US 5,146,818 A · Can trimming apparatus

Abstract

The apparatus includes a rotatable headstock trimmer unit including reciprocating spindles that are rotatable about a horizontal axis, one spindle having a first rotatable cutting element secured to one end thereof, the second spindle having a second rotatable cutting element disposed in the path of the first rotatable cutting element, the first and second rotatable cutting elements being adapted to engage the end portion of a can; and a rotatable tailstock unit including can supporting means that is rotatable about an axis coaxial with the horizontal axis of the second rotatable cutting element and which engages the lower end of the can. The spindles preferably move jointly relative to the tailstock assembly so that the rotatable cutting elements can engage the open upper end of the can and thereby cooperate to uniformly trim the end portion of the can.

Claims44

Dependent claims

An apparatus for trimming cans comprising:

a headstock assembly supported by shaft means for rotation about an axis including at least one trimmer unit rotatably associated with the headstock assembly along an axis radially disposed from the axis of the shaft means, the trimmer unit comprising first spindle means including a first rotatable cutting element and second spindle means including a second rotatable cutting element;
a tailstock assembly supported by the shaft means for coaxial rotation with the headstock assembly including at least one can supporting means rotatably associated with the tailstock assembly;
means for axially jointly moving the first and second spindle means relative to the tailstock assembly to position a can between the can supporting means and the first and second rotatable cutting elements with the can remaining supported by the can supporting means;
and
means for rotating the first and second spindle means while the headstock and the tailstock assemblies are rotated about the shaft means whereby the first and second rotatable cutting elements cooperate to trim the cans to a uniform length.

2 more elements

An apparatus for trimming cans comprising:

a headstock assembly supported by shaft means for rotation about a horizontal axis;
at least one trimmer unit rotatably mounted on the headstock assembly along an axis radially disposed from the axis of revolution of the headstock assembly, the trimmer unit including first spindle means having a first rotatable cutting element which is arcuate-shaped secured to one end thereof and second spindle means having a second rotatable cutting element which is annular, the first rotatable cutting element being positioned to cooperate with the second rotatable cutting element to trim an end portion from a can disposed between the cutting elements, the fist rotatable cutting element including a cutting portion and a non-cutting portion to facilitate placement of the end portion of the can between the first and second cutting elements;
a tailstock assembly supported by the shaft means for coaxial rotation with the headstock assembly;
at least one can supporting means rotatably mounted in the tailstock assembly along the same axis as the second spindle means, the can supporting means supporting the lower end of the can so that the end portion of the can is positioned between the second spindle means and the can supporting means;
a raised cam and a cam follower means secured to one end of the headstock assembly, the cam follower means being operatively associated with the raised cam whereby the trimmer unit can axially reciprocate;
and
means for rotating the first and second spindle means while the headstock and tailstock assemblies are rotated about the shaft means whereby the first and second rotatable cutting elements cooperate to trim the end portion of the can.

4 more elements

An apparatus for trimming the sidewall of the open end of a cylindrical can having a closed opposite end, said apparatus comprising:

(a) main shaft means supported for axial rotation on a fixed main frame, and including drive means;
(b) a turret-like headstock assembly and a spaced adjacent turret-like tailstock assembly, each supported by said main shaft means for coaxial rotation therewith;
(c) a cam pathway circumferentially defined around said headstock assembly;
(d) a plurality of trimmer units located peripherally in equally spaced relationship about said headstock assembly and an equal plurality of can support means located peripherally in equally spaced relationship about said tailstock assembly;
(e) each said trimmer unit including a pair of spaced parallel rotatable spindle means having a cutting element and driving gear means coupled to said main shaft means, said cutting elements being cooperative with each other to provide peripheral shearing action therebetween, one of said cutting elements having a peripheral cutting portion thereof removed, pilot means for collecting scrap trimmed from a can, cam follower means coupled to said cam pathway for reciprocatorily moving its said associated trimmer unit axially relative to said main shaft means in a manner coordinated with the rotational position of said one cutting element, and stationary plate means for slidably removing scrap from said pilot means;
and
(f) each can support means including a can base, an associated rotatable base shaft, driving gear means coupled to said main shaft means, and means for applying reduced gas pressure to said can base during a preselected portion of each single rotation of said main shaft means;
whereby, during a single revolution of said main shaft means, said first and second cutting elements of each said trimmer unit first axially extend over said sidewall of a can that is positioned and held on said can base of said adjacent can support means, next the can sidewall is circumferentially trimmed, and then said first and second cutting elements are retracted with trimmed scrap being separated therefrom.

5 more elements

An apparatus for trimming the sidewall of the open end of a cylindrical can having a closed opposite end, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a fixed main frame;
(b) main shaft means supported for axial rotation on said fixed main frame, and including drive means;
(c) a turret-like headstock assembly supported by said main shaft means for rotation therewith;
(d) a turret-like tailstock assembly supported by said main shaft means for coaxial rotation with said headstock assembly in longitudinally adjacent relationship to said headstock assembly;
(e) a cam pathway circumferentially extending around said headstock assembly;
(f) a plurality of trimmer units located peripherally in equally spaced relationship about said headstock assembly;
(g) a plurality of can support means located peripherally in equally spaced relationship about said tailstock assembly, the number of said can support means being equal to the number of said trimmer units;
(h) each said trimmer unit being in opposed, adjacent relationship to one of said can support means;
(i) each said trimmer unit comprising
(1) a pair of spaced parallel rotatable spindle means including bearing means and gear means for rotating each said spindle means as said main shaft means is rotated,
(2) first and second cutting elements, each one associated with a different forward end of each said spindle means and being rotatable therewith, said cutting elements being cooperative with each other to provide peripheral shearing action therebetween said first cutting element being radially adjacent to said second cutting element relative to said main shaft means,
(3) said first cutting element having a peripheral cutting portion thereof removed,
(4) pilot means located adjacent said second cutting element for collecting scrap trimmed from a can,
(5) cam follower means, including linear bearing means, said cam follower means being associated with said cam pathway, for reciprocatorily extending its associated trimmer unit axially relative to said main shaft means from a rear position to a forward position that is proximate to said adjacent can support means and back to said rear position with a rest period between said successive reciprocal extension movements, and
(6) said gear means being coordinated with rotation of said spindle means so that said first cutting element has its said removed portion located adjacent to said second cutting element during said reciprocal extension movements;
(j) stationary plate means associated with said headstock assembly and extending about said second cutting element of each said trimmer unit and located axially forwardly of said rear extension position so that collected scrap on each said pilot means is slidably removed therefrom during each said rearward extension movement;
and
(k) each can support means comprising
(1) a can base and a rotatable base shaft associated therewith including gear means for rotating said base shaft as said main shaft means is rotated, and
(2) means for selectively applying reduced gas pressure to said can base so that a can end adjacent said can base is held thereto by said pressure during a preselected portion of each single rotation of said main shaft means;
whereby, during a single revolution of said main shaft means, said first and second cutting elements of each said trimmer unit first axially extend over said sidewall of a can that is positioned and held on said can base of said adjacent can support means, next the can sidewall is circumferentially trimmed, and then said first and second cutting elements are retracted with trimmed scrap being separated therefrom.

18 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Can trimming apparatus

Life of this patent

Can trimming apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims44