Patents by Inventor William T. Saunders

William T. Saunders 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: 6305210
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for fabricating a one-piece can body, with profiled closed end, from flat rolled steel of selected thickness gauge and tensile strength. Such steel substrate is electrolytically metal plated to facilitate sidewall ironing into an elongated sidewall can body for pressurized beverage packs. An axially-recessed bead is formed in the endwall of a drawn cup by pulling sidewall metal for movement into such endwall. That preformed bead being symmetrically positioned in the drawn cup such that a bodymaker redraw of the drawn cup positions sheet metal of the preformed bead so as to constitute a closed end angled portion, which extends from a circular configuration base support toward contiguous sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Saunders, William H. Dalrymple
  • Patent number: 5987951
    Abstract: New technology for fabricating a one-piece cup-shaped can body which is formed free of side wall ironing from can stock comprising flat-rolled sheet metal substrate precoated with protective organic coating and forming lubricant. A plurality of successive diameter-reduction operations are carried out on a planar blank and cup-shaped work product during which side wall height is increased and side wall substrate is decreased in thickness to provide controlled uniformity in side wall substrate thickness over about 85% to about 95% of side wall height for such can body. The fabricating tooling provides for a preselected clearance between a punch peripheral wall and a die cavity internal wall in each of such plurality of diameter-reduction operations to achieve a desired decrease in side wall thickness as the precoated substrate is moved into a die cavity by relative movement of its respective punch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5861215
    Abstract: New composite-coated flat-rolled steel product and new methods of manufacture in which low-carbon steel, as received in cold-reduced continuous strip form is prepared for plating, a corrosion-prevention plating is applied, and a selected polymeric coating with lubricant is applied as the finish surface. The resulting composite-coated steel substrate is cold-rolled to decrease the composite-coated steel substrate gage. Selection of cold rolling steps, with non-use or selected use of stress-relief type of heat treatment before and/or after an initial cold-rolling of the steel substrate as received prior to surface preparation, provides for selective tin mill manufacture of composite-coated steel of various weights per unit area, for example, in the range of about 35 to about 100 lb/bb, produced by cold rolling of the composite-coated flat-rolled steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Saunders, deceased, William H. Dalrymple, Jon F. Grubbs, William L. Johnston
  • Patent number: 5813811
    Abstract: Scoreline, profiling and reinforcing features are provided for an easy-access sheet metal end closure (20) and an integral opener (44). An endwall panel (28) is formed so as to substantially eliminate flexing of the sheet metal during rupture of residual metal of scoreline means defining a U-shaped tear strip (30). Such tear strip is oriented with its arcuately-shaped closed end (32) contiguous to the periphery of such endwall panel -with scoreline legs (34, 35) directed toward a portion at its geometric center (26). The opener is fabricated with a chisel-point (92) at its working end (66) to initiate puncture of such arcuate-shaped scoreline by Class I lever action. Rupturing of the scoreline is followed by pivoting of the opener about a pair of fulcrum points, (82, 83) which contact the panel one each external to a, side of opening 62, with movement of the opening about such fulcrum points rupturing the scoreline legs by Class; II lever action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Saunders, deceased
  • Patent number: 5732850
    Abstract: Draw processing flat-rolled sheet metal substrate preselectively precoated on each surface with organic coating and draw lubricant into one-piece can bodies ready for assembly into sanitary can packs free of any requirement for applying organic coating or adding organic coating for repair purposes after fabrication and before such direct usage. Cupping of precoated flat-rolled sheet metal can stock using preselected tooling configurations and clearance avoids any increase in side wall metal thickness gage. Tension elongation during redraw is controlled over side wall height by clamping solely between planar clamping surfaces, tooling configurations and preselected clearances to decrease thickness gage uniformly over side wall height between flange metal open end of can body and curved transition zone at closed end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Saunders, deceased, William H. Dalrymple
  • Patent number: 5689992
    Abstract: Draw processing flat-rolled sheet metal substrate preselectively precoated on each surface with organic coating and draw lubricant into one-piece can bodies ready for assembly into sanitary can packs free of any requirement for applying organic coating or adding organic coating for repair purposes after fabrication and before such direct usage. Cupping of precoated flat-rolled sheet metal can stock using preselected tooling configurations and clearance avoids any increase in side wall metal thickness gage. Tension elongation during redraw is controlled over side wall height by clamping solely between planar clamping surfaces, tooling configurations and preselected clearances to decrease thickness gage uniformly over side wall height between flange metal open end of can body and curved transition zone at closed end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Saunders, deceased, William H. Dalrymple
  • Patent number: 5688094
    Abstract: Apparatus for use in chime seam joinder of a sheet metal convenience-feature end closure (133) to a sheet metal can body (153) having a non-cylindrical sidewall. Countersunk panel (112) with unitary chuck wall (100) interfit within an open end of the can body. A peripheral scoreline (102) in the countersunk panel, which contiguous to the chuck wall, defines the separable endwall panel. After that separation, substantially no obstruction to removal of solid-pack contents, as a single piece, remains. Seaming chuck tooling (172) provides continuous backing support peripherally along the inner surface of the chuck wall during chime seam joinder. Cutaway shaping (180) of seaming chuck portions 176, 177 eliminates registry concerns as to whether a single longitudinally-rigid integral opener (148), with its working edge (136) contiguous to the panel peripheral scoreline and the chuck wall, is located at either distal end of a centrally located axis (174) of the end closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5674633
    Abstract: New composite-coated flat-rolled steel product and new methods of manufacture in which low-carbon steel, as received in cold-reduced continuous strip form is prepared for plating, a corrosion-prevention plating is applied, and a selected polymeric coating with lubricant is applied as the finish surface. The resulting composite-coated steel substrate is cold-rolled to decrease the composite-coated steel substrate gage. Selection of cold rolling steps, with non-use or selected use of stress-relief type of heat treatment before and/or after an initial cold-rolling of the steel substrate as received prior to surface preparation, provides for selective tin mill manufacture of composite-coated steel of various weights per unit area, for example, in the range of about 35 to about 100 lb/bb, produced by cold rolling of the composite-coated flat-rolled steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Saunders, deceased, William H. Dalrymple, Jon F. Grubbs, William L. Johnston
  • Patent number: 5647242
    Abstract: New technology for fabricating a one-piece cup-shaped can body is formed free of side wall ironing from can stock comprising flat-rolled sheet metal substrate precoated with protective organic coating and forming lubricant. A plurality of successive diameter-reduction operations are carried out a planar blank and cup-shaped work product during which side wall height is increased and side wall substrate is decreased in thickness to provide controlled uniformity in side wall substrate thickness over about 85% to about 95% of side wall height for such can body. The fabricating tooling provides for a preselected clearance between a punch peripheral wall and a die cavity internal wall in each of such plurality of diameter-reduction operations to achieve a desired decrease in side wall thickness as the precoated substrate is moved into a die cavity by relative movement of its respective punch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5626049
    Abstract: Draw processing flat-rolled sheet metal substrate preselectively precoated on each surface with organic coating and draw lubricant into one-piece can bodies ready for assembly into sanitary packs free of any requirement for washing, organic coating or repair of organic coating after fabrication and before such direct usage. Selective organic precoating includes embodying a blooming compound which is made available as draw lubricant responsive to heat and/or pressure of draw forming; also, surface application of a draw lubricant after curing of the organic coating. Combined lubricant on each surface is verified before start of fabricating. Draw-forming of tensile strength sheet metal is controlled over side wall height by clamping solely between planar clamping surfaces and by interruption of draw to establish a flange at the open end of cup-shaped work product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5590993
    Abstract: Scoreline, profiling and reinforcing features are provided for an easy-access sheet metal end closure (20) and an integral opener (44). An endwall panel (28) is formed so as to substantially eliminate flexing of the sheet metal during rupture of residual metal of scoreline means defining a U-shaped tear strip (30). Such tear strip is oriented with its arcuately-shaped closed end (32) contiguous to the periphery of such endwall panel with scoreline legs (34,35) directed toward a portion at its geometric center (26). The opener is fabricated with a chisel-point (92) at its working end (66) to initiate puncture of such arcuate-shaped scoreline by Class I lever action. Rupturing of the scoreline is followed by pivoting of the opener about a pair of fulcrum points (82,83) which contact the panel one each external to a side of opening 62, with movement of the opening about such fulcrum points rupturing the scoreline legs by Class II lever action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Saunders, deceased
  • Patent number: 5590558
    Abstract: Draw processing flat-rolled sheet metal substrate preselectively precoated on each surface with organic coating and draw lubricant into one-piece can bodies ready for assembly into sanitary can packs free of any requirement for applying organic coating or adding organic coating for repair purposes after fabrication and before such direct usage. Cupping of precoated flat-rolled sheet metal can stock using preselected tooling configurations and clearance avoids any increase in side wall metal thickness gage. Tension elongation during redraw is controlled over side wall height by clamping solely between planar clamping surfaces, tooling configurations and preselected clearances to decrease thickness gage uniformly over side wall height between flange metal open end of can body and curved transition zone at closed end. Surface area of the cavity entrance zone for each die is fabricated about multiple radii forming sharp edge about which coated can stock is drawn into each die cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Saunders, deceased, William H. Dalrymple
  • Patent number: 5462396
    Abstract: Convenience-feature sheet metal end closure structure and tooling apparatus including a new scoring tool configuration (94) which enables a peripheral scoreline (102), which defines a separable convenience-feature endwall panel (112), to be located contiguous to the end closure chuck wall (100) which interfits about its periphery with the open end of a container side wall. The resulting convenience-feature endwall panel is separated such that substantially no obstruction to removal of solid-pack contents as a single piece remains. The separable panel (112) can be formed with a multiple-layer fold (127) of sheet metal extending along its periphery so as to shield torn residual metal remaining with the panel after severance along such peripheral scoreline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corp.
    Inventor: William T. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5413645
    Abstract: New composite-coated flat-rolled steel product and new methods of manufacture in which low-carbon steel, as received in cold-reduced continuous strip form is prepared for plating, a corrosion-prevention plating is applied, and a selected polymeric coating with lubricant is applied as the finish surface. The resulting composite-coated steel substrate is cold-rolled to decrease the composite-coated steel substrate gage. Selection of cold rolling steps, with non-use or selected use of stress-relief type of heat treatment before and/or after an initial cold-rolling of the steel substrate as received prior to surface preparation, provides for selective tin mill manufacture of composite-coated steel of various weights per unit area, for example, in the range of about 35 to about 100 lb/bb, produced by cold rolling of the composite-coated flat-rolled steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Saunders, deceased, William H. Dalrymple, Jon F. Grubbs, William L. Johnston
  • Patent number: 5409130
    Abstract: Draw processing flat-rolled sheet metal substrate preselectively precoated on each surface with organic coating and draw lubricant into one-piece can bodies ready for assembly into sanitary packs free of any requirement for washing, organic coating or repair of organic coating after fabrication and before such direct usage. Selective organic precoating includes embodying a blooming compound which is made available as draw lubricant responsive to heat and/or pressure of draw forming; also, surface application of a draw lubricant after curing of the organic coating. Combined lubricant on each surface is verified before start of fabricating. Draw-forming of tensile strength sheet metal is controlled over side wall height by clamping solely between planar clamping surfaces and by interruption of draw to establish a flange at the open end of cup-shaped work product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5347839
    Abstract: New tooling technology for deep drawing one-piece can bodies from flat-rolled sheet metal can stock (58) which is precoated on both surfaces with an organic coating and draw lubricant. A draw die curved-surface cavity (122) entrance is formed using a radius of curvature (132) with a practical maximum of about five times nominal sheet metal thickness gage; and, preferably is formed about multiple radii of curvature (R.sub.L, R.sub.S, R.sub.L) to increase surface area (140) without increasing projection on the clamping plane. Die cavity wall (156) is tapered about 1.degree. to provide increasing cross section with increasing penetration of draw punch (160). Redraw die (90) has a sleeve-like configuration in a cross-sectional plane which includes its central longitudinal axis (70); such configuration enables increase in production rate by enabling coaxial relative movement of such die into work product registry (98,99) which position cups for redraw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5343729
    Abstract: New technology for fabricating a one-piece cup-shaped can body having a protective organic coating as formed. Such can body is formed free of side wall ironing from can stock comprising flat-rolled sheet metal substrate precoated with protective organic coating and forming lubricant. A plurality of successive diameter-reduction operations are carried out on a planar blank and cup-shaped work product under tension during which side wall height is increased and side wall substrate is decreased in thickness to provide controlled uniformity in side wall substrate thickness over about 85% to about 95% of side wall height for such can body. The fabricating tooling provides for a preselected clearance between a punch peripheral wall and a die cavity internal wall in each of such plurality of diameter-reduction operations to achieve a desired decrease in side wall thickness as the precoated substrate is moved into a die cavity by relative movement of its respective punch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5328313
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming a convenience-feature, sheet metal end closure structure (133) for a container body (153) having a non-cylindrical side wall. A new scoring tool (94) configuration enables a peripheral scoreline (102) defining a separable convenience-feature panel (112) to be located contiguous to the closure chuck wall (100) which interfits about its entire periphery with the open end of the side wall of such a container. Separation of such panel leaves substantially no obstruction to removal of solid-pack container. The separable panel (112) is formed with a multiple-layer fold (127) of sheet metal which is nested against the interior periphery of such panel, so as to shield torn residual metal remaining with the panel after severance along such peripheral scoreline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Weirton Steel Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5296127
    Abstract: Composite-coated flat-rolled sheet metal substrate subject to surface oxidation, after surface cleaning and oxidation removal is cathodically E-coated with minimal organic coating to stabilize such surface to prevent oxidation prior to application of protective organic coating finish to provide a total coating weight on each surface selected in the range of about 3 to about 20 mg/in.sup.2 of organic coating per surface. Such E-coat being applied to such substrate after removal of surface oxidation so as to enhance coating adhesion of end product protective organic coating. Lubricant for draw processing is embodied in the protective organic coating as a "blooming compound" or can be precoated after such organic coating to enable draw-processing of articles such as a unitary cup-shaped can body while maintaining desired full surface protective organic coating to meet requirements for such article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Inventor: William T. Saunders
  • Patent number: 5263354
    Abstract: New technology for deep drawing can bodies for use in the manufacture of two-piece cans for food and beverage products from precoated flat-rolled sheet metal can stock in which damage to can stock precoated on both surfaces with an organic coating is avoided and draw-forming of the side wall is controlled to decrease metal requirements. A draw die cavity entrance (47, 74) is selected to provide at least a major portion of its curvilinear surface having a radius of curvature of about five times nominal sheet metal thickness gage, or less, e.g. a maximum radius of curvature of .04 inch is used for the more commonly used can stock materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Inventor: William T. Saunders