Abstract: The invention relates to a processing device for covers (20), wherein processing stations are embodied as individual processing stations (47) provided with, respectively, one tool for one cover. Several of said stations work in parallel for the simultaneous processing of several covers. If need be, stations can also be used wherein several tools form groups which are functionally separate from each other. As a result, the processing precision and production speed of the objects can be increased.

Abstract: Where can bodies of sheet metal are welded between the welding rollers of a welding machine, the welding current is not applied to the welding rollers until the body is between the welding electrode rollers. In this way, the quality of the weld at the initial weld point is improved, and where intermediate wire electrodes are used, wire breaks are reliably prevented.

Abstract: The invention relates first of all to a method for covering areas of damaged protective coating on containers or the like, in which, according to the invention, protective coating material is stamped on to the zone in which the damaged areas occur. The invention also describes an apparatus for carrying out the method in which a carrier unit is provided for stamping protective coating material on to the damaged area. Apparatus is provided for positioning the carrier unit with respect to the container.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing workpieces by relative displacement of a plurality of simultaneously operating functional elements in relation to the workpieces being worked on is provided. The present apparatus includes a device for the mounting of the functional elements, characterized in that the device has apparatus for keeping the functional elements constantly in their operative position in relation to their workpiece section presently to be processed on the processing path by altering their position during a relative displacement with any desired change of direction. A method for tracing a processing path is also provided. The method includes tracing a processing path by a plurality of functional units arranged in succession one behind another in the path direction and moved along the path. The functional units are aligned on the path independently of each other by positioning means individually assigned to them.

Abstract: For the electrostatic coating of objects, e.g. cans, the coating material is charged by means of an electrode (9). According to the invention, the electrode is vibrated in order to prevent, as far as possible, the coating material from being deposited thereon. To this end, the electrode is embodied as a tongue that is excited by an air current (17) in such a way that it vibrates.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling a pair of sheet metal workpieces to be welded is provided that includes a first workpiece holder, a second workpiece holder, at least one backing element, and at least one squeeze roller. The first and second workpiece holders are positioned so that an edge of one of the pair of sheet metal workpieces is in contact with, or separated a gap from, an edge of the other sheetmetal workpiece. The backing element is disposed on a first side of the sheet metal workpieces, and the squeeze roller is disposed on a second side of the sheetmetal workpieces opposite the first side. The squeeze roller is substantially aligned with the backing element. The squeeze roller is formed as a body symmetrical in rotation. Force selectively applied to the squeeze roller will cause plastic deformation of one of the pair of sheet metal workpieces and thereby cause the deformed sheet metal workpiece to extend into the gap.

Abstract: A circular-cutter unit for equipment cutting flat lengths of material and sheet metal in a horizontal plane has upper and a lower circular blades both in planes perpendicular to the horizontal plane and in a longitudinal direction, carried by an upper and lower blade shaft, respectively, which are parallel with the horizontal plane and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The two blade shafts are rigidly and rotatably mounted in a common frame. The frame is U-shaped with the upper and lower legs connected by a flat yoke intersecting the horizontal plane at an acute angle. Several cutter units are mounted in a single apparatus and driven by a common drive from which the units can be individually detached for servicing.

Abstract: On a contour welding machine with welding rollers), the workpiece is arranged on a holder that is freely rotatable during the welding operation. Its rotation by the driven welding rollers engaging the workpiece is compensated to a greater or lesser degree to suit the contour profile by shifting the position of the holder in relation to the welding rollers. This enables contours to be welded simply and inexpensively. With a driven check angle, a skip back to the starting point can be made in the case of open contours and/or friction rollers can be dispensed with.

Abstract: To follow and inspect a common edge between two sheet metal blanks which are to be welded together, a line pattern is projected across the edge by a projector and is imaged by a camera. The image captured is analyzed in order to derive from the trace of the lines information on the gap between the blanks, or on the track of the edge. The pattern projected has several lines with different light intensities. When the photographed image is processed, it is then possible—even if there is variation in the reflection characteristics of the sheet metal blanks—to select a line which is neither too faint nor too bright in the image obtained and which can therefore be used for meaningful analysis.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of welded tubes is provided. The tube bodies are produced in a press or rounding apparatus and are fed to a welding machine, such as a laser or electron beam type welding machine. The tube is formed when the edges of the tube bodies are welded together. The method includes the transfer of the tube bodies from the press or rounding apparatus to the draw-in of the welding machine. One or more transfer modules, each having a separate drive, are used to convey the tube bodies. The one or more transfer modules, which are operated by a common control arrangement, are controlled so that the intermittently formed tube bodies are presented at the draw-in to the welding machine in as nearly continuous a sequence as possible.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling a pair of sheet metal workpieces to be welded is provided that includes a first workpiece holder, a second workpiece holder, at least one backing element, and at least one squeeze roller. The first and second workpiece holders are positioned so that an edge of one of the pair of sheet metal workpieces is in contact with, or separated a gap from, an edge of the other sheetmetal workpiece. The backing element is disposed on a first side of the sheet metal workpieces, and the squeeze roller is disposed on a second side of the sheetmetal workpieces opposite the first side. The squeeze roller is substantially aligned with the backing element. The squeeze roller is formed as a body symmetrical in rotation. Force selectively applied to the squeeze roller will cause plastic deformation of one of the pair of sheet metal workpieces and thereby cause the deformed sheet metal workpiece to extend into the gap.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of welded tubes is provided. The tube bodies are produced in a press or rounding apparatus and are fed to a welding machine, such as a laser or electron beam type welding machine. The tube is formed when the edges of the tube bodies are welded together. The method includes the transfer of the tube bodies from the press or rounding apparatus to the draw-in of the welding machine. One or more transfers modules, each having a separate drive, are used to convey the tube bodies. The one or more transfer modules, which are operated by a common control arrangement, are controlled so that the intermittently formed tube bodies are presented at the draw-in to the welding machine in as nearly continuous a sequence as possible.

Abstract: On a processing apparatus with step-by-step conveying of the articles to be processed and a turning module for the articles, turning is performed transversely with respect to the conveying direction. This allows much space to be saved in the turning arrangement.

Abstract: A method for welding a pair of metal sheets together along an edge of each metal sheet is provided that includes the steps of: 1) determining a line for each of the edges to be welded using one or more sensors; 2) selecting one of the edges to be welded as a dominant edge and the other edge to be welded as a non-dominant edge; and 3) welding the metal sheets together along the dominant edge and the non-dominant edge. The present invention further includes an apparatus capable of performing the present method.

Abstract: A tube welding machine (1) is of modular construction, the individual modules (2, 3, 4, 5) being arranged on a common support rail (6).

Abstract: Where can bodies of sheet metal are welded between the welding rollers of a welding machine, the welding current is not applied to the welding rollers until the body is between the welding electrode rollers. In this way, the quality of the weld at the initial weld point is improved, and where intermediate wire electrodes are used, wire breaks are reliably prevented.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a method and an apparatus for rounding a sheet or plate blank in a rounding apparatus having rounding rolls is provided. A predetermined second part region of the blank is rounded after a predetermined first part region has been rounded. A feed direction of the blank for the rounding of the second part region is selected such that rounding in the second part region proceeds towards the previously rounded first part region.

Abstract: A method for welding a pair of metal sheets together along an edge of each metal sheet is provided that includes the steps of: 1) determining a line for each of the edges to be welded using one or more sensors: 2) selecting one of the edges to be welded as a dominant edge and the other edge to be welded as a non-dominant edge: and 3) welding the metal sheets together along the dominant edge and the non-dominant edge. The present invention further includes an apparatus capable of performing the present method.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling a pair of sheet metal workpieces to be welded is provided that includes a first workpiece holder, a second workpiece holder, at least one backing element, and at least one squeeze roller. The first and second workpiece holders are positioned so that an edge of one of the pair of sheet metal workpieces is in contact with, or separated a gap from, an edge of the other sheetmetal workpiece. The backing element is disposed on a first side of the sheet metal workpieces, and the squeeze roller is disposed on a second side of the sheetmetal workpieces opposite the first side. The squeeze roller is substantially aligned with the backing element. The squeeze roller is formed as a body symmetrical in rotation. Force selectively applied to the squeeze roller will cause plastic deformation of one of the pair of sheet metal workpieces and thereby cause the deformed sheet metal workpiece to extend into the gap.

Abstract: The invention relates first of all to a method for covering areas of damaged protective coating on containers (1) or the like, in which, according to the invention, protective coating material is stamped on to the zone in which the damaged areas occur. The invention also describes an apparatus for carrying out the method in which a carrier unit (12) is provided for stamping protective coating material on to the damaged area. Means (6, 10, 11) are Apparatus is provided for positioning the carrier unit (12) with respect to the container (1).