US 5,491,995 AGranted

Apparatus for high speed production of shells for beverage containers

OwnerRalph P. Stoddinventor

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Abstract

A reciprocating mechanical press has two laterally spaced rows of tooling components or modules for producing corresponding rows of sheet metal container shells with each stroke of the press. The shells are ejected laterally outwardly from both s ides of the press into corresponding guide chutes by air jet nozzles which project at slightly different elevations from opposite sides of an air supply manifold extending between the rows of tooling modules. A plurality of curling units are connected to the guide chutes extending from both sides of the press, and each curling unit includes a driven curling wheel having a rim portion supporting multiple level inner die rings separated by corresponding shell support rings. A plurality of circumferentially arranged arcuate die sections radially oppose each inner die ring and are supported in stacked relation by a base member which also supports the rotatable shaft for the curling wheel.

Claims13

Dependent claims

Apparatus for high speed production of metal shells each having a curled peripheral lip portion, said apparatus comprising a power operated reciprocating press including a plurality of shell forming stations extending in a row, each of said forming stations including tooling components for successively forming shells with strokes of the press, at least one curling unit including a base member supporting a shaft for rotation, a wheel positioned above said base member and having a hub portion connected to an outer rim portion, said hub portion mounted on said shaft for supporting said wheel for rotation on the axis of said shaft, a plurality of closely spaced inner die rings mounted in stacked relation on said rim portion of said wheel for rotation with said wheel, said base member including an outer portion extending around said rim portion of said wheel, a plurality of closely spaced outer forming dies mounted on said outer portion in stacked relation and radially opposing corresponding said inner die rings, said inner die rings and the corresponding opposing said outer forming dies forming a plurality of closely spaced lip curling stations each corresponding to one of said shell forming stations, each of said lip curling stations including a shell support member extending radially adjacent the corresponding said inner die ring and said outer forming die, a separate shell guide conveyor extending from each said shell forming station to the corresponding said lip curling station with a plurality of said guide conveyors connected to said lip curling stations in closely spaced relation, and means for propelling each shell formed at each said forming station along the corresponding said guide conveyor to the corresponding said lip curling station of said curling unit.

Apparatus for high speed production of metal shells each having a curled peripheral lip portion, said apparatus comprising a power operated generally rectangular reciprocating press having opposite longitudinal sides and including a series of shell forming stations extending longitudinally in parallel spaced rows, each of said forming stations including tooling components for successively forming shells with strokes of said press, a plurality of curling units for each said side of said press, each of said curling units including a base member supporting a shaft for rotation, a wheel positioned above said base member of each said curling unit and having a hub portion connected to an outer rim portion, said hub portion mounted on said shaft for supporting said wheel for rotation on the axis of said shaft, a plurality of closely spaced inner die rings mounted in stacked relation on said rim portion of said wheel for rotation with said wheel, said base member including an outer portion extending around said rim portion of said wheel, a plurality of closely spaced outer forming dies mounted on said outer portion in stacked relation and radially opposing corresponding said inner die rings, said inner die rings and the corresponding opposing said outer forming dies forming a stack of closely spaced lip curling stations each corresponding to one of said shell forming stations, each of said lip curling stations including a shell support member extending radially adjacent the corresponding said inner die ring and said outer forming die, a separate shell guide conveyor extending from each said shell forming station to the corresponding said lip curling station with a plurality of said guide conveyors extending from each said side of said press and connected to said lip curling stations of one of said curling units in closely spaced relation, and means for propelling each shell formed at each said forming station along the corresponding said guide chute to the corresponding said lip curling station.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.