Drive system for a can bodymaker and can bodymaker including same

Abstract

A drive system for a can bodymaker includes an operating arrangement having a number of drive motors, each drive motor structured to be coupled to a frame of the can bodymaker. The system also includes a yolk body structured to be coupled to an end of a ram body of a ram extending from a first side of the yolk body. The system further includes a slide arrangement coupled to the yolk body and structured to be coupled to the frame such that the yolk body can move linearly with respect to the frame. The slide arrangement includes a number of rails and a number of carriage members, wherein each rail has at least one carriage member slidingly engaged therewith. Each drive motor is operatively coupled to the yolk body to drive the yolk body in a reciprocal linear motion back and forth along the number of rails.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drive system for use in a can bodymaker, the drive system comprising:
 an operating arrangement comprising a number of drive motors, each drive motor structured to be coupled to a frame of the can bodymaker;   a yolk body structured to be coupled to an end of a ram body of a ram extending from a first side of the yolk body; and   a slide arrangement coupled to the yolk body and structured to be coupled to the frame of the can bodymaker such that the yolk body can move linearly with respect to the frame, the slide arrangement comprising:
 a number of rails, and 
 a number of carriage members, 
 wherein each rail of the number of rails has at least one carriage member of the number of carriage members slidingly engaged therewith, 
   wherein each drive motor of the number of drive motors is operatively coupled to the yolk body such that the yolk body is structured to be driven in a reciprocal linear motion back and forth along the number of rails of the slide arrangement by the number of drive motors.   
     
     
         2 . The drive system of  claim 1 , wherein each respective drive motor is operatively coupled to the yolk body via the interaction between a circular gear coupled to an output shaft of the respective drive motor and a linear gear coupled to the yolk body. 
     
     
         3 . The drive system of  claim 2 , wherein for each respective drive motor, the circular gear coupled to the output shaft is operatively coupled to the output shaft via a gearbox. 
     
     
         4 . The drive system of  claim 1 , wherein the number of drive motors comprises a plurality of drive motors. 
     
     
         5 . The drive system of  claim 4 , wherein the number of drive motors comprises two drive motors. 
     
     
         6 . The drive system of  claim 5 , wherein each drive motor includes an output shaft and wherein the output shaft of each drive motor is positioned in a common reference plane. 
     
     
         7 . The drive system of  claim 6 , wherein the output shaft of each drive motor is aligned with a common reference axis. 
     
     
         8 . The drive system of  claim 4 , wherein the number of drive motors comprises four drive motors. 
     
     
         9 . The drive system of  claim 4 , wherein at least two drive motors of the plurality of drive motors are positioned in opposite directions. 
     
     
         10 . The drive system of  claim 4 , wherein at least two drive motors of the plurality of drive motors are positioned in the same direction. 
     
     
         11 . The drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the number of rails comprises two rails; and   the number of carriage members comprises at least two carriage members.   
     
     
         12 . A can bodymaker comprising:
 a frame;   a ram having an elongated, substantially cylindrical ram body positioned about a longitudinal axis, the ram body having a proximal end and a distal end positioned opposite the proximal end; and   a drive system comprising:
 an operating arrangement comprising a number of drive motors, each drive motor coupled to the frame; 
 a yolk body coupled to the proximal end of the ram body; and 
 a slide arrangement coupled to the yolk body and the frame such that the yolk body can move linearly with respect to the frame, the slide arrangement comprising:
 a number of rails, and 
 a number of carriage members, 
 
   wherein each rail of the number of rails has at least one carriage member of the number of carriage members slidingly engaged therewith, and   wherein each drive motor of the number of drive motors is operatively coupled to the yolk body such that the yolk body and the ram body are structured to be driven in a reciprocal linear motion back and forth along the number of rails of the slide arrangement by the number of drive motors.   
     
     
         13 . The can bodymaker of  claim 12 , wherein each respective drive motor is operatively coupled to the yolk body via the interaction between a circular gear coupled to an output shaft of the respective drive motor and a linear gear coupled to the yolk body. 
     
     
         14 . The can bodymaker of  claim 13 , wherein for each respective drive motor, the circular gear coupled to the output shaft is operatively coupled to the output shaft via a gearbox. 
     
     
         15 . The can bodymaker of  claim 12 , wherein the number of drive motors comprises a plurality of drive motors.