internal brim portions of the cans, means cooperable with the external bottom surfaces of the cans for advancing the latter axially along said core, a cutter revolvably in close proximity to one end of said core and being cooperable with the brim edges of the advancing cans to helically shear excess stock from said edges, means extending through the path of revolution of said cutter and cooperating with the internal bottom surfaces of the cans to remove the latter from said core, and means resiliently engaging the exteriors of the cans during said advancement.

6. A can brim trimmer comprising, a fixed core, means for sliding cans along said core in one direction, a cutter revolvable about the central axis of said core, and means for sliding the cans in the opposite direction alongsaid core, said last mentioned means extending through the path of revolution of said cutter and through said core.

7. A can brim trimmer comprising, a stationary member having a stud projecting therefrom, a cutter revolvably suspended from said member and said stud, a core mounted upon the overhanging end of said stud, and means for slidably advancing successive cans along said core and for presenting the brim edges of said cans to the action of said cutter.

8. A can brim trimmer comprising, a stationary member having a stud projecting therefrom, a cutter revolvably suspended from said member and said stud, a core mounted upon the overhanging end of said stud, and means for slidably advancing successive cans along said core and for presenting the brim edges of said cans to the action of said cutter, said core being fixed against rotation and coacting with said cutter and with the cans to positively limit the extent of removal of stock from said cans.

9. A can trimmer comprising, a core formed to snugly engage the internal brim portion of the can and having a plane end, a revolving cutter having a shearing edge cooperable with the plane end of said core, and means for advancing a can along said core so as to cause the can brim to gradually enter the zone of action of said cutter and to thereby remove excess brim stock with a helical cut terminating in the plane of said core end.

10. A can trimmer comprising, a stationary can receiving core, a revolving cutter cooperable with one end of said core, means for pushing cans onto said core with the can brims advancing into the zone of action of said cutter, and knockout means extending through said zone and said core for ejecting the trimmed cans from the core.

11. A can trimmer comprising, a stationary can receiving core, a revolving cutter cooperable with one end of said core, means for pushing cans onto said core with the can brims advancing into the zone of action of said cutter, and a knock-out rod movable through said zone and said core and being cooperable with the internal bottom surfaces of the cans to eject the latter from said core.

12. A can trimmer comprising, a stationary can receiving core, a revolving cutter cooperable with one end of said core, means for pushing cans onto said core with the can brims advancing into the zone of action of said'cuttter, and means for delivering fluid under pressure through said zone and said core to the interiors of the cans to eject the latter from the core upon completion of each trimming operation.

13. A can trimmer comprising, a stationary core, a chuck surrounding said core, a cutter revolvable adjacent to an end of said core, means for pushing successive cans along said core within said chuck and into the zone of action of said cutter, and means extending through said zone and said core for removing the successive trimmed cans from within said chuck.

14. A can trimmer comprising, a stationary can receiving core, a chuck having jaws resiliently urged against the exterior surfaces of the cans while coacting with said core, means for feeding cans onto said core between said jaws, and a cutter revolvable adjacent to an end of said core and coacting with the can brims while the cans are prevented from rotating by said core and jaws.

15. A can trimmer comprising, a fixed core formed to snugly but slidably engage the can interiors, a chuck having jaws resiliently contacting the exteriors of cans while being advanced along said core to positively prevent rotation of said cans, a cutter revolvable at one end of said core, and means for feeding the cans along said core between said jaws and toward the zone of action of said cutter.

16. A can trimmer comprising, a stationary can supporting core having a plane end, a cutter having a shearing edge revolvable in the plane bf said core end, means for sliding a can in one direction along said core with the can brim approaching said plane to cause said shearing 15 edge to remove excess brim stock from the can,

and means for ejecting the trimmed can from said core in the opposite direction.

MICHAEL HALOWICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 440,548 Elmore et a1. Nov. 11, 1890 1,008,784 Cahill Nov. 14, 1911 1,582,973 Dodd May 4, 1926 1,605,924 Dodd Nov. 9, 1926 2,232,021 Calleson et a1 Feb. 18, 1941 2,234,330 Zetzsche et a1. Mar. 11, 1941