Abstract: A can body maker apparatus including a stationary support frame; a housing having forming and ironing dies located therein mounted on the support frame; an elongated ram; a reciprocating ram drive; and a redraw assembly which includes a redraw sleeve for supporting a can body preform thereon; a redraw carriage for supporting and axially displacing the redraw sleeve relative the ram; a redraw electromagnetic coil fixedly positioned relative the stationary support frame; and a permanent magnet fixedly mounted with respect to the redraw carriage in displace relationship with the coil along the coil axis for co-acting with the electromagnetic field produced by the coil for controllably reciprocatingly displacing the redraw carriage.

Abstract: A can body maker apparatus including a stationary support frame; a housing having forming and ironing dies located therein mounted on the support frame; an elongated ram; a reciprocating ram drive; and a redraw assembly which includes a redraw sleeve for supporting a can body preform thereon; a redraw carriage for supporting and axially displacing the redraw sleeve relative the ram; a redraw electromagnetic coil fixedly positioned relative the stationary support frame; and a permanent magnet fixedly mounted with respect to the redraw carriage in displaceable relationship with the coil along the coil axis for coacting with the electromagnetic field produced by the coil for controllably reciprocatingly displacing the redraw carriage.

Abstract: A can body maker apparatus of the type having an axially reciprocal ram member and an axially reciprocal redraw carriage comprising a ram position sensing assembly for sensing the position of the ram member and for generating a ram position signal in response thereto; an electromagnetic bearing assembly for frictionlessly radially supporting and aligning one end of the ram member with a predetermined ram displacement path; an electromagnetic redraw carriage actuator for applying magnetic force to the redraw carriage for reciprocating the redraw carriage; and a control assembly for selectively energizing and deenergizing electromagnets in the electromagnetic bearing assembly and the electromagnetic redraw assembly in response to the ram position signal, also, an electromagnetic doming apparatus is provided for shaping the bottom portion of the can body.

Abstract: A control assembly for use in controlling the operation of a can end press of the type having a plurality of operating stations for performing different work operations on a can end passing through the press, each operating station including a fixed station portion and a reciprocally movable station portion which engages a can end mounted on the fixed station portion, comprising: strain gauge operatively associated with at least one of the operating stations for detecting the strain experienced in a portion of the station during press operation and for providing a strain gauge signal indicative thereof; data processing assembly for receiving and processing the signal of the strain gauge for detecting a signal condition conforming to predetermined criteria associated with an abnormal operating state of the press and for providing a control signal responsive to the detected abnormal operating state.

Abstract: A can body maker apparatus of the type having an axially reciprocal ram member and an axially reciprocal redraw carriage comprising a ram position sensing assembly for sensing the position of the ram member and for generating a ram position signal in response thereto; an electromagnetic bearing assembly for frictionlessly radially supporting and aligning one end of the ram member with a predetermined ram displacement path; an electromagnetic redraw carriage actuator for applying magnetic force to the redraw carriage for reciprocating the redraw carriage; and a control assembly for selectively energizing and deenergizing electromagnets in the electromagnetic bearing assembly and the electromagnetic redraw assembly in response to the ram position signal.

Abstract: A control assembly for use in controlling the operation of a can end press of the type having a plurality of operating stations for performing different work operations on a can end passing through the press, each operating station including a fixed station portion and a reciprocally movable station portion which engages a can end mounted on the fixed station portion, comprising: strain gauge operatively associated with at least one of the operating stations for detecting the strain experienced in a portion of the station during press operation and for providing a strain gauge signal indicative thereof; data processing assembly for receiving and processing the signal of the strain gauge for detecting a signal condition conforming to predetermined criteria associated with an abnormal operating state of the press and for providing a control signal responsive to the detected abnormal operating state.

Abstract: A control assembly for use in controlling the operation of a can end press of the type having a plurality of operating stations for performing different work operations on a can end passing through the press, each operating station including a fixed station portion and a reciprocally movable station portion which engages a can end mounted on the fixed station portion, comprising: strain gauge operatively associated with at least one of the operating stations for detecting the strain experienced in a portion of the station during press operation and for providing a strain gauge signal indicative thereof; data processing assembly for receiving and processing the signal of the strain gauge for detecting a signal condition conforming to predetermined criteria associated with an abnormal operating state of the press and for providing a control signal responsive to the detected abnormal operating state.

Abstract: A continuous processing system for performing production operations on a plurality of unit products using at least two discrete processing machines including: an upstream processing machine; a downstream processing machine; an accumulator for transferring unit products between the upstream machine and the downstream machine and for accumulating unit products in tightly packed continuously touching relationship in a variable length area starting at a position adjacent the downstream machine and extending toward the upstream machine, the number of unit products in the tightly packed continuously touching relationship defining a continuous-fill-accumulation; a count-in sensor for sensing each unit product entering the accumulator; a count-out sensor for sensing each unit product exiting from the accumulator; a computer software accumulator model for operating on data derived from the sensor signals and from physical characteristics of the accumulator for continuously predicting the continuous-fill-accmulation; a