Abstract: Polygonally-shaped blanks useful in making products such as can parts are formed by dividing a relatively wide web of material into a plurality of relatively narrow strips, each strip having longitudinal edges delimited by scroll lines formed from a plurality of straight scroll line sections. The strips can be arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis of the web or at an angle relative thereto. It is also possible to divide the strips into individual blanks at a scrolling station or at a remote can making station. The polygonal shape of the blanks permits them to be designed so as to compensate for earing caused by the anisotropy of the material from which the web is made. Various punches and slitting arrangements can be employed to perforate the web and to longitudinally and laterally cut it so as to form the strip and/or blanks therefrom.

Abstract: Polygonally-shaped blanks useful in making products such as can parts are formed by dividing a relatively wide web of material into a plurality of relatively narrow strips, each strip having longitudinal edges delimited by scroll lines formed from a plurality of straight scroll line sections. The strips can be arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis of the web or at an angle relative thereto. It is also possible to divide the strips into individual blanks at a scrolling station or at a remote can making station. The polygonal shape of the blanks permits them to be designed so as to compensate for earing caused by the anisotropy of the material from which the web is made. Various punches and slitting arrangements can be employed to perforate the web and to longitudinally and laterally cut it so as to form the strip and/or blanks therefrom.

Abstract: A method of, and apparatus for, forming a tapered-wall metal can body by drawing.

Abstract: A can opener (10) has a cutter roll (40) for cutting an outer seam wall (49) of a double end seam (41) securing a can end (43) to a can body (45). A traction roll (20) of the opener (10) is engageable with the end seam (41) and is rotatable to drive the cutter roll (40) about the seam (41). An abutment (52) is provided to engage the end seam (41) to position the center (O.sub.c) of the cutter roll (40) behind that (O.sub.T) of the traction roll (20) in the direction of movement of the opener (10). The two rolls (20,40) have skew axes so that in use the cutter roll (40) cuts into the outer seam wall (49) ahead of a plane (P.sub.1) through the traction roll axis and the cutter roll center (O.sub.c), and so that a generator (51) of the cutter roll's curved surface (48 ) is inclined where the cutter roll (40) contacts the outer seam wall (49) from the cutting edge (50) towards a plane (P.sub.5) containing the top (47).

Abstract: In a rotary turret-type machine, in which operations are performed on successive can body cylinders (8) or the like by a mandrel (159) inside the workpiece co-operating with a beading rail (176), each workpiece is guided smoothly into a cradle (151) which so supports and locates it throughout its stay in the machine that axial movement of the mandrel is unnecessary. Each cradle is reciprocated towards and away from the mandrel by a fixed cam (145). Each cradle has a spring loaded support roller permitting eccentric support of the can body during beading. Each mandrel preferably has a quick-acting coupling (200) permitting temporary radial displacement of the mandrel without loss of parallelism to accommodate a can body side seam. This coupling consists of a spring mounted support plate (305) engaging a register plate (304) through three balls (306) mounted in seats (307) in the rings to give radially-yielding tripod support.

Abstract: A slitting machine for longitudinally slitting sheet tinplate to form blanks for can bodies has two parallel horizontal shafts carrying cutter rolls conventionally arranged in pairs of overlapping rolls so as by a shearing action to slit the sheet tinplate driven to pass between the shafts. The shafts also carry further rolls which may be identical to the cutter rolls but are of a smaller diameter. Like the cutter rolls, these further rolls are arranged in pairs; however, by virtue of their smaller diameter they have a small radial clearance. By partially shearing the tinplate they therefore form the tinplate with lines of weakness parallel to the lines of slitting simultaneously made by the cutter rolls. To accommodate the machine to different thicknesses of tinplate the shaft spacing may be adjustable and/or the rolls may be readily removable for replacement by similar rolls of a different diameter.

Abstract: Apparatus for expanding the mouth of a hollow article, said apparatus comprising a rotary expansion tool and a holding pad reciprocable towards and away from the tool. The rotary expansion tool includes a cage, a plurality of rolls held in equispaced relationship by the cage around an inner race which holds the rolls in rolling engagement with the outer race. Means within the tool cause the rolls to roll within the outer race, each of said rolls having a work portion, extending in an axial direction from the outer race. The work portions enter the mouth of an article pushed into engagement therewith by the pad, to expand the mouth an axial distance determined by the length of a mandrel which serves to guide the article to the rolls. A sleeve shrouds the working surface of the rolls for safety.