US2863367A - Cone cup machine - Google Patents

Description

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Eugene :Theo'dore .Thiem,

1 forming cups of the general character just uwherein cone mandrels are mandrels thaving grooves to i by providing a. machine which has i .production capacity.

United States Patent CONE CUP MACHINE (Shicago, IEL, assignor to (Iontrnental Can Company, porationofNew York Qriginal application December 10, *1949, Seriai No. 132,257, nWPatent "No. 2,703,514, dated h il'arch S, 1955. Divided: and "this application January 10, 1955, Scrial No. 480,739

9 Claims. (CI. 93-36.

i This i invention relates L to a machine for automatically of papensheet plastic or the like,.the cups hemgxcone-shaped, and provided with a safetyifold at the-apex and a .rim at the upper. edge of. thecup, the

present applicationbeing aclivision ofmycopending application, Serial No. 132,257,;filed DecemberdO, 1949,

.- now Patent No. 2,703,514, dated March 8,195.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine referredto which is comparativclyn simple and which: automatically performs the functions of "wrappinga conefblank on a mandrel'for forming .a cone-shaped cup,

reinforcing the apex of the cone, rimming the upper edge of the cup andfinally discharging the finished .cup.

yAnotherobject is to provide a cup :forming machine provided with gripping fingers of cup forming blanks, the receive such advance edges andtthereby position the blanks with respect to the manto gripthe advance edges rdrels, the gripping fingers holding the blanks so that r they may. advance around a circle from a blank'receiving station be wound on the mandrelswhile the mandrels of the machineto a cup removing stationxthereof.

'rStill another objectis to provide a rotary head for .supportinga plurality of cone mandrels and a means for intermittentlydriving the head so that it rotates part of a revolution and then remains stationery for part of .themtime :so :that the cup blanks may be received and :the cup iforming and removing operations may be performed at various stations in a-continuousmanner,therecomparatively great A further objectisto provide means to rotate the cone mandrels only while they are moving from station-to :station :and to provide pressure shoes between the stations for winding the :blanks =on the 'man'drels as they are rotated between stations, at least two stati'ons being provided with heating shoes thatapply heat and also additional pressure to the seams of the cups to insure Lthat'the seams are properly sealed.

Still a further object is to provide one station of the machine with .an l-element that provides a reinforcing safety foldzatthe apex of the cup where leakage is most likely to occur, thus making for additional thicknesses at ttheapex, a cone-shapedsocket element being provided at this station for rounding the apex and "folding down the apOItiOIl thereof adjacent the safety 'fold in addition to pressing down a tab over the safety fold if desired.

drical shape.

A further additional object is to provide a stacker Inc; New York, N. Y., a cormechanism .at'a furtherstation of the machine-atwhich station stripping fingers cooperate with the finished cup on the mandrehremove it therefrom, and transfer it into theistackercmechanism, which mechanism includes holdving. means to prevent return of the stripped cup with the stripper fingers.

A further additional object is to provide a-cone cup forming machine which is adaptable for formingpaper cups provided with either gummed or thermoplastic adhesive patterns, or for forming cups made forthemoplastic sheet material blanks which would seal together under heat applied at the seam without the necessity of an added adhesive pattern.

Figure lis a plan view of a machin'e embodying r'ny present invention for making rolled rimcone cups of the type herein disclosed.

Figure la is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 1 to illustrate a portion'of 'a mandrel, shown'in secion, to receive a cup blank.

Figure 2 is afront elevation of the gearbox of the machine with one portion broken away and another portion shown in section on the line 22 ofFigure 1, the turret being removed therefrom, and various operation performing elements likewise removed, with certain linkage thereto and the shaft for the turret shown insec- It1on.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure i 1 showing particularly the. drive'for the gear box and blankgripper opening mechanisms.

Figure 4 is an enlarged front elevation of the turret portion of the machine 'and the operating mechanisms omitted from Figure 2. t

Figure 4a is a sectional view of a portion of Figure 4 i to show details of construction to better advantage.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section adjacent the top of the machine, and is taken from the right side ofFigure l, a cone'cup being shown on the upper mandrel but. omitted from the lower two.

7 showing a furtherstep in the Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail partly in section, showing certain operating elements omitted from Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 4"sho-wing the mechanism for performing certain operations on the cone cup and its rolled rim, and the mechanism for removing finished cups from the turret.

Figure 7a is an enlarged sectional viewof the portion of Figure 7 within the dotted circle 7a.

'Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the mandrels and the turret as taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 4 (but showing the mandrel turned to better illustrate the blank gripper mechanism thereof) together with elements for operating the same.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 8 showing a blank gripper in closed position.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 9 showing the blank gripper open.

Figure 11 is a sectional view on the line ill-11 of Figure 4 showing a floating pressing shoe at station 2 of the machine.

Figure 12 is a front elevation of part of the mechanism at station 3 of the machine with a portion thereof as shown in Figure 4 omitted from this figure.

Figure 13 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 13 adjacent Figure 12 and showing an apex folder blade coacting with the apex of a cup for forming a safety fold.

Figure 13a is an enlarged viewof a portion of Figure l3 to more clearly showthe safety fold'being formed at the apex of the cup.

Figure 14 is a view somewhat-similar to Figure 13a apex-foldingoperation. Figure 15 is somewhat similar sectional view show ing the final step in the apex-folding operation and showing a folder plunger engaging the apex folder blade and completing the folding of a tab over the safety fold.

Figure 16 is an enlarged sectional view of that portion of Figure 7 shown within the dotted circle indicated at 16 and illustrating the parts in Figure 7 before the rim of the cup is bent down to a cylindrical shape.

Figure 17 is a similar view showing the parts in the position of Figure 7, the rim of the cup being bent to cylindrical shape. 1

Figure 18 is a similar view showing another position of the parts in which the rim is rolled around the top of the cup.

Figure 19 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 19-19 of Figure 7 showing a cup holding element of the cup delivery tube.

Figure 20 is a plan view of a mandrel with a cup thereon and of a pressure and heating shoe at station'Z of the machine.

Figure 21 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the cup finished except for rolling the rim; and

Figure 22 is a similar elevation showing the completed cup with its rolled rim.

On the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 18 to indicate a base and 12 to indicate a gear housing thereon. The gear housing is provided with a bearing 14 in which a spindle 16 is rotatably mounted. The spindle 16, as illustrated in Figure 8, has a tapered portion 18 on which the hub 28 of a turret is secured as by a nut 22. The turret consists of a disc 24 secured to an annular flange 26 of the hub 20 as by cap screws 28, the disc supporting six cone-shaped cupforming mandrels 30 and each mandrel being journaled in a hub 32 of the disc.

Describing one of the mandrel supporting means in detail, the mandrel has a cylindrical base 31 terminating in a base plate 34 secured to a sleeve 36 by screws 38 as shown in Figure 8. The screws extend through a web 40 which web extends inwardly from the sleeve 36 and terminates in a hub 42 mounted as by a set screw 44 on a sleeve 46. The sleeve 46 in turn is journalled in ball bearings 48 mounted in the hub 32. The mandrel 30 also has its apex rounded as indicated at 33.

Referring to Figure 9 wherein a lateral cross section of the mandrel 30 is shown, a V-groove 50 extends along the surface of the mandrel (left side of the mandrel in Figure la). It is cut out as indicated at 52 to accommodate blank grippers 54. These are in the form of sheet metal fingers secured to an enlarged head 56 on a rod 58. The rod is oscillatable in a bore of the sleeve 46, the fingers being secured to the head 56 by screws 60 and short arms 62 being clamped to the other ends of the rods as shown in Figures 3 and 9. Figure 3 shows clamp screw 64 for clamping the arms 62 of the six rods 58 in the desired position on the rods 58.

Wrapped around each rod 58 is a spring 66 having one end 68 engaging one of the fingers 54 and its other end 70 engaging in an opening 72 of the base 34 as shown in Figure 8. Referring to Figure 9, the bottom of the V notch 50 is indicated at '74. This serves as a stop means for the cone cup blank as will hereinafter be described. The fingers 54 terminate in down-turned flanges 76 to engage the marginal edge of the blank as will also be described.

- For rotating the turret disc 24 one-sixth of a revolution at a time, and for causing it to remain stationary between the periods of rotation, I provide suitable mechanism such as a Geneva movement which will now be described. A disc 78 (Figure 2) is secured to the shaft 16 and is provided with radial grooves 80. The disc 78 is driven intermittently by a gear 82 having a pair of indexing rollers 84 to cooperate with the radial slots 80 of the Geneva disc 78. The disc 78 also has semi-circular depressions 86 in which the edge of a second disc 88 on the gear 82 is adapted to travel. The disc 88 has a pair of semi-circular depressions 90 to receive the extremities of the Geneva disc 78 during a portion of the rotation of the gear 82.

The gear 82 and the disc 88 rotate counterclockwlse for rotating the turret clockwise one-sixth of a revolution each half-revolution of the gear. For driving the gear 82 I provide a pinion 92 operatively secured to a gear 94 which in turn meshes with a pinion 96. The pinion 96 is secured to a drive shaft 98 having thereon a pulley 100 as shown in Figure 3 which may be belted to a suitable motor 182 as shown in Figure 1 by a belt 104. The motor pulley is illustrated in 105.

The Geneva movement described will rotate the turret disc 24 one-sixth revolution, then permit it to remain stationary for a period of time, then rotate it another one-sixth revolution and so on. During the time the turret is rotating, it is desirable to rotate the cone mandrels 30 but permit them to remain stationary dur ing the time the turret is stationary. This is accomplished by providing on each sleeve 46 a pinion 106 as shown in Figure 8 which pinion is in mesh with a stationary gear 108. The gear 108 is secured to the bearing 14 of the gear housing 12 by cap screws 110.

In addition to driving the turret through the Geneva movement, the shaft 112 on which the gear 92 is mounted drives a cross-shaft 114 journalled in bearings 116 of the gear housing 12 as shown in Figure l. The mechanism for driving the shaft 114 from the shaft 112 consists of bevel gears 118 and 120. The shaft 114 is for driving various mechanisms of the machine, as will hereinafter appear.

Referring to Figure 3, the shaft 112 also drives a disc 122 having therein a cam groove 124. A roller 126. is adapted to travel in the groove 124 and is carried by a lever 128 pivotally mounted at 130 on the gear housing 12. The upper end of this lever drives a slide 132 in a guide 134 and the lower end is connected by a link 136 to a lever 138 pivoted at 140 in the gear housing. The slide 132 and the lever 138 carry rollers 142 and 144 respectively which are adapted to engage the arms 62 on the gripper operating rods 58 at stations 5 and 1 respectively of the turret. These stations are indicated throughout the various drawings by numerals in circles to distinguish from reference numbers.

Floating pressure shoes are provided for engaging the cup blanks on the mandrels as the mandrels carry the blanks from stations 2, 3, and 4 successively. These shoes are designated as 146, 148 and 150 in Figure 4. They are similar in cross-section, the shoe 148 being shown in Figure 11, but they vary slightly in the way they are cut off at the left and right hand ends as illustrated in Figure 4.

Each shoe comprises an arcuate base 152, a radial web 154 and a flange 156 (see Figure 11) which is a segment of an internal cone surface. Thebases 152 are received in an arcuate supporting channel 158 supported by a bracket 160 which in turn is supported on a shroud 162 surrounding the hubs 32 of the turret disc 24 and the pinions 106 together with the gear 108 that meshes with them. The shroud 162 in turn is secured to the gear housing 12. The bases 152 of the floating shoes 146, 148 and 150 are held from dropping out of the channel 158 by arcuate cover straps 164 held in position by cap screws 166.

Intermediate the shoes 146 and 148 is a heated pressure shoe 168, and intermediate the shoe 148 and the shoe 150 is asecond heated pressure shoe 170. These shoes are similar, the shoe being shown in Figure 7. It is somewhat similar incross-section to the shoes 146. 148, and 150, having a base 172 in the channel 158 and a cone-shaped presser flange 174. The central portion of this flange may be dished slightly as indicated at 174a at station 2 in Figure 4 and at station 3 in Figure 12 to conform somewhat to the contour of the mandrel 30 so as to provide a wider pressure and heating area than supported by a bracket 238 supported by a bracket 240. These brackets are secured pushed toward the left to .possiblewith tangential engagement, as'will hereinafter more fully be described.

Each of the shoes 168 and'170,is of the construction .shown in Figure -7,having a socket 176 to receive a heat- 'ing element 178, preferablyof-the electric type. Each heatedpressure shoe is backed by a spring 180 so as to give pressure in addition to the weight of theshoe as distinguished fromthe floating shoes 146, 148, and 150 held against the mandrels merely-by their own weight.

The series of shoes 146, 168, 148, 170, and 150 are linked together in the orderjust listed as illustrated in Figure 4 by links 181. With such an arrangement all of the shoes may' be threaded into the supporting channel 158 from either end and afterthey are installed a screw 184 (seeFigure 11) is passed through the bracket 16 and threaded at 186 into the supportingchannel 158. The lower end of'the screw is turned down as at 188 to enter an opening 190 in the base 152 of the shoe 148, the opention against dislodgement from their supporting channel 158 but permits them to floatfreely as dictated by gravity and the springs-180 opposed by the mandrels'as they .pass beneath the shoes.

Atstation 3 of the machine means are provided for forming a leak-proof safety fold at the apex of the cup and for reinforcing theapex by means of a tab to overlie the safety fold. This is perhaps best shown in Figures 4, and 12 to 14. It consists of a bracket 192 secured to the supporting channel'158 by screws 194. A rod 196 extends from the bracket 192 and has clamped thereto a bracket 198. The clamp screw is shown at 200.

A rod 202 extends fromthe bracket 198 and has rigidly mounted thereon a bracket 204' carrying a stop screw 206. An arm 208 is pivoted n the rod 202 and carries an apex folder'blade210. The arm 208 is biased to normally engage the stop screw 206 by means of a spring 212, one end of which engages the'bracket and theother end of which engages a clamp collar 214. The outer end of the blade 210 is approximatelytangent to the circular path followed by the apices of the cones 30 as the turret rotates.

Also at station 3 a tab folder plunger 216 is provided (see particularly Figures7 and 13 to l). The plunger 216 has a conical socket 218 with which passageways 220 communicate for permitting escape of air. The plunger 216 is slidably carried in asleeve 222, the sleeve being clamped in a boss 224 by a clamp screw 226 (see Figures 4 and 5). i The boss 224 is carried by an apex folder bracket 228 which, as shown in Figure 4, is secured by p'screws'230 to a cross-head 232. The sides of the crosshead' are secured to bars 234 having rollers 235'which The-left hand guideway is and the righthand one is travel in guideways 236.

by screws 242 to flanges 244 extending upwardly from a bracket 394 on the base 10.

Returning to Figures 7 and 15, the plunger 216 has a rod-like stem 246 extending on through the sleeve 222 and slidable in an adjustable sleeve 248 threaded into the sleeve 222 for backing up a spring 250 at its left hand end, the right hand end of the spring being engaged with the plunger 216 for tending to extend it toward the right in relation to the sleeve 222 so that in its normal position a flange 252 on the plunger 216 engages a stop shoulder 254 in the sleeve 222. At times the rod 246 is compress the spring 250 as shown in Figures 7 and 15 and at its limit of movement in this direction compresses a rubber disc 256 in the adjusting sleeve 248 which is backed up by a set screw 2 58 and alocking set screw 260.

At station 4 the cross-head or reciprocating carriage 232 carries a heated apex pressure plunger 262 for sealing and setting the apex of the conecup, and mechanism secured thereto by screws along a'C-shaped track arranged in a plane Figures 4 and 5. The gap is operated atthis station 'for spin-rolling a rim on the "cup which will now be described. The pressure plunger 262 shown in Figure 7 has a socket receiving an electric heating element 264. The plunger is threaded in a--bushing 266 which in turn is secured to a carriage housing 268 by screws 270. The housing 268 is: formed as part of the cross-head or reciprocating carriage 232.

A cone 272 forms an extension of a coneshaped socket 274 in the ;-plunger 262 and this cone carries at its small end a cylindricalfiange 276. 'The flange 276 is slidable in the housing 268 and .the'large end ofthe cone is slidable in a beadtucking die "278 of .the'housing 2 68 280. .The cone 272 is normally biased toward therightin Figure 7by a spring'282with its flange 276 against a stop lug 284 of-a screw 286.

The extension 278 forms'a bead tucking die having a tucking lip 288. Slidable androtatable on the sleeve 36 and the cylindrical base 31of each cone '30 is a rimming die 290 having'an annular rimming groove 292. The die 290,-as shownin Figure 8, is securedby screws 300 to a pulleymember-j298 having an outwardly openinggroove 294 around it. This groove normally travels normal to the axis ofthe turret, which trackkeeps the rimming dies 290 at theaxial position illustrated in this figure. The Ctrack296has extremities indicated at 302 and 304 in between these extremities is bridged 'bya shoe 3306 which is somewhat thinner than the C-track 296 to prevent its contact with a friction wheel 352 to be later described.

The shoe 306 is carried by a slide 308 which is guided in a slideway 310 on the shroud 162 and is actuated by a forked lever'312 pivoted at 314 to the gear housing "12. The forked end has a block'316 slidable .therein, which'block is pivoted to the slide308.

Intermediate the ends ofthe -lever'312- an enlargement 3118 is provided. This enlargement is perforated so that a rod 320 extends loosely therethrough and the rod carries collars 322 and 324 for engaging opposite sides of the enlargement 318. The rod 320 terminates in a fork '326 which straddles a hub 328 on the cross shaft 114. The fork 326 carries a roller 330 received in a cam groove 332 of a cam disc 334.

The crosshead or carriage 232 is reciprocated by means of a link 336 pivoted thereto at 338. This link extends toward the right from the pivot as shown in Figure 5 and thefllink is completed in Figure 6 wherein I iillustrate a'crank pin 340 on the disc 334 extending from a boss342 on the face of the disc. A hearing block 344 is rotatable on the. pin 340 and is slidable in relation to the link 336 for adjustmentpurposes. ,A spring 346 tends to keep the bearing against an adjusting screw 348 threaded in thelink 336. "The screw348 is provided with a lock nut 350 to retain the adjustment. This arrangement permitsthe inward limit of movement of the carriage 232 and allthe mechanism carried thereby to be finely adjusted.

At station 4, means is provided for rotating the rimming dies 2590. and the pulleys 298. This means consists of the friction wheel 352 shownin Figures 1 and 4. This wheel may be faced with leather or the like to provide the necessary friction against the periphery of the pulley 298 at station 4 and is constantly rotated by an electric motor or the like (not shown) which may be relatively small. The drive from this motor to the wheel 352 consists of a V-belt" 354 and a -pulley 356. The wheel 352 and the pulley 356 are mounted on. a shaft 358 rotatable in arms 360 carried by a shaft 362. The shaft .362is supported in a bracket 364 for rocking movement arm 366 by means of a 364.1is also mounted. Thisarrangement permits'the nut 372 to be adjusted so that when a pulley 298 is at station 4 the arm 366 is slightly away from the stop nut 372 and that the spring 370 can thus provide the necessary pressure engagement between the friction wheel 352 and the pulley for driving the pulley from the wheel. The pulley will also bestarted in its rotation just before reaching station 4 and will disengage from the wheel just after leaving this station.

At station 5. means is provided for stripping the finished cup from the mandrel and inserting it in nested relationship to the previously finished cups in a delivery tube. This mechanism consists of abracket 376 secured to the carriage 232 by screws 378. The bracket is angleshaped as shown in Figure 7 and carries a pair of studs 380 on which cup stripper fingers 382 are pivoted. These fingers carry stop screws 384 (see Figure 4) which are biased to engage a stop bar 386 extending from the bracket 376 by means of springs 388.

Mounted at station is a delivery tube 390 having a half-cylinder extension 392. The delivery tube and its extension are supported by an angle bracket 394 which is secured to an upstanding lug 396 from the base 10. The outer end of the tube extension 392 may be suitably supported by an angle brace 398 shown in Figure 5.

The delivery tube 390 has a flanged entrance as shown in Figure 7, the flange being cut away at each side to accommodate a pair of receiving fingers 402 which are secured to the sides of the delivery tube by screws 404. As shown in Figure 20, each finger is rigidly mounted and includes a ratchet-like projection 406 to engage the rim of a cup, as will be described later on.

In Figures 1 and 1a, 1 show the flat shape of a cup blank B. In general it is a segment of a disc having a circular outline and provided with a substantially rectangular tab, the width of which is indicated at 408 in Figure 1a, the length of which is indicated at 410. This tab is extended at 412 to provide additional thickness at the apex of the cone and to cover a safety fold at the apex.

The blank B may be fed as a continuous strip of paper in the direction of the arrow (1 the width of the strip being somewhat wider than the width of the blank itself indicated by the dimension line w and the blank being cut out of this web without severing the web itself. This strip comes from a continuously fed roll of paper and the blank is completely severed therefrom and fed' to the mandrel at station 1 where it is grasped by the gripper fingers 54. The feeding of the paper and the severing of the blank therefrom form no part of my present invention so have not been illustrated nor described in detail. It is suflicient to indicate that the blanks are fed by suitable means on to a plate 413 against a blank guide 414- and with the advance edge 411 of the blank received in the V-groove 50 against the bottom 74 thereof, this position being illustrated particularly in Figures 1a and 9.

Instead of severing the blanks from a strip, they may be pre-cut, stacked in a magazine, and removed one at a time from the magazine.

On the underside of the tab 408- in Figure la, a gum pattern is indicated by the dotted outline 416. The gum appears also in Figure 5 at station 2 and may be of the heat-seal type. Briefly, the cone cup is designed to be formed into a cone from the fiat shape shown in Figure 1a after leaving station 1 and while passing stations 2 and 3 and arriving at station 4, the cone cup forming operation being completed at station 4. At station 3 a safety tab 422 is formed, as will hereinafter be more fully described, and it is optionally covered by the tab 412. At station 4, the rim of the cup is formed cylindrically as indicated at 418 in Figure 21 and is thereafter formed into a roll as indicated at 420 in Figure 22.

Practical operation In the operation of my cone cup-forming machine, a

, mandrel 30 arrivesat station 1 with its blank gripper fingers 76 open (roller 142 engaging arm 62 at station 1 in Figure 3). After the blank B is fed to the cone with its advance edge 411 in the groove 50, the fingers close as shown at the left side of Figure 4, this action being accomplished by the cam 122 of Figure 3 and the roller 142 of the slide 132. The bottom 74 of the groove 50 is the limiting means for the blank at station 1. The mandrel is now ready to be advanced to station 2.

While the mandrel is in transit from station 1 to station 2, it revolves under the action of its pinion 106 rolling around the periphery of the gear 108, the movement of course being accomplished by one of the rollers 84 of the gear 82 coacting with one of the slots of the Geneva disc 78. The coaction of the pinion 106 with the gear 103 accomplishes a complete revolution of the mandrel clockwise in relation to the turret as it is in transit from station 1 to station 2 so that at station 2 the blank gripper fingers 76 are again radially outward from the center of rotation of the turret. The blank B is wiped around the mandrel by the floating shoe 146, the pressure of which, due to gravity, is sufficient for accomplishing a satisfactory wiping operation.

This completes the first blank wiping revolution and the mandrel stops and remains stationary with the adhesive lap 408410 tangent to the outer circular travel line of the mandrel. At this position the mandrel is under the heating pressure shoe 168 as shown adjacent the top of Figure 7 with the spring slightly compressed. The slight concavity 174 in the shoe 168, if provided as hereinbefore mentioned, serves to cover more area of the ad hesive and thus improves the setting thereof. The heat applied at this point aids the adhesive in penetrating the paper and at station 2 the first stage of sealing the side seam or lap of the cup is thus accomplished. The mandrel is' then ready for transit to station 3.

As to the reason for the heat and the pressure on the gumrned lap seam, in the past it has been diflicult to make a cone cup with the side seam securely snug and tight. To overcome this, I stop the seam on the outer circle of travel at stations 2 and 3 and apply heat and pressure for setting the adhesive as well as causing penetration of the adhesive into the fibres of the paper for producing a seam that holds better.

As the mandrel revolves between stations 2 and 3, a second wiping revolution is accomplished by the floating pressure shoe 148. Slightly before the mandrel reaches station 3, the sharp apex of the cup engages or impacts the blade 210 to form the safety fold 422, as shown in Figure 13. The fold is bent over as shown more particularly in Figure 13a wherein a portion of the tab 412 has been broken away to show the safety fold more clearly.

The next step at station 3 is for the tab folder plunger 216 to advance (toward the right in Figure 14) which finishes folding the safety fold 422 around the rounded apex 33 of the mandrel 30 as illustrated due to the plunger engaging the blade 210 and swinging it in a direction along the inclined surface of the cone cup arriving at station 3. The tab 412 is open as illustrated at station 2 in Figure 5 (the mandrel of station 3 being broken away to show station 2) and this tab is still loose in Figures 13, 13a, and 14 as the plunger 216 advances. However, its cone socket 218 engages the tab and folds it over the safety fold 422, the final position being shown in Figure 15.

The tab 412 may be omitted, in which case the cone socket 218 would press the safety fold 422 down securely, but the tab does reinforce the apex of the cone cup by being folded over the safety fold, thus providing several thicknesses of material at the weakest point of the cup which is the apex. As the plunger 216 advances, it pushes the blade 210 out of the way as illustrated in Figure 15 and when the plunger recedes, the spring 212 returns the blade to a position against the stop screw 206, which position is shown in Figure 13. In Figure 12, the parts are in the same position as in Figure 13--that is, before the plunger 216.advances. The mandrel is now ready to advance to station 4. i

As the mandrel is in transit from the station 3 to station 4, a third wiping operation is performed to more securely iron down the side seam as well as the safety fold 422 and the tab 412 that covers it. The cup is then ready for spin-rolling its rim.

Just before the mandrel reaches the station 4 position the friction pulley 352 engages the rimming die 290 and the adjacent periphery of the pulley 298 for rapidly rotating the die. As the tucking die 278 advances from the position of Figure 16 to the position of Figure 17, it bends down a cylindrical flange 418 on the mouth of the cup as shown in Figure 21 and this flange is then ready for forming into a cup rim. The rim is formed by advancing the rimming die 290 toward the left from the position of Figure l7to the position of Figure 18 while the same, is being rotated thereby causing the annulargroove1292 to engage the cylindrical flange 418 to Figure, 17 and turn it into the rolled rim 292 of Figtires 18 and 22. As the rimming die advances, the tucking die 278 which formed the cylindrical flange 418 recedes to permit the rimming die to spin-roll the rim 420.

The tucking die 278 is propelled in both directions by movement of the carriage 232 and the rimming die 290 is advanced by the shoe 306 engaging in the groove 294 of the pulley 298 and moving the pulley out of alignment with the C-track 296. The rimming die is then retracted and the groove of the pulley again aligned with the C-track for advance of the mandrel to the next station.

In addition to the forming of the cylindrical flange 418 and the rolled rim 420 on the cup at station 4, the cup is pressed against the mandrel by the cone 272 under the action of the spring 282 as the cone and its rear guide portion 276 slideflin the members 278 and 268. At the same time, the heating plunger 262 applies additional heat and pressure to the safety fold 422 and its covering tab 412 to more thoroughly set the parts that form the apex and adjacent portions of the cup. As the annular groove 292 spins the rim 420 on the clip, the rim is turned about three-fourths of a circle and the upper end of the flange 418 finally engages the tucking lip 288 so as to tuck the leading edge of the flange under the roll being formed and its final shape is slightly morethan a complete circle as shown in Figure 18.

Afterthe carriage 232 has been retracted, the turret is again advanced for moving the completed cup from station 4to station 5.

Just before the mandrel reaches station the gripper fingers 54 are opened to the position of Figure by meansof the roller 144 on the arm 138 as illustrated in Figure 3. The edge 411 of the blank B has thus been gripped continuously from the time the blank leaves station 1 until the cup is finished andreadyto be discharged at station 5. This prevents the blanks from slipping on themandrels at any time whilethe cups are being formed. At station 5, the cup is removed from the mandrel bymeans of the cup stripping fingers 382 which, as the bracket 376 advances to the position of Figure 7, swing outwardly against the action of the springs 388 and snap over the rim of the cup, this position being shown particularly in Figure 7a. Upon the reverse movement of the bracket 376, the cup is carried by the fingers 332 and stacked in the cups already removed from the mandrels in previous cycles of operation of the machine and which were caused to slide into the delivery tube 390.

In entering the delivery tube, the rim of the cup passes between a pair of rigid fingers 402 and snap past the ratchet-like projections 496 thereof, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 19, whereupon the cup then springs out to its full circular shape behind these projections to prevent it from being withdrawn when the stripper fingers 382 are next moved toward the next cup at station 5 for stripping it from the mandrel. The size of the tube 390 is such as to frictionally engage the cups with enough tension to cause themto be closely nested and-gradually 'fed through the delivery tube'into the half-cylindrical extension 392 thereoffrom' which they may be removed for packing.

- Station 6 is an idle station where nothing is performed on the cup and the fingers 54 are opened just prior to reaching station l.'

Some changes may be made in the construction and V arrangement of the parts of my cone cup machine withengaging and'holding the cup to the tapered portion of said mandrel with a portion of the cup near-its free end projecting beyond said tapered portion and overhanging said cylindrical portion, and a cylinder carried by said cone and reciprocal thereover for bending the free end of the cone into a cylindrical portion surrounding the cylindrical portion of the mandrel and forming a reinforced rim thereon; the improvement comprising means for rotating and reciprocating said rimming die relative to said mandrel while at said rimming station, said means comprising a rotating friction wheel at said station to engage the periphery-of'said rimming die from the time it enters until the "time it-leaves said station, a shoe at said station, the periphery of said rimming die having a depression therein to receive said shoe while the rimming die is at said station, stationary means received by said depression when said rimming die is away from said station to preventireciprocation of said rimming die relative to said mandrel, means fori'noving said shoe to reciprocate said rimming die relative to said mandrel while the die is at said station and while being rotated by said friction wheel for thereby moving said rimming groove toward the upper'edge of the cylindrical portion of the cup to engage it, form it into a bead-like rim and iron the upper edge of the rim to smooth it, the rim after being partially formedengaging the end of said cylinder, said cylinder having a tucking lip closely adjacent the cylindrical portion of the cup and projecting axially from said cylinder end toward said rimming groove to cooperate therewith in forming the cup rim, and said cylinder and rimming die thereupon being simultaneously reciprocated toward the apex of the cup while the rimming die is still rotating for completing the rimmingof the cup and thereby rolling the'cylindrical portion ofthe cup into a reinforced rim and further smoothing it during such simultaneous reciprocating movement.

2. For use with a cup formingmachine having a mandrel with a tapered portion and a cylindrical portion and movable into and out of a rimmingstation of the machine, a rim forming die reciprocably mounted on said mandrel, said die having a rimming groove therein, a cone for engaging and holding thecup to the tapered portion of said mandrel with a portion of the cup near itsfree end projecting beyond said tapered portion and overhanging said cylindrical portion, a cylinder carried by said cone and reciprocal thereover for'bendingthe free end of the cone into a'cylindrical portion surrounding the cylindrical portion of the mandrel and forming a reinforced rim thereon; the improvement comprising means for rotating and reciprocating said rimming die relative to said mandrel while at said rimmingstation, said means comprising a rotating friction wheelat said station to engage the periphery of said rimming die from the time it enters until the time it leaves said station, a shoe at said station, the periphery of said rimming die having :a depression therein to receive said shoe while the rimming die is at said station, stationary means received by said depression when said rimming die is away from said station to prevent reciprocation of said rimming die relative to said mandrel, means for moving said shoe to reciprocate said rimming die relative to said mandrel while the die is at said station and while being rotated by said friction wheel for thereby moving said rimming groove toward the upper edge of the cylindrical portion of the cup which is of a length greater than the cross-sectional circumference of a bead to be formed thereof to engage said cylindrical portion, form it into a bead-like rim including a portion thereof of double thickness, and iron the upper edge of the rim to smooth it, the rim after being partially formed engaging the end of said cylinder to further form the cup rim, said cylinder and rimming die thereupon being simultaneously reciprocated toward the apex of the cup while the rimming die is still rotating for completing the rimming of the cup and thereby rolling the cylindrical portion of the cup into a reinforced rim, sizing it and further smoothing it during such simultaneous reciprocating movement.

3. For use in a cup forming machine having a head rotatably mounted, a plurality of cone mandrels rotatably carried by said head, means for rotating the head intermittently and for rotating the mandrels as the head rotates, and rimming mechanism for the cup comprising a reciprocating rimming die on each mandrel; the improvement comprising means at one of the machine stations for rotating the rimming die while rimming the cup, said means comprising a rotating friction wheel engaging the periphery of said rimming die while at said station, a reciprocating tucking die cooperating with the cup to form a cylinder thereon and having a tucking lip curving away from the tucking die and located adjacent the cylindrical portion of the cup for cooperating with said rimming die, and means for moving said dies so that said tucking die first forms a cylindrical portion adjacent the top of the cup and the rimming die then spin-rolls a rim on the cup as the rimming die is reciprocated on the mandrel, said tucking lip cooperating with said rimming die to complete the rim and being simultaneously reciprocated with the rimming die during the final portion of the rim forming operation, the reciprocating means comprising a shoe cooperable with an annular groove around the periphery of the rimming die and movable for reciprocating the same, means to prevent such reciprocation comprising when the die is away from said station a stationary shoe cooperating with said annular groove.

4. For use in a cup forming machine having a head rotatably mounted, a plurality of cone mandrels each rotatably carried by said head, means for rotating the head intermittently and for rotating the mandrels as the head rotates, each mandrel having gripping means therein for gripping a cup blank so that the blanks can be wound on the mandrels and pressure shoes for effecting such winding, and rimming mechanism for the cup comprising a reciprocating rimming die on each mandrel; the improvement comprising means at one of the machine stations for rotating the rimming die while rimming the cup, said means comprising a rotating friction wheel engaging the periphery of said rimming die while at said station, a reciprocating tucking die cooperating with said rimming die and having a projecting tucking lip against the cup, and means for moving said dies so that said tucking lip first forms a cylindrical portion adjacent the top of the cup and the rimming die then spin-rolls a rim on the cup as the rimming die is reciprocated on the mandrel, said tucking lip cooperating with said rimming die to complete the rim and the tucking die being simultaneously reciprocated with the rimming die during the final portion of the rim forming operation, the reciprocating means comprising a shoe cooperable with an annular groove in the periphery of the rimming die and movable for reciprocating the same, and means to prevent such reciprocation when the die is away from said station comprising a stationary shoe cooperating with said annular groove and extending around said plurality of cone mandrels with the exception of the space occupied by said first shoe.

5. For use in a cup forming machine having a cone mandrel rotatably mounted, means for rotating said mandrel to form a cup thereon and rimming mechanism for the cup comprising a reciprocating rimming die on said mandrel; the improvement comprising means for rotating said rimming die comprising friction wheel means at one of the machine stations which said rimming die contacts when entering, while in and whiling leaving said station, a cooperating reciprocating tucking die, and means for moving said dies so that said tucking die first forms a cylindrical portion adjacent the top of the cup and the rimming die then spin-rolls a rim on the cup as the rimming die is reciprocated on the mandrel, said tucking die having a tucking lip and both the tucking die and said lip cooperating with said rimming die to complete the rim and being simultaneously reciprocated with the rimming die during the final portion of the rim forming operation.

6. For use in a cup forming machine having a cone mandrel rotatably mounted, means for rotating said mandrel to form a cup thereon and rimming mechanism for the cup comprising a reciprocating rimming die on said mandrel, the improvement comprising means for rotating said rimming die at one of the machine stations, a cooperating reciprocating tucking die, means for moving said dies so that said tucking die first forms a cylindrical portion adjacent the top of the cup and the rimming die then spin-rolls a rim on the cup as the rimming die is reciprocated on the mandrel, said tucking die cooperating with said rimming die to complete the rim and being simultaneously reciprocated with the rimming die during the final portion of the rim forming operation, and the means for reciprocating said rimming die comprising a reciprocable shoe at said station, said rimming die having an annular groove around its periphery to receive said groove and stationary means receiving said annular groove when said rimming die is away from said station to hold the rimming die against reciprocation.

7. For use in a cup forming machine having a cone mandrel rotatably mounted, means for rotating said mandrel to form a cup thereon and rimming mechanism for the cup comprising a reciprocating rimming die on said mandrel; the improvement comprising means for rotating said rimming die comprising friction wheel means at one of the machine stations with which said rimming die contacts when entering, while in and while leaving said station, a cooperating reciprocating tucking die including a cylinder movable over the upper marginal edge of the cup for conforming it to a cylindrical shape and sizing it, the rimming die having a rimming groove therein surrounding said mandrel, said cylinder having a tucking lip which in cooperation with said rimming die groove constitutes tucking means for the rim of the cup operable to form a portion of the rim to double thickness and thereby additionally reinforce it, and means for moving said dies so that said tucking die first forms said cylindrical shape adjacent the top of the cup and the rimming die then spin-rolls a rim on the cup as the rimming die is reciprocated on the mandrel, said tucking die and said lip cooperating with said rimming die to complete the rim and being simultaneously reciprocated with the rimming die during the final portion of the rim forming operation.

8. For use in a cup forming machine having a cone mandrel rotatably mounted, means for rotating said mandrel to form a cup thereon and rimming mechanism for the cup comprising a reciprocating rimming die on said mandrel; the improvement comprising means for rotating said rimming die at one of the machine stations, a coop- ,erating reciprocating tucking die, means for moving said dies so that said tucking die first forms a cylindrical portion adjacent the .top of the cup and the rimming die then spin-rolls a rim on the cup as the rimming die is reciprocated on the mandrel, said tucking die cooperating with said rimming die to complete a bead-like rim, part or" which is of double thickness, said tucking die having a tucking lip against the cup wall that cooperates with said rimming groove to form a cylindrical portion of the cup rim into said double thickness part thereof and being simultaneously reciprocated with the rimming die during the final portion of the rim forming operation, the means for reciprocating said rimming die comprising a reciprocable shoe at said station, said rimming die having an annular groove around its periphery to receive said groove, and stationary means receiving said annular groove when said rimming die is away from said station to hold the rimming die against reciprocation.

9. For use in a cup forming machine having a cone mandrel rotatably mounted and provided with a cylindrical portion, means for rotating said mandrel to form a cup thereon and rimming mechanism for the cup comprising a reciprocating rimming die on said mandrel having a rimming groove; the improvement comprising means for rotating said rimming die comprising friction wheel means at one of the machine stations which said rimming die contacts when entering, while in and while leaving said station, means for moving said dies so that said tucking die first forms a cylindrical portion adjacent the top of the cup and the rimming die then spin-rolls a rim on the cup as the rimming die is reciprocated on the mandrel,

said tucking die cooperating with said rimming die to complete the rim and being simultaneously reciprocated with the rimming die during the final portion of the rim forming operation, the means for reciprocating said rimming die comprising a reciprocable shoe at said station, said rimming die having an annular groove around its periphery to receive said groove, and stationary means receiving said annular groove when said rimming die is away from said station to hold the rimming die against reciprocation, said tucking die bending the free end of the cup into a cylindrical portion surrounding the cylindrical portion of the mandrel with the rim after being partially formed engaging said tucking die which has a tucking lip projecting therefrom toward said rimming groove, located closely adjacent the cup wall and cooperating with said rimming groove to form the cup rim, said simultaneous reciprocation toward the apex of the cup completing the rimming of the cup and also rolling the cylindrical portion of the cup into a rim of greaterthan-one thickness during such simultaneous reciprocating movement and while the rimming die is rotating.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,155,787 Bohlman Oct. 5, 1915 1,837,246 Winton Dec. 22, 1931 1,953,917 Barbieri Apr. 10, 1934 2,104,535 Barbieri Jan. 4, 1938 2,321,407 Merta June 8, 1943 2,497,239 Ruza Feb. 14, 1950

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