US2350824A - Method of making can bodies - Google Patents

Description

June 6, 1944. J RQJO 2,350,824

METHOD OF MAKING CAN BODIES Filed May 18, 1942 r I 1' W, Q 1% I;

9 r I Z Patented June 6, 1944 RIETHOD OF MAKING CAN BODIES Jeslis Miguel Rojo, Habana, Cuba, assig'nor to Continental Can Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application May 18, 1942, Serial No. 443,523

I Claim.

forming body flanges for the attachment of can ends, it has been customary to subject the formed can body to the action of a flange die which is shaped so as to outwardly expand and outwardly roll the edge portions of the can body in the region of the lap sections. This action produces an outwardly curved flange which lies in a plane substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the can body. In following this procedure, considerable diificulty has been encountered in producing a sufficiently tight joint at the lap sections because of the double thickness of metal at these points and also because there is no support at the outside of the can body in the flanging operation. Thus, the lap sections tend to 'separate or open so that leakage is liable to occur.

The principal object of the present invention is to produce a sufliciently tight seam in can bodies of the type referred to above.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of forming can bodies of the above type wherein the lap sections of the solderless side seam are maintained in tight contact during the flanging operation'so as to produce a suflicientiy tight container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of forming can bodies of the above type wherein the body flange in the region of the lap sections is preformed during bumping of the lock seam and prior to completion of the body flange under the action of flanging dies.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a can body prior to the formation of the body flanges.

Figure 2 is a side view with the can body in section, showing the position of the can body between the spline and the bumping iron prior to the bumping operation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged end sectional view of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the can body after the preforming of the body flanges in the region of the lap sections.

Figure 5 isa sectional view throughthe spline and showing the formation of the preformed flange portion during bumping of the lock seam.

Figure 6 is an enlarged end sectional view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the completed flanging operation under the action of a flanging die.

The method of the present invention will be described in connection with the flanging of a can body having a solderless side seam which includes interlocking hooks throughout the major portion thereof and lap sections at the ends of the side seam. This type of container is well known so that only brief reference need be made thereto. As shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing, thecan body ID has the edges thereof secured together by a solderless side seam. This side seam includes interlocking hooks II which form a lock seam. The opposite ends of the side seam are formed by lap sections l2. The can body is preferably cylindrical in shape and is formed in the usual manner about a horn and the hooks II are interlocked after which they are bumped into tight and intimate contact with each other. This is accomplished by placing the interlocked hooks on a spline II! which is carried by the horn (not shown) in the usual manner.

The spline I3 is provided with the usual recess M for receiving the interlocking hooks ll during the bumping operation. The spline is also provided with outwardlyprojecting blocks l5 which are longitudinally spaced along the recess l4 so that the hooks ll fit between the blocks with the lap sections l2 resting on the blocks, as particularly shown ,in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawing. In the position of Figure 2, the can body is in position for the bumping operation which is accomplished by a bumping iron it which has a rib portion l'l terminating at the ends of the hooks II and within the blocks l5 on the spline.

As the bumping iron I 6 is moved toward the spline for bumping the hooks ll forming the lock seam, the outer surface of the rib I! will force the lock seam into the recess M, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The ends Ha of the rib I! provide shoulders which fit within the blocks I5 during the bumping operation so that the lap sections l2 are forced outwardly and in tight contact with one another between the blocks l5 and the shoulders Ila on the bumping iron. 7 This position oi! the can body is shown in Figures 5' and 6 and this bumping action results in the p eiormine of limited flange portions It in the region of the lap sections, as shown in Figure 4. Thus, the body flanges to which the can ends are se t red are partially preformed during the lock s am bumping operation so that the lap sections II are maintained in tight contact with one another.

After the bumping and partial flanging operation, the can body is subjected to the action of a flange die I! (Figure 7) so that the body flange 20 is completed around the edges or the can body and this completed body flange 20 forms a continuation of the preformed flange portion From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides an efllcient method of forming sheet metal can bodies with The initla1 formation of body flange at the lap sections serves to maintain these lap sections in tight contact with each other in order to prevent leakage when the can ends are secured thereto. This preforming of a part of the body flange at the lap sections is accomplished during bumping of the lock section of the side seam and the bumping iron and blocks on the spline are shaped to cooperate with one another in maintaining this tight contact between the flanged lap sections. After this initial preiorming of a part or the body flange, the formed can body is subjected to the action or conventionalwflanflm dies which complete the formation oi-Ethe body flanges as continuations oi the preformed flange portions at the lap sections. He'rtoiore, the lap sections tended to separate or open up during the flanging operation so that leakage was apt to occur but with the present method, the lap sections, are maintained in tight contact with one another during the initial flanging operation and the final flanging operation does not disturb the previously flanged lap sections.

It is to be clearly understood that the method can be carried out with minor variations without distinguishing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

The method oi! forming a sheet metal can body having a solderless side seam including interlocking hooked portions and lapping portions, comprising shaping the can body and engaging the hooked portions, subjecting said engaged hooked portions to pressure for interlocking the same in a tightly-formed seam, simultaneously pressing the lapped portions of the side seams into contact, one with the other, and curving said contacting lapped portions outwardly to form a partial flange and then simultaneously die-shaping the body wall and the partially formed flange into a completed seaming flange extending all away around the end 01 the can bo y.

msfis MIGUEL ROJO.

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