US1434417A - Can-flattening machine - Google Patents

Description

D. H. WARD.

CAN FLATTENING MACHINE. APPLICATIDN FILED SEPf-ZO, I920- RENEWED MAY 3' I922- Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

Emma/for MMEM 'D. H. WARD. CAN FLATTENING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1920. RENEWED MAY 3. 1922.

Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

D. H. WARD.

CAN FLATTENING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1920. RENEWED MAY 3. 1922.

1,434,417. Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEE'I 3.

Patented New]. 7,

UNTTETE T35 DAVID HENRY \VAED, OF SEATTLE, WABEINGTQN.

CAN-FLATTENING REACT-TIME.

Application filed September 20, 1920, Serial No; 441,489. Renewed May 3, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID H. i VARD, citi- Zen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Seattle, in the county oi King and State of l/Vashington, have invented certain new and useful lmprorements in Can Flattening Machines, of which the followin is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for collapsing or flattening the sides of the sheet metal, five-gallon oil cans to enable them to be more conveniently returned as empties for refilling.

While these containers form a considerable item of expense to shippers their bulk renders their transportation as return empties prohibitive.

To overcome this objection the ends of the cans are removed or intolded, and the sides are flattened together across their diagonal corners that a large number may be packed with a limited space.

As certain oils, which are conveyed in these containers, are relatively thick, and take some time to thoroughly drain from the cans, it is desirable that the operation of cutting out the ends and flattening the cans be performed while the sides of the cans are upright.

It is to effect the flattening of these cans in a rapid and satisfactory manner to meet these requirements that the invention which is the subject of this application has been devised. I

The cutting of the can ends is effected in a machine which forms the subject of Patent No. 1,321,578 granted to me on November 11, 1919, and the machine, which is the sub ject of this application, is designed to be cooperative with the. can end cutting ma chine referred to.

The invention is fully described following specification reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied. in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device.

Fig. 2, a plan of the in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, a plan on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 4, an enlarged detail in elevation of the can turning mechanism.

Fig. 5, a plan of the same.

In these drawings 3 represents a runway which is produced from that along which the cans 2 are delivered to the machine by in the same on the line 2-2 Serial no. 553,254.

which the ends are cut at 4:- Along this seduced runway 3 the cans 2, after cutting, are pushed by the next can delivered to the cutting machine. The ends ct this runway 3 are connected to a plate 6 which is cnla d. in width beyond that of the run way and is carried on longitudinal members secured to uprights 7 of the frame of the machine.

in the middle line of this runway this plate has an aperture 8 conforming to the cross section dimensions of the can, with one of its diagonals disposed inthe middle line. Through this aperture the cans are tree to pass downward. Secured to the plate 6 and upwardly projecting from it along two sides of the aper- "ure opposite the direction of approach is a rence 9 which is carried at 10 around one of its angles. The end of this fence where it a ses at 10 around the angle is flared outward from the aperture 8 toward the directi of approach of the can. I

ured to a convenient position on the r of the machine outside the runway 3 d projecting forward within the path of cans on the runway is a resilient tongue which laterally diverts the cans from runway and on the side to which they are u'iovable along the outer side of the runway 3 and parallel to it, This rod 12 has an upwardly turned end 13 to engage the laterally projecting side of each can and partially rotates it on its axis, to turn it to the diagonal position of the aperture 8.

This rod 12 is normally maintained at the backward limit of its movement by a spring 14-..between a collar or pin on the rod and one of its supporting guides The rod 12 is operated by the pin 16, which extends between the conveyor chains 5 on ch pin is the engagingmember 19 which c cans along the runway to the place ot cutting and the pin 16 engages member 15 secured to and projecting down ward from the adjacent end of the pin 12.

it will be noted that the conveyor chains 5 by which the cans are moved along the runway to the place of cutting at l are not carried beyond that place of cutting but pass around sheaves 18 and leave the cans to be pushed along the runway extension 3 by the next oncoming can.

This can turning rod 12 being operative by the conveyor, which delivers the cans to diverted. see Fig. 1, a rod 12 is endwise g inseam to the diagonal position a re tl'ia't it may fall throng apeiuire to be .ni tened 1n the menu it falls through the er- T d on a plate 20, which is supo on tud'nal me ibers 21 ot the frama the which members are carried on the vei..-icalme1nbers 7. EX- tending; between the uprights 7 and upward from the plate 20 is a stationary esser plate ust hich the cans delivered trom above through the aperture 8 are flattened by movable presser plate 23.

This movable plate is slidable on the longitudinal members and is actuated by rods 24 from cams 25 secured on a tTZ311$V6TSG shaft 26 rotatably mounted in bearings 27 secured. to the framework of the machine, and driven at a suitable speed by chain from some shafh-say that of the cutting mechanisimvthe edges of the cams er members 28 secured to the roost.

As the shaft 26 is driven from the mechanism which operates the end cutting knives the flattening of the cans is synchronous with the cutting of the can ends.

lhe movable presser plate 23 is returned from the fixed presser plate 22 by a spring or springs 29 connected between the rnovable plate and the framework of the machine.

During the act of flattening the can is retained with its diagonal in the middle line of the movement of the presser 1 pair of? rods 30 which are pivotall nt (LL .L in middle line of the movable pi r plate. The free ends of these rods slidably pass through elongated apertures 1n guide members 32 secured to the ends of the flX-el presser plate 22, the outer ends of which members are turned toward the movable presser plate, and the elongation of the aperture extends around the bend. This allows the rods 30 to pass through and turn outward the movable presser plate approaches the fixed plate. These rods 30 will thus conform to the sides of the cans 2 as they are flattened by the approach of the movable presser plate toward the fixed one;

To retain the flattened cans in the upright position against the fixed presser plate 22, while the movable plate retires. two pairs oi: light rods 1 are secured to the framework oi? the machine behind the u'iovable presser plate and diagonally cross one another behind that plate and pass through transversely elongated slots 34 in the plate 23. After passing through the presser plate 23,

the rods are angled slightly inward at 35,

outside the diagonal dimension of the cans and adjacent the fixed plate 22 are bent sharply outward at 36 parallel to the face of the plate and are then turned at right angles to lit elongated apertures 37 in the fined presser plate outside the width of a diagonally flattened can.

Thus, as the movable presser plate 23 approaches the fixed plate 22 and compresses an interposed can acrossthe diagonal, the outer corners of the can will engage the sides of the rods 33 between and 36, and the flattening continues these rods will yield slightly outward against their own resilience to enable the outer corners of the flattened can to pass the corners 36 of the rods, when the rods spring together and the parallel portions from 36 hold the flattened can against the fixed presser plate 22.

The flattened cans are lifted upward from in front or the presser plate 22 by sprocket chains 38 having projections 39 at the required intervals apart to engage the lower e ges of the cans and at a higher level 40 flattened cans are bundled for transmi sion for further treatment under heat to drain the residue of? oil from their surfaces.

it will be noted that throughout the conreyance to and from the machine and durt is flattening operation the upright position of the can is maintained that the drainage of oil from it is not interrupted and provisionwill be made to catch and convey the oil drained from it to some con- 'ent receptacle.

'ug now particularly described my non, I hereby declare that what I as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is:

In apparatus of the class described, meanstor flattening the body of a can, said means comprising devices for applying pressure to diametrically opposite sides of the can means for delivering cans to said dovices and means for maintaining the can with the axis of the can substantially upright.

2.111 apparatus of the class described,

means for flattening the bodv of a can of rectangular cross-section, said means comprising devlces for applying pressure to dlagonally opposite corners of the can, means ing means with its axis upright, and with one of its diagonals disposed in the line of applied pressure, and means for maintaining the can in its desired position during the act of flattening, and means for removing the flattened can.

4. Means for flattening the body of a can of rectangular cross section, said means comprising a vertically disposed stationary presser plate, a movable presser plate par allel thereto, means for delivering a can body between the said presser plates with its axis substantially upright and one of its diagonals parallel to the presser plates, means for moving the movable plate toward the fixed one, and means for removing the flattened body in an upright position from between the presser plates.

5. Means for flattening the body of a can of rectangular cross section, said means comprising a vertically disposed fixed presser plate, a movable presser plate parallel thereto means for moving the movable plate against the fixed plate, means for delivering a can body with its axis substantially upright to between the fixed and movable presser plates with one of its diagonals parallel to the face of the plate, means for retaining the can in the diagonal position during the flat tening of it, means for retaining the flattened can in the upright position, and means for removing the flattened can from between the presser plates while retaining it in the upri ht position.

6. eans for flattening the body of a can of rectangular cross section, said means comprising a runway along which the cans are conveyed with their axes substantially up right and their side faces parallel to the line of movement, a plate upon which the cans are delivered from the runway, which plate is apertured to permit a can to pass through it in an upright position, means for partially rotating the can to bring one of its diagonals parallel to the line of movement, a plate parallel and beneath the apertured plate, a fixed presser plate uprightly projecting from the lower receiving plate, a movable presser plate parallel to the fixed plate, means for supporting the can with one of its diagonals parallel. to the presser plate, means for retaining the can in that position during the flattening movement of the movable plate, means for supporting the flattened can in an. upright position against the fixed press-er plate, and means for lifting the flattened can from between the presser plates.

7. Means for flattening the body of a can of rectangular cross section, said means comprising a runway along which the cans are conveyed with their axes substantially up right and their side faces parallel to the line of movement, a plate upon which the cans are delivered from the runway, which plate is apertured to permit the can to pass through it in an upright position and with one diagonal of the can cross section parallel to the runway, a fence around the two sides of the can aperture further from the delivery, which fence is at one side carried round the corner of the aperture, means for later ally diverting the can from that side of the runway on which the fence is carried round the corner, means for engaging the laterally projecting portion of the leading can and for partially rotating it to the diagonal position of the aperture whereby it may fall through it, a plate parallel to and beneath the one through which the cans are delivered, a fixed presser plate parallel to one diagonal of the can, a parallel movable presser plate, means for moving the movable plate toward the fixed plate to flatten the can between the plates, means for maintaining the diagonal position of the can while it is being flattened, means for retaining the flattened can in the upright position against the fixed presser plate, means for moving the flattened can upward from between the presser plates.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

DAVID HENRY WARD.

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