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US 5,634,366 AGranted
Method and apparatus for forming a can shell
OwnerRalph P. Stoddinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerRalph P. Stoddinventor
Estimating the term…
A sheet of metal is blanked by an annular blank die to form a disk, and a peripheral portion of the disk is gripped between the blank die and an air pressurized lower sleeve. The peripheral portion is shifted downwardly relative to a center portion of the disk to start the forming of a center panel within the disk between an annular nose portion of an air pressurized die center and an air pressurized panel punch. The peripheral portion is also gripped between an air pressurized lower die core ring and an air pressurized upper sleeve which cooperate to form a crown and a depending lip. The center panel is shifted downwardly by the die center against the panel punch for forming a chuckwall against the die core ring and to start a countersink by wrapping the metal around the nose portion of the die center. After the die center and upper sleeve bottom and are moving upwardly, a substantially cylindrical panel wall is formed between the nose portion of the die center and the panel punch, and the countersink is precisely formed around the nose portion.
A method of forming a can shell from a flat metal sheet, the shell including a center panel connected by an annular panel wall to an annular countersink connected to an annular crown by a tapered annular chuckwall, the method comprising the steps of blanking a disk from the sheet with an annular blank and draw die, gripping a peripheral portion of the disk between an annular pressure sleeve within the blank and draw die and an annular die core ring opposing the pressure sleeve, pressing a center portion of the disk with a panel punch disposed within the die core ring into an annular nose portion of a die center disposed within the pressure sleeve to define the center panel, supporting the die center for axial movement relative to the blank and draw die, pressurizing the die center within the pressure sleeve towards a fixed position relative to the blank and draw die, moving the center panel with the die center and panel punch to wrap an annular portion of the disk around the nose portion to form the countersink and to form the chuckwall against the die core ring, forming the panel wall between the nose portion and the panel punch, and stopping axial movement of the pressure sleeve relative to the die center with stop means connected to the die center for movement of the pressure sleeve and the die center as a unit to form a shell having a precision height between the crown and countersink independent of temperature changes in components of the press.
Apparatus adapted for forming a can shell from a flat metal sheet at a single station of a press, the shell including a center panel connected by an annular panel wall to an annular countersink and with the countersink connected to an annular crown by a tapered annular chuckwall, said apparatus comprising an annular blank and draw die and an opposing annular first pressure sleeve supported for blanking a disk from the sheet, an annular second pressure sleeve within said blank and draw die and opposing an 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 and defining a cavity, said panel punch having an end surface opposing said cavity, means supporting said die center for axial movement relative to said second pressure sleeve and also relative to said blank and draw die, means for pressurizing said die center towards a fixed position relative to said blank and draw die, and stop means for causing axial movement of said second pressure sleeve and said die center as a unit for producing shells having a precision height between said crown and said countersink independent of temperature changes in components of the press.
Apparatus for use in forming a can shell from a flat metal sheet at a single station of a press including a movable die shoe, the shell including a center panel connected by an annular panel wall to an annular countersink connected to an annular crown by a tapered annular chuckwall, said apparatus comprising upper shell tooling mounted on said die shoe and including an annular blank and draw die secured to said die shoe for movement therewith, an annular pressure sleeve within said blank and draw die and supported for axial movement relative to blank and draw die, a die center supported within said pressure sleeve for axial movement relative to both said pressure sleeve and said blank and draw die, pressure applying means urging said die center axially within said pressure sleeve and away from said die shoe, and stop means connected to said die center for causing axial movement of said pressure sleeve and said die center as a unit for producing shells having a precision height between the crown and countersink independent of temperature changes in components of the press.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.