US1317001A - Machine for opening and refintshing cans - Google Patents

Description

M. G. CLYMER AND A. E. RITCHEY. MACHINE FOR OPENING AND REFINISHING CANS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1918'. 1,317,001. Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

2 SHEEfS-SHEET l.

M. G. CLYMER AND A. E. RITCHEY. MACHINE FOR OPENING AND REFINISHING CANS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. 1918.

1 ,3 1 7,001. Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ff F f [I [I1 I t lllllll l u na J i I t t p at * UNIT-ED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

MILTON G. CLYMER AND ARTHUR E. RITCHEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

Application filed June 12, 1918. Serial No. 289.624.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that we, MILTON G. CLYMER and ARTHUR E. RITCHEY, both citizens of the United States, and residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in. Machines for O 'ening and Refinishing Cans, of which the f0 lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for opening and refinishing cans.

Many commodities, such as canned fruits, are packed and shipped in cans, and in establishments manufacturing preserves, large numbers of these cans must daily be opened to utilize the contents thereof. Now this not only requires considerable labor, but the open cans, when opened by the present methods and mechanisms employed are unfit for further use, and must, therefore, be discarded and sold for junk, even though these cans may be in excellent, condition and can readily be utilized. Furthermore, the cans, on account of being shipped, are often bent and dented considerably so as to not only prevent their being effectively opened, but also used again.

One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide a machine whereby the cans can be readily opened with a minimum of labor an expense, and without damaging the contents thereof.

Another object is to provide a machine which will refinish and contour the opened edge of the can, so as to enable it to be subse uently used.

urther objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodyingthis invention;

Fi 2 is a plan of the support or table for t e can;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 33, Fig. 1, and showing the cutting and refinishing head;

Fig. 1 is an enlarged section on the line 44, Fig. 1, showing the operating mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a detail of Fig. 3, showing the operation of the mechanism in cutting a can head and refinishing its edge;

Fig. 6 is a view of a can head;

Fig. 7 is a similar view but showing the head partially severed;

8 is a section on the line 8-8, Fig. 6;

F g. 9 is a section on the line 9-9, Fig. 7;

F1 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, but showingthe head completely severed, and the edge completely refinished, with the rim positloned thereover; and,

F1g. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10, but

ShOWIIIg the rim in final attached position,

and the cover in place.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, 1 designates a machine frame or column, which has a bracket 2 adapted to support a table 3, which is mounted on a shank 4, sliding vertically in a bearing 5 on the bracket 2. The shank 4 is connected to one end of a lever 6, pivoted intermediate its ends at 7 on the frame 1, and connected at its other end by a link 8 with a lever 9, pivoted on 21, with the treadle 22 on the base. Upon depression of the treadle the clutch is shifted to connect the disk 14 with the shaft, and cause a vertical reciprocation with the table 3, as hereinafter described.

Mounted on the frame 1 is an overhanging bracket 23, which has a bearin 24 adapted to receive a shank 25 of a head 26, positioned directly over the table, the head being adapted for adjustment vertically by The arm 9 is provided with a slot the sliding engagement of the shank 25 with the bearing 24, this head being locked in adjusted position by a set screw 27.

The head comprises an annular uide 28 which flares at its lower end as s own at 29, to take over the can. Arranged inside of this head is a cutter 30, whlch has a serrated cutting edge 31, adapted to cut the head of the can. It will be noted that the cutter is spaced from the guide, and that the annular recess between the cutter and the guide extends beyond and past the terminatlon of the cutting edge ofthe cutter, as shown at 32, for a pur ose hereinafter to be described. The table 3 is provided with positioning guides 33, which is adapted to position a can underneath and in correct cooperative relation with respect to the head 26. -When, therefore, this can 0 is in position on the table, and the treadle 22 is depressed, the" table will rise and force the can into cooperative relation with the head. This will cause the can to enter the flaring guide 28-29, and rise therein until the head of the can is engaged by the serrated edge 31 of the cutter 30, which will cause the-cutter to cut the can head along and at a definite and predetermined distance' from the outer edge of the can. During the first part of the movement, the cutter will puncture the can head at numerous points, and out along the edge until the head is completely severed. Thereafter, further movement will cause the out can edge and the rim to enter the space 32, between the cutter and the guide, so as to force the rim therein, and press and wipe the cut edge against the inside face of the can body, 'as shown in Fig. 5. This action will concurrently straighten out the bent edge of a can, and contour the rim so as to make the finished edge a perfect circle, with both the outside and the inside edges of the rim refinished. When the table again drops, the can will drop with it partly by its weight and partly due to the wedge connection with the guides 33, and can then be removed from the table, the head which is now loose in the can taken out, and the contents discharged.

Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive illustrate more fully the method employed, of cutting and refinishing the can. In, Fig. 7 the head H of the can has been partially cut by the serrated cutting edge 31, as shown at A, and the cut edge has been partially bent against the inside face of the can body. Fig. 10 shows the cut edge B completely pressed against the inside face of the can body, and it will be noted that in view of the fact that this action takes place while the can is engaged on the outside by the guide, and while the can is thus supported, the edge B is pressed uniformly around and against the face of the can body, so as to form a completely refinished inslde edge. Concurrently, the

' outer edge of the can, that is, the folded over part D of the head rim, has been refinished and contoured and made perfectly circular by the engagement of the inside face of the guide therewith. Accordingly, both the inside and outside faces of the rim have been refinished, and this finish is smooth, on account of the wiping action of the cutter and of the guide. There. is thus provided a smooth circular rim which is refinished on I both its outside and its inside faces.

During the first or cutting operation, the

points will first penetrate the can head, each point cutting from its center outwardly with a draw out and causing the metal of the head or center part to curl, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9; and the last part of the cutting operation is a tearing operation at the points of connection between the center part and the rim. The center part does not, therefore, enter that part of the cutter above the bases of the U recesses formed by the teeth of the serrated edge 31, but these bases tear the points of connection loose, thereby permitting the cut center part to drop down into the can, where it can readily be picked out, especially since the wiping action, heretofore described, has pressed the inside'cut portion against the can body, and has therefore, widened the mouth of the open can. By adjusting the head 26 vertically on the bracket 23, the extent of movement of the can body into the head can be adjusted to correspond with the height of a can to be opened. This adjustment also governs the extent of the wiping action. It will be understood'that since the metal of which cans are generally made, is comparatively ductile and not springy, the bending and shaping of the can edge, will cause these parts to remain in shaped position; so that upon retracting movement of the table, the can will readily drop with it out of engagement with the head 26 and the cutter therein.

In order to provide a rim which can be readily closed by a cover, a formed rim E, having a finished inside face F, is placed over the refinished rim of the can, and the outer flange G'is folded over the can, or in any suitable manner, so as to make a firm attachment thereto. This can be done in any suitable manner. The can is thus provided with a finished rim which can receive a suitable cover 1.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects. ,The machine is simple in construction and operation, and not only will it rapidly cut the head out of a can without disturbing its contents, but the cut edge is so refinished and the rim is so 'contoured as to provide a container which can be used again, and which is in fact just as good as new.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from thespirit of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific details described and shown.

2. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with an annular guide adapted I to take over the head of acan soas to sustain the same along its edge, of an annular cutter adapted to cut the can along but inside of, said guide.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, of meansfor sustainin all portions of the can along its edge an cooperating with said cutter adapted to refinish the edge of the can so sustained.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, of means for sustainin all portions of the can along its edge an cooperating With said cutteradapted to press the cut edge of the can against the sustained body thereof.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, of means for sustaining the can alon its edge and cooperating with said cutter ad apted to contour the edge of the can so sustained.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cutter adapted to cut the headof a can, of means for sustaining the can along its edge and cooperating with said cutter adapted to-contour thee ge of thecan s0 sustained and press the cut edge of the can against the sustained bo y thereof.

7. In a machine'of the class described, the combination with a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, of a guide adapted totake over the head of the can so as to sustain the same along its edge while being out, constructed and arranged to refinish th edge of the can so sustained.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, of a guide adapted to take over the head of the can so as to sustain the same along its edge while being cut, and adapted to contour the edge thereof while .so sustained. a

9. In a machine of the class described, th combination with a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, of a guide adapted to take over the head of the can so as to sustain the same along its edge while bein cut, constructed and arranged to press t e cut edge of the can against the body thereof while so sustained. v

10. In a machine of the class described, a head comprising an annular cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, and an annular guide spaced from said cutter and adapted to take over the head of the can so sustained.

11. In amachine of the class described, a head comprising an annular cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, and an annular guide spaced from said cutter and adapted to take over the head of the can so as to sustain the same along its edge while being cut, constructed and arranged to refinish the edge of the can while so sustained.

12. In a machine of the class described, a head comprising an annular cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, and an annular flaring guide spaced from said cutter and adapted to take over the head of the can so sustained.

13. In a machine of the class described, a head comprising an annular cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, and an annular guide spaced from said cutter and adapted to take over the head of the can so as to sustain the same along its edge While being cut, said cutter and guide being constructed and arranged to rovide an annular space beyond the cuttin edge of the cutter.

14. In a mac iine of the class described, the combination with a frame, of a base thereon adapted to support a can, a head on said frame comprising an annular cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, and an annular guide spaced from said cutter and adapted to take over the head of the can so as to sustain the same along its edge While being cut, and mechanism for moving said base and said head relatively.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame, of a base thereon adapted to support a can, a head on said frame comprising an annular cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, and an annular guide s aced from said cutter and adapted to ta e over the head of the can so as to sustain the same alon its edge while being cut, constructed an? arranged to finish the edge of the can while so sustained, and mechanism for moving said base and said head relatively.

16. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cutter adapted to cut thehead of a can, of means for encircling the can alon its edge and outside of the line of cut, ad apted to sustain the can along its edge against the action of the cutter.

17. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can, of means for encircling the can alon its edge and outside of the line of cut, a apted to sustain the can along its edge against the action of the cutter and adapted to contour the can edge.

18. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can and adapted to press the cut portion outwardly against the can body, of means for encircling the can along its edge and outside of the line of cut, adapted to sustain the can along its edge against the action of the cutter.

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can and adapted to press & I 1,317,001

the cut portion outwardly against the can body, of means for encircling the can along its edge and outside of the line of cut, adapted to sustain the can along its edge against the action of the cutter and adapted to contour the can edge.

20. In a machine of the class described having a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can along the can edge, characterized by the fact that there is combined with the cutter an annular guide which is adapted to take over the can and sustain the can edge against the action of the cutter.

21. In a machine of the class described having a cutter adapted to cut the head of a can along the can edge, characterized by the fact that there is combined with the cutter an annular flaring guide which is adapted to take over and contour the can and sustain the can edge against the action of the cutter.

22. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a tubular guide adapted to take over the head of a--can so as to sustain the same along its edge, of a tubular cutter adapted to cut the can along but inside of said guide.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signa tures this 3rd day of June, 1918.

MILTON G. CLYMlER. ARTHUR E. RITCHEY.

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