Can Bottom Former Assembly

Abstract

An apparatus and method for adjusting the dome setting force of a can bottom former. The apparatus generally includes an outer end plate, an inner end plate movably mounted near the outer end plate. The apparatus also includes a dome-setting spring positioned between the inner end plate and a movable housing, and an adjustment screw threaded into the outer end plate such that the turning the adjustment screw exerts a displacing force on the inner end plate toward the movable housing, which in turn increases the force exerted by the dome-setting spring during can forming.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A device for adjusting a dome setting force of a can bottom former, comprising:
 an outer end plate;   an inner end plate movably mounted proximate the outer end plate;   a dome-setting spring positioned between the inner end plate and a movable housing; and   an adjustment screw threaded into the outer end plate such that the adjustment screw exerts a displacing force on the inner end plate toward the movable housing.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a force sensor positioned between the outer end plate and the inner end plate, such that the adjustment screw exerts force on the inner end plate though the force sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustment screw comprises a ball bearing on an actuation end, the ball bearing contacting a side of the force sensor opposite the inner end plate. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment screw comprises a spherical contact surface on an actuation end proximate the inner end plate. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the displacing force compresses the dome-setting spring. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a spring cover plate positioned between the movable housing and the dome-setting spring. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the displacing force compresses the dome-setting spring between the inner end plate and the spring cover plate. 
     
     
         8 . A device for adjusting a dome setting force of a can bottom former, comprising:
 an outer end plate;   an inner end plate movably mounted proximate the outer end plate;   a dome-setting spring positioned between the inner end plate and a movable housing; and   an adjustment means for exerting a displacing force on the inner end plate toward the movable housing.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising a force sensor positioned between the outer end plate and the inner end plate, such that the adjustment means exerts a force on the inner end plate though the force sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the adjustment means comprises a ball bearing on an actuation end, the ball bearing contacting a side of the force sensor opposite the inner end plate. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the adjustment means comprises a spherical contact surface on an actuation end proximate the inner end plate. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the displacing force compresses the dome-setting spring. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising a spring cover plate positioned between the movable housing and the dome-setting spring. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the displacing force compresses the dome-setting spring between the inner end plate and the spring cover plate. 
     
     
         15 . A method of adjusting dome-setting force of a dome-setting spring in a bottom former, comprising:
 initially adjusting a spring force adjustment screw to reduce the dome-setting force on the dome-setting spring to a low level;   increasing the dome-setting force by adjusting the spring force adjustment screw;   reading the dome-setting force; and   verifying that the dome-setting force is at a desired level.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein initially adjusting the spring force adjustment screw to reduce the dome-setting force is done before the bottom former is installed into a body maker. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the steps of increasing the force and subsequently reading the force are repeated until the dome-setting force is at a desired level. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the spring force setting screw is adjusted manually. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the spring force setting screw is adjusted by a rotary actuator. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein reading the dome-setting force comprises reading a signal from a force sensor positioned between the spring force setting screw and the dome-setting spring.