US1545177A - Apparatus for can-end curling and sizing - Google Patents

Description

July 7, 1925.

M. E. WIDELL APPARATUS FOR CAN- END CURLING AND SIIZING Filed Nova 17, 1920' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. E. WlDELL APPARATUS FOR CAN END CURLING AND SIZING 'July 7, 192s. 1,545,171

F iled Nov. 17, 1920 4 hes M. E. WIDELL APPARATUS FOR CAN END CURDING AND SIZING Filed Nov. 17, 1920 I 4 ee 5., I

Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAGNUS E. WIDELL, OF MAYWOOID, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR CAN-END G'URLING AND SIZING.

Application filed November 17, 1920. Serial No. 424,694.

To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat I, MAGNUS E. WIDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Maywood, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Gan-End Curling and Sizing, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to apparatus for operating upon can ends, and more particularly to amachine for rapidly sizing and curlingthe flanges of said ends in a unitary and continuous operation.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for performing a formative operation upon the can end flanges, which is wholly automatic in its action and which handles the ends with rapidity and precision, turning out a properly sized, as well as an accurately shaped, article.

A further important object of the inven tion is the provision of an apparatus of this type, wherein means are provided for separating can ends from a stack and feeding them singly in spaced relation to the formative members. 1

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a power-operated machine for the purposes stated, which, by simple changing of the operative members, is adapted to operate upon can ends of difierent sizes.

' Another important object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus accomplishing the foregoing and other objects, and being of compact and simple construction, sure and practical in action, and devoid of complicated or delicate parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ap paratus embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a front view thereof;

Fig. A is a section looking down and taken substantially on the line 4-4: in Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 55 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a partial enlarged front elevation of the means for separating the can ends and sizing and curling them;

Fig. 7 is a section looking down and taken substantially on the line 77 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a partial enlarged sectional view of a can end before the formative operation; and

Fig. 9 is a similar view after the operation, showing the efi'ect thereof.

The acompanying drawings disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention. The apparatus there shown comprises a pedestal support 11 whose top forms a bed 12 upon which the operating parts are 'mounted. A stack holder 18 is arranged at an incline above and through the apparatus. It contains a stack of can ends 141- which rests upon the upper parts 15 of cylinders 16. A bracket 17 (Fig. 3) is at tached to the stack holder and has a depending finger or guard 18 positioned to the front of and between said cylinders to hold the can ends in operative position. The cylinders are provided with screw threads 19 beginning at the top in such spaced relation that the descending can ends may be caught and turned therebetween when the cylinders are revolved. The can ends as they are so engaged are roughly formed and have gaskets 21 of compound or paper positioned upon their flanges 22 whose edges 28 are upturned.

The threads 19 are of increasing thickness and the space therebetween correspondingly less toward the bottom. This results in progressive curling of the can end flanges as they are revolved between the cylinders and bringing the entire ends to exact and accurate formation. The recesses 24: be

tween said threads may be slightly concave V at the bottom to assist in the formative op eration.

The means whereby the cylinders are revolved are as follows: A shaft 25 mounted in bearings 26 in a frame 27 carries spiral gears 28 (Figs. 4 and 5) which mesh with spiral 'pinions 29 carried upon stub shafts 31 journaled in the top of the frame 27. These pinions mesh with spiral gears 32 upon the upper ends of shafts 33, upon which the cylinders 16 are carried and by which they are revolved.

The shaft 25 is turned by a gear 34 mount ed on the end thereof and meshing with a pinion 35 which is carried on a shaft 36. This shaft also carries a gear 37, which in turn meshes with a pinion 38 driven by a motor 39 (Fig. 2). This arrangement accomplishes a suitable reduction and transmission of power and is simple and sure in operation The gears and pinions just described are, preferably, enclosed in a casing 41, whose outer side should be open or screened to prevent heating. The large gears 34 and 37 may be provided with orifice's 40 for a similar purpose and for lessening their weight.

The operation of the apparatus is continuous, the supply of can ends in the stack holder or chute 13 being replenished from time to time. As previously stated, the bottommost can end rests upon the upper parts of the cylinders, and as the ends are successively removed from the bottom, the stack descends by gravity, maintaining said contact.

I have provided automatic. means for separating the ends and feeding them into the screws. Arms 42 (Fig. 7) are provided just above the upper threads of each of said screws and pivoted at 43 to the frame 27. They have wedge shaped blades 44 adapted to enter between the end flanges, spacing them apart so that they may be singly'engaged within the screws. The arms are nor mally held in retracted position by springs 45. Cams 46 are provided on; the shafts 33 tomove said arms inwardly and between the can ends upon each revolution of said shafts and they are withdrawn by the springs 45.

'The cylinders are mounted in the frame 27 and held by braces 47 extending from collars 48 on the shafts 33, and having slots 49 through which are bolts whose heads 51 clamp said braces into fixed position when nuts are tightened upon said bolts.

The result of the action of the machine may be seen by comparing Figs. 8 and 9, illustrating a can end before and after being operated upon. The curled shape of the flange indicated at 52 is that usually desired, but manifestly a different degree of curling may be attained merely by varying the formation of the screw threads 19.

from the spirit an A receiving stack holder 53 is provided beneath the cylinders and suitably inclined to receive and form a stack 54 of the finished can ends, which are removed at intervals by attendants.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of "the (parts without departing scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore" described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: H

1. An apparatus for operating upon can ends and the like, comprising, in combination, astack holder, means for feedingthe can ends from the bottom of a stack, and elongated screw threaded cylinders for sizing and curling them and delivering them in accurate formation to a receiving holder, said feeding means comprising cams turning with said cylinders.

2. An apparatus for operating uponcan ends and the like com risin in combination, a stack holder a apted to contain a stack of can ends, means therebeneath for arranging the ends in spaced relation and feeding them singly from the bottom of the stack, and a pair of rotating screw members having devices for actuating said feeding means and having screw threads of increasing thickness adapted to rogressively curl the flanges of said can end; as they descend between said threads and to deliver them ancurately sized and formed.

3. An apparatus for operating upon can ends having, in-combination, a pair of curlingscrews, means for holding a stack of can ends restingone on another above and in axial alinement with the space between said screws, and, devices for separating can ends one by one fromv the bottom of said stack and dropping them fiatwise at predetermined times against the receiving ends of said screws, i a v 4. An apparatus for operating upon can ends, com rising power-operated formative screws an an automatic separator for feed- 5. An apparatus for operating upon can I ends having, in. combination, a pair of curling screws, means for holding a stack of can ends resting one on another above and in axial alinement with the space between said screws, and devices for feeding can ends in anaxial direction at predetermined times in the rotations of said screws, to the receiving ends thereof.

flanges progressively curled thereby as they pass downwardly between said screws, and 10 means for rotating said screws at high speed and means for feeding can ends in an axial direction to the receiving ends of said screws at predetermined times.

MAGNUS E. WIDELL.

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