Rexam Beverage Can Company

Leo Hayden

Jo Stephens

Peter C Young

David Reimer

Joseph S Yannone

An apparatus for forming a container body from a metal blank has a ram, a blank holder, an annular die, a die holder, an insert and a plurality of ironing rings. The ram is centered about a longitudinal axis. The blank holder has an aperture through which the ram passes. The annular die is substantially axially aligned with the ram and adapted to allow the ram to pass therethrough. The die holder has a recessed portion adapted for receiving the annular die therein. The recessed portion has an annular, arcuate concave surface. The insert is located within the recess between the annular, arcuate concave surface and the annular die. The insert has a surface for supporting the annular die thereon opposite an annular, arcuate, convex surface in operative engagement with the annular, arcuate concave surface and swivelable thereon. The ironing rings are substantially axially aligned with the ram.

Draw and iron apparatus

Beverage can manufacturing apparatus is provided in the form of a set of N necking stations S, S. . . Sfor progressively necking a beverage can body having a diameter greater than or equal to 2.8 inches to result in an open end designed to receive a first standard end. The necking stations are constructed such that a subset of the necking stations S. . . S, where 1&#x2266;i&#x3c;j&#x3c;N, progressively neck the beverage can body to result in an open end designed to receive a second standard end for the beverage can. The diameter of the first standard end is less than the diameter of the second standard end. For example, the first standard end is say a 202 standard end and the second standard end is a 209, 204, or a 206 standard end. Alternatively, for example, the first standard end could be a 206 end and the second standard end could be a 209 standard end.

Growing community of inventors

Fox River Grove, IL, United States of America

Leo Hayden