Method and Apparatus for Reforming an Inside Dome Wall Portion of a Container

A tool adapted to shape an inner wall of a metallic container dome, comprising:

• a tool assembly with an upper end and a lower end, the upper end having a substantially flat upper surface adapted to engage the dome of the metallic container;
• two pivot arms positioned within the tool assembly;
• a reform roller associated with an upper end of each pivot arm;
• a wedge member positioned between the two pivot arms and having a tapered geometric profile between an upper end and a lower end to engage an inward portion of each of the two pivot arms;
• and
• a rotatable shaft operably engaged to the lower end of the wedge member, wherein when force is applied to the lower end of the wedge member, the pivot arms extend outwardly and annular edges of the reform rollers engage the inner wall of the metallic container dome.

A method of reforming an inner wall portion of a metallic container, comprising:

• positioning a lower dome portion of the metallic container on a reforming apparatus, comprising:
• a tooling housing element with a first end and a second end;
• a dome receptacle interconnected to the first end of the tooling housing element and including a support surface configured to support the lower dome portion of the metallic container;
• pivot arms located within the tooling housing element;
• a reform roller associated with each pivot arm, each reform roller including an annular edge;
• and
• a wedge member arranged between the pivot arms and operable to travel between the pivot arms toward the dome receptacle, the wedge member adapted to extend the pivot arms outwardly when the wedge member travels toward the dome receptacle;
• moving the wedge member toward the dome receptacle;
• engaging the inner wall portion of the metallic container with the annular edges of the reform rollers to form a predetermined geometry in the inner wall portion of the metallic container;
• and
• moving the wedge member away from the dome receptacle to disengage the reform rollers from the inner wall portion of the metallic container.