# US 11,077,478 B2 · Outboard hydrostatic bearing assembly for can bodymaker

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- Number: US 11,077,478 B2
- Document ID: US11077478B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/186,622
- Filed: 2018-11-12
- Published: 2019-03-14
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2013-08-28
- Assignees: Stolle Machinery Company, LLC
- Applicants: Stolle Machinery Company, LLC
- Inventors: Gregory H. Butcher; Aaron E. Carstens; Kenneth E. Carper; Russell Bauer; Ian Kenneth Scholey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077478B2

## CPC

- B21D 24/00: Special deep-drawing arrangements in, or in connection with, presses
- F16C 29/004: {Fixing of a carriage or rail, e.g. rigid mounting to a support structure or a movable part}
- F16C 29/025: {Hydrostatic or aerostatic (this type of bearing for rotary parts F16C32/06)}
- B21D 22/28: of cylindrical articles using consecutive dies
- B21D 51/26: cans or tins; Closing same in a permanent manner (making outlet arrangements B21D51/38; welding or soldering B23K)
- B30B 1/06: operated by cams, eccentrics, or cranks
- B30B 1/14: operated by cams, eccentrics, or cranks
- B30B 15/041: {Guides}
- B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F)
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- B30B: PRESSES IN GENERAL (producing ultra-high pressure or ultra-high pressure and high temperature to effect modifications of a substance, e.g. for making artificial diamonds B01J3/00 ){(compressing means for refuse receptacles B65F1/1405)}

## Abstract

A hydrostatic/hydrodynamic fluid bearing assembly for a can bodymaker is provided. The hydrostatic/hydrodynamic fluid bearing assembly is separate from the ram body. The outboard guide bearing assembly includes a carriage assembly and a number of elongated journals. The carriage assembly includes a ram coupling, a crank coupling, and body defining a number of journal passages. The ram body is coupled to a ram coupling. The crank coupling is structured to be coupled to a crank arm. Each journal extends through a carriage assembly body journal passage. In this configuration, the ram body may form a can body in a traditional manner, but fluid bearing assembly fluid is not applied to the ram body. Instead, the fluid bearing assembly fluid is applied to the journals.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A carriage assembly guide bearing assembly for a can bodymaker, said bodymaker including an elongated ram body, a crank assembly, a housing assembly, a die pack and a carriage assembly, said die pack defining a passage, said carriage assembly including a body with a ram coupling, a crank coupling, a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface, said crank assembly including a reciprocating crank arm, said crank arm coupled to said carriage assembly body crank coupling, said ram body coupled to said carriage assembly body ram coupling, said carriage assembly guide bearing assembly comprising:
a number of guide bearing assemblies each including a saddle with a parallelepiped cross-section and a generally square C-shaped journal channel structured to orient said ram body with said die-rack passage,
wherein each saddle includes a forward thrust pad assembly, a rear thrust pad assembly spaced from the forward thrust ad assembly, and at least one medial thrust pad assembly,
wherein each thrust pad assembly is structured to produce a sufficient amount of fluid to establish an aligning fluid bearing stiffness,
each said guide bearing assembly includes a unitary upper pad member, a unitary lateral pad member, and a unitary lower pad member;
each said upper pad member defining a forward thrust pad assembly upper pad portion, a medial thrust pad assembly upper pad portion and a rear thrust pad assembly upper pad portion;
each said lateral pad member defining a forward thrust pad assembly lateral pad portion, a medial thrust pad assembly lateral pad portion and a rear thrust pad assembly lateral pad portion; and
each said lower pad member defining a forward thrust pad assembly lower pad portion, a medial thrust pad assembly lower pad portion and a rear thrust pad assembly lower pad portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The carriage assembly guide bearing assembly of claim 1 wherein each said carriage assembly guide bearing assembly includes a fluid distribution assembly structured to provide a balanced fluid flow to said number of thrust pad assemblies.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The carriage assembly guide bearing assembly of claim 2 wherein:
said fluid distribution assembly includes a number of fluid passages; and
wherein a number of said fluid distribution assembly fluid passages are selectively closable.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The carriage assembly guide bearing assembly of claim 1 wherein each said saddle includes a forward thrust pad assembly, at least one medial thrust pad assembly, and a rear thrust pad assembly.

### Claim 5

A can bodymaker comprising:
a die pack defining a passage;
a housing assembly;
a ram assembly including an elongated ram body and an outboard guide bearing assembly;
said outboard guide bearing assembly including a carriage assembly;
said carriage assembly including a body with a ram coupling and a number of guide bearing assemblies;
said ram body coupled to said carriage assembly ram coupling;
wherein said carriage assembly bod is structured to travel generally in a plane and to reciprocate between a retracted, first position and a forward, second position; and
wherein said carriage assembly number of guide bearing assemblies each including a saddle with a parallelepiped cross-section and a generally square C-shaped journal channel structured to orient said ram body with said die pack passage,
wherein each saddle includes a forward thrust pad assembly, a rear thrust pad assembly spaced from the forward thrust pad assembly, and at least one medial thrust ad assembly, wherein each thrust pad assembly is structured to produce a sufficient amount of fluid to establish an aliening fluid bearing stiffness,
each said saddle includes a unitary upper pad member, a unitary lateral pad member, and a unitary lower pad member;
each said saddle upper pad member defining a forward thrust pad assembly upper pad portion, a medial thrust pad assembly upper pad portion and a rear thrust pad assembly upper pad portion;
each said saddle lateral pad member defining a forward thrust pad assembly lateral pad portion, a medial thrust pad assembly lateral pad portion and a rear thrust pad assembly lateral pad portion; and
each said saddle lower pad member defining a forward thrust pad assembly lower pad portion, a medial thrust pad assembly lower pad portion and a rear thrust pad assembly lower pad portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The can bodymaker of claim 5 wherein said journal channel is coupled to said bodymaker housing assembly.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The can bodymaker of claim 5 wherein each said carriage assembly guide bearing assembly includes a fluid distribution assembly structured to provide a balanced fluid flow to said number of thrust pad assemblies.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The can bodymaker of claim 7 wherein:
each said fluid distribution assembly includes a number of fluid passages; and
wherein a number of said fluid distribution assembly fluid passages are selectively closable.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The can bodymaker of claim 5 wherein:
said saddle includes a forward thrust pad assembly, at least one medial thrust pad assembly, and a rear thrust pad assembly; and
said saddle includes a forward thrust pad assembly, at least one medial thrust pad assembly, and a rear thrust pad assembly.