Aluminum Company of America

Robert E Welsh

Ernest J Clowes

James A Miller

Raymond Miller

James E Knepp

A method of scoring a metal panel such as a can end lid includes forming a first scoreline having a base and a pair of lateral walls and subsequently forming a second scoreline within the first scoreline by indenting a portion of the first scoreline base. The final scoreline may be created by employing two or more scoring operations after the first scoreline has been formed. The apparatus preferably includes a press which supports the first scoring die and second scoring die in such a manner as to establish the desired sequence of scoring operations. This method and associated apparatus provide a scored metal panel or container lid having improved performance characteristics. The resultant lid is characterized by reduced residual strain.

Method and apparatus for scoring metal panels and resultant product

The invention includes apparatus and method for lubricating and cooling a workpiece, dies or ironing rings, and punch at the interface between the workpiece and such dies or ironing rings and punch in forming a workpiece into a hollow closed end cylindrical article. A lubricant liquid phase is injected into a coolant liquid phase to form a 'dispersion' prior to application to the metal-tool interface. Providing the lubricant as a dispersion in the coolant liquid phase rather than as an emulsion provides several advantages. The quantity of lubricant and the time of lubricant injection can be varied to control lubricity and, thus, friction. The invention makes it possible to achieve differential friction in the ironing process by having higher lubricity on the ironing die (low friction) and lower lubricity on the punch surface (high friction). Lubricities and cooling are controllable for the specific metal forming process employed to produce closed end hollow body containers. After applicaiton, the lubricant and coolant are separated, the lubricant filtered to remove debris, stored, and then reinjected to provide lubrication for the process.

Apparatus and method for lubricating and cooling in a draw and iron press

A method and apparatus for measuring the sidewall tension in a workpiece being drawn through a draw die and/or ironing die. A punch is provided which is adapted to measure and continuously monitor the axial load on the punch nose and the total axial load on the punch, the distribution of such loads around the periphery of the punch, and bending of the punch near the base and nose due to lateral and nonuniform forces acting on the punch as the workpiece is forced through a die or dies. Determination of the forces, their distribution, and punch bending enables accurately determining the tensile stress at any portion of the sidewall.

Method and apparatus for measuring forces on a workpiece during drawing

Apparatus and method for determining the fracture resistance of thin wall hollow articles when ironed, the method including the step of providing a drawing die and punch or a mandrel having a portion thereof tapered in a continuous, linear manner. The taper is such that it provides a continuous decrease in punch-to-die clearance when the two are moved together, and thus a continuous range of ironing reductions along the side wall of an article located between the punch and die. The taper of the punch begins adjacent the forward end thereof and is sized to effect conventional thinning of the side wall of the article at the onset of ironing. The final diameter of the taper of the punch, however, is such that fracturing of the side wall is assured in the ironing process.

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Mount Lebanon, PA, United States of America

Robert E Welsh