Tooling for industrial canning

Abstract

A tool for seaming and sealing cans such as in the canning of food products. The can seaming tool includes a main pin having a spindle portion and a seam roll connected with the spindle so as to spin about the axis of the spindle. One or more bearing assemblies can be provided between the spindle and the seam roll to facilitate free spinning of the seam roll about the spindle of the main pin. The assembly includes the use of one or more O-rings between the main pin structure and the seam roll. The one or more O-rings advantageously seal the gap between the main pin and seam roll to prevent corrosive materials from the canning environment from entering the assembly and damaging interior components such as the bearing assemblies. This use of sealing O-rings greatly increases the life of the tooling and decreases cost and downtime.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tool for sealing cans, the tool comprising:
 a pin structure having a portion of which defines a spindle;   a seam roll mounted for rotation about the spindle, the pin structure and the seam roll defining a gap between them; and   at least one O-ring disposed in the gap between the pin structure and the seam roll.   
     
     
         2 . The tool as in  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of O-rings. 
     
     
         3 . The tool as in  claim 1  wherein the at least one O-ring includes a first O-ring located at a first end of the seam roll and a second O-ring located at a second end of the seam roll. 
     
     
         4 . The tool as in  claim 1  further comprising a pair of O-rings located at a first side of the seam roll and a third O-ring located at a second side of the seam roll. 
     
     
         5 . The tool as in  claim 1 , a groove formed in the seam roll, the groove being configured for holding the O-ring. 
     
     
         6 . The tool as in  claim 1  further comprising at least one bearing assembly located between the spindle and the seam roll for facilitating the rotation of the seam roll about the spindle. 
     
     
         7 . The tool as in  claim 6  wherein the bearing is a roller bearing that includes stainless steel rollers. 
     
     
         8 . The tool as in  claim 6  wherein the bearing further comprises ceramic components. 
     
     
         9 . The tool as in  claim 1 , further comprising a flange formed on the pin, and wherein the O-ring is located between flange and a portion of the seam roll. 
     
     
         10 . The tool as in  claim 1 , further comprising a flange formed on the pin, wherein the flange wraps around a portion of the seam roll forming a gap portion that is substantially parallel with an axis of the spindle and wherein the O-ring is located within the gap portion. 
     
     
         11 . The tool as in  claim 1  further comprising at least one bearing assembly located between the spindle and the seam roll for facilitating the rotation of the seam roll about the spindle, and further comprising a screw configured to engage an interior bore of the pin and configured to hold at least one bearing assembly and seam roll in place on the spindle. 
     
     
         12 . The tool as in  claim 11 , wherein the pin and screw each have an interior bore through which grease can flow to apply grease to an interior of the tool. 
     
     
         13 . The tool as in  claim 11 , wherein the screw has a threaded portion with a recess formed into the threaded portion and a polymer ball inserted into the recess. 
     
     
         14 . The tool as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one O-ring is configured to allow passage of air and grease under pressure, but to prevent the flow of environmental contaminants into the tool, and to prevent the flow of grease out of the tool when the grease is not under significant pressure. 
     
     
         15 . A self-locking screw, comprising:
 a screw body having a threaded shaft portion and a head portion;   a recess formed in the threaded shaft portion; and   a polymer ball fitted into the recess in the threaded shaft portion.   
     
     
         16 . The self-locking screw as in  claim 15 , wherein the polymer ball is formed of nylon. 
     
     
         17 . The self locking screw as in  claim 15 , wherein the screw body has an internal bore that extends through the length of the screw body. 
     
     
         18 . The self locking screw as in  claim 15  wherein the recess has a cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         19 . The self locking screw as in  claim 15  wherein the recess has a semi-spherical shape. 
     
     
         20 . The self locking screw as in  claim 15  wherein the head is formed with a knurled texture.