US1865144A - Method of and tool for applying bail ears to sheet metal - Google Patents

Description

June 28, 1932. H. SEBELL 1,865,144

METHOD OF AND TOOL FOR APPLYING BAIL EARS TO SHEET METAL ,Filed Feb. 1, 1950 Fig-3 Fig.2.

26 m 1596 14 m5 6 m s I r 4 I" 7 lnvenTor. Harry 8 shall Patented June 28, 1932 v NITED STATES ATNT OFFICE HARRY SEBELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHU$ETTS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF "IQ ARTHUR H. PARKER, 0F LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS METHOD OF AND TOOL FOR APPLYING- BAIL EARS TQ SHEET METAL Application filed February 1, 1930. Serial Ito. MEAN.

This invention relates to the securing of a annular rib formed in the sheet metal and bail ear to the sheet metal which forms the side walls of a pail or Container and is in the nature of an improvement on the method and tool shown in my co-pending application Serial lllo. 416,521, filed December 26, 1929.

ln said application is described a method ot applying an ear forv a hail of a pail or other container which consists in forming an annular or circular rib in the metal which constitutes the side wall of the pail, placing the cup-shaped ear member within said rib and then acting on the exterior of the rib to reduce its diameter and fold it over the periphery ot the ear thereby locking the ear in place. In the device of said application this folding of the rib over the periphery of the.

ear was accomplished by applying a rolling pressure through balls to the exterior of the rib, the balls rotating about the rib. and at the same time having a movement relative to the rib parallel to the axis'of the ear thereby to gradually reduce the diameter of the rib and told it over the edge of the ear.

In accordance with the present invention this reduction or the diameter of the rib by t'll dtl applied thereto;

which it is folded; over the edge of the ear is accomplished by giving the balls a radial movement inwardly as the spinning operation is carried out, this procedure resulting in more effectively reducing the diameter of the rib and locking it over the edge of the ear than it the balls had no radial movement. ln order to give an understanding of the invention l have illustrated in the drawing a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described atter which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container in the form of a pail having my improved ear j Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the ear showing the bail at tached thereto;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a tool embodying my present invention and showing how it operates on the annu ar rib to fold the latter over the edge of the ear Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the ready to receive the ear;

Fig. 5is a sectional view of the tool shown in Fig. 3 and showing the position of the parts before it is applied to the ear.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of Fig. 5

Figs. 7. 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary views illustrating the operation of spinnin the rib over the periphery out the ear, Fig. illustrating the beginning of the spinningoperation which is also illustrated in Fig. 3., Fig. 8 illustrating the intermediate stage and Fig. 9 the final stage.

Fig. 1 illustrates a container 1 in the form of a pail which is provided with a bail 2 and an ear 3 to receive the end of the bail and to which the bail ispivoted. This car 3 is a circular dish-shaped member which is secured to the side wall 4 of the pail l by formin in the material of the wall 4 an annular fol 5 which overlies the periphery 6 of the ear 3. Said ear has the usual ball-receiving opening 7 in which the end 8 of the bail 2 is received.

The present invention relates to a novel method of forming the fold 5 over' the periphery 6 of the ear. The first step in the operation is.to form anannular rib 9 in the material t constituting the side wall of the pail l as shown-in Fig. 4 and this rib 9 may be formed in the material 4 either before it is made into a pail or after the pail has been made.

Tn either event, after the rib Q'has been produced then the ear member 3 is placed within the rib asshown in Fig. 3 and the rib is spun over the periphery of the ear thereby locking the ear to the material 4%.

This spinning of the rib over the periphery of the ear is accomplished by a two-stage operation somewhat similar to that illustrated and described in my co-pending application the first stage bein that of reducing the diameter of the rib an partially folding it over the peripheryfi' of the ear and the second stage being the flattening of the folded-over rib down againstthe periphery of the ear. In thus spinningthe rib over the periphery of the ear I propose to employ a rality of balls adapte rotary tool which is provided with ,a pluto act on the outer wall of the rib, said balls not only rotating around the outer wall of the rib but also having an inward radial movement which results in reducing the diameter of the rib and in effectively spinning the rib over the edge of the ear.

Following the operation of the balls in thus reducing the diameter of the rib is the flattening of the peak of the rib against the periphery of the ear as described in the abovementioned application.

The tool herein illustrated by which the rib is thus spun over the edge of the ear and flattened thereagainst is indicated generally at 10 and it comprises a tool body having the outer section 11 and the inner presser section 12 movable axially of the outer section 11.

Situated within the presser section 12 is a ball holder member 13 which is provided with recesses 14 to receive the balls 15 that perform the spinning operation and other recesses 16 to receive rolls 17 that perform the flattening operation.

The presser member 12 is formed with a surface 19 against which the balls rest and the outer member 11 is formed with an annular cylindrical wall 20 and a conical wall 21 extending inwardly and downwardly from the wall 20. The inclined wall 21 serves to give the balls their inward radial movement during the spinning operation as will be presentl described.

sltuated axially of the ball-holding member 13 is a hold-down pin 22 which serves to hold the ear 3 in place while the rib 9 is being spun over the edge thereof. This pin 22 is provided with a collar. 23 adapted to engage the back side of the stem portion of the ball holder and said collar is engaged by a spring 24 which is confined in a recess 25 in the presser member 12.

Fig. 5 shows the parts in their normal position when the tool is not being used, the expansion of the spring 25 at such times forcing the ball holder 13 forwardly so that the balls 15 and rolls 17 are at the lower end of the inclined face 21. In using the tool the ear 3 is first placed within the rib 9 as shown in Fig. 3 and the tool is then placed over the rib and ear.

The balls 15 engage the outer face of th rib and as the face 26 of the toolis brought against the material 4 the balls 15 and ball carrier 13 will be forced backwardly against the action of the spring 25 into the position shown in Fig. 3. a

At this time the balls are resting on the outer Wall of the rib at a point below the peak of the rib as seen in Figs. 3 and 7 and they are also engaging the end wall 19 of sure is applied to the presser member 12.

The rotation of the tool causes the balls to travel around the outer face of the rib 9 and the pressure against the presser member 12 causes the balls to apply pressure to the rib 9 which reduces the diameter of the rib and spins the peak thereof inwardly.

As the spinning operation continues the presser member 12 travels axially of the outer member 11 thereby forcing the balls 15 against and downwardly along the inclined surface 21. This causes the balls to have an inward radial movement as well as a downward movement and these continued movements serve to contract the diameter of the rib 9 and bend the peak thereof somewhat over the edge 6 of the ear 3. This downward and inward movement of the balls continues until they reach the position shown by the dotted lines Fig. 9.

During the latter part of the spinning operation by the balls the rolls 17 engage the peak of the rib 9 after it has been partially spun over the edge of the ear thereby flattening said peak down against the edge of the ear and forming the fold 5 of the metal which has the firm interlock with the edge 6 of said ear. These rolls 17 have a diameter slightly less than that of the balls but they travel on the same surface 19 of the presser member. Hence the rolls do not engage the rib until the latter has been reduced somewhat in diameter and partially bent over the edge 6 of the ear.

Fig. 8 shows approximately the position of the balls 15 and the condition of the rib 9 when the rolls begin to operate on said rib and during the final downward and inward movement of the balls the rolls work on the peak of the rib and thus form the latter into the fold 5 which firmly embraces the edge of the ear.

By giving the rolls the inward movement occasioned by the inclined walls 21 as well as the downward movement it is possible to use a shallower rib 9 or one of less height and yet produce a firm union between the ear and the material 4 than would be the case if the balls had no inward radial movement during the spinning operation. Such inward movement works the material of the rib inwardly from the outer face and thus reduces the diameter of the rib to a greater extent than if the balls had no such inward radial movement. Because of this greater reduction in the diameter of the rib during the spin ning operation a firmer union between the ear and the material 4 may be made with a rib having a lesser height or dimension perpendicular to the material 4.

In carrying out the above operations practically it is found that there is less liability of cracking or breaking the metal in making a rib of lesser height than in making a deeper rib and, therefore, the invention of this application is of special advantage in attaching an ear to a container that is to be hermetis cally sealed.

I claim:

1. The method of applying an ear member to sheet metal to form an'ear for a bail which consists in forming an annular rib in said sheet metal, placing an ear member within said rib, applying a rolling pressure through balls to the outer face of the rib to reduce the diameter thereof, and simultaneously causing "the balls to move inwardly in a radial direction thereby to reduce the diameter of the rib and fold it partially over the edge of the ear member and then applying a pressure to the partially-folded rib to flatten it against the periphery of the ear.

2. A tool for attaching an ear member to sheet metal by folding an annular rib over the edges of said ear member, said tool comprising an outer member, an inner presser member movable axially of the outer member, said outer member having a ball race provided with a circular wall and with a downwardly and inwardly extended wall and the presser member being provided with a ball race at its end, a ball holder having ball-receiving recesses, balls in said recesses, said balls engaging the races of the .presser member and outer member respectively, movement of the presser member axially of the outer member while the tool is rotating serving to press the balls against the outer face of the annular rib and simultaneously cause said balls to travel inwardly in a radial direction thereby reducing the diameter of the rib and folding it over the edge of the ear member.

3. A tool for securing an ear member to sheet metal by folding an annular rib over the periphery of the ear member, said tool comprising a rotatable tool body, a plurality of balls carried thereby to act on the outer face of said rib as the tool rotates, means operative upon application of pressure to the tool body to cause the balls to press against the outer face of the rib during the rotation of said tool body and also to cause the balls to move inwardly radially as they operate on said outerface, whereby the rib is reduced in diameter and folded over the peripheral edge of the ear member.

41:. A tool for securing an ear member to sheet metal by folding an annular rib over the periphery of the ear member, said tool comprising a rotatable tool body, a plurality of balls carried thereby to act on the outer face of said rib as the tool rotates, means to press the balls against the outer face of the rib during the rotation of the tool body and rolling means to act on the folded rib to flatten it'against said edge.

5. A tool for securing an ear member to sheet metal by foldin an annular rib over the peripheral edge '0 the ear member, said tool comprising a rotatable tool body, a plurality of balls carried thereby to act on the outer face of said rib as the tool body rotates and pressure is applied thereto, means to cause the balls to move inwardly radially during their rolling engagement under pressure with the outer face of said rib, whereby the rib is reduced in diameter and partially folded over the peripheral edge of the ear member, and rolls carried by said tool body engaging the partially-folded rib and operating to flatten said rib against said periph eral edge.

6. A tool for securing an .ear member to sheet metal by folding an annular rib formed on the sheet metal over the peripheral edge of the'ear member, said tool comprising a rotatable tool body formed with a ball race provided with an exterior wall having a cylindrical portion and an inwardly-inclined portion, a plurality of balls operating in said ball race and adapted to engage the outer face of said rib as the tool rotates, means to apply pressure to said balls during their engagement with said outer face to force the balls against said inwardly-inclined portion of the outer. wall of the ball race thereby to cause the balls to move inwardly radially as they I rotate, whereby the rib is deformed by being reduced in diameter and bent over the peripheral edge of the ear member.

7. A tool for securing an ear member tosheet metal .byfolding an annular rib formed on the sheet metal over the peripheral edge of the ear member, said tool comprising a rotatable tool body formed with a ball race provided with an exterior wall having a cylindrical portion and an inwardly-inclined portion, a plurality of balls operating in said ball race and adapted to engage the outer face of said rib as the tool rotates,

means to apply pressure to said balls during rib against said peripheral edge.

8.- A tool for attaching an ear member to sheet metal by folding an annular rib over the edges of said ear member, said tool comprising an outer member, an inner presser member movable axially of the outer member, said outer member having a ball race provided with a circular wall and with a downwardly and inwardly extended wall and the presser member being provided with a ball race at its end, a ball holder having ballreceiving recesses, balls in said recesses, said balls engaging the races of the presser member and outer member respectively, movement of the presser member axially of the outer member while the tool is rotating serving to press the balls against the outer face of the annular rib and simultanenously causing said balls to travel inwardly in a radial direction thereby reducing the diameter of the rib and folding it over the edge of the ear member, and rollers carried by said ball holder to act on said rib after it is thus folded over the edge of the ear member and flatten said rib against said edge.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY SEBELL.

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