Can body making apparatus

• US 4,976,131 A
• Filed: 04/18/1990
• Issued: 12/11/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stolle Machinery Company LLC (Toyo Seikan Group Holdings, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Adolph Coors Company (Molson Coors Beverage Co.)
• Inventors: Hahn, Roger A., Johansson, Bert E., Grims, Conrad M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Combs, E. Michael
• Application Number:
  US07/510,622
• Time in Patent Office: 237 Days
• Field of Search: 72/344, 72/347, 72/349, 72/449, 72/450, 72/456, 384/12, 384/13, 384/315, 384/316, 413/69
• US Class Current: 72/347
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 22/30 to finish articles formed by deep-drawing
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 51/26 cans or tins; Closing same in a permanent manner making outlet arrangements B21D51/38; welding or soldering B23K

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. Also disclosed in a reciprocating ram which is supported solely by a liquid bearing wherein the liquid bearing using liquid coolant comprising water having solubles contained therein has a sufficient length to ensure the proper alignment of the leading portion of the elongated ram as it engages a can blank in a redraw assembly and moves it through the forming and ironing dies to form an elongated can body.

Claims

1. Can body making apparatus for forming can blanks into elongated can bodies comprising:

a fixedly mounted support frame;

a housing having forming and ironing dies located therein mounted on said support frame;

a redraw assembly;

an elongated ram having a first end portion having a generally cylindrical outer surface for movement into said redraw assembly to contact a can blank in said redraw assembly and to move said can blank out of said redraw assembly and through said forming and ironing dies to form an elongated can body;

said elongated ram having a second end portion;

reciprocating drive means for providing reciprocating linear movement for said elongated ram;

connecting means on said second end position for connecting said elongated ram to said reciprocating drive means;

storage means for holding a liquid;

at least one liquid bearing having a generally cylindrical inner surface having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of said first end portion to provide for sliding movement of said first end portion through said liquid bearing;

conduit means for supplying portions of said liquid to said liquid bearing and for returning portions of said liquid to said storage means;

support means mounted on said support frame for holding said liquid bearing at a fixed location;

said redraw assembly being located between said housing and said liquid bearing; and

said elongated ram being supported solely by said liquid bearing during the reciprocation thereof by said reciprocating drive means.

2. The invention as in claim 1 wherein:

the difference in diameter between said main body portion and said liquid bearing is between about 0.0006 and 0.0012 of an inch.

3. The invention as in claim 1 wherein said liquid bearing comprises:

a front end portion closer to said redraw assembly and a rear end portion closer to said connecting means;

at least two sets of axially spaced apart pocket formations in said generally cylindrical inner surface of said liquid bearing;

at least four equally sized and spaced apart pocket cavities in each of said sets; and

sealing means for forming a seal between said front and rear end portions and said generally cylindrical outer surface of said first end portion of said elongated ram for holding said coolant within said liquid bearing to maintain said pressure therein.

4. The invention as in claim 3 wherein:

said liquid bearing has a length between about 4 to 8 times the diameter of said first end portion of said elongated ram.

5. The invention as in claim 3 wherein:

said front end portion of said liquid bearing is spaced from said redraw assembly when said redraw assembly is at its closest position to said front end portion of said liquid bearing a distance equal to between about 1.0 and 2.0 inches.

6. The invention as in claim 5 wherein:

the pressure of said liquid in said liquid bearing is about 250 psi.

7. The invention as in claim 1 wherein said support means for said liquid bearing comprises:

a pair of spaced apart linearly extending beams mounted on said support frame;

a plurality of spaced apart reinforcing ribs extending between and connected to said pair of spaced apart linearly extending beams;

a central body portion having a generally cylindrical inner surface;

a pair of outwardly projecting flanges on said central body portion and connected to said reinforced ribs and said pair of spaced apart linearly extending beams; and

said liquid bearing mounted in said generally cylindrical inner surface of said central body portion and having a generally cylindrical outer surface radially opposite thereto.

8. The invention as in claim 7 wherein said liquid bearing comprises:

a front end portion closer to said redraw assembly and a rear end portion closer to said connecting means;

at least two sets of axially spaced apart pocket formations in said generally cylindrical inner surface of said liquid bearing;

at least four equally sized and spaced apart pocket cavities in each of said sets; and

sealing means for forming a seal between said front and rear end portions and said generally cylindrical outer surface of said first end portion of said elongated ram for holding said liquid within said liquid bearing to maintain said pressure therein.

9. The invention as in claim 8 and further comprising:

a pair of spaced apart annular passageways located between said central body portion and said liquid bearing and in liquid communication with said inlet means;

a plurality of openings, each of which extends between one of said annular passageways and one of said pocket cavities, for supplying said liquid to said pocket cavities; and

sealing means between said central body portion and said liquid bearing to prevent the escape of said liquid.

10. The invention as in claim 9 wherein said spaced apart annular passageways comprises:

a pair of spaced apart annular recesses formed in said generally cylindrical inner surface of said central body portion;

a pair of spaced apart annular recesses formed in said generally cylindrical outer surface of said liquid bearing; and

said pairs of annular recesses being radially opposite to each other so as to form said spaced apart annular passageways.

11. The invention as in claim 10 wherein:

each of said spaced apart annular recesses having an axial extent equal to the axial extent of said pocket cavities

12. The invention as in claim 10 wherein said sealing means comprises:

a pair of spaced apart annular grooves extending radially inwardly in said generally cylindrical outer surface of said liquid bearing;

each of said pair of annular recesses in said generally cylindrical outer surface of said liquid bearing being located between a pair of said annular grooves; and

an elastomeric O-ring sealing gasket seated in each of said annular grooves and having at least a portion thereof in contact with radially opposite portions of said generally cylindrical inner surface of said central body portion.

13. The invention as in claim 10 and further comprising:

liquid control means in each of said openings extending between said liquid passageways and said pocket cavities for controlling the rate of flow of said liquid into said pocket cavities for maintaining at least said first end portion of said elongated ram at desired temperatures.

14. The invention as in claim 13 wherein:

the pressure of said liquid in said liquid bearing is between 100 and 500 psi.

15. The invention as in claim 14 wherein:

the difference in diameter between said first end portion and said liquid bearing is between about 0.0006 and 0.0012 of an inch.

16. The invention as in claim 1 wherein said redraw assembly comprises:

at least a pair of spaced apart, fixedly mounted support posts mounted at a fixed location;

a redraw carriage having at least a pair of spaced apart bearings fixedly mounted therein;

said pair of spaced apart bearings being slidably mounted on said pair of spaced apart support posts to provide substantially friction-free movement of said redraw carriage; and

redraw reciprocation means for reciprocating said redraw carriage.

17. The invention as in claim 16 wherein:

each of said pair of spaced apart, support posts has a substantially cylindrical outer surface; and

each of said pair of spaced apart bearings has a substantially cylindrical inner surface.

18. The invention as in claim 17 wherein:

each of said pair of spaced apart, support posts has a longitudinal axis parallel to said longitudinal axis of said reciprocating ram; and

each of said pair of spaced apart bearings has a longitudinal axis parallel to said longitudinal axis of said reciprocating ram.

19. The invention as in claim 16 wherein said redraw reciprocation means comprises:

an elongated redraw actuating bar;

connecting means for connecting one end of said redraw actuating bar to said redraw carriage;

a cam follower lever connected to the outer end of said redraw actuating bar;

a cam follower mounted on said cam follower lever;

a rotatable cam mounted for rotation at a fixed location;

rotation means for rotating said rotatable cam; and

force applying means for applying a force to said redraw actuating bar to urge said cam follower against said rotatable cam means to provide said reciprocating movement to said redraw carriage.

20. The invention as in claim 19 and further comprising:

counterbalancing means for applying a force to said elongated redraw actuating bar to counterbalance the weight thereof.