Adjustable transfer assembly for container manufacturing process
AssigneeCrown Packaging Technology, Inc.
InventorDaniel Egerton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transfer turret assembly is provided for transferring can bodies between process stations in a can necking machine. The transfer turret assembly includes a rotatable transfer starwheel. A plurality of pockets is formed in the starwheel that can each receive a can body. The turret assembly includes a vacuum assembly having a first zone that is under vacuum and a second zone separated from the first region by a boundary. The first zone vacuum retention force to vacuum ports formed in the pockets to retain the can bodies within the pockets. The boundary between the first zone and the second zone is adjustable to correspondingly adjust the vacuum retention force according to desired starwheel rotation speed.
Claims12
A transfer turret assembly for a can necking machine, the transfer turret assembly comprising:
- a rotatable transfer starwheel configured to transfer can bodies between a first process station and a second process station, the transfer starwheel including a plurality of peripheral pockets, each pocket adapted to receive a can body and including a vacuum port;
- a stationary vacuum assembly including a first zone that is under vacuum and a second zone separated from the first zone by a boundary, wherein the first zone applies a vacuum retention force to the vacuum ports of the transfer starwheel pockets that are aligned with the first zone to thereby retain the can bodies within the transfer starwheel pockets that are aligned with the first zone;
- wherein the boundary between the first zone and the second zone is adjustable to correspondingly adjust-a circumferential length of the first zone according to desired starwheel rotation speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.