Abstract: A plastic resealable closure includes a base plate affixed to a can, a middle plate having a plug, and a top plate having a support ring. The support ring expands or supports the plug to enhance sealing. The top plate includes prongs that are insertable into recesses on the base plate to enhance closing. The closure is applied without heating of the tool or the closure.

Abstract: This invention relates to a can end (1) providing improved tab access for a consumer. A further aspect of the present invention relates to a container incorporating such a can end (1). The can end (1) includes a moveable portion (30) located beneath all or part of the handle (20b) of the can end, with the moveable portion deformable from an ‘up’ position (30a) to a ‘down’ position (30b) to provide increased tab access for a consumer. The can end (1) is provided with one or more downwardly inclined annular steps (31), which has been found to greatly increase the force required to deform the panel from the ‘down’ to the ‘up’ position, therefore resulting in a far greater likelihood of the consumer receiving a container (40) incorporating the can end (1) with the moveable portion (30) in the ‘down’ position (30b), thereby facilitating tab access.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a two-part article from a cup (1) formed from a single sheet metal blank. The method includes forming a “V”-shaped groove (15) by pressing and rolling an anvil (25) on one side of the cup sidewall (3), against one or more cutting rings (21) on the opposite side of the sidewall. Generally, this stage is followed by a second stage, which cuts the cup (1) into a separate ring (11) and shallower cup (10). This second stage enables profiled edges (17, 18) such as slight bends or flares to be formed which are beneficial when flanging or curling of the edges is subsequently required.

Abstract: A two-part closure (1) which has a disc (2) and a skirt (3). In one example, the skirt wall is smooth between upper and lower rims so that the disc is moveable between the rim features. Typically in a metal skirt or ring, the upper rim feature is a curl (11) and the lower rim feature is a curled edge (12) with equi-spaced lugs (13) on the skirt wall.

Abstract: A reclosable metal container in the style of a bottle-shaped can has a conventional can body of steel or aluminum to which a metal neck component is seamed. A sleeve of plastics fits over the neck component and a detent inside the sleeve clips it onto the seam. The upper edge of the sleeve is fixed in place by a curl on the upper edge of the neck component. By using a separate neck component and hiding the seam under a sleeve, conventional sizes and material gauges can be used for the can body. Thicker material may be used for the neck component in order to withstand necking forces. Threads for closing the container may be provided either on the sleeve or, in an embodiment where the sleeve is simply used to cover the seam, on a cylindrical part of the neck component itself.

Abstract: A horizontal can necking machine assembly includes a plural of main turrets and a plural of transfer starwheels. Each main turret includes a main turret shaft, a main gear mounted on the main turret shaft, a pusher assembly, and a die capable of necking a can body upon actuation of the turret shaft. Each transfer starwheel includes a transfer shaft and a transfer gear mounted on the transfer shaft. The main gears are engaged with the transfer gears such that lines through the main gear center and the centers of opposing transfer gears form an included angle of less than 170 degrees, thereby increasing the angular range available for necking the can body. The main turrets and transfer starwheels may operate to neck and move at least 2800 cans per minute, and each pusher assembly may have a stroke length relative to the die that is at least 1.5 inches.

Abstract: An assembly for can manufacture includes a toolpack having coolant dies (3,4,5,6) adjacent and either side of ironing dies (1,2) so that coolant may be circulated around cavities in the coolant dies so as to cool the ironing die inserts (12). Generally, the toolpack is used in conjunction with a ram (20), coolant tube assembly (30) and ram guidance assembly (60) which together ensure that the ram is cooled along its entire length, up to and including the punch nose (21).

Abstract: This invention relates to a self-heating or self-cooling container (1), which uses an exothermic or endothermic re-action to provide or remove heat from the contents of the container. The chemical reaction includes a fluid consistuent (either as a reagent or solvent), held in a reservoir (6), which is added to another reagent in the reaction chamber (5) to initiate the reaction. The container (1) according to the invention proposes a means (8, 91) to control the volume of this fluid constituent added to the reaction chamber (5) depending on the ambient temperature of the container.

Abstract: A self-cooling can comprising an evaporator unit within the can and an absorber unit provided outside the container body. A beverage within the can is cooled by means of vapor which passes from the evaporator to the absorber when these are connected so as to provide a vapor path between the two. The path for water vapor, for example, to pass from the evaporator to the absorber is formed by rupturing a pane between the evaporator and the absorber when the can and part or all of the absorber are rotated relative to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus, for forming a container body from a sheet metal component, comprises a punch 31, an annular die 10, axially aligned with the punch, and an annular blankholder 32 surrounding the punch so arranged that relative motion as between the blankholder 32 and an end face 12 of the die restrains the periphery of the sheet metal component as the punch enters the annular die; the die 10 has a spherical bearing surface 17 centered on the longitudinal punch axis, and a die holder 20 has an arcuate surface 22 to co-operate with the spherical surface 17 of the die to impose a restraining force on sheet metal between the die face 12 and the blankholder, 32.

Abstract: An annular device (10) particularly for use as a spacer between dies (200) in a drawing and wall ironing process, the device including an outer delivery channel (30) which is linked to an inner delivery channel (40) by angled slots (50), so that liquid passing from the outer to the inner channel merges in the inner channel to form a vortex of fluid. The device also includes a lip (42) on the wall of the inner channel adjacent to the bore of the device, which serves as directing means to force the merged vortex of liquid out of the spacer in a longitudinal manner for cooling, lubricating and washing adjacent members.