Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation

Miles Waterworth

Frederick William Jowitt

Richard Mark Golding

Daniel Egerton

A seam adjuster for ensuring that a tight seam is formed between a can end and a can body. The seam tool () is mounted via bearing () on the seam lever (), the centre of the bearing being eccentric to its outside diameter. The bearing has an-external thread () which mates with a complementary worm mechanism (). By virtue of the eccentricity, rotation of the worm mechanism rotates the bearing and moves the seam tool radially for adjusting seam tightness. Seam tool height is set by a spacer () or shim which is readily interchangeable for varying the seam tool height without affecting seam tool tightness.

Seam adjusters

A method and apparatus for reforming the base of a container such as a can having a domed base. The apparatus comprises independent assemblies for rotating the can and for reforming the base profile. The base reforming assembly uses a torque shaft to twist an eccentric and actuate radial movement of a roll into contact with the can base. A stop prevents movement of this roll beyond a predetermined amount, thereby maintaining consistency of profile depth. By minimizing moving parts of the tooling, wear is limited to that which may arise from the stop alone.

Can base reforming

Apparatus for re-forming a seaming flange (F) formed on the open end of a can body (B) comprises: a bottom support for supporting the bottom end wall of the can body and a pusher pad (2) including a circular disc (12) having an outer profile adapted to receive and support the open end of the can body with the seaming flange protruding radially outwardly beyond the disc. A push rod (4) moves the pusher pad axially towards and away from the bottom support such that successive can bodies can be held there between whilst the pusher pad and bottom support are driven in rotation about their common axis. One or more rollers (34) are mounted adjacent the outer edge of the pusher pad disc for axial movement with the push rod and the pusher pad (2) is mounted on the push rod (4) for limited axial movement thereon against the action of a spring (38). The arrangement is such that during this limited axial movement of the pusher pad (2) on the push rod (4), the seaming flange on the open end of the can body engages the rollers (34) and is re-formed thereby.

Growing community of inventors

Leeds, United Kingdom

Miles Waterworth