Method and apparatus for forming can ends
AssigneeReynolds Metals Company
InventorDaniel F. Cudzik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for forming can ends is disclosed wherein ends are blank from sheet material and formed in a die in which the completed end is formed and removed from the die at a vertical position below the blanking position. Formation and removal of the end beneath the cut line enables better control of the ends after forming, Vacuum is applied to the end underside to positively seat the end against lower die forming elements as the lower elements raise the end to the level of an ejection slot where pressurized air blows the air from between the dies. An automatic lubrication circuit for properly lubricating seal members forming pneumatic cushions for resiliently biasing the various die members is also disclosed.
Claims18
Apparatus for forming metallic can ends in a press, said apparatus comprising:
- a) an upper die assembly and a lower die assembly, each of said upper and lower die assemblies having relatively vertically reciprocal die components;
- b) a cutting edge with which one of said upper and lower die assemblies cooperates to cut blanks from a sheet of metal stock;
- c) means for moving selected ones of said die components such that the die compounds coat with each other to form said ends from said blanks;
- and
- d) a vacuum creating arrangement for creating a vacuum against the underside of the formed end to positively seat said formed end on the lower die component as predetermined ones of the upper die components begin to separate from the end, further comprising means for providing communication between the upper side of the formed end with ambient air pressure during release of said vacuum applied to the underside of the formed end, and a vacuum venting arrangement operatively connected for enabling communication between the underside of the formed end with ambient air pressure to release vacuum.
Apparatus for forming metallic can ends in a press, said apparatus comprising:
- a) an upper die assembly and a lower die assembly, each of said upper and lower die assemblies having relatively vertically reciprocal die components;
- b) a cutting edge with which one of said upper and lower die assemblies cooperates to cut blanks from a sheet of metal stock;
- c) means for moving selected ones of said die components such that the die compounds coat with each other to form said ends from said blanks;
- and
- d) means for applying a vacuum through at least one of the lower die components to the underside of the formed end to positively seat said formed end on the lower die component as predetermined ones of the upper die components begin to separate from the end, wherein said vacuum applying means includes cam operated vacuum valve means responsive to movement of the upper die assembly to precisely control the shut-off of vacuum as the upper die assembly reaches a predetermined location, wherein said cam operated means includes a rotary valve mounted to a vacuum manifold having first passageway means connected to a vacuum source and second passageway means communicating with ambient air pressure;
- means having a cam slot movable in response to movement of the upper die and a cam follower engaging the slot and operable to rotate the rotary valve to selectively establish and positively control communication between said end underside with the first and second passageways.
Apparatus for forming metallic can ends in a press, said apparatus comprising:
- a) an upper die assembly and a lower die assembly, each of said upper and lower die assemblies having relatively vertically reciprocal die components;
- b) a cutting edge with which one of said upper and lower die assemblies cooperates to cut blanks from a sheet of metal stock;
- c) means for moving selected ones of said die components such that the die compounds coat with each other under resilient bias means to form said ends from said blanks;
- and
- d) means for locating the upper forming surfaces of all of said lower die components coelevational with each other, after forming, and in elevational alignment with an end ejection slot.
Apparatus for forming metallic can ends in a press utilizing upper and lower die assemblies, comprising the steps of:
- a) feeding metallic stock across a die forming axis with the upper die assembly located above the stock in coaxial alignment with the lower die assembly;
- b) cutting the stock into a circular blank by moving the upper die assembly in its downstroke into contact with the stock and in cooperation with a cutting edge disposed below the stock;
- c) forming the stock by directing it downward into contact with the lower die assembly so that die components of the upper and lower doe assemblies coact with each other to form the stock into a predetermined shape
- d) applying a vacuum through one of the lower die components to the underside of the formed end to positively seat said formed end on the lower die components during the upstroke of the upper die assembly;
- e) releasing the vacuum applied to said formed end underside as selected ones of the upper die components begin to separate from the formed end by providing ambient air pressure to the underside of the formed end to replace the released vacuum, and wherein ambient air pressure is also provided to the top side of the formed end during said release of vacuum applied to the formed end underside;
- and
- f) ejecting the formed end from between the upper and lower die assemblies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.