Abstract: Improved apparatus for forming multilayered thermoplastic articles employing a blow slot equipped, porous metal section equipped core rod. In addition to control means, the apparatus employs means for opening and closing the blow slot of the core rod, detachable connection means for connecting an internal fluid passageway in said core rod with a vacuum source, and other detachable connection means for connecting such internal fluid passageway with a pressurized fluid source. In addition, check valve means is provided for closing said internal fluid passageway when the internal fluid passageway is detached from the detachable connection means joining such with a vacuum source. The vacuum source is connectable with the core rod at the time of liner loading and the pressurized fluid source is connected with the core rod at the time of blow molding.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for molding and curing liners in cap closures includes a molding head having a plurality of molding stations, a feeding mechanism for feeding unlined caps with charges of lined material to the molding head and a take-off mechanism for removing the completed liner. The feeding mechanism consists of a dispensing unit which is capable of dispensing more than one-thousand charges of material per minute and includes a gun having a lining compound receiving chamber with a needle reciprocated therein. The needle is normally biased to a closed position and is electrically moved to an open position through a solenoid and a photosensing mechanism which accurately senses the position of a rotating wheel of the feeding mechanism.

Abstract: A domer assembly for use with a punch reciprocable along a path on a frame of an ironing machine to reform an end wall of a container includes a center domer element surrounded by an annular element that projects beyond the surface of the center element with separate support means for the respective elements. The support means consists of a first support member carrying the center domer element with resilient compressible members interposed between the support member and the frame and a second support member supporting the annular element and also having a resilient member between the frame and the support. The respective resilient compressible members are identical in construction and are exposed so that they can readily be inspected, with independent separately pressurizable means for the respective compressible members.

Abstract: In the manufacture of extra thin walled plastic containers the tail flash formed during the molding operation is spaced from the container proper by molding one or more standoff projections into the flash. This maintains the tail flash in an appropriate relationship relative to the container until it can be severed by a shearing mechanism. The projections are formed in the tail flash by providing male and female projection elements in the mold. In the absence of such standoffs, the tail flash will come in contact with the container while still sufficiently hot enough to adhere thereto.

Abstract: A drawing and ironing assembly consists of a redraw assembly, at least one ironing assembly and a stripper assembly that cooperate with a punch to redraw a cup and then iron the sidewall thereof. The redraw assembly includes a support and a redraw ring which are also biased to a centered position and a floating air bearing is defined between the support and the frame surface to reduce friction while a nesting ring is located adjacent the redraw ring. Lubricating means are provided for creating a generally circumferential flow into the opening in the nesting ring. The stripper assembly includes a support which carries the stripper elements and the support is biased to a centered position with respect to a predetermined axis or path for the punch and fluid is supplied to relatively movable surfaces to assist in reducing friction.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for draw molding elongated hollow articles from thermoplastic material which is desirably stretch moldable plastic sheet or film. The material is draw molded on an elongated mandrel. Draw ring means are operated cooperatively with the mandrel for drawing the thermoplastic material into an elongated hollow article. Gaseous jet stream doctoring means are operated during drawing for controlling the article wall thickness. The material may be drawn through a wiper ring through which the mandrel is moved with the thermoplastic material during draw molding in combination with subjecting the outer surface of the article being drawn to the action of the doctoring jet stream from an annular orifice. Internal fluid conditioning of the mandrel, as well as alternate negative pressure within the article during molding and stripping pressure from the mandrel into the article at conclusion of molding cycle are provided for. The draw molding is effected without clamping the thermoplastic material.

Abstract: An ironing die for use with a punch to reduce the wall thickness of the sidewall of the metal cup includes a body which has a circular opening therein extending from the leading surface to a trailing surface that are parallel to each other and the opening has a land spaced from both surfaces which defines a minimum diameter for the opening. The opening also has a cylindrical portion between the land and the trailing surface which has a diameter slightly larger than the minimum diameter to guide the cup after the free edge moves past the land. The opening is also flared outwardly between the land and the leading surface to produce an entry portion which guides the cup to a centered position with respect to the ironing land. In one embodiment, the wall which defines the opening also has a cut out portion between the land and the cylindrical portion.

Abstract: A process for thermoforming laminated hollow articles including a plurality of processing steps wherein a thermoplastic material heated to a plastic state is selectively deposited area-wise on a sheet of thermoplastic material and such resulting laminate of thermoplastic materials is positioned proximate to a female mold of a thermoforming apparatus including preferably a plug assist for a subsequent forming of laminated hollow articles.

Abstract: A new tamper-proof closure includes a cap having a plurality of circumferentially spaced slits separated by bridges with a plurality of lines of weakness extending perpendicular to the slits and aligned with the respective bridges. The lines of weakness have a residual thickness which varies between opposite ends.

Abstract: A container end formed from metal having an approximate thickness of 0.0120 inches which is capable of withstanding at least 90 psi buckle pressure and at least 60 psi rock pressure is disclosed herein. A container end panel includes a peripheral curl surrounding a substantially flat center panel with a countersink therebetween. The countersink has inner and outer substantially flat walls that are interconnected by an arcuate portion that has a radius of approximately 0.030 inches and the inner wall is connected to the periphery of the center panel through an arcuate portion that has a radius of approximately 0.025 inches. The outer flat wall has a length which is greater than the length of the inner flat wall and the outer flat wall defines an angle of less than five degrees with respect to a plane that extends perpendicular through the center flat panel. The inner flat wall has a length to locate the lower edge of the countersink about 0.

Abstract: An easy open ecology end consisting of a removable section defined in an end panel and a tab for severing the removable section is disclosed herein. The removable section or disc is defined by a weakened score line and the tab has an opening edge aligned with at least a part of the inner edge of the score line with the opening edge having primary contact means for producing initial rupture of the score line. The tab is attached to the end using a unique method which will produce internal stresses in the metal of the tab so that the tab is constantly urged toward the surface of the end. The tab also has an opening therein aligned with the removable section and is designed to be locked into the opening created by severing the weakened line.

Abstract: A cup holder sleeve and its support assembly for use in a drawing and ironing machine that has a circular bore and is supported for radial as well as tilting movement of the axis of the elongated bore with respect to the support. The support includes a pair of members that cooperate to define a recess surrounding a circular opening and an enlarged portion of the cup holder sleeve is received into the recess and cooperates with a cupper support element. The cup holder support element and cup holder sleeve are normally radially centered with respect to the opening by centering springs and the cup holder sleeve is normally maintained in engagement with the support element by hold-down springs. The cup holder sleeve and support element can be moved radially while the cup holder sleeve can be tilted with respect to the support element and all of the elements are normally maintained in a predetermined position by the centering springs and the hold-down springs.

Abstract: A new tamper-proof closure and apparatus for forming such tamper-proof closures is disclosed herein. The closure includes a cap having a plurality of circumferentially spaced slits separated by bridges with a plurality of lines of weakness extending perpendicular to the slits and aligned with the respective bridges. The lines of weakness have a residual thickness which varies between opposite ends. The apparatus includes a cutting and scoring tool having a first elongated member that defines a cutting edge which has spaced V-shaped recesses and a second member having an elongated surface extending across each of the recesses with the elongated surface having a plurality of projections that extend perpendicular to the cutting edge and are centrally spaced with respect to the V-shaped recesses.

Abstract: A domer assembly which cooperates with the punch of a drawing and ironing machine to reform an end wall of a container includes a support that has a flat supporting surface defined in the bottom of a recess and a carrier element having a cooperating surface engaging the flat bottom surface. A domer element is supported on the carrier element and both are movable as a unit radially of the path of movement of the punch and are normally centered with respect to the axis of the punch through biasing springs which will accommodate radial movement. The assembly also includes means for supplying air between the surfaces to act as a fluid bearing and reduce friction.

Abstract: There is disclosed a thermoforming process and apparatus or machine including a male mold assembly and a pressure box or a female mold assembly disposed on support members or platens maintained in fixed relationship to each other whereby the pressure box assembly is first caused to pass through the plane of the heated plastic material whereafter the male mold then is caused to move into the pressure box together with the simultaneous introduction of controlled amounts of a pressurized fluid until complete interrelationship is attained with relative movement of the male mold to the pressure box being continued to a point proximate the plane of heated thermoplastic material as more clearly hereinafter discussed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a seamless container having a sidewall and an integral end wall with opening means in the integral end wall is disclosed herein. The method contemplates forming at least one substantially closed area of reduced thickness in the end wall to produce a fracturable web that defines an opening means during the conversion of a flat disc to a finished container. In one form, the method contemplates initially forming a shallow cup and then forming the opening means in the end wall of the shallow cup before the cup is converted into a drawn and ironed container. In another form, the opening means is formed while the container end wall is being reformed into its final configuration and in a further version, the end opening means is formed in the end wall after completion of the drawing and ironing process. The finished container includes a reformed end wall that is integral with a circular sidewall of a container and has a fracturable web surrounding a protuberance.

Abstract: A method of forming a removable section in a metal wall portion of a container is disclosed herein. A first, area of reduced cross-section is coined the wall portion outside the first coined area and most of the displaced metal is forced inside the first area so that the portion inside the first area is in compression and is substantially dish-shaped in cross section, a weakened line is then produced in the first area to define a removable section.

Abstract: An easy open ecology end consisting of a removable section defined in an end panel and a tab for severing the removable section is disclosed herein. The removable section or disc is defined by a weakened score line and the tab has an opening edge aligned with at least a part of the inner edge of the score line with the opening edge having primary contact means for producing initial rupture of the score line. The tab is attached to the end using a unique method which will produce internal stresses in the metal of the tab so that the tab is constantly urged toward the surface of the end. The tab also has an opening therein aligned with the removable section and is designed to be locked into the opening created by severing the weakened line.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for making a drawn and ironed container from a circular blank is disclosed herein. The process contemplates flowing a fluid medium through the punch of a drawing and ironing machine and maintaining the fluid medium at a predetermined temperature above the initial ambient temperature of a cup that is converted into a drawn and ironed container. The process also includes cooling the ironing dies by flowing a liquid through grooves located in the rings of the dies and the rings are made of tungsten carbide. The grooves in the ironing dies are non-radial with respect to the center of the opening in the ring so that the fluid has a tangential component of flow and flows in a generally circular pattern within the peripheral confines of the die opening.

Abstract: An internal diameter gauge for measuring thin wall containers is disclosed herein. The gauge includes a pair of mandrel halves that are supported between a shaft and a housing with cooperating camming surfaces on the mandrel halves, the housing and the shaft which move the peripheral semi-circular surfaces of the mandrel halves radially. The camming surfaces on the housing and shaft are biased toward each other through a biasing mechanism between the shaft and the housing while the mandrel halves are biased toward each other through a further biasing mechanism and a handle cooperates with the shaft to displace the shaft and allow the mandrel halves to contract.