American National Can Company

Ball Corporation

American Can Company

Other

Rexam Beverage Can Company

Andrew Halasz

Sylvan Praturlon

Christopher L Caliendo

Richard D Zenger

Paul H Azzaline

Nelson N Chernikoff

Thomas E Moloney

Lawrence S Maccherone

Renato J Bressan

Thomas W Heynen

John M Mann

Edward K Cassidy

Eugen F Ihly

J Proubet

R Meneghin

Walter Thomas Hake

An apparatus for reducing the diameter of an open end of a container is claimed. The apparatus comprises a housing having a longitudinal axis. A die is supported in the housing about the longitudinal axis. A radially expandable pilot member is also supported in the housing. The radially expandable pilot member is selectively moveable between a contracted position and an expanded position relative to the longitudinal axis. The radially expandable pilot member comprises a plurality of forming members. A method which utilizes the apparatus is also claimed.

Method and apparatus for necking the open end of a container

A die assembly includes spinning pilot rollers for necking-in the open end of a container. The die assembly includes a cylindrical die for engaging the outside surface of a container. A tubular spindle is rotatably mounted along the axis of the die. One or more of rollers are rotatably mounted on the spindle, and each roller is pivotable about an axis which extends parallel to the axis of the die. An actuator is reciprocably mounted within the spindle and is movable between first and second positions for camming the rollers away from the axis of the spindle and toward the inside surface of the die.

Apparatus and method for necking containers

A method and apparatus for reforming a bottom of a drawn and ironed beverage container is disclosed. The container has a longitudinal axis and a side wall parallel with the longitudinal axis. The bottom has an outer annular wall, a convex U-shaped portion and a preformed bottom wall. The preformed bottom wall includes a center domed portion. The bottom further has an annular, substantially longitudinal wall joining the domed portion and the convex U-shaped portion. The apparatus comprises a roller movable from an inward position where the roller does not contact the annular, substantially longitudinal wall to an outward position where the roller contacts the annular, substantially longitudinal wall, and a movable actuator to move the roller into engagement with and circumferentially about the annular, substantially longitudinal wall to reform the substantially longitudinal wall. The movable actuator moves the roller into engagement with the annular, substantially longitudinal wall to reform the substantially longitudinal wall to achieve a negative angle (A) relative to the longitudinal axis of the container.

Method and apparatus for reforming can bottom to provide improved

Sidewall for a can

Method and apparatus for processing containers

Fluted container

A method and apparatus for reforming the bottom of a drawn and ironed or a drawn beverage container, and a container made by that method. The container for which this method and apparatus are suitable has a vertical axis; a generally cylindrical side wall parallel with the vertical axis; an outer annular wall; a convex U-shaped portion; a preformed bottom wall including a center domed portion; and an annular, substantially vertical wall joining the domed portion and the convex U-shaped portion. The method comprises supporting the container in a jig, the jig having a bottom peripheral profile portion substantially corresponding in shape to the outer annular wall of the container. The bottom peripheral profile portion of the jig is then mated with the outer annular wall. A reforming roller is brought into engagement with the substantially vertical wall. The reforming roller rotates along the vertical wall and about an arcuate path, affecting the angle of the substantially vertical wall.

A system and apparatus for roll forming to neck-in D&I can ends and replace double necks and triple necks is disclosed. An externally disposed free roll having independently rotatable sections is moved inward and axially against the outside wall of the open end of a rotating trimmed can to form a conical neck at the open end of the cap, the two sections of the roller having different speeds depending upon neck diameters respectively engaged thereby. A spring loaded interior support roller moves under the forming force of the free roll. This is a single operation where the can rotates and the free roll rotates such that a smooth conical necked end and flange are produced.

Controlled spin flow forming

Open-ended cylindrical shells, such as might become beverage cans or containers, are necked (and/or may be flanged) at the open end by tooling including a cooperating internal mandrel and external forming roller; at the opposite end of the shell there is a chuck to clamp and spin the shell. The chuck spins the shell while the forming roller forces the rim portion at the open end of the shell progressively into contact with the opposed mandrel to form the neck and/or the flange. The tooling is repeated in sets at regular spaced intervals between and about a pair of rotating wheels, there being a shell supported between the tools at each tool position so that continuous production is achieved within a production loop or orbit which occupies limited space. Variations in shell thickness or metallurgy can be complied with by employing a variable speed drive both for the chuck and a rotatable collar which fits the open end of the shell. Gears are part of the variable speed drive. These gears are employed in the variable speed drive and by arranging the gears to be driven counter to the wheels, a gear ratio results by which the shells may be rotated rapidly so the forming operation may be performed quickly.

Spin flow forming

Growing community of inventors

Crystal Lake, IL, United States of America

Andrew Halasz