American Can Company

Earl R Van Alsburg

Walter J Sieverin

Richard J Karas

Patrick F Urso

Guy C Richards

A mechanism for locating a hollow tubular can body relative to an internal support mandrel including a resilient member adapted to bear against a portion of the can body in order to positively locate same. Also included is a fixed relationship between the mandrel and support apparatus located on the machine whereby the biasing of the can body toward said support apparatus acts to adjust the axial position of the can body with respect to at least one of its surfaces.

Can support system

A bottom profile for a cylindrical two-piece drawn steel can is configured during manufacture so that the resultant shape may subsequently be altered by pushing downward at the outer profile ring adjacent the periphery with a simple cylindrical tool, thereby achieving a finished container with the desired configuration to be functionally and operationally interchangeable in a packing and processing line with traditional three-piece containers.

Container shape

A method and apparatus for orienting cylindrically shaped containers having a side seam in each which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container so that operations may be performed on the containers utilizing known and oriented reference points thereon. The method and apparatus for accomplishing this result includes feeding the containers seriatim at a first station to a means for conveying the containers to a second station whereat it is necessary that the containers be oriented in order for an operation to be performed thereon. conveying the containers seriatim from the first station to the second station, and introducing a fluid under pressure and at a volume sufficient to buoy the containers to thereby permit gravity to orient the side seams of the containers in preparation for delivery of the containers seriatim to said second station.

Growing community of inventors

Barrington, IL, United States of America

Earl R Van Alsburg