Aleco Container LLC

Crown Packaging Technology, Inc.

Novelis, Inc.

Stolle Machinery Company, LLC

Sci Limited

Michael Atkinson

Evan D Watkins

Harold Cook, Jr

Christopher J Olson

Peter Kubisa

Randy Worwag

Chris Reynolds

Larry Patchen

Scott Coors

Kevin Michael Gillest

Jeffrey Edward Geho

Andrew D Le

James Hunnel

William Kennedy

An aluminum bottle outsert including a generally truncated cone-shaped inner surface configured to be received and supported by an upper neck portion of an aluminum bottle and an outer surface having diametrically opposed first and second indents adapted to operably receive prong end portions of a swing cap assembly.

Outsert for swing cap assembly

An aluminum bottle outsert includes an annular inner surface configured to be received and supported on an upper neck portion of an aluminum bottle. The outsert also includes an annular outer surface that has a threaded portion adapted to receive a wine bottle screw top capping assembly.

Outsert for aluminum wine bottle

A machine may include a plurality of stations for converting a portion of flat sheet metal stock into a cylindrical container body having an open end and an oppositely disposed closed end. The machine may include a first station adapted to blank and draw a portion of flat sheet metal stock into a cup, a second station adapted to reverse draw the cup into an elongated cylinder; and a third station adapted to reverse draw and iron the elongated cylinder into the cylindrical container body.

Container body forming apparatus and method

A container is disclosed that has a drawn and ironed aluminum container body. The container body includes a body portion with a relatively constant outer diameter and a varying diameter neck portion integrally connected to the body portion and terminating in an opening. The container body is constructed and arranged to receive, without crushing deformation, a metal crown applied by conventional glass bottle crowning equipment.

Metal bottle type container and related methodology

A metal drawn and ironed bottle type container accepts a conventional glass bottle crown applied by conventional bottle crowning equipment. In alternate embodiments, inserts or outserts may be used in conjunction with metal bottle type containers to provide finish areas that are compatible with either twist-off crowns or pry-off crowns.

Metal bottle type container with insert/outsert and related methodology

A machine may include a plurality of stations, e.g., for performing progressive die-necking of open-ended container bodies. A conveyer may be provided to index the open-ended container bodies in a linear manner through the machine from station to station.

Indexing machine with a plurality of workstations

Apparatus and method for forming (e.g. die necking) open ends of open-ended metal container bodies. An exemplary embodiment provides a number of movable holders for container bodies that move the container bodies along a path extending through the apparatus. A motor advances the holders and container bodies along the path in steps with pauses between each step. Each step advances one or more container bodies (and preferably two or more). One or more groups of work stations positioned adjacent to the path provides tool sets for carrying out a forming operation on one (and preferably two or more) container bodies simultaneously. Individual container bodies, or more preferably groups of two or more, are subjected to one or more forming operations during passage along the path (preferably the periphery of one or more star wheels).

Forming of metal container bodies

Disclosed is a device and method for forming a curl in a closable container. A process of forming a pre-curl is used, which is followed by a second separate step of forming the completed curl. The two-step process provides for higher tolerances with respect to the shape of the curl that allows the curl to be used as a sealing surface for a recloseable metal bottle. A three-step process provides for even greater tolerances and reduces longitudinal forces by completing the curl using lateral forces.

Formation of a curl in a unitary closable container

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming metal containers. The method involves introducing a knockout element () into the container body through the open end, providing a forming die shaped to reduce the diameter of the sidewall of the container body () when the open end of the container body () is forced therein to produce a neck portion of reduced diameter on the container body, driving the open end of the container body into the forming die (), retracting the knockout element through the neck portion as the neck portion is formed, and removing the container body () from the forming die () and knockout element (). In the invention, the driving of the open end of the container body into the forming die and/or the movements of the knockout element are carried out under computer numerical control, preferably employing linear motor drives, thereby enabling the driving or movement to be optimized for the container body and the neck portion formed thereon.

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Lafayette, CO, United States of America

Michael Atkinson