US2184029A - Means for supporting and feeding can ends or the like - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 19, 1939. s w c 2,184,029

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND FEEDING CAN ENDS OR THE LIKE Filed March 16, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 kiwi?" l f/W E/VTO/P 3 19, 1939. s, w u 2,184,029

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND FEEDING cm ENDS on THE LIKE Filed March 16, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 firrOR/VEYS Dec. 19, 1939. s, wlCKLUND 2,184,029

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND FEEDING CAN ENDS OR THELIKE Filed March 16, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 if 6: [AA/57V rah M WM WU r w 19, 1939. s, w u 2,184,029

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND FEEDING CAN ENDS OR THE LIKE Filed March 16, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FZZ'M 33 "fi FTTOFA EYG' the feeding unit for retaining and individually ifgllatenied eel i, 1711 MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND FEEDING CAN ENDS OR THE LIKE Sanford Wicklund, Whittier, cane, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 16,

18 Claims.

The invention relates generally to means for supporting and individually feeding can ends or similar disk or plate-like articles and-primarily seeks to provide certain new and useful improvements in feeding devices of the type disclosed in the United States Letters Patent issued to Alfred L. Kronquest, No. 1,610,862, on December 14, 1926.

In the patent referred to there is disclosed a can end feeding unit comprising a retaining well for the can ends, a plurality of feed screws on which the can ends are supported in the well, and means including a pinion attached to each screw, a rim gear common to allscrews, and intermediate gears one of which has rotation imparted thereto from a power source forvsuitably rotating the screws to cause them to feed the can ends one by one from the bottom of the stack. The patented structure provides no means enabling ready adjustment of the parts for retaining and individually feeding can ends of varied diameters. The present invention seeks to overcome this limitation of the patented structure and provide means readily adjustable to adapt feeding a wide range of can end sizes.

An object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character mentioned in which the screws are adjustable aboutthe axes of the intermediate gears so that the positions of the screws can be altered for accommodatingcan ends of various sizes without'disrupting the driving relation of the driving and driven gear elernents.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character mentioned in which can end retaining well forming columns or standards are axially aligned with and movable simultaneously with the screws during movements of adjustment thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character mentioned in which is included a novel selective retainer plate effec:

tive to secure the feed screws in positions of adjustment, each such plate being effective to secure a single adjusted relation of the screws and also to provide a can end retaining well of a diameter corresponding to the particular adjust- 'ment.

With these and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more fully understood by following the detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings. I

1939, Serial No. 262,240

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view and partial horizontal section illustrating one form of the invention, adjustments of the positions of certain of the can end supporting and feeding screws being shown in dot and dash lines.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a plan view and part horizontal section illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken on the line 4-H on Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a fragment of the body ring.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 6-6 on Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a selective retaining ring.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross section taken on the line B8 on Figure 7.

Figures 9 and 10 are detail views respectively illustrating, one of the feed screw mounting cranks in plan and vertical longitudinal section.

Figure 11 is a detail plan view of the feeder disk member optionally aflixed to the delivery ends of the feed screw structures.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is included a base ring 5 having a center bore 6, a counterbore 1 forming a main chamber 8, and a counterbore 9 providing a recess and a suitable shoulder in for rotatably supporting a rim gear ll.

Within the chamber 8, and meshing with the rim gear I l, is provided a plurality of intermediate gears lZ each fixed upon an individual shaft l3, one said shaft being extended, as indicated in Figure 2, to provide connection with a suitable power applying source (not shown). Each shaft l3 has rotary hearing as at I5 in the base ring, and as at H5 in a head ring I! removably secured as at IS on said base ring and including a large central opening ill.

The head ring I! is undercut as at 20'to form a clearance in which a plurality of crank arms 2! are mounted. One such crank arm is provided for each intermediate gear and each such crank arm is mounted on and swingable about the axis of one of the shafts l3. The crank arms 2| are mounted above the intermediate gears 12 and oppose similar crank arms 22 similarly mounted on the shafts i3 beneath said intermediate gears. I

Each cooperating pair of crank members 2!, 22 carry axially aligned mounting bosses 23 at their free ends which form upper and lower bearings for a rotatable shaft 24 which carries a driven gear 25 meshing with the respective intermediate gear I2, and a spirally grooved can end supporting and feeding screw element 26,

5 the peripheral portion of which projects from the periphery of the driven gear as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The bearing boss extending upwardly from each upper crank 2| forms a mounting for a column or standard 21, and it will be observed by reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings that these standards collectively form a well for retaining a stack of can ends supported on the feed screw elements 26.

Arcuate slotways 26 are provided in the head plate i1, and it will be observed that these slots are concentric with the axes of the shafts l3. A clamp screw 29 passes through each slot 23 and is threaded into the underlying crank arm 2i.

By use of these arcuate slot and clamp screw equipments 26, 29 adjusted positions of the crank arms 2|, 22 may be suitably secured.

When it is desired to adjust the spaced relation of the supporting and feeding screw elements 25 26 so as to adapt the structure for supporting and feeding can ends of varied diameters, it is only necessary to loosen the screws 29 and swing the crank arms 2|, 22 about the axes of the shafts l3. When the crank arms are thus ad- 30 justed, the driven gears 25 will roll around the periphery of the respective intermediate gears i2 so that the adjustment of the spaced relation of the elements 26 can be effected without disturbing the intermeshing relation of the rim gear 5 ii, the intermediate gears l2, and the driven gears 25. The opening IS in the head plate l'l is suitably notched as at 30 to permit the part adjustment just described, and the base ring 5 includes a base or mounting flange 3| through the medium of which the feeding structure can be mounted upon any suitable machine to be fed with can ends or like elements thereby.

In Figures 3 through 10 of the drawings there is illustrated a modified form of the invention in which there is provided a base ring 32 which is peripherally recessed to provide a supporting shoulder 33 for a rotatable rim gear 34. The base ring is provided with a plurality of vertical shaft bores 35 formed in said ring and in bearing boss portions 36 upstanding from said ring, each said boss being disposed in a clearance 31 formed in the upper portion of the ring. Each clearance 31 forms a supporting shelf portion 33 surrounding the respective boss 36. The base ring is also formed with an arcuate clearance 39 concentric with each bearing boss 36. Suitable feed screw accommodating undercuts or clearances 40 also are provided in association with "70 46 carries. a can end supporting and feeding screw 41 and a driven gear 48 which meshes with a respective intermediate gear 42 and includes a stud portion 46 extending above the gear 46.

As in the form of the invention previously de- 15 scribed, it will be obvious that by swinging the intermediate gears 42, and the driven gears 48.

crank members 44 about their mounting bosses 36, adjustments of the spaced relation of the shafts 46 can be made without disturbing. the lntermeshing relation of the rim gear 34, the

retaining can ends or similar elements supported by and fed from the unit. The retainer ring also includes feed screw clearing recesses 53, crank bearing portion receiving recesses 54, and suitably positioned apertures 55 for receiving the stud extensions 49 of the shafts 46. It will be understood that the apertures 55 are differently positioned in each selective ring 50 so that each ring is adapted to secure a. particular ad 20 justment of the shafts 46.

Each of the can end supporting and feeding screws 41 secured at the lower ends of the respective shafts 46'projects inwardly beyond the well wall 52 as indicated at 56. The diameters of the 25 respective well walls 52 vary as the diameters of the can ends to be fed vary, and if desired, suitable standards 51 can be supported upon the selective rings 50 to form a vertical continuation of the can end retaining well formed by said 30 wall.

The equipment thus far described operates emciently at low speeds and with smaller sizes of covers, but when the larger sizes of covers are being fed at high speed the covers dropped fronr 35 the supporting and feeding threads may bounce out of position. At times also, covers might be improperly handled because of being slightly warped. Under such conditions it will be found desirable to aflix to the bottom of each feed screw 40 member 41 a cover supporting and feeding disk 56 such as is shown in detail in Figure 11 of the drawings. Such disks, shown mounted in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, form two-lipped continuations of the feed screws and each presents a cover supporting flange 59 extending a considerable distance beyond the periphery of the respective feed screw 41, a lowering surface 66 forming a continuation of the feed screw groove, and a drop clearance 6i. These disks will prevent in- 50 advertent delivery of disks and assure delivery of' the disks at the proper time. While it is desirable that these disks be employed, it is to be understood that the feeding equipments can be operated, if desired, without them. 55

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 60

I claim:

1. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a plurality of spaced supporting and feeding screws, a shaft carrying each screw and having a driven gear thereon, a driving rim gear, an intermediate gear meshing with each driven gear and the rim gear, and means mounting each shaft and shiftable about the axis of the meshing intermediate gear for adjusting the spaced relation of the. shafts and the screws carried thereon.

2. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a plurality of spaced 7;

supporting and feeding screws, a shaft carrying each screw and having a driven gear thereon, a driving rim gear, an intermediate gear meshing with each driven gear and the rim gear, and means mounting each shaft and shiftable about the axis of the meshing intermediate gear for adjusting the spaced relation of the shafts and the screws carried thereon and means for securing the positions of adjustment of said mounting means.

3. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a plurality of spaced supporting and feeding screws, a shaft carrying each screw .and having a driven gear thereon, a driving rim gear, an intermediate gear meshing with each driven gear and the rim gear, means mounting each shaft and shiftable about the axis of the meshing intermediate gear for adjusting the spaced relation of the shafts and the screws carried thereon, and a standard projecting axially above and movable with each shaft, said standards collectively forming a well for said elements.

4. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a plurality of spaced supporting and feeding screws, a shaft carrying each screw and having a driven gear thereon, a driving rim gear, an intermediate gear meshing with each driven gear and the rim gear, and a crank member equipment pivoted on the axis of each intermediate gear and having provision at its free end for supporting the shaft carrying the driven gear meshing with the particular intermediate gear and shiftable about its pivot for adjusting the spaced relation of the shafts and the screws carried thereby.

5. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a plurality of spaced supporting and feeding screws, a shaft carrying each screw and having a driven gear thereon, a driving rim gear, an intermediate gear meshing with each driven gear and the rim gear, a crank member equipment pivoted on the axis of each intermediate gear and having provision at its free end for supporting the shaft carrying the driven gear meshing with the particular intermediate gear and shiftable about its pivot for adjusting the spaced relation of the shafts and the screws carried thereby, and an arcuate slot and clamp screw means for securing adjusted positions of each crank equipment.

6. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a plurality of spaced supporting and feeding screws, a shaft carrying each screw and having a drivengear thereon, a driving rim gear, an intermediate gear meshing with each driven gear and the rim gear, a crank member equipment pivoted on the axis of each intermediate gear and having provision at its free end for supportingthe shaft carrying the driven gear meshing with the particular intermediate gear and shiftable about its pivot for adjusting the spaced relation of the shafts and the screws carried thereby, means for securing the positions of adjustment of said crank equipments, and stack retaining standards movable with said crank equipments.

7. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a base ring, a rim gear rotatably supported on the base ring, a plurality of spaced intermediate shaft members each carrying an intermediate gear meshing with the rim gear, a crank equipment pivoted about each intermediate shaft and having its free end extended inwardly toward the axis of the base ring, a driven shaft supported at the free end of each crank equipment and having a supporting and feeding screw thereon and a driven gear meshing with the respective intermediate gear, and means for securing the crank equipments in selected positions of adjustment about the pivotal mountings of the crank equipments for adjusting the spaced relations of the feeding screws.

8. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a base ring, a rim gear rotatably supported on the base ring, a plurality of spaced intermediate shaft members each carrying an intermediate gear meshing with the rim gear, a crank equipment pivoted about each intermediateshaft and having its free end extended inwardly toward the axis of the base ring, a driven shaft supported at the free end of each crank equipment and having a supporting and feeding screw thereon and a driven gear meshing with the respective intermediate gear, a head plate, said intermediate shaft members having upper and lower rotary bearing in said head plate and base ring, and means for securing the crank equipments in selected positions of adjustment about the pivotal mountings of the crank equipments for adjusting the spaced relations of the feeding screws.

9. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a base ring, a rim gear rotatably supported on the base ring, a plurality of spaced intermediate shaft members each carrying an intermediate gear meshing with the rim gear, a crank equipment pivoted about each -intermediate shaft and having its free end extended inwardly toward the axis of the base ring, a driven shaft supported at the free end of each .crank equipment and having a supporting and feeding screw thereon and a driven gear meshing with the respective intermediate gear, each said crank equipment having an upstanding boss at its free end, an element stack supporting standard upstanding from each said boss, and means for securing the crank equipments in selected positions of adjustment about the pivotal mountings of the crank equipments for adjusting the spaced relations of the feeding screws.

10. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a base ring, a rim gear rotatably supported on the base ring, a plurality of spaced intermediate shaft members each carrying an intermediate gear meshing with the rim gear, a crank equipment pivoted about each intermediate shaft and having its free end extended inwardly toward the axis of the base ring, a driven shaft supported at the free end of each crank equipment and having a supporting and feeding screw thereon and a driven gear meshing with the respective intermediate gear, a head plate, and means engageable with the head plate for securing the crank equipments in selected positions of adjustment about the pivotal mountings of the crank equipments for adjusting the spaced relations of the feeding screws.

11. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a base ring, a rim gear rotatably supported on the base ring, a plurality of spaced intermediate shaft members each carrypositions of adjustment about the pivotal mountings of the crank equipments for adjusting the spaced relations of the feeding screws. I

12. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a base ring, a rim gear rotatably supported on the base ring, a plurality of spaced intermediate shaft members each carrying an intermediate gear meshing with the rim gear, a crank equipment pivoted about each intermediate shaft and having its free end extended inwardly toward the axis of the base,

ring, a driven shaft supported at the free end of each crank equipment and having a supporting and feeding screw thereon and a driven gear meshing with the respective intermediate gear, a head plate having an arcuate slot therein overlying each crank equipment and concentric with the crank equipment pivot, and a clamp crew carried by each crank equipment and engageable in the respective slot for securing the crank equipments .in selected positions of adjustment about the pivotal mountings of the crank equipments for adjusting the spaced relations of the feeding screws.

13. In a can end feeding device,- a rim gear, a plurality of driven gears spaced inwardly of the rim gear, rotary shafts carrying the driven gears, can end supporting and feedingelements mounted on said shafts, an intermediate gear interposed between each driven gear and the adjacent portion of the intermediate gear, and means mounting said shafts for movement about the axes 'of the intermediate gears for adjusting the spaced relations of said elements without disturbing the intermeshing relation of the gears.

14. In a can end feeding device, a rim gear, a plurality of driven gears spaced inwardly of the rim gear, rotary shafts carrying the driven gears,

' can end supporting and feeding elements mounted on said shafts, an intermediate gear interposed between each driven gear and the adjacent portion of the intermediate gear, means mounting said shafts for movement about the axes of the intermediate gears for adjusting the spaced relations of said elements without disturbing the intermeshing relation of the gears, and selective adjustment securing plates having apertures therein for receiving and fixing positions of adjustment of said shafts.

15. In a can end feeding device, a rim gear, a plurality of driven gears spaced inwardly of the rim gear, rotary shafts-carrying the driven gears, can end supporting and feeding elements mounted on said shafts, an intermediate gear interposed between each driven gear and the adjacent portion of the intermediate gear, means mounting said shafts for movement about the axes of the intermediate gears for adjusting the spaced relations of said elements without disturbing the intermeshing relation of the gears, and selective adjustment securing plates having apertures therein for receiving and fixing positions of adjustment of said shaft, each said plate including a deep skirt forming a can end retaining well of selected diameter.

16. In a can end feeding device, a rim gear, a plurality of driven gears spaced inwardly of the rim gear, rotary shafts carrying the driven gears,

can end supporting and feeding elements mounted on said shafts, an intermediate gearinterposed between each driven gear and the adjacent portion of the intermediate gear, a base ring rotatably supporting said rim gear, shafts rotatably mounting said intermediate gears, said base ring having bosses rotatably supporting the intermediate gear shafts and recesses surrounding said bosses, a crank arm pivoted on each boss in one of the recesses and having a bearing at its free end for rotatably supporting one of the driven gear shafts whereby said driven gears can be moved about the axes or the intermediate gears without disturbing the intermeshing relation of the gears, and means for securing positions of ad- Justment of said crank arms.

17. Means for supporting a stack of can ends or like elements and for feeding them individually from said stack comprising, a. plurality of spaced supporting and feeding screws, a cover supporting and feeding disk secured to the delivery end of each screw and including a supporting shelf extending peripherally beyond the screw, 2. cover lowering surface forming a continuation of the screw groove and a cover releasing edge clearance, a shaft carrying each screw and having a driven gear thereon, a driving rim gear, an intermediate gear meshing with each driven gear and the rim gear, and means mounting each shaft and shiftable about the axis of the meshing intermediate gear for adjusting the spaced relation of the shafts and the screws carried thereon.

18. In apparatus of the character described, a cover supporting and feeding screw, and a cover supporting and feeding disk secured to the delivery end of said screw and including a supporting shelf extending peripherally beyond the screw, 8. cover lowering surface forming a continuation of the screw groove, and a cover releasing edge clearance.

SANFORD WICKLUND.

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