Method and apparatus for forming a can shell

A method of forming a can end wall or shell from a flat metal sheet, the shell including a center panel having a peripheral panel radius and connected by an annular panel wall to an annular countersink having a countersink radius and with the countersink connected to an annular crown by a tapered annular chuckwall, the method comprising the steps of blanking a disk from the sheet, gripping a peripheral portion of the disk, moving the peripheral portion axially in one direction relative to a center portion of the disk, pressing the center portion of the disk with a panel punch against an annular nose portion defining a cavity within a die center to define the center panel and at least part of the panel radius between the nose portion and the panel punch, moving the center panel in the same direction with the die center and panel punch to wrap the center portion of the disk around the nose portion and to form the chuckwall against an annular die core ring surrounding the panel punch, extending the nose portion into the die core ring to form a generally cylindrical extension of the chuckwall, and pressing the center panel in the opposite direction and into the cavity with the panel punch while moving the die center in the opposite direction to form a substantially cylindrical panel wall and to form the extension of the chuckwall around the nose portion of the die center to form the countersink.

Apparatus adapted for forming a can end wall or shell from a flat metal sheet at a single station of a press, the shell including a center panel having a peripheral panel radius and connected by an annular panel wall to an annular countersink having a countersink radius and with the countersink connected to an annular crown by a tapered annular chuckwall, said apparatus comprising an annular blank die and an opposing annular first pressure sleeve supported for blanking a disk from the sheet, an annular second pressure sleeve within said blank die and an opposing annular die core ring within said first pressure sleeve, a die center within said second pressure sleeve and an opposing panel punch disposed within said die core ring, said die center having a peripherally extending annular nose portion projecting axially to define a cavity, said panel punch having an end surface opposing said cavity and a peripheral surface, means for moving said blank die, said first pressure sleeve and second pressure sleeve axially relative to said panel punch for moving a peripheral portion of the disk axially in one direction to define the center panel and at least part of said panel radius between said nose portion and said panel punch and to form an intermediate wall portion connecting the panel to the peripheral portion, means for gripping the peripheral portion of the disk between said second pressure sleeve and said die core ring, means for moving the center panel in the same direction with said die center and said panel punch to wrap the intermediate portion of the disk around said nose portion and to form the chuckwall against said annular die core ring, and means for moving said panel punch in the opposite direction and into said cavity while said die center is moving in the opposite direction for pressing the center panel into said cavity to form the panel wall and to form the countersink around said nose portion of said die center.