US3494162A

US3494162A - Flexing and spin flanging head

Info

Publication number: US3494162A
Application number: US502120A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ants Hansson
Original assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Current assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Priority date: 1965-10-22
Filing date: 1965-10-22
Publication date: 1970-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 1987-02-10

Description

Feb. 10, 1970 A. H ANSSO N q 3, J

FLEXINGQAND SPIN FLANGING HEAD Original Filed April 1'7, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Ants Hansson fi m ai-m A. HANSSON FLEXING AND -SPIN FLANGING HEAD Feb. 1 0, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ori inal Filed April 17, 1963 FIG.-

INVENTOR Am: Hanssorz ,Vm v Y ATTORNEYS Feb. 10,1970- A.- HANSSON 3,4 ,162 FLEX-1N6 AND SPIN FLANGING HEAD Original Filed April 17, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IF: 6J3

Feb. 10, 1-970 HANS SON I FLEXING AND SPIN FLANGING HEAD 4 Sheets-Sheet L Original Fild A ril 17, 1963 V INVENTOR Ant: l/axzsson ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,494,162 FLEXING AND SPIN FLANGING HEAD Ants Hansson, Evanston, IlL, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application Apr. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 273,598. Divided and this application Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 502,120

Int. Cl. B21d 3/06 US. Cl. 72126 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a spin flanging head adapted to be rotated relative to a circumferential end portion of a can body to transform the end portion into a generally radially outwardly directed can end receiving flange. 'Ihe flanging head includes a plurality of rollers rotatably journaled therein for subjecting incremental portions of the can body end portion to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces during the flanging operation. Means are spaced from the can body end portion for supporting the can body while permitting radially outward flexing of the end portion during the flanging thereof.

This application constitutes a division of my copending commonly assigned application for US. Letters Patent, Ser. No. 273,598, filed Apr. 17, 1963 and nOW abandoned.

This invention relates to a novel method and apparatus for flexing and spin flanging edges of substantially tubular metallic bodies to increase the transverse ductility of the edges, and in particular, to a novel method and apparatus for flexing and spin flanging the edges of high strength brittle metallic can bodies by subjecting incremental portions of the can body edges to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

According to present can making technology, it is necessary to form a flange at both edges of a can body for subsequently seaming on a can end or cover at each of the flanged edges of the can body. Flanging is presently done with a die having a widening contour which when forced into a can body deflects the metal at the edges of the can body over the widening contour of the die to extend the metal outward and normal to the axis of the can body. This flanging method, called die flanging or dynamic flanging, produces a circumferential flange of approximately 0.1 inch width or more.

Die flanging or dynamic flanging subjects the entire circumference of the edge of the can body to tension forces which tend to crack the circumferential flanges of the can bodies during the flanging operation. This tendency of cracks developing in the flanges of the can bodies during the dynamic flanging thereof is lessened when the can bodies are made of metal which is relatively low tempered and ductile. However, dynamic flanging cannot be used to flange metallic can bodies which are made of certain new materials, such as very thin grades of double reduced or hard rolled metallic plate. Can bodies which are made of fully hardened steel plate and certain aluminum alloys of hard tempers are not susceptible to die flanging or dynamic flanging because these materials are so brittle that the edges of the can bodies crack during the flanging operation. This is especially true with tube welded can bodies which, of necessity, are made from H- grain metal i.e., the metal rolling direction being parallel to the height of the can body. Dynamic flanging of tube welded can bodies produces cracks which are numerous, severe and frequently extend well down into the can body. Since these brittle materials are very attractive in the can making industry from the viewpoint of strength "ice and cost-of-material, a new method of flanging these newer, brittle, less ductile hard tempered materials was developed and is the novel subject matter of this application.

An object of this invention is the provision of a novel method and apparatus for flexing and flanging substantially tubular metallic bodies, such as can bodies, made from double reduced or hard rolled metal plate which is extremely brittle and incapable of being flanged by present-day die flanging or dynamic flanging apparatus.

A further object of this invention is the provision of novel apparatus for flexing and flanging an edge of a substantially tubular metallic body constructed from relatively brittle material by subjecting incremental portions of the edge of the metallic body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces causing substantial elongation or stretching of this brittle material without producing cracks in the flange of the can body.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel flexing head for increasing the ductility of an edge portion of a substantially tubular, brittle metallic body, the flexing head being rotatable with respect to the metallic body and including a plurality of means for successively deforming incremental portions or areas of an edge of the metallic body by subjecting the edge of the metallic body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a novel spin flanging head for circumferentially flang ing an edge of a substantially tubular, brittle, metallic body, the spin flanging head including means for subjecting incremental portions of the edges of the metallic body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces together with forces effecting radial flanging of the edges of the body with respect to the axis of the body.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel flexing head including a rotatable body, the body having a frusto-conical portion including a surface defined by a generatrix of the body, a plurality of substantially elongated elements carried by the body with the axes thereof parallel to the generatrix of the body and each of .the elongated elements having a surface portion projecting beyond the surface of the body for subjecting an edge of a metallic can body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel flexing head of the character above-described wherein the surface of the frusto-conical portion of the body partially defines a concavity and the elongated elements are rollers which project into the concavity of the body.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel flexing head including a body, a plurality of groups of elongated roller elements carried in spaced relationship by the body, each of the roller elements including a curved surface portion, the curved surface portions of the elements of each of the plurality of groups of roller elements being spaced to define an area adapted to receive an edge of a can body whereby rotation of the flexing head subjects the edge of the can body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel spin flanging head including a body, the body having a frusto-conical portion including a surface defined by a generatrix of the body, a plurality of rollers rotatably carried by the body with the axes thereof normal to the generatrix of the body, and each of the rollers having a groove for subjecting incremental portions of an edge of a metallic can body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces together with forces effecting radial flanging of the edge of the metallic can body.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel spin flanging head including a body provided with a surface portion, a plurality of rollers carried 'by and projecting normally from the surface portion, and each of the rollers including a curved surface portion for subjecting incremental portions or areas of an edge of a metallic can body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces together with forces effecting radial flanging of the can body edge.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel spin flanging head including a substantially cylindrical body, a plurality of elongated elements secured to a periphery of the cylindrical body, each of the elongated elements including a curved surface portion projecting beyond the periphery of the cylindrical body and being capable of incrementally forming an edge of a metallic can body and forming a flange therefrom when the spin flanging head is advanced into and rotated with respect to the metallic can body.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel method of flexing and spin flanging edges of substantially tubular, brittle, metallic bodies to increase the transverse ductility of the edges and form circumferential flanges by successively deforming incremental portions of the edges of the metallic can body by subjecting the same to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

With the above, and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a flexing head constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates a plurality of rollers rotatably journalled in a frusto-conical portion of the flexing head, and the position of the flexing head prior to being advanced into engagement with an edge of a can body clamped in a split holder.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the flexing head of FIGURE 1, and illustrates the construction of the flexing head and the rollers thereof in contact with the edge of the can body.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and illustrates each of six rollers in contact with a relatively small area or portion of the edge of the can body and subjecting each of the small areas to rapidly fluctuating tension and compression forces.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in cross-section and illustrates a novel spin flanging head constructed in accordance with this invention including a body carrying a pair of diametrically opposed rollers, each of the rollers being circumferentially grooved at the position of the rollers with respect to an edge of a metallic can body at the initiation of a spin flanging operation.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the spin flanging head of FIGURE 4, and illustrates one of.

the rollers and the edge of the can body at the completion of the spin flanging operation.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in cross-section, and illustrates another spin flanging head constructed in accordance with this invention, the spin flanging head including a plurality of substantially conical shaped rollers in engagement with an edge of a metallic can body secured in a split holder.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6 and illustrates the conical rollers subjecting incremental portions of the edge of the can body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIGURE 6, and more clearly illustrates the contact between the conical rollers and the edge of the can body.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIGURE 7, and illustrates one of the plurality of conical rollers rotatably journalled in the spin flanging head and the formation of a flange from .4 the material of the edge of the can body by the conical rollers.

FIGURE 10 is a vertical elevational view of another spin flanging head and illustrates two of three conical rollers, similar to the conical rollers of FIGURES 6 through 9, carried by the spin flanging head.

FIGURE 11 is a bottom view of the spin flanging head of FIGURE 10, and illustrates the three conical rollers and the larger diameter of these rollers as compared to the conical rollers of FIGURES 6 and 7.

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary elevational view of a flexing head and illustrates a plurality of groups of rollers of the flexing head in contact with an edge of a can body held in a split holder.

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 13-13 of FIGURE 12, and illustrates three groups of rollers with three rollers in each group and the position of the can body edge with respect to the groups of rollers during the flexing operation.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 14-14 of FIGURE 13, and illustrates the flexing of the can body edge during the rotation of the flexing head of FIGURES 12 and 13.

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary elevational view of another spin flanging head constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates the spin flanging head rotating and descending into a can body held in a split holder and the initial engagement of the spin flanging head with an edge of the can body.

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken along line 16-16 of FIGURE 15, and illustrates a plurality of elements carried by the spin flanging head in contact with and subjecting the edge of the can body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 17-17 of FIGURE 16, and illustrates the formation of a circumferential flange by the spin flanging head of FIGURES 15 and 16.

FIGURE 18 is a fragmentary elevational view of another flexing head of this invention, and illustrates a plurality of cylindrical elements carried in a concavity of the flexing head and engaging an edge of a can body held in a rotating split holder.

FIGURE 19 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 19-19 of FIGURE 18 and illustrates the upper edge of the can body being subjected to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces tending to partially flange the edge of the can body radially inwardly toward the axis thereof.

FIGURE 20 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 20-20 of FIGURE 19, and more clearly illustrates the coaction between the spin flanging head and the edge of the can body held by the split holder.

FIGURE 21 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 21-21 of FIGURE 20, and illustrates each of the elongated elements of the spin flanging head effecting an incremental area of the edge of the can body.

FIGURE 22 is a fragmentary sectional view of a roll flanger and illustrates an edge of a brittle metallic can body which has been previously flexed by any one of the flexing heads heretofore illustrated being flanged by the roll flanger.

As has been heretofore noted, die flanging or dynamic flanging subjects the entire edge of a can body to tension forces. 'Ihese tension forces cause elongation of the edge of the can body and, as an example, the edge of a number 211 can body having a 2 5 inch body diameter is elongated approximately 8% in the transverse direction of very low ductility. High strength double reduced and full hard' plate cannot be elongated by more than 1 to 1.5%, thus indicating that the flanging of can bodies from these high strength materials without producing cracks would be an impossibility.

However, while the tensile elongation of these high strength materials does not exceed 1 to 1.5% when measured over a normal gauge length of 2 inches, the tensile elongation may go up to 50% and beyond when measured over a very short gauge length adjacent to fractures or cracks produced in these brittle high-strength materials when dynamic die flanging has been attempted. This extreme elongation of even brittle material in highly localized areas of fracture indicates that brittle, highstrength plate can be flanged by forming the edges of can bodies over a very short gauge length. That is, by forming or deforming the edges of the can bodies con structed from relatively brittle material by successively stretching adjacent short increments of the brittle metal, long lengths of this brittle material can be elongated or stretched to a considerable extent.

Thus, the chief characteristic of this invention, which is to be immediately described hereafter, is that only a small increment of the metallic material at the edge of the can body is formed at one time and the forming is done progressively by moving this increment rapidly around the circumference of the edge of the can body.

The invention will be best understood and described by first referring to FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, to which attention is now directed. A substantially tubular, metallic can body having an upper peripheral edge 11 is locked in a conventional split holder 12 having a base 13 anchored to a supporting surface 14. The can body 10 is made from cold rolled sheet metal such as double reduced or hard rolled plate which is relatively brittle in the as-received condition thereof.

A flexing head or flexer head 15 is reciprocally and rotatably mounted in axial alignment with the can body 10 in a manner which is conventional and is therefore not illustrated. The flexing head 15 is normally positioned in spaced relationship to the edge 11 of the can body 10, but is mounted for reciprocal movement into and out of the can body 10, as is indicated by the double-headed arrow of FIGURE 1.

The flexing head 15 includes a body 16 having a frusto-conical surface 17 defined by a generatrix of the body 16. An upwardly opening concavity 18 is separated from a downwardly opening concavity 20 by a central wall 21 of the body 16. A rotatable shaft 22 is secured to the body 16 of the flexing head 15.

The rotatable shaft 22 includes an integral, annular stop collar 23 and a reduced threaded end portion 24 projecting through an axial aperture 25 in the central wall 21 of the body 16. A substantially frusto-conical clamping plate 26 is provided with a bore 27 for receiving the reduced end portion 24 of the shaft 22. A counterbore 28 in the clamping plate 26 forms a recess for receiving a nut 30 threaded upon the reduced end portion 24 of the shaft 22.

The frusto-conical surface 17 of the body 16 is provided with a plurality of identical semi-cylindrical grooves or slots 31. The semi-cylindrical grooves or slots 31 are parallel to the generatrices of the body 16.

An identical, substantially elongated, cylindrical element or roller 32 is received in each of the semi-cylindrical grooves 31. The semi-cylindrical grooves 31 and the rollers 32 received therein are equally spaced along the frusto-conical surface 17 of the body 16, as is best illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawings. Each of the rollers 32 includes a shaft 33 journalled between the clamping plate 26 and the body 16 of the flexing head 15 in a manner clearly illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. A cylindrical surface 34 of each of the rollers 32 projects outwardly of the semi-cylindrical grooves 31 beyond the frusto-conical surface 17 of the body 16.

As the flexing head 15 is rotated, it is reciprocatedfrom a position spaced from the edge 11 of the can body 10 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 1, wherein each of the rollers 32 barely contacts the edge 11 of the can body 10. Continued downward reciprocation of the flexing head 15 forces each of the rollers 32 into intimate contact with the edge 11 of the can body 10. At the instant the rollers 32 begin to bear against the edge 11 of the can body 10, the edge 11 begins losing its cylindrical cross-sectional configuration and begins to approach the polygonal cross-sectional configuration of the edge 11 shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. At the corners of the now polygonal edge 11, the edge 11 of the can body 10 is conformed to the surface 34 of each of the rollers 32. At any one instant an incremental area I of the edge 11 in contact with the surface 34 of each of the rollers 32 is placed in tension while the straight portion between these incremental portions or areas are placed in compression. This is diagrammatically represented in FIGURE 3 of the drawings by the positive signs indicating tension and the negative signs indicating compression. With the flexing head rotating, the stress state at each of the incremental portions I reverses rapidly so that all portions of the edge 11 will alternatively be in tension and compression. Thus, the edge 11 of the body 10 is placed in tension only at those areas or portions which in a given instant are in contact with the surface 34 of the rollers 32. Only the relatively small incremental portions I of the metallic edge 11 are being formed at one time and the forming is done progressively by rotating the flexing head 15 which in effect, moves this increment rapidly around the edge 11 of the can body 10.

The incremental portion or area of the edge 11 which is under tension during any instant corresponds to the arc of contact between the surface 34 of each of the rollers 32 and the edge 11. This incremental area should be minimized as much as possible to achieve maximum elongation or stretching of the brittle material of the can body 10 in the area of the edge 11. The number of rollers 32, on the other hand, should be large because otherwise, the entire can body would tend to polygonize when the flexing head 15 is forced into the can body 10 and the resultant excessive flexing of the edge 11 as well as the entire can body 10 could fracture the edge 11. To achieve a minimum arc of contact between the rollers 32 of the flexing head 15 and the edge 11 of the can body 10, the rollers 32, as heretofore noted, are positioned with their axes parallel to the generatrix of the body 16. Each of the rollers 32 is thus oriented at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the axis of the can body 10. This positioning of the rollers 32 reduces the arc of contact between the surfaces 34 of the rollers 32 and the edge 11 of the can body 10 as is best illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. Each of the six rollers 32 has a diameter D which is preferably one-quarter of an inch. However, because of the inclination or slanting of the rollers 32 with respect to the axis of the can body 10 the area of contact or incremental portion I of the edge 11 is appreciably less than the diameter D of the rollers 32. The slant or oblique mounting of the rollers 32 has the beneficial effect of apparently reducing the roller diameter and the incremental area of contact I with the edge 11 of the can body 10 so that, depending on the angle of the generatrix of the body 16, a one-quarter inch roller may do the work normally done by a one-eighth inch roller.

After the flexing head 15 is withdrawn from the can body 10, the edge 11 is partially flanged. That is, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the edge 11 of the can body 10 is circumferentially flanged at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the axis of the can body 10. In order to complete the flanging of the can body 10, the edge or flange 11 has to be turned out so that it forms a can end receiving flange, i.e., a circumferential flange which is normal to or disposed at a ninety degree angle to the axis of the can body 10. One way of accomplishing this is by incorporating a properly designed groove into each of the cylindrical rollers 32 of FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings. An example of an apparatus for forming a ninety degree flange with respect to a can body is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings, and is generally designated by the reference numeral 35.

The apparatus 35 is termed a spin flanging head or flex flanging head since in operation it simultaneously subjects a can body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces together with forces effecting full ninety degree radial flanging of an edge of the can body.

The spin flanging head 35 includes a body 36 secured to a shaft 37 which is reciprocated and rotated in a conventional manner. The body 36 includes a pair of identical, diametrically opposed arms 38. An identical elongated element or roller 40 is journalled to each of the arms 38 by a bolt 41 threadably received in a threaded aperture 42 of the arms 38, An identical washer 43 is positioned between each of the rollers 40 and an associated arm 38 to reduce frictional forces during a spin flanging operation.

Each of the rollers 40 is provided with a medial circumferential groove 44 contoured to produce a flange turned out at an angle of ninety degrees to the axis of the can body 10.

Each of the rollers 44 subjects the edge 11 of the can body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces in a manner substantially identical to that discussed in connection with FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, and in addition, each of the grooves 44 effect full ninety degree radial flanging of the edge 11 with respect to the axis of the body 10. Since only two rollers 44 in diametrically opposed relationship flex and flange the can body 10 of FIGURE 4, the can body 10 is supported nearer to the edge 11 by the split holder 12 than in FIGURE 1. By thus supporting the can body 10 near to the edge 11, polygonization and cracking of the relatively brittle metal material of the can body 10 is precluded.

While only two rollers 40 are shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, additional rollers identical to the rollers 40 may be provided by merely constructing the body 36 of a frusto-conical configuration and securing the additional rollers to the inner peripheral surfaces of the frustoconical body.

It should be particularly noted, the operation of the flexing head and the spin flanging head employ the common characteristic of forming or deforming a small increment of the edge 11 of the can body 10 at one instant and progressively moving this increment rapidly around the can body 10. While a circumferential flange is formed by the flexing head 15 of FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, this is merely incidental to the flexing of the edge 11 to elongate or stretch the brittle material thereof so that a full ninety degree flange may be subsequently formed. The rollers 44, however, not only elongate or stretch the material of the edge 11, but elongate and stretch this material to a considerable greater extent to form a flange Which is disposed substantially ninety degrees to the axis of the can body 10. Thus, the incorporation of a groove similar to the grooves 44 in each of the rollers 32 of the flexing head 55 would convert the flexing head 55 into a spin flanging head, while the elimination of the grooves 44 in the rollers of the spin flanging head 35 would constitute a flexing head. Therefore, irrespective of the particular nomenclature of these heads, each subjects incremental portions of an edge 10 of a relatively brittle, metallic body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

A flex-flanging or spin flanging head 45 is illustrated in FIGURES 6 through 9 of the drawings. The spin flanging head 45 includes a substantially cylindrical disk-like body 46 secured to a rotatable and reciprocal shaft 47 by a key 48 (FIGURE 7). The disk-like body 46 includes a top surface 50, a bottom surface 51 and a peripheral surface 52.

Ten identical, substantially elongated elements or rollers 53 are journalled in the disk-like body 46. There are ten such rollers shown (see FIGURE 7) and the rollers are equally spaced about the circumference of the disklike body 46 adjacent the peripheral edge 52 thereof.

As is best illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings, each of the rollers 53 includes a shank 54 having a reduced threaded end portion 55. The shank 54 of each of the rollers 53 passes freely through a bore 56 in the disk-like body 46 and is secured thereto by a nut 57 threaded to the reduced end portion 55 of the shank 54. An identical washer 58 is positioned between each of the nuts 57 and the top surface 50 of the disk-like body 46.

A ball-bearing mount 60 including an inner race 61, an outer race 62 and a plurality of balls 63 is positioned in a counterbore 64 of the disk-like body 46, and rotatably journals each of the rollers 53 in a manner clearly illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings.

Each of the rollers 53 includes a lower conical portion 65, an intermediate frusto-conical portion 66 and a contoured annular upper portion 67, A cylindrical portion 68 of each of the rollers 53 provides clearance between the lower surface 51 of the disk-like body 46 and the contoured annular portion 67 of the rollers 53. The axis of each of the rollers 53 is also substantially normal to the bottom surface 51 of the disk-like body 46.

The operation of the spin flanging head 45 is similar to the operation of the flexing head 15 and the spin flanging head 35 heretofore discussed. As the shaft 47 and the disk-like body 46 carried thereby is reciprocated to the position illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, an edge 11 of the can body 10 held in the split holder 12 is flexed and formed by progressively moving a small incremental area or portion of the edge 11 of the can body 10. This is best illustrated in FIGURE 8 wherein the frusto-conical portion 66 of each of the rollers 53 contacts an incremental portion or area I of the can body edge 11 and, due to the rotation of the disk-like body 46, progressively moves each of these incremental portions around the can body 10 to effect rapid reversal of tension and compression forces. In addition, a continued advancement of the disk-like body 46 into the can body 10 brings the periphery of the can body edge 11 into contact with the contoured annular portion 67 of each of the rollers 53. The annular portions 67 likewise subject the edge 11 of the can body 10 to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces, together with forces effecting the full radial flanging of the can body 11, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. The forming or deforming of the edge 11 is thus effective over a very short length of the circumference of the can body 10 and the relatively brittle material of the can body in these incremental portions is elongated or stretched by moving this increment rapidly by the successive rollers 53 to form the horizontal flange or edge 11 of FIGURE 9.

A flex-flanging or spin flanging head 70, similar to the spin flanging head 45 of FIGURES 6 through 9, is illustrated in FIGURES l0 and 11 of the drawings. The spin flanging head 70 include a cylindrical disk-like body 71 secured to a rotatable and reciprocal shaft 72 by a key (not shown) similar to the key 48 of FIGURE 7. The disk-like body 71 includes a top surface 73, a bottom surface 74 and a peripheral surface 75.

Three identical elongated elements or

conical rollers

76, 77 and 78 are journalled to the disk-like body 71 of the spin flanging head 70 in a manner identical to that illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. The axi of each of the substantially conical rollers 7678 is normal to the bottom surface 74 of the disk-like body 71, and each of the conical rollers 7678 includes a lower conical portion 80, an intermediate frusto-conical portion 81, a contoured annular portion 82 and a cylindrical clearance portion 83.

The spin flanging head 70 of FIGURES 10 and 11 differs from the spin flanging head 45 of FIGURES 6 through 9 in two aspects. First, the maximum diameter of each of the frusto-conical portions 81 of the rollers 76-78 is one inch, While the maximum diameters of each of the frusto-conical portions 66 of the rollers 53 is onequarter of an inch. Secondly, there are only three rollers 76-78 carried by the spin flanging head 70 Whereas the spin flanging head 45 carries ten rollers. The reduced number of rollers of the spin flanging head 70 requires that a cam body being flanged thereby must be gripped closely adjacent an edge thereof for the reasons heretofore discussed in connection with FIGURES 4 and 5. Secondly, the spin flanging head 70 must be rotated a number of times more than the spin flanging head 45 to achieve a smooth flange. Otherwise, the spin flanging head 70 operates in a manner identical to that heretofore discussed in the description of FIGURES 1 through 9 of the drawings, and a further discussion of the operation of the spin flanging head 70 is deemed unnecessary.

It is desirable at times to condition the edge of a can body constructed from relatively brittle metal by subjecting the edge to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces without forming a partial or a full flange, as in the devices heretofore described. For example, where an end has been seamed to a can body or the can body is formed by a drawing operation, it is desirable to condition or flex the open end of the can body because flanges tend to become damaged during shipment to a packaging plant. While the packaging plant may be equipped with conventional die flanging apparatus, these brittle can bodies cannot be flanged. Therefore, by first flexing the.

edges of these can bodies without forming flanges, the conventional flanging apparatus at the packaging plant may be employed to flange the can bodies and damage to preformed flanges is eliminated.

A flexing head 85 shown in FIGURES 12 and 13 of the drawings is designed to flex an edge of a can body without flanging the same.

The flexing head 85 include a disk-like body 86 secured to a rotatable and reciprocal shaft 87 which may be keyed or otherwise secured to the disk-like body 86: The disk-like body 86 includes an upper surface 88, a lower surface 90 and a peripheral surface 91.

Three groups of

rollers

92, 93 and 94 of three identical rollers or elongated elements in each group are secured to the disk-like body 86. Each group of

roller

92, 93 and 94 includes a first roller 95 adjacent the peripheral surface 91 of the disk-like body 86. A second roller 96 and a third roller 97 are each spaced from the first roller 95 and cooperate therewith to form a curved access area or passage for the reception of an edge 98 of a can body 100.

As is best illustrated in FIGURE 14 of the drawings, each of the

rollers

95, 96 and 97 is rotatably carried in an aperture 101 of the disk-like body 86 by a shaft 102 having a flat head 103. Each of the rollers 95-97 has a lower curved portion 104 which gradually blends into a peripheral portion 105.

The operation of the flexing head 85 is similar to that heretofore discussed in connection with FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, except that the edge 98 of the can body 100 is neither partially nor fully flanged. The can body 100 is held in a split holder 12 having a base 13 which is suitably anchored to a supporting surface 14. The flexing head 85 is rotated and reciprocated from a position spaced from the edge 98 of the can body 100 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 12. During the downward movement of the flexing head 85, the edge 98 of the can body 100- contacts the curved portion 104 of each of the rollers 95-97. The curved portions 104 of the rollers 95-97 form a trough which gradually narrows toward the bottom surface 90 of the disk-like body 86. This permits the edge 98 of the can body 100 to enter the access area or passage between the peripheral portions 105 of the rollers 95-97. As the disk-like body 86 is rotated, the edge 98 of the can body 100 is subjected to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces along incremental portions thereof. This causes stretching or elongation of the relatively brittle metal of the edge 98 for the reasons heretofore discussed, however, at the completion of this operation, the can body is neither partially nor fully flanged. That is, after the flexing head 86 is withdrawn, the can body 100 and the edge 98 thereof are still relatively cylindrical in cross-section. The can body 100 can be shipped in this relatively cylindrical shape and conventional flanging apparatus which would otherwise be incapable of flanging the can body 100 may be employed to flange the edge 98 of the can body 100.

Another flex-flanging or spin flanging head constructed in accordance with this invention is illustrated in FIG- URES 15 through 17 of the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral 106. The spin flanging head 106 includes a body 107 provided with a substantially frusto-conical cavity 108 and an axial bore 110. A rotatable shaft 111 having a stop collar 112 and a threaded end portion 113 is received in the bore of the body 107. A cylindrical steel core 114 is slipped on the reduced end portion 113 of the shaft 111 by virtue of an axial bore 115 in the core 114. The core 114 is provided with a plurality of elongated grooves or slots 116 arranged equally about the periphery of the core 114. An identical elongated element or insert 118 is housed in each of the elongated grooves or slots 116 and projects outwardly beyond a peripheral surface 117 of the core 114. The inserts 118 are perferably constructed from carbide or nylon and each insert includes a gradually upwardly tapering curved portion 120 terminated in a contoured annular portion 121. A bottom beveled edge 12 2 of each of the inserts 118 engages an upper surface 123 of a substantially frusto-conical clamping plate 124. The clamping plate 124 has a bore 125 in axial alignment with the

bores

110 and 115. The threaded end portion 113 passes through the bore 125 of the clamping plate 124 and a nut 126 clamps the plurality of inserts 118 between the body 107 and the clamping plate 124 of the spin flanging head 106.

Once again, the operation of the spin flanging head 106 is substantially identical to the operation of the flexing and spin flanging heads heretofore described. A can body 127 having an edge 128 is secured in a split holder 12 having a base 13 suitably anchored to a supporting surface 14. The can body 127 is held in axial alignment with the spin flanging head 106. As the spin flanging head 106 is rotated and reciprocated downwardly, as viewed in FIGURE 15, into the can body 127, incremental portions or areas of the edge 128 are subjected to reversing tension and compression forces. This is best illustrated in FIGURE 16 of the drawings where at any one instant an incremental area or portion I of the can body edge 128 is being formed and the rotation of the spin flanging head 106 progressively moves this incremental area I rapidly around the can body 127.

It should be again noted that the tapered surfaces 120 of the inserts 118 present a small arc of contact to the edge 128 of the can body 127. The tapering surfaces 120 effectively reduce the area of contact in the manner similar to that discussed in connection with FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings.

When the spin flanging head 106 has been fully descended into the can body 127, as shown in FIGURE 17, the can body edge 128 gradually curves outwardly because of the contoured annular portion 121 of each of the inserts 118. The spin flanging head 106 thus flexes and forms a flange which is normal to the axis of the can body 127.

A flexer of flexing head 130 is shown in FIGURES 18 through 21 of the drawings. The flexing head 130 includes a body 131 having a frusto-conical surface or portion 132 defined by a generatrix of the body 131. The body 131 is immovably secured to a supporting surface 133 by a plurality of identical bolts 134 in the manner clearly illustrated in FIGURE 20.

A plurality of equally spaced grooves or slots 135 are formed in the frusto-conical surface 132 of the body 131. A substantially cylindrical, elongated element or insert 136 is non-rotatably carried in each of the grooves 135. Each of the cylindrical inserts 136 includes a curved surface portion 137 projecting outwardly beyond the frusto-conical surface 132 of the body 131. Each of the cylindrical inserts 136 is also axially aligned with the generatrix of the body 131.

The flexing head 130 is axially aligned with a can body 138 having an edge 140'. The can body 138 is held in a split holder 141 secured to a base 142. A shaft 143 of the base 142 is rotated and reciprocated in a conventional manner.

As the shaft 143 is moved upwardly, as viewed in FIG- URE 18, the can body edge 140 contacts the curved surface portions 137 of the inserts 136. Each of the cylindrical inserts 136 again subjects an incremental portion or area of the edge 140 of the can body 138 to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces as the base 142 and the can body 138 carried thereby is rotated. The edge 140 of the can body 138 is flexed in a manner substantially identical to that heretofore described in connection with FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings. It should be noted that the position of the cylindrical inserts 136 flex the edge 140 of the can body 138 radially inwardly toward the axis of the can body 138. Thus, at the end of the flexing operation and the upwardly removal of the flexing head 130, the can body 138 will be partially flanged inwardly at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Any can body so conditioned or flexed can now be fully circu-mferentially flanged without cracks developing in the flange area.

FIGURE 22 illustrates a roll flanger 145 in which a relatively brittle can body may be formed with a circumferential flange of ninety degrees after the can body edge has been flexed by any one of the flexing devices heretofore disclosed. The roll flanger 145 includes a body 146 provided with a bore 147 having a diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of a can body 148. An axially opening circumferential groove 150 is formed in the body 146 of the roll flanger 145.

A roll 151 is housed in the body 146 of the roll flanger 145. The roll 151 includes a cylindrical body 152, a circumferential flanging rib 1'53 and a shaft 154. The shaft 154 is part of a conventional mechanism which rotates and eccentrically moves the flanging rib 153 about and within the peripheral groove 150. During this movement, an edge 155 of the can body 148 is flanged a full ninety degrees with respect to the axis of the can body.

Spin flanging heads have been constructed in accordance with the FIGURES 6 through 11 disclosures and have been tested with the following results.

The spin flanging heads were tested on can bodies constructed of different metals varying in ductility, strength, temper and grain direction. These metals will be referred to hereafter in conventional can making terminology.

Most of the testing has been done on can bodies constructed from 55# tube welded T-8 plate rnade from aluminum kilned or MR-type steel which has been cold rolled 30-50% after annealing. Several hundred of these can bodies were successfully flanged to the normal can end receiving flange width of 0.105 inch, using the spin flanging head with ten inch diameter rollers. Can bodies constructed from identical material and tested by dynamic die flanging heads invariably cracked in the area of the flange.

Approximately 300 C-grain can bodies with soldered side seams made from 35 lb./BB (0.10 mm.) T-8 plate, were spin flanged with the spin flanging head having ten tantalum carbide rollers. These can bodies were subsequently packed and double seamed on a #449 closing machine at a speed of 1,160 cans per minute. No leaks developed in the can body or the flange area when these cans were packed in cartons of 24 cans per carton and test dropped from a height of 10 feet.

Can bodies constructed from 45 lb./BB (0.12 mm.) full hard plate, i.e., hot mill strip cold rolled to final gauge without an interanneal, was more diflicult to spin flange. With H-grain spot welded cylinders of a 2 inch diameter, flanges up to a width of .070 inch were consistently formed without cracking.

70 lb./BB (0.20 mm.) full hard plate, H-grain was flanged to a width of .090 inch with the spin flanging head having the ten inch diameter rollers.

lb./BB (0.27) full hard H-grain plate was flanged to the normal can end receiving width of .105 inch. Can bodies constructed from aluminum alloys such as 3003 (1.25% Mn) and 5052 (2.5% Mg, 0.25% Cr) in intermediate and full hard tempers, were flanged successfully with both the spin flanging head having the inch diameter rollers and the three l-inch diameter rollers.

The spin flanging head with the ten At-inch diameter rollers was tested under various conditions employing can bodies fabricated from difierent sheet materials. In certain tests some of the ten rollers were removed leaving the spin flanging head with five or two rollers. With this reduction in the number of rollers, a correspondingly high number of rotations had to be made in order to make a smooth flange. As heretofore noted, with fewer rollers it was also necessary to support the can body near to the edge in order to avoid polygonization and cracking. In the extreme case of two rollers with very brittle double reduced, H-grain can bodies, flange cracks developed when more than 0.150 inch of the body edge was left unsupported. With ten rollers, rigid support was at times not necessary at all and good flanges were obtained even when the can bodies were held by hand.

The spin flanging head with the three l-inch rollers (see FIGURES 10 and 11) was also tested under various conditions. With this spin flanging head the split holder always had to be moved as close to the edge of the can body as possible to avoid distortion of the can body. However, this spin flanging head worked well with aluminum bodies which could be flanged under widely different conditions as compared to double reduced or T-8 plate, where flanging conditions are more critical.

The rotational speed of the spin flanging heads as well as the advancement of the spin flanging heads into the can bodies was varied considerably. In a typical test where a can body was fabricated from 55 lb./BB T8 tinplate welded tube, the can body was flanged at a rotational speed of 640 r.p.rn., and advanced into the can body at a speed of 1.04 inches per second. A normal can end receiving flange .105 inch-wide was completed in 0.14 second, i.e., less than two revolutions of the spin flanging head. Since both the rotational and the entry or advancement speed of the spin flanging end can be increased, this 0.14 second time interval can be measurably reduced making it possible to spin flange can bodies at the rate of 400600 can bodies per minute.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for flanging can bodies Which have heretofore been incapable of being flanged by conventional flanging apparatus. While the flexing heads and spin flanging heads herein disclosed make possible the flexing and flanging of relatively brittle can bodies, attention is again directed to the fact that variations may be made in the example flexing and spin flanging heads disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

-I claim:

1. A spin flanging head adapted to be rotated relative to a circumferential end portion of a can body to trans form the end portion into a generally radially outwardly directly can end receiving flange, said spin flanging head comprising a body having an axis of rotation, a plurality of rollers, means journalling said rollers to said body for rotation relative thereto, each roller having an axis of rotation, the axis of rotation of said body and the axis of rotation of each roller being at all times substantially parallel to each other, each roller having first surface portion means for progressively flexing incremental portions of a can body end portion radially outwardly as the rollers are introduced into the can body end portion whereby each incremental portion of the can body end portion is progressively flared radially outwardly, each roller also includes second surface portion means defining a continuation of said first surface portion means for progressively flanging the can body end portion radially outwardly into a can end receiving flange disposed substantially normal to the can body axis after the end portion has been first fiaxed by said first means, said second surface means being defined by a smoothyl curved radially outwardly directed annular shoulder surface portion of each roller, and means spaced from the can body end portion for supporting the can body while permitting radially outward flexing of the end portion during the flanging thereof.

2. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of rollers includes a terminal end portion remote from its associated second surface portion means, and each terminal end portion is provided with means for guidably and alignably introducing said rollers into a can body.

3. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of rollers includes a terminal end portion remote from its associated annular shoulder surface portion, each terminal end portion being provided with means for guidably and alignably introducing said rollers into a can body, and said last-mentioned means being a generally pointed end portion of each roller defined by a continuation of said first surface portion means.

4. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 wherein said rollers each include a stem portion and an axially opposite terminal end portion, said body including chamber means receiving the stem portions of said rollers, and said journalling means including anti-friction means housed by said chamber means and cooperative with said stem portions for journalling said rollers for relatively free rotation relative to said body.

5. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 including means for absorbing axial thrust forces during the introduction of said rollers into a can body.

6. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 including means for absorbing axial thrust forces during the introduction of said rollers into a can body, and said absorbing means being anti-friction means disposed between a portion of each roller and said body.

7. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 wherein said first surface means of each roller is a generally frusto-conical surface, and the maximum diameter of each frusto-conical surface ranges approximately between one-quarter to one inch in diameter.

8. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 2 wherein said first surface means of each roller is a generally frusto-conical surface, the maximum diameter of each frusto-conical surface ranges approximately between onequarter to one inch in diameter, and there are at least six rollers carried by said body.

9. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 3 wherein said rollers each include a reduced stem portion axially opposite said terminal end portion, said body including chamber means receiving each of said stem portions, said journalling means including anti-friction means housed by said chamber means and cooperative with said stem portions for journalling said rollers for relative free rotation relative to said body, said second surface means of each roller being a generally frusto-conical surface, and the maximum diameter of each conical surface ranging approximately between one-quarter to one inch in diameter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,209,739 7/ 1940 .Meyer 72-126 2,215,789 9/1940 Harrison 72-126 2,962,079 11/1960 Wilson 72-126 3,011,539 12/1961 Henrickson 72-126 457,909 8/1891 Clapp 72-94 693,017 2/ 1902 Hodgson 72-94 1,161,923 11/1915 Butler 72-94 1,543,583 6/1925 Mason 113-120 AA 1,670,216 5/ 1928 Savadow 72-112 2,711,576 6/1955 Wilson 72-112 545,791 9/1895 Gates 72-115 775,572 11/1904 Lovekin 72126 1,732,861 10/ 1929 Rosenbloom 72-126 1,872,294 8/ 1932 Hothersall 72-126 2,164,724 7/ 1939 Severin 72-126 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,912 6/ 1882 Germany.

591,741 1/1934 Germany 608,317 11/1960 Canada.

863,919 1/1940 France.

507,567 12/ 1954 Italy.

RICHARD J. HERBST, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.