Abstract: A container assembly including a body and a lid, the lid comprising a rotational and axial guide feature extending radially from a radially interior surface of a lid sidewall. The rotational and axial guide feature is designed to provide axial translation/retention of an accessory when the accessory is rotationally engaged with the lid sidewall. The container and accessory can include an interface that creates a gas impervious/liquid impervious seal therebetween. The seal can be provided between sealing surfaces of the container and the accessory. The lid can include or exclude a bottom wall. The lid can include a score line defining a tear panel in the bottom wall, wherein the tear panel can provide an opening through the bottom wall when the score line is fractured.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a cup (10) having a profiled bottom generally includes a draw die (20) disposed at a first level of a double acting press. The draw die (20) cooperates with a draw pad (22) and a cut edge (24) to form and hold a blank (28) formed from a sheet of material (M). A punch assembly (30) is configured to travel through the draw die (20), thereby drawing the blank (28) over the draw die (20) into a cup (60). The punch assembly (30) transports the cup (60) to a second level of the press where it bottoms out on a die core (50) and a ring pad (51). One element of the punch assembly (30) continues to move beyond the second level of the press, thereby drawing a portion of the cup (60) over the die core (50) and profiling the bottom of the cup (60). The profiled cup (10) is then returned to the second level of the press where it is removed from the punch assembly (30) and transferred. The bottom profile insures that the cup will retain its shape during the transfer operation.

Abstract: A method of forming a drawn and redrawn and ironed container having a contoured sidewall. A cup is blanked and formed from stock in conventional fashion. A profiled bottom may be formed in the cup during the redraw step. The cup is ironed using at least one ironing ring and an ironing punch having at least one recessed area for shaping the interior sidewall of the cup. When the cup is ironed, areas of extra material are formed on the interior of the sidewall where the recessed areas of the ironing punch were present. These areas of extra material are shaped during a spin forming step that creates the contoured sidewall of the can.

Abstract: A conveyor assembly includes a conveying surface and at least one air manifold for directing air against the sidewall of the articles to be conveyed. The conveying surface includes longitudinally extending raised ribs along which the articles are moved and the air manifolds are connected directly to the source of air. Further, the conveyor assembly is attached directly to a die member and becomes an integral part thereof.

Abstract: A method of forming a container body having a profiled bottom in a continuous operation wherein the body is formed from a blank of material into an inverted cup, the cup is reverse drawn and a preliminary profile is imparted to the bottom of the cup, and a final profile is imparted. The apparatus includes a die cut edge movable into telescoping relationship around a redraw die to form the inverted cup and a profile punch movable into telescoping relationship within the redraw die to form the preliminary profile against a profile pad. The profile pad is selectively supported by a pair of fluidly actuated pistons whereby, upon activation of the second piston, the final profile may be formed.

Abstract: A multidirectional sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet loader and a sheet feeder disposed adjacent a press. Both the feeder and loader include carriages movable toward and away from the press and carriages movable laterally with respect to the direction of feed toward and away from the press. The method of operation includes feeding a sheet from the loader to the feeder and from the feeder into the press a predetermined distance. The method further includes feeding the sheet further into the press and/or laterally thereof as required between press cycles. In a variation of the method, the sheet may be moved both further into the press and laterally thereof simultaneously. The method further includes aligning the loader with the feeder prior to the last operation of the press on a sheet.

Abstract: A method of forming container end panels from a sheet of material includes inserting the material into a press at a first level, blanking the material at that level, passing the material through a die and preliminarily forming it in a continuous stroke but at a second level and transferring it laterally at the second level for reforming and curling. The apparatus includes blanking and forming tooling at a first station and reforming and curling tooling at second and third stations. The reforming and curling tooling is disposed at the second level and the first, second and third stations are interconnected by an endless, apertured belt also disposed at the second level. An alternative embodiment involves disposing the first station tooling at an angle with respect to the press centerline, feeding the material into the press in a first direction and moving the preliminarily formed ends in opposite directions normal to the feed direction to second and third stations disposed on opposite ends of the press.

Abstract: A multidirectional sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet loader and a sheet feeder disposed adjacent a press. Both the feeder and loader include carriages movable toward and away from the press and carriages movable laterally with respect to the direction of feed toward and away from the press. The method of operation includes feeding a sheet from the loader to the feeder and from the feeder into the press a predetermined distance. The method further includes feeding the sheet further into the press and/or laterally thereof as required between press cycles. The method further includes aligning the loader with the feeder prior to the last operation of the press on a sheet.

Abstract: A multi-directional system, method and apparatus for feeding stock from a coil into a press in a principal feed direction and selectively in a direction normal to the principal feed direction includes an uncoiler, a compensator, a feeder and a press arranged in series with the feeder and the compensator being engagable with the stock to feed it in the principal feed direction into the press and being shiftable transversely of the principal feed direction to shift the stock in that direction while the leading end of the stock is received within the press.

Abstract: A method of forming a tapered container in which the container is first redrawn to a partial length having first and second straight sidewall portions interconnected by a transition portion and then redrawn to substantially its final length and tapered condition by drawing material from the transition portion. The method also optionally includes an overlength second redraw and a bottom profiling step utilizing the overdrawn portion to form the profile.

Abstract: A method of forming container end panels from a sheet of material includes inserting the material into a press at a first level, banking the material at that level, passing the material through a die and preliminarily forming it in a continuous stroke but at a second level and transferring it laterally at the second level for reforming and curling. The apparatus includes blanking and forming tooling at a first station and reforming and curling tooling at second and third stations. The reforming and curling tooling is disposed at the second level and the first, second and third stations are interconnected by an endless, apertured belt also disposed at the second level.

Abstract: A method of controlling the clamping movement of a single action drawing press having a fluid actuated pressure member wherein movement of the pressure member is interrupted by stops after a predetermined range of movement toward the base of the press. The apparatus for carrying out the method includes one or more stops, carried by the base, and dimensioned to engage the pressure member and overcome the pressure normally urging it toward the base after the predetermined range of movement.

Abstract: A method of forming a container body having a profiled bottom in a continuous operation wherein the body is formed from a blank of material into an inverted cup, the cup is reverse drawn and a preliminary profile is imparted to the bottom of the cup, and a final profile is imparted. The apparatus includes a die cut edge movable into telescoping relationship around a redraw die to form the inverted cup and a profile punch movable into telescoping relationship within the redraw die to form the preliminary profile against a profile pad. The profile pad is selectively supported by a pair of fluidly actuated pistons whereby, upon activation of the second piston, the final profile may be formed.

Abstract: A method of forming a container end piece from a sheet of material includes the steps of forming an inverted cup by wiping a peripheral edge of the material over a die core ring, inverting the cup by advancing a punch core into the material, thereby forming a flanged area, a central bottom area and a chuckwall interconnected thereto by a radiused portion. The radiused portion is initially formed by an annular nose on the punch core larger than the final radius. The punch core is then retracted and exerts force on the flanged area to shorten the chuckwall and reduce the radius by forcing the material in the chuckwall and radiused areas into the space between a die core and die core ring. A modified method includes supporting and aligning the radiused area with a contoured knockout sleeve between the die core and die core ring.

Abstract: A method of controlling the spacing between a material forming punch and a complemental die includes advancing a punch shell and a pressure sleeve into engagement with the material and holding the material with the sleeve and blanking it with the punch shell. The material is then preliminarily formed by clamping the periphery between the pressure sleeve and a die core ring and advancing a punch core past the top of the die core ring and clamping the material against a die core to establish the desired dimension. The material is then finally formed by further advancement of the punch core with the die core and die core ring moving together. The apparatus includes a die core and die core ring which are concentrically arranged and independently supported but movable into engagement with each other after a predetermined amount of travel so as to move together through any further travel caused by movement of a punch core against the die core.

Abstract: A method of controlling the clamping movement of a single action drawing press having a fluid actuated pressure member wherein movement of the pressure member is interrupted by stops after a predetermined range of movement toward the base of the press.

Abstract: A method of forming a tapered container in which the container is first redrawn to a partial length having first and second straight sidewall portions interconnected by a transition position and then redrawn to substantially its final length and tapered condition by drawing material from the transition portion. The method also optionally includes an overlength second redraw and a bottom profiling step utilizing the overdrawn portion to form the profile. The apparatus includes a plurality of stations wherein the redrawing is accomplished in the first instance with a tapered punch and straight walled die and in the second instance with a tapered punch and tapered die.

Abstract: A method of forming a deep-drawn and ironed container having a bottom profile wherein a cup is formed by drawing an inverted cup and reverse drawing the cup and simultaneously imparting a bottom profile thereto while controlling the thickness of the material in the bottom. The method also includes providing support to the profiled bottom while ironing the cup thus formed. The method is accomplished by a system which includes a draw-redraw station wherein the inverted cup is adjustably held by a fluidly actuated lift out ring and draw pad in the bottom area against a punch during reverse drawing to control metal thickness in the bottom. A separate pressure sleeve is also engaged with the profiled bottom during ironing to prevent pulling material from the bottom.

Abstract: A method of forming a container end piece includes blanking a work piece from a sheet of material and forming an inverted cup therefrom by wiping the peripheral edge of the blank over a die core ring. The inverted cup is then reversed by advancing a punch core and a punch core ring simultaneously to form a cup having a flange area, a central body area and a chuckwall area interconnecting the flange and the bottom. The punch core ring is then advanced ahead of the punch core to shorten the chuckwall area and reduce the radius between the chuckwall and the central bottom portion. The method also includes engaging the flange area of the reversed cup by a pressure sleeve which moves downwardly with the punch core ring during the final forming of the chuckwall.

Abstract: A method of forming a container end panel having a countersink radius and a chuckwall including preforming the radius and the chuckwall so that the chuckwall includes a straight wall portion tangent to the radius and reforming and reducing the radius without tooling restraint while holding pressure against the straight wall area. Apparatus for performing the method includes a punch core and a cooperating die core ring having complimental geometry for forming the chuckwall and radius configuration. The article formed by the method and apparatus includes an end panel having a straight wall portion between the normal tapered wall portion and countersink radius.