Can seaming apparatus

Abstract

A can seaming apparatus including a frame, a can handling assembly, a can driving assembly and a seaming assembly. The can seaming apparatus is configured to seal a lid to a can through a double seam can seal. The can is positioned and clamped between an upper and a lower chuck. The can driving assembly spins the can and the upper and lower chucks about an axis. The seaming assembly includes two rollers which can selectively be directed to engage the can to form the necessary crimping operations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A can seaming apparatus comprising:
 a frame;   a can handling assembly associated with the frame, the can handling assembly having a lower end can handling subassembly and an upper can handling subassembly, the lower can handling subassembly including a lower chuck structurally configured to retain a lower rim of a blank of a can, the upper end can handling assembly including an upper chuck structurally configured to retain an upper cap the can, the lower end can handling assembly further including a lower can positioning subassembly structurally configured to raise and lower the lower chuck toward and away from the upper chuck;   can driving assembly structurally configured to rotate at least one of the upper chuck and the lower chuck; and   a seaming assembly including a first seam forming subassembly and a second seam forming subassembly, each movably coupled to the frame, and operable sequentially to form a double seam can seal between the blank and the upper cap.   
     
     
         2 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the lower can handling subassembly further includes an overcenter mechanism to lock the lower chuck into an engaging configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the overcenter mechanism further includes an overcenter handle which is coupled through linkages to the lower chuck, wherein the overcenter handle can be rotated relative to the linkages into the engaging configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the overcenter mechanism further includes an adjustment mechanism structurally configured to adjust the position of the lower chuck relative to the upper chuck in the engaging configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the driving assembly further includes a motor that is operably coupled to the upper chuck, to in turn, facilitate rotation thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the upper chuck is rotatably coupled to the frame, in a fixed position. 
     
     
         7 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the lower chuck and the upper chuck have a collinear axis of rotation. 
     
     
         8 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first seam forming subassembly further includes a first roller rotatably coupled to a first roller trunnion that is pivotably coupled to the frame about a first pivot axle, the first pivot axle being spaced apart from an axis of rotation of the first roller, with a first rotation actuator configured to rotate the first roller trunnion about the pivot axle, to, in turn, direct the first roller into contact with at least one of the blank and the top cap. 
     
     
         9 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 8  further including a first roller position adjustment, adjusting the vertical position of the first roller relative to the upper chuck, so as to alter a point of contact on the at least one of the blank and the top cap. 
     
     
         10 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the axis of rotation of the first pivot axle and the first roller is parallel to the axis of rotation of the upper chuck and the lower chuck. 
     
     
         11 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the first rotation actuator comprises a lever that extends from the first roller trunnion. 
     
     
         12 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the second seam forming subassembly further includes a second roller rotatably coupled to a second roller trunnion that is pivotably coupled to the frame about a second pivot axle, the second pivot axle being spaced apart from an axis of rotation of the second roller, with a second rotation actuator configured to rotate the second roller trunnion about the pivot axle, to, in turn, direct the second roller into contact with at least one of the blank and the top cap. 
     
     
         13 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the first pivot axle and the second pivot axle are parallel to each other and parallel to the axis of rotation of the upper and lower chuck. 
     
     
         14 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 13  wherein each of the first and second pivot axles include an adjustment mechanism, adjusting the vertical position of the first roller relative to the upper chuck, and the vertical position of the second roller relative to the upper chuck, so as to alter a point of contact of the first roller and the second roller, respectively, on the at least one of the blank and the top cap. 
     
     
         15 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the first pivot axle is positioned on one side of the upper chuck, and the second pivot axle is positioned on a second side of the upper chuck. 
     
     
         16 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the first roller and the second roller are each configured to contact the at least one of the blank and the top cap on opposite sides. 
     
     
         17 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the first roller rotation actuator comprises a lever coupled to the first roller trunnion, and the second roller rotation actuator comprise a lever coupled to the second roller trunnion. 
     
     
         18 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the first seam forming subassembly further includes a first pivot limiting assembly limiting the pivoting of the first roller relative to the upper chuck, and the second seam forming subassembly further includes a second pivot limiting assembly limiting the pivoting of the second roller relative to the upper chuck. 
     
     
         19 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the first pivot limiting assembly and the second pivot limiting assembly are adjustable. 
     
     
         20 . The can seaming apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a can positioning bracket having an inner edge extending inwardly toward the axis of rotation, wherein the inner edge is outboard of a can positioned and retained by the can handling assembly. 
     
     
         21 . A method of operating a can seaming apparatus of  claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a can blank and a top cap;   positioning the can blank on the lower chuck;   positioning the top cap on the can blank;   raising the lower chuck so that the top cap engages the upper chuck and the lower chuck reaches the engaging configuration;   locking the lower chuck in the engaging configuration;   actuating the driving assembly so as to rotate the lower and upper chucks and the can blank and top cap about an axis of rotation;   actuating the first seam forming subassembly to engage the can blank and top cap, deforming the same;   disengaging the first seam forming subassembly from the can blank and top cap;   actuating the second seam forming subassembly to engage the can blank and top cap, deforming the same; and   removing the can blank and top cap which define a formed can.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the steps of:
 leaning the can blank against an inner edge of a can positioning bracket; and 
 directing the can blank away from the inner edge of the can positioning bracket by the upper chuck contacting the top cap during the step of raising, so that in the step of actuating, the can blank is rotated in a spaced apart orientation relative to the inner edge of the can blank.