Abstract: A method is provided for forming an end closure for a surrounding sidewall of a container, such as an aluminum can. The method includes forming a central body panel oriented transversely to the central axis of the can and forming an outer surrounding margin portion joined to the sidewall such that the margin portion has a support section oriented longitudinally relative to the sidewall. A portion of the margin is corrugated to provide a rib structure having longitudinally extending first rib components located on the support section. This method can be accomplished during the ironing and doming of a can.

Abstract: An end closure for a container, such as a beverage or food can, includes a transverse central body panel and a surrounding outer margin joined to the longitudinal side wall of the container body. The margin portion has a support section, and a plurality of spaced rib structures are located on the margin and have portions that extend longitudinally along the support section to reinforce the margin. The end closure can be a lid or an integrally formed bottom for a can body. The margin can have a U-shaped profile with the rib structures located on either the inner or outer wall portion thereof. The rib structures may be flutes defining tear-dropped shaped depressions. The invention contemplates a can body with the end closure forming the bottom thereof. A method is described for forming such end closures and containers.

Abstract: An end closure for a container, such as a beverage or food can, includes a transverse central body panel and a surrounding outer margin joined to the longitudinal side wall of the container body. The margin portion has a support section, and a plurality of spaced rib structures are located on the margin and have portions that extend longitudinally along the support section to reinforce the margin. The end closure can be a lid or an integrally formed bottom for a can body. The margin can have a U-shaped profile with the rib structures located on either the inner or outer wall portion thereof. The rib structures may be flutes defining tear-dropped shaped depressions. The invention contemplates a can body with the end closure forming the bottom thereof. A method is described for forming such end closures and containers.

Abstract: A coating station for an apparatus and method used to coat at least one side of a pontinuous strip of material includes a housing having a conduit that connects to a source of coating material, a fluid dispensing passageway and a wick that contacts the strip. The passageway has an intake port and a discharge port. A metering member is interposed in the passageway, and a drive rotates it about an axis between the intake and discharge ports. The metering member has a metering bore, and a reciprocating metering piston is disposed in the bore. The metering member may be a cylindrical shaft, and one or more metering bores extend diametrically through the shaft with each being provided with a piston to dispense predetermined amounts of coating material onto the strip.

Abstract: A forming apparatus uses counteracting, hydraulically coupled pistons to form a dome structure in the bottom panel of the container, such as a beverage can. A pressure ring is on one piston, and a doming die is on the other piston. The pistons are received in a piston housing that also provides a primary fluid reservoir so that, when one piston moves in one direction to displace fluid, the displaced fluid moves the other piston in the opposite direction. The pistons are coaxial and one is received in the other. Return springs are provided to bias the pistons into a desired orientation. A secondary reservoir may be provided to receive overflow fluid. Here, a first one-way valve sets a threshold so that fluid will flow into the secondary reservoir when the pressure in the primary reservoir exceeds the threshold. A second one-way valve permits fluid to return to the primary reservoir when the return springs move the pistons to a starting orientation.

Abstract: A forming apparatus for doming containers employs a pair of pistons, a pressure ring and doming die. One piston carries the pressure ring, and the other piston carries the doming die. The pistons are mechanically linked so that they move in a counteracting manner thus reducing the stroke distance necessary to dome the container. This further reduces the impact energy on the container. The mechanical linkage is preferably pairs of rack and pinion gears moving the pistons in opposite directions of travel.

Abstract: Apparatus for stripping a cylindrical workpiece, such as a can body, from a cylindrical supporting device, such as a punch in a can body making machine, using a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart fingers which are mounted for radial and linear sliding movement between a non-stripping location and a stripping location.

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: An apparatus and method for necking tubular members such as cans utilizes an inner die that expands to support a neck portion to be formed by an outer die that travels around the neck. The inner die has a plurality of first die elements which may be retracted after the neck is formed so that the inner die may be removed. Selected ones of these first die elements nest with the others in the retracted state. Drive assemblies operate each of the inner and outer dies, and the drive assembly for the inner die operates to differentially drive the first die elements to allow nesting to occur. Preferably, the inner drive assembly employs a reciprocally retracting cam, and the first die elements have cam followers to allow reciprocation. A wedge cam can be used to support the first die element sin the expanded configuration, and a wedge drive moves the wedge cam into and out of position.

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 spherical hydrostatic bearing having a ball mounted in a split socket for substantially friction free movement relative thereto and a linear hydrostatic bearing extending through the ball and having a longitudinal axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the ball for permitting substantially friction free sliding movement of a rod. Also, apparatus is provided for at least limiting rotational movement of the ball around the longitudinal axis of the split socket.

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 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: Apparatus for stripping a cylindrical workpiece, such as a can body, from a cylindrical supporting device, such as a punch of a can body making machine, using a plurality of pivotally mounted fingers which are mounted between a non-stripping location so that the cylindrical workpiece and the cylindrical supporting device may pass through the stripping fingers without contacting the stripping fingers and a stripping location whereat the stripping fingers will contact the leading edge of the cylindrical workpiece to disengage it from the punch and wherein the stripping fingers are formed from a magnetically conductive material and are moved into the stripping location by electromagnetic apparatus.

Abstract: The invention is directed to the punch on the reciprocating ram of a can body making machine wherein the punch is mounted on one end portion of the reciprocating ram so that the punch is capable of rotational movement relative to the reciprocating ram.

Abstract: Apparatus for stripping a cylindrical workpiece, such as a can body, from a cylindrical supporting device, such as a punch of a can body making machine, using a plurality of resilient fingers which are mounted in a circumferentially spaced relationship to provide a circular opening having a diameter less than the outer diameter of the punch so that on the return stroke of the punch, the resilient fingers will be in contact with the outer surface of the punch and will contact the leading edge of the workpiece to disengage it from the punch.

Abstract: A redraw apparatus is provided for a can body making apparatus wherein the redraw carriage of the redraw apparatus is mounted for substantially friction-free sliding reciprocating movement over a pair of spaced apart support posts which are fixedly mounted on the housing holding the can forming and ironing dies. Also, a counterbalancing system is provided for applying a force to counterbalance the weight of a portion of structures used to reciprocate the redraw carriage. Additionally, a raw assembly is provided for supporting a ram for movement through the redraw apparatus and the can forming and ironing dies wherein a pair of spaced apart elongated shafts are fixedly mounted and a ram carriage having the ram attached thereto is provided with liquid bearings using liquid coolant comprising water having solubles contained therein for mounting the ram carriage on the elongated shafts for substantially friction free movement thereover. A guide liquid bearing is also used to ensure proper alignment of the ram.

Abstract: A redraw apparatus is provided for a can body making apparatus wherein the redraw carriage of the redraw apparatus is mounted for substantially friction-free sliding reciprocating movement over a pair of spaced apart support posts which are fixed mounted on the housing holding the can forming and ironing dies. Also, the counterbalancing system is provided for applying a force to counterbalance the weight of a portion of structures used to reciprocate the redraw carriage. Additionally, a ram assembly is provided for supporting a ram for movement through the redraw apparatus and the can forming and ironing dies wherein a pair of spaced apart elongated shafts are fixedly mounted and a ram carriage having the ram attached thereto is provided with liquid bearings using liquid coolant comprising water having solubles contained therein for mounting the ram carriage on the elongated shafts for substantially friction free movement thereover. A guide liquid bearing is also used to ensure proper alignment of the ram.

Abstract: A system for trimming a can body wherein a can body is positioned within a cutting member so that the cutting member is at the location where the can body is to be trimmed. A resilient, deformable object is inserted into the can body and positioned therein so that at least a portion thereof is located radially opposite portions of the can body on each side of the cutting member. The resilient, deformable object is deformed so as to move a first part thereof against a portion of the can body to prevent longitudinal movement of the can body and then to move a second part thereof against the portion of the can body located between the cutting member and the open end of the can body in a radially outward direction so as to sever that portion from the can body.

Abstract: A system for forming a surface configuration, such as a neck and a flange, on a can body adjacent an open end thereof using a mandrel having an outer surface comprising generally cylindrical portions on each side of an annular recess which recess has a surface configuration corresponding to the neck and the flange to be formed. A resilient deformable object is located around the mandrel. A portion of a can body is placed between the mandrel and the resilient, deformable object which is then deformed so as to move a portion of the can body into conformation with the surface of the annular recess. At the same time, a force is applied to a portion of the portion of the can body being deformed to resist the movement thereof so that the portion of the can body in which the neck and flange is being formed is stretched and thinned as it is moved into conformation with the surface of the annular recess.