US3606781A - Identical pitch-line velocity transmission means for apparatus for forming beads on cylindrical can bodies - Google Patents

Abstract

A NON-SLIP, SCRATCH PROOF MEDIUM FOR BOTH THE INNER AND OUTER SURFACES OF CYLINDRICAL CAN BODIES AS THEY ARE ROLLED BETWEEN AN INTERNAL BEADING DIE AND A BEAD FORMING RAIL OF A BEAD FORMING APPARATUS ENTAILING DISPOSING THE CAN BODY AT ITS POINT OF TANGENT CONTACT WITH THE INTERNAL DIE AND BEADING RAIL AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE PITCH LINE OF THE MAIN DRIVE MECHANISM AND ENABLING TRANSMISSION OF IDENTICAL PITCH-LINE VELOCITY TO THE INTERNAL DIE DESPITE ITS RADIAL SHIFTING DUE TO THE THICKNESS OF THE CAN BODY MATERIAL.

Description

Sept. 21; 1971 D. VANDERLAAN IDENTICAL PITCH-LINE VELOCITY TRANSMISSION MEANS FOR APPARATUS 7 FOR FORMING BEADS 0N CYLINDRICAL CAN BODIES Filed Nov. 24, 1969 3 Sheets-Shut 1 INVENTOR.

.. vmm \\\\\\\\\\R Dir/r Vahdor/aan .7 .sp 71" ANDERLA IDENTICAb PITCH'LINE VELOCITY TRANSMISSION MEANS FOR APPARATUS FOR FORMING am s ON CYLINDRICAL CAN sonms Filed Nov. 24, was

3 Sheets-Shoot 8 INVENTOR. Dirk Vander/aan his affarney United States Patent O IDENTICAL PITCH-LINE VELOCITY TRANSMIS- SION MEANS FOR APPARATUE; FOR FORMING BEADS N CYLINDRICAL QAN BODIES Dirk Vanderlaan, Alameda, Califl, assignor to Borden, Inc., New York, N.Y. Filed Nov. 24, 1969, Ser. No. 879,197 Int. Cl. B21d 15/06, 19/00 US. Cl. 72-94 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND This invention relates to apparatus for forming beads on cylindrical can bodies and more particularly to means for obtaining identical pitch-line velocity against a can body disposed between the forming die and bead forming rail of such apparatus.

Apparatus for beading metal cylinders is not basically new. One form of such apparatus is shown and described in US. Pat. No. 2,407,776 which issued to Gladfelter Sept. 17, 1946. Another form is shown in US. Pat. No. 3,089,533 dated May 14, 1963 to Stuchberry et al. Yet another form is well described in my co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 662,000 which I filed jointly with 00- inventors on Aug. 21, 1967 and from which US. Pat. NO. 3,490,404 issued Ian. 20, 1970.

Each of these prior disclosures has in common the broad basic concept of forming beads or annular creases in the side walls of can bodies while pressing the same between an internal roller die and a fixed beading rail. The fixed beading rail is usually of an arcuate curvature similar to a large rack gear from which a pinion gear connected to the internal die receives rotary action while being turned about the rack gear. The can body is usually caused to roll about a portion of the fixed curved beading rail in unison with the rotation of the internal roller die as it travels about the rail.

It should here be noted that can bodies have their inner walls coated with a lacquer or enamel to prevent corrosion from acids in food matter later to be preserved in the cans. While the internal beading die may normally have non-slip contact with the coated inner surface of such can bodies any radial shifting of the internal dies and their pinion gears causes a variance in rotary speed resulting in some slippage. Moreover, slippage between the exterior wall of such can body and the beading rail has heretofore been ignored. However, with the advent of the imprinting of decorative matter on the exterior walls of can bodies the necessity of avoiding scratching of both the outer as well as the inner surface of such cylindrical can bodies becomes a problem. The decorative matter on the exterior surface of such can bodies is usually graphic art, photographically reproduced in color and printed on the metal while in a flat condition. This printed matter may be a commercial label or a pleasing pattern which is protected by a coating of varnish, lacquer and the like and therefore subject to scratching if mishandled. Consequently, both inner and outer surfaces of such can bodies must be handled gently and subjected to the least 3,606,781 Patented Sept. 21, 1971 amount of slippage in order to avoid scratching thereof during the bead forming operation.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates alleviating the foregoing problem by achieving identical pitch-line velocity between the internal die and a can body and substantially identical pitch-line velocity between such can body and the bead forming rail while the bead creases are being formed in the can body. Heretofore it was assumed that the pitch line of the driving gears had to be identical to a pitch line extended therefrom through the center of the beads projecting from the forming rail. The results of such error in velocity thus caused was not comprehended and therefore not taken into consideration. However, I have discovered that this differential in velocity is caused by the erroneous placement of the beading rail such that the bead centers at pitch-line. It is therefore an object of the present invention to place the pitch-line as close as possible to the peripheral surface of the beading rail from which the beads project. Since it is the peripheral surface of.the beading rail against which the can bodies are pressed and rolled, the placement of such periphery as close as possible to pitch-line of the driving gears results in a minimum of slippage and assures non-scratching and prevents marring of the coated exteriors of the can bodies.

In this connection it is an object of the present invention to provide means for transmitting pitch-line velocity from the pinion gears to the periphery of the internal beading dies while the latter turn about the bead forming rails disposed on a circumference substantially comparable to the pitch line of the teeth of the rack gear empowering the beading dies.

Another object is to provide means for transmitting such pitch-line velocity to the internal dies despite their offset relation to pitch-line when initially engaging a can body about to be pressed against the beads on the beading rail.

It is yet another object to provide means for elfecting substantially identical pitch-line velocity to the beading dies and rail relative to both the inner and the outer surfaces of a can body regardless of the velocity variance at the extremities of the beads on thebeading rail or radial shifting of the internal beading dies.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from a reading of the following description and claims in the light of the three sheets of accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a section through a bead forming apparatus along the rotary axis thereof and taken substantially along line l-1 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section through FIG. 1 and taken substantially along line 2-2 therein;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of a portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of the opposite end of the portion of FIG. 1 shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section through FIG. 3 taken along line 5-5 therein;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view partially in section of one die carriage and drive means therefor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 with parts thereof in a different position;

FIG. 8 is a section through FIG. 6 taken substantially along line 88 therein;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged section through the rack and pinion gear drive taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged section through a portion of the can track and beading rail of the apparatus as seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a section complementary to that of FIG. 10 with a can body disposed in the can track thereof;

FIG. 12 is a section through FIG. 11 taken along line 12-12 therein; and

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic illustration of the pitch-line velocity feature of the present invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION In the drawings of the present application the bead forming apparatus 20 shown is comparable to the structure described and claimed in my aforementioned application and US. Pat. No. 3,490,404. It should be understood, however, that the present invention is equally applicable to other apparatus of similar character such as the bead formers of the prior patents mentioned above or employing drive means of the general nature involved in this art.

In general the bead forming apparatus 20 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes an annular can path 21 and means (not shown) for feeding cylindrical can bodies into such path at one zone and for discharging the can bodies therefrom at another zone. The annular path 21 is formed between side walls 24-25 adapted to be adjustably spaced to accommodate can bodies of various lengths and for guilding the can bodies in succession along a fixed bead, forming rail 26. The side walls 24 and 2-5 are provided with a plurality of bead forming stations 27 in spaced relation segmentally along the annular can path 21. Means 31 are provided for maintaining the can bodies in each of their respective bead forming stations as they travel around the heading rail 26 within the annular can path 21. The inner side Wall 24 has openings therein for admitting bead forming die rollers 28 into and out of the annular path 21 and the can bodies at each bead forming station 27.

The bead forming die rollers 28 are arranged on a guide and supporting unit 29 for reciprocation laterally into and out of the respective bead forming stations 27. The bead forming die rollers 28 are driven by a rack and pinion mechanism 43-44 for rotating the bead forming dies 28 in unison with the can bodies as they roll about the bead forming rail 26 concurrently with the side walls 24-25 of the can path 21.

The guide and supporting units 29 for each bead forming die roller 28 include a slide carriage 30 mounted for reciprocation parallel to the axis of rotation of the side walls 24-25 and are disposed outside a cylindrical housing 32 within which a fixed cam track 33 is confined. A cam follower roller 34 on each slide carriage 30 extends into the fixed cam track 33 to cause reciprocation of the carriage 30 and the bead forming roller die 28 thereon as the latter travel around the housing 32 and can path 21, respectively. The cam track 33 is coordinated with a bead forming portion 26' of the bead forming rail 26 such that when the can bodies approach the portion '26 the beading dies 28 enter the respective can bodies and as the latter leave the bead forming portion 26' the roller dies 28 are withdrawn from the can bodies freeing them for discharge from the can path 21.

Within each head forming station 27 a pair of spring loaded lever arms 35-35', one on each side wall 24 and 25, are disposed for engagement by outer bearing rings 36-36 on each of the bead forming dies 28'. These lever arms 35-35 are disposed to yieldably urge the internal roller dies 28 toward the bead forming portion 26 of the forming rail 26 for pressing the can bodies firmly against the beads on the portion 26'. However, the arms 35-35 are limited against such pressure to the extent that no pressure is applied to the internal dies 28 during passage through zones other than that adjacent the bead forming portion 26'. Thus sufficient clearance is provided between the internal bead forming dies or rollers 28 and the beading rail 26 during reciprocation of the rollers 28 into and out of. the can track and the can bodies therein.

It should here be noted that the bead forming portion 26 of the fixed beading rail 26 involves a slight increment 37 radially of the non-beaded portion of the rail 26. This raised section 37 of the bead forming portion 26' includes a number of half beads 38 spaced from one another transversely of the can path 21. The bead forming rollers 28 consist of a plurality of ring-like dies 39 with smaller diameter dies 40 interposed between them to provide annular grooves 41 which register with the half beads 38- on the bead forming portion 26' of the beading rail 26. By this arrangement as the can bodies roll onto the bead forming portion 26' they are elevated due to the increment 37, against the ring-like dies of the bead forming rollers 28. Although the roller dies 28 yield slightly due to the spring pressure from the lever arms 36-36, they firmly press the can bodies against the beaded portion 26' of the rail 26. The can bodies may roll several revolutions during passage over the raised bead forming portion 26' of the rail 26 to thereby impress creases or beads inwardly of the cylindrical can bodies in the course of such travel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Having thus described the general arrangement of a .bead forming apparatus 20 the present invention has its embodiment in certain novel improvements by which to achieve a non-slip, scratch proof treatment to both the inner and outer coated surfaces of the can bodies. This feature has its embodiment in the relationship between the rack and pinion drive mechanism 43-44 and the raised bead forming portion 26 of the beading rail 26 as Well as the internal beading dies 28.

Referring to FIG. 1 the apparatus 20 includes a stationary frame 45 having fixed bearings 46-47 at opposite ends of a drive shaft 48. The fixed bearing 46 at one end (left end, FIG. 1) of the apparatus has an internal flange 49 upon which the cam track 33 is stationarily mounted. A series of webs 50 extend laterally from the flange 49 and terminate in the spokes 51 of the fixed gear rack 43. The fixed gear rack 43 and the fixed cam track 33 are enclosed in the housing 32 which has at one end a maln boss 52 secured to the drive shaft 48 midway between the inner ends of the fixed bearings 46-47. The other end of the housing 32 is provided with a roller bearing seal 53 disposed on an annular raceway 54 formed on the fixed bearing 46 for rotation co-axially thereof.

The side walls 24 and 25 are supported on and moveable with a tubular extension 55 of the housing 32. The head forming rail 26 is supported on rollers 56 spaced segmentally around the tubular extension 55 and the side Walls 24-25. The beading rail 26 is fixed against movement by suitable brackets (not shown) which extend from the stationary frame 45 into the can path 21 in the non-beading zone thereof, i.e. between the can body infeed and discharge zones thereof.

The slide carriages 30 of each guide and supporting units 29 of each of the bead forming die 28 are mounted for reciprocable movement on a pair of rods 57 and 58. These rods 57 and 58 have their ends secured to the rotary housing 32 between the inner side wall 24 of the can path 21 and brackets 59 extending radially from the housing 32. The slide carriages 30 include a cam follower and tool holder. The cam follower is mounted on a holder 60 for sliding movement upon the innermost one of the rods 57 closest to the housing 32. The cam follower, holder 60 is mounted on the other rod 58. The cam follower holder 60 has a cam follower head 61 which extends into a guide slot 62 formed in the side wall of the housing 32 for guidance parallel to the axis of rotation thereof. The cam fol lower roller 34 is mounted on the inner end of the head 61 and extends into the cam track 33 as previously mentioned. The cam follower holder 60 is connected to a tool holder 60. To accomplish this the opposite end of the cam follower holder 60 (FIG. 1) is provided with an annular groove 63 formed therein to receive a two piece clamp end 64 of a link 65. The opposite end 66 of the link extends into a slot 67 formed in a slide boss 68 of a tool holder 69. The end 66 of link 65 and boss 68 have aligned bores which slidingly fit upon the outermost one of the guide rods 58 (FIG. 2) to thereby cause the tool holder 69 to reciprocate with the cam follower holder 60.

The tool holder 69 has a bearing boss 70 thereon disposed substantially axially of and opposite a respective bead forming station 27 on the can path 21. Each bearing boss 70 supports a spindle shaft 71 for one of the bead forming die rollers 28 for movement into and out of the can path 21. The opposite end of the tool holding shaft 71 is connected by a universal joint 72 to one end of a sleeve member 73.

The opposite end of each sleeve member 73 has a splined bushing 74 secured therein to receive a splined shaft 75 facilitating telescopic movement of the bushing and sleeve member 73 relative thereto. The opposite end of the splined shaft 75 is connected by a universal joint 76 to a stud shaft 77 suitably journaled in ball bearings 78-78 in an extension of the housing 32 embracing the perimeter of the fixed rack gear 43 therein. The pinion gears 44 for each roller die 28 is mounted on and secured to the respective stud shafts 77 for rotation therewith as influenced by the stationary rack gear 43 as the housing 32 rotates with the shaft 48. The shaft 48 is driven by suitable drive means via an outer gear (lefthand FIG. 1).

By the foregoing arrangement each of the internal bead forming dies 28 is supported for reciprocation into and out of the can path 21 in timed relation with the movement of the cam follower rollers 33 relative to the fixed cam track 34. As best seen in FIG. 8 the cam follower head 61 is confined within a cap-like closure 79 secured to the housing 32 over the guide slot 62 to keep an oil bath Within the housing 32 confined therein. The cam follower holder 60 mounted on the rod 57, although movable inwardly and outwardly of the cap-like closure 79, is adequately sealed by an oil seal ring 80 at the open end of the closure 79. When the beading dies 28 are retracted from the can path 21 a roller 81 on the tool holder 69 engages a guide track 82 on the housing 32 (FIG. 1). However, when the dies 28 are in can engaging position within the can path 21, the rollers 81 are free of the guide tracks 82 such that the internal dies 28 may be deflected in a radial direction, as by the increment 37 in the beading rail 26.

In accordance with the present invention the pinion gears 44 are all maintained in a relatively fixed relation to the fixed rack gear 43. That is to say, the axis of each stud shaft 77 is at all times maintained at a precise radial distance from the annular rack gear 43 so that the pitch diameter of the latter and that of the pinion gears 44 arealways tangently disposed. This assures that the pinion gears will always turn at pitch-line velocity. Accordingly, it will be noted that the beading roller dies 28 will rotate at the same speed as the respective pinion gears 44. The ring-like dies 39 of the beading rollers 28 have outer peripheries coinciding with the pitch diameter of the pinion gears 44. Consequently, the can engaging peripheries of the beading dies 28 turn at pitch-line velocity regardless of the thickness of the can bodies or seam joints therein. This is important because of the yieldability of the beading dies 28 due to the thickness of the can bodies and especially when engaging the four layers at the seams S of the can bodies (FIG. 12). Any movement of the pinion gears 44 radially outward from pitch-line would normally change the speed of rotation of the pinion gears and complementarily, the speed of rotation of the beading dies 28. Such change in speed causes scratching of the can bodies as previously explained.

With the universal joints 72 and 76 interposed between the yieldable bead forming dies 28 and their respective pinion gears 44 no such change in pitch-line velocity can occur. It will thus be appreciated that the internal dies 28 rotated at identical pitch-line velocity throughout the bead forming operation regardless of radial shifting of the dies.

' As to the heading rail 26, the bead forming portion 26' thereof has its peripheral can body engaging surface E disposed as close as possible to the pitch-line PL extended from the larger fixed rack gear 43. This as illustrated in FIG. 13 is desirably the pitch-line diameter minus the thickness of the metal of the can body. It will be noted diagrammatically in FIG. 13 that the ratio of the larger diametered beading rail 26 to the circumferential speed of the can bodies thereover is related to a 15 inch radius as compared with a 1.125-inch radius of the bead forming dies 28. Consequently, much less slippage will occur between the bead forming portion 26' of the rail 26 and the outer surface of the can bodies than would occur if the slippage were between the periphery of the dies 28 and the inner surface of the can bodies. As exemplified in FIG. 13 a normal can body is .006 inch thick whereas a can body of double rolled metal is .003 inch thick. This slight differential between pitch-line diameter on a 15-inch radius is so slight as to be comparable in relation to the circumferential path over which the can bodies roll.

By this arrangement it may be logically said that the periphery of the beading rail is disposed in a circumferential plane comparable to the pitch-line diameter of the stationary rack gear 43 while the can engaging peripheries of the internal dies are identical to the pitch-line diameter of thepinion gears. Moreover, the slight error effected by the relatively minute thickness of the can body wall being applied to the circumference of the larger diametered beading rail is so infinitesimal as to be substantially comparable to the pitch-line diameter of the larger rack gear resulting in minimal slippage between the external surfaces of the can bodies and the beading rail.

By reason of the foregoing relationship of the can body engaging portions of the beading rail 26' and the internal dies 28 rotating at identical pitch-line velocity, scratching and/or marring of the can bodies is minimized and practically eliminated.

While I have described in specific detail the foregoing manner of achieving identical pitch-line velocity to the bead forming roller dies and substantial pitch-line velocity between the outer surfaces of the can bodies and the can bearing surface of the beading rails, it will be appreciated that variations in detail may be effected without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention therein. What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a bead forming apparatus in which can bodies are rollingly moved along a can path and pressed against a arcuately curved beading rail by internal beading dies mounted on a rotary member for movement parallel to such beading rail; means for transmitting identical pitchline velocity to said internal beading dies and can bodies as they rollingly move along the beaded surface of said beading rail comprising:

(a) a stationary rack gear having the pitch-line of its teeth disposed in a circumferential plane substantially comparable to the can body engaging beaded surface of such arcuately curved beading rail;

(b) a pinion gear operatively connected to each of said internal beading dies and having a pitch-line diameter identical to the can body engaging periphery of said internal beading dies; and

(c) means mounted on said rotary member for maintaining the pitch-line diameter of said pinion gears in tangential relation relative to the pitch-line of the teeth of said stationary rack gear despite deflection of said internal dies radially outward relative to said beading rail.

2. The apparatus in accordance with that of claim 1 including:

(a) means for journaling each of said pinion gears relative to said rotary member at a precise radial distance from said rack gear; and

(b) a guide and supporting means connected to said rotary member for guiding and supporting each of said internal beading dies for radial movement relative to said beading rail dependent upon their rolling engagement with can bodies as the latter are pressed thereby against the beaded surface of said beading rail.

3. The apparatus in accordance with that of claim 2 in which said guide and supporting means comprises:

(a) a tool holder for each of said internal beading dies;

(b) means for supporting said tool holders for radial movement relative to said rotary member and the beading rail; and

(c) a universally jointed drive shaft between each of said tool holders and a respective pinion gear for turning the internal dies at pitch-line velocity as they press said can bodies towards the beaded surface of said beading rail.

4. The apparatus in accordance with that of claim 3 in which said means for supporting each of said tool holders comprises:

(a) a spindle shaft for each of said internal beading dies and connected to said universal jointed drive shaft;

(b) a bearing boss for rotatably supporting said spindle shaft;

(c) a bushing parallel to and offset relative to said bearing boss;

(d) means for pivotally mounting said bushing on said rotary member for rotary movement concurrently with said internal beading dies; and

means mounted on said rotary member and in engagement with each of said internal beading dies for yieldingly urging the latter toward the beaded surface of said beading rail.

5. The apparatus in accordance with that of claim 1 in which said last named means comprises:

(a) a stud shaft for journaling each of said pinion gears on said rotary member at a precise radial distance from said rack gear;

(b) a spindle shaft for each of said internal beading dies;

() a tool holder for rotatably supporting the spindle shaft of each of said internal beading dies;

((1) means on said rotary member for supporting said tool holders, their spindle shafts and the internal dies thereon for radial movement of said dies relative to said beading rail; and

(e) a universally jointed drive shaft between said stud shaft of each of said pinion gears and the spindle shaft of the respective internal beading dies for turning the latter at pitch-line velocity irrespective of deflection of said dies during the beading operation.

6. The apparatus in accordance with that of claim 5 in which the means for supporting said tool holders have:

(a) a cam follower thereon;

(b) a fixed cam adjacent the rotary member engageable by said cam followers for reciprocating the latter from and toward said beading rail, and

(c) a splined, telescopic connection between the ends of said universally jointed drive shaft facilitating reciprocation of said tool holders and internal beading dies relative to said beading rail.

7. The apparatus in accordance with that of claim 6 in which the means for supporting said tool holders radially relative to said beading rail comprises:

(a) a pair of rods fixedly mounted on said rotary member for rotation therewith about said fixed cam in unison with said pinion gears, their drive shafts and said internal beading dies relative to said heading rail;

(b) a slide boss on said tool holder and offset parallel in relation therefrom for sliding movement on one of said rods;

(c) a cam follower holder mounted for sliding movement on the other one of said rods and having said cam follower mounted thereon; and

(d) a linkage between said cam follower holder and said slide boss for rockably supporting said tool holder and the internal beading die thereon for radial movement relative to the can body engaging peripheral surface of said beading rail.

8. The apparatus in accordance with that of claim 1 in which said last named means comprises:

(a) a stud shaft for journaling each of said pinion gears on said rotary member at a precise radial distance from said rack gear for maintaining the pitchline of each of said pinion gears in tangent relation to the pitch-line of said stationary rack gear;

(b) a splined shaft;

(c) a universal joint connection between said stud shaft and one end of said splined shaft;

((1) a splined sleeve mounted on the other end of said splined shaft for telescopic movement axially thereof and rotation therewith;

(e) a tool holder for each of said internal beading dies pivotally mounted for rocking action on said rotary member;

(f) a universal joint connection between said splined sleeve and the internal beading die on said tool holder;

(g) a cam follower connected to said tool holder; and

(h) a cam fixed adjacent the path of movement of said rotary member and engaged by cam follower for reciprocating said tool holders and the internal dies thereon into and out of can bodies as they are moved relatively parallel to said beading rail.

9. The apparatus in accordance with that of claim 8 including:

(a) a pair of rods fixedly mounted on said rotary member for rotation therewith about said fixed cam;

(b) a slide boss formed integrally with said tool holder and in parallel offset relation thereto and mounted for pivotal and sliding movement on one of said rods;

(c) a cam follower holder mounted for sliding movement on the other one of said rods and having said cam follower mounted thereon; and

(d) a linkage between said cam follower holder and said slide boss for rockably supporting said tool holder and the internal beading die thereon for radial movement relative to the can body engaging peripheral surface of said beading rail.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,210,979 10/1965 Laxo 72-94 3,490,404 1/1970 Vanderlaan et al. 113-115 LOWELL A. LARSON, Primary Examiner

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