Method and apparatus for conditioning cans

Claim 2

Apparatus for trimming salvage edges from open ends of containers including means for feeding a plurality of containers along a path; a trimming device located adjacent an end of said path; a plurality of trimming stations on said device; and moving means for said device to locate respective trimming stations in alignment with said path; the improvement of each of said trimming stations comprising container support means; a backing member having an opening corresponding to the peripheral size of said containers; means producing relative movement between said container support means and said backing member to position said open end of said container in said openings; a cutter; cutter support means for positioning said cutter adjacent said backing member, said cutter support means including a shaft supported for rotation and having a fixed eccentric pin with said cutter rotated on said eccentric pin; means for moving said shaft axially and transversely of said opening and said container to position said cutter into engagement with the internal wall of said container; and means for rotating said shaft to remove the salvage edge from said container.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said means for moving said shaft comprises first means for shifting said shaft transversely of said axis to momentarily align said cutter with the center of said opening, and second means for axially shifting said shaft while said cutter is aligned with the center of said opening.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, in which said first means comprises a circular member having an eccentric opening therein receiving said shaft, said device having a bore with said circular member being supported for rotational movement in said bore; and means for rotating said circular member in said bore between first and second positions.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, in which said second means comprises cam means for moving said shaft between first and second positions.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said container support means comprises a cradle and releasable means adjacent said cradle for holding said container in fixed relation to said cradle and in which said means producing relative movement includes cam means for moving said cradle and releasable means axially of said opening between first and second positions towards and away from said backing member.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 5, in which said releasable meAns comprises means defining a recess adjacent said cradle and means producing a vacuum in said recess.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including the further improvement of means for producing an arcuate surface between the inner surface and end surface of said container wall when said salvage edge is removed.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said trimming device includes a rotating member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending bores; one of said cutter support means received in each of said bores; and said means for producing relative rotation between said cutter and backing member comprises a fixed gear adjacent said rotating member and a gear carried by each of said shafts and in mesh with said fixed gear.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 8, in which said cutter support means each include and a sleeve rotatably supporting said shaft; and in which said means for moving said shaft axially and transversely each comprise (1) a sleeve support member rotatable in said bore and having an opening eccentric to the axis of said bore and means for moving said sleeve support member between a first position in which the axis of the cutter is aligned with the backing member opening and a second position in which the axis of the cutter is eccentric to the axis of the backing member opening and (2) drive means for axially shifting said sleeve support member axially between first and second positions in said bore during each revolution of said rotating member.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 9,037512878 in which said container support means comprises a cradle aligned with each of said bores and cradle guide means rotatable with said rotating member and slidably supporting said cradle; and in which said means producing relative movement between said container support means and said backing member comprises means for shifting each cradle from a first position, when the associated cutter is aligned with said backing member opening, to a second position, and return the cradle to the first position when the salvage edge has been removed.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including the further improvement of means cooperating with each of said cutters insuring removal of the salvage edges from the cutters.

Claim 13

A trimming mechanism for removing a salvage edge from an end of a circular container closed at its opposite end comprising: a trimming station with a backing member fixed with respect to said trimming station, said backing member having an opening corresponding to the configuration of the outer periphery of the container, said member having an edge surrounding said container and located in a plane extending perpendicular to the axis of said opening; container support means located on one side of said fixed backing member; drive means cooperating with said container support member for moving said container axially of said opening between a first position for receiving container and second position where the open end of the container is located in the opening; a cutter; cutter support means for said cutter; first means for moving said cutter support means axially of said opening between a first position where the cutter is spaced from said backing member and a second position where the cutter is located in the opening and the container with a cutting edge aligned with said edge; second means for moving said cutter support means transversely of said opening to have the cutting edge in engagement with the inner surface of the container; and means for rotating said cutter support means, said cutter support means including a shaft having an eccentric pin supporting said cutter, and said second means including a sleeve rotatably supporting said shaft, said sleeve having a first position where the axis of said shaft is aligned with the axis of said opening and a second position where the axis of said shaft is transversely offset from the axis of said opening.

Claim 14

A trimming mechanism for removing a salvage edge from an end of a circular container closed at its opposite end comprising: a trimming station with a backing member fixed with respect to said trimming station, said backing member having an opening corresponding to the configuration of the outer periphery of the container, said member having an edge surrounding said container and located in a plane extending perpendicular to the axis of said opening; container support means located on one side of said fixed backing member; drive means cooperating with said container support member for moving said container axially of said opening between a first position for receiving container and second position where the open end of the container is located in the opening; a cutter; cutter support means for said cutter; first means for moving said cutter support means axially of said opening between a first position where the cutter is spaced from said backing member and a second position where the cutter is located in the opening and the container with a cutting edge aligned with said edge; second means for moving said cutter support means transversely of said opening to have the cutting edge in engagement with the inner surface of the container; and means for rotating said cutter support means, said cutter support means including a shaft having an eccentric pin supporting said cutter, and said second means including a sleeve rotatably supporting said shaft, said sleeve having a first position where the axis of said shaft is aligned with the axis of said opening and a second position where the axis of said shaft is transversely offset from the axis of said opening.

Claim 15

A trimming mechanism as defined in claim 12, in which said conTainer support means comprises a cradle for receiving a container with the container axis aligned with the axis of said opening; and holding means maintaining the container in fixed relation to said cradle.

Claim 16

Apparatus for simultaneously trimming salvage edges from open ends of a plurality of containers comprising a rotating member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced bores; a flange axially spaced from one end of said bore and fixed for rotation with said member, said flange having a plurality of openings respectively axially aligned with respective bores; container support means adjacent each opening; means for feeding containers to said container support means at one location and removing containers at a second location circumferentially spaced from said first location; drive means for shifting said container support means axially of said opening from a first position to a second position and return said container support means to said first position as said container is moved between said locations; a cutter for each bore; a shaft for each cutter; said shafts each having one of said cutters fixed to one end at a location eccentric to the axis thereof; support means supporting each shaft for normal rotation about an axis concentric to the associated bore axis so that said cutter is rotated about the bore axis; first means cooperating with said bores and support means to align the axis of each cutter with the axis of associated opening at said first location; second means for shifting said support means axially of said bores when the cutter axis is aligned with the opening axis; and drive means for rotating said shafts to remove salvage edges from the containers.

Claim 17

Apparatus for simultaneously trimming salvage edges from open ends of a plurality of containers comprising a rotating member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced bores; a flange axially spaced from one end of said bore and fixed for rotation with said member, said flange having a plurality of openings respectively axially aligned with respective bores; container support means adjacent each opening; means for feeding containers to said container support means at one location and removing containers at a second location circumferentially spaced from said first location; drive means for shifting said container support means axially of said opening from a first position to a second position and return said container support means to said first position as said container is moved between said locations; a cutter for each bore; a shaft for each cutter; said shafts each having one of said cutters fixed to one end at a location eccentric to the axis thereof; support means supporting each shaft for normal rotation about an axis concentric to the associated bore axis so that said cutter is rotated about the bore axis; first means cooperating with said bores and support means to align the axis of each cutter with the axis of associated opening at said first location; second means for shifting said support means axially of said bores when the cutter axis is aligned with the opening axis; and drive means for rotating said shafts to remove salvage edges from the containers.

Claim 18

A trimming mechanism as defined in claim 12, in which the trimming station has a bore located on the opposite side of said backing member with the axis of the bore aligned with the axis of the opening and the sleeve is rotatable between first and second positions in the bore, and in which the sleeve has a circular opening having an axis eccentric to the axis of said bore and said shaft rotatably supported in the opening in said sleeve.