Patents by Inventor Donald Artrip

Donald Artrip has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7344347
    Abstract: A system for forming and attaching lift-tabs to can ends to form easy opening lift-tab can ends comprises a first frame, a second frame and a tab press for forming a lift-tab. The system also includes a drive roller adapted to move the strip of metal stock material through the tab press. The system further includes a conversion press for attaching a lift-tab onto a can end, a conveyor, a power source, and a crank shaft operatively connected to the power source. The crank shaft is adapted to transmit power for operating either or both of the tab press and the conversion press. The first frame and the second frame are connected by a bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Inventor: Donald Artrip
  • Patent number: 7237998
    Abstract: A system for forming and attaching lift-tabs to can ends to form easy opening lift-tab can ends comprises a frame and a tab press for forming a lift-tab. The system also includes a drive roller adapted to move the strip of metal stock material through the tab press. The system further includes a conversion press for attaching a lift-tab onto a can end. The system also includes a conveyor, a power source, and a crank shaft operatively connected to the power source. The crank shaft is adapted to transmit power for operating either or both of the tab press and the conversion press. The tab press is adapted to operate independent of the conversion press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Inventor: Donald Artrip
  • Patent number: 7237999
    Abstract: A system for forming and attaching lift-tabs to can ends to form easy opening lift-tab can ends comprises a first frame, a second frame and a tab press for forming a lift-tab. The system also includes a drive roller adapted to move the strip of metal stock material through the tab press. The system further includes a conversion press for attaching a lift-tab onto a can end, a conveyor, a power source, and a crank shaft operatively connected to the power source. The crank shaft is adapted to transmit power for operating either or both of the tab press and the conversion press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Inventor: Donald Artrip
  • Patent number: 7234907
    Abstract: A system for forming and attaching lift-tabs to can ends to form easy opening lift-tab can ends comprises a frame and a tab press for forming a lift-tab. The system also includes a drive roller adapted to move the strip of metal stock material through the tab press. The system further includes a conversion press for attaching a lift-tab onto a can end, a conveyor, a power source including a tab press power source, and a crank shaft operatively connected to the tab press power source. The crank shaft is adapted to transmit power for operating either or both of the tab press and the conversion press. The tab press crank shaft and the conversion press crank shaft are connected to each other by a drive belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Inventor: Donald Artrip
  • Patent number: 6022179
    Abstract: A press assembly for forming and attaching lift-tabs to can ends to form lift-tab can ends. A tab press is mounted on a frame for forming at least one lane of lift-tabs in a strip of metal stock material wherein the strip of metal stock material with the formed lift-tabs loosely attached thereto exits the tab press and is passed through either a half-twist or a half-loop to an inverted condition thereby inverting the tabs within the strip. The strip of metal stock material is further conveyed into a conversion press wherein the lift-tabs are detached from the strip and attached to the can ends. Another method of inverting and thereafter transporting the lift-tabs into the conversion press is to pass a non-inverted strip of metal stock material containing the lift-tabs into a tab punching station where the lane of lift-tabs is punched from the strip of metal stock material into a stacked lane of formed lift-tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Inventor: Donald Artrip
  • Patent number: 5511920
    Abstract: A system and process for use when forming lift-tab can end assemblies wherein each can end assembly includes a lift tab having a smooth side, an opposite roughened side and a hole extending between the sides and a can end having a protruding shaft integrally formed in one face thereof utilizes a guide system for inverting a strip of metal stock through about 180.degree. as the strip is conveyed between one workstation at which lift tabs are pre-formed therein and another workstation at which the tabs are punched, so as to sever the tabs from, the strip. The punched tabs are thereafter collected in a stacked relationship and directed to a position adjacent still another workstation at which the tabs are attached, by way of the tab holes and the can end shafts, to the can ends. By inverting the strip of metal stock during the assembly-forming process, the tabs are inverted from a smooth-side-down condition to a smooth-side-up condition for attachment to the can end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Inventor: Donald Artrip