US 6,598,450 B2Granted

Internally cooled punch

AssigneeSequa Can Machinery, Inc.

InventorRodney Blue

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Abstract

An internally cooled punch disposed on the end of a ram in a can forming machine. Internal fluid cooling means in the ram avoids the need for externally applied cooling fluids. A plurality of parallel fluid transfer tubes is arranged annularly within the ram. Cooling medium flows through inlet tubes to radial inlet ports which supply the cooling medium to the inner surface of the punch where the medium flows rearwardly through a channel at the inner surface of the punch to radial outlet ports leading to outlet tubes through the ram. Discharged cooling media flows back along the ram and out through a manifold. The transfer tubes are arranged symmetrically in an alternating array circumferentially around the ram to reduce radial temperature gradients within the ram. A central port allows air flow through the ram to aid in stripping the formed container from the punch.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A punch assembly for producing a container body by driving a formidable cup through a ring type die means, the punch assembly comprising:

a ram having proximal and distal ends;
a punch disposed over the distal end of the ram, the punch having an internal surface;
a manifold connected to the proximal end of the ram;
an annular array of circumferentially spaced fluid inlet tubes in the ram for supplying cooling fluid medium from the manifold toward the distal end of the ram;
and
a plurality of radial inlet ports from the inlet tubes to the internal surface for supplying the cooling medium to the internal surface of the punch;
an annular array of circumferentially spaced fluid outlet tubes in the ram for removing cooling medium;
a plurality of radial outlet ports from the internal surface, and spaced from the inlet ports along the length of the ram for transferring cooling medium from the internal surface of the punch to the outlet tubes.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.