Trimming head for metal cans

Claim 2

In an apparatus for trimming the end of a can and having a cutting ring, a main shaft, a sleeve around the main shaft, a stud shaft having a first end slidably attached to the main shaft, a cutter attached to a second end of the stud shaft, the improvement comprising: a first groove of varying depth extending along the length of the inside of said sleeve, a T-shaped slot in the end of the main shaft, a T-shaped fitting on the first end of said stud shaft for sliding in the slot of said main shaft whereby said stud shaft is slidably joined to said main shaft, a passageway through said stud shaft in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said main shaft, a fixed pin mounted in said passageway and projecting from said passageway into said first groove, a movable pin mounted in said passageway, compression spring means mounted in said passageway between said movable pin and said fixed pin for urging said movable pin out of said passageway whereby said movable pin presses against the side of said sleeve and urges said stud shaft and cutter toward the cutting ring to shear off the excess material from the end of the can.

Claim 3

An apparatus for cutting a tubular workpiece as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: a trunnion ring mounted about said sleeve and attached to said sleeve for moving said sleeve toward and away from said cutting ring.

Claim 4

An apparatus for cutting a tubular workpiece as set forth in claim 2 in which said first groove comprises: cam means located on the inside of said sleeve adjacent said movable pin whereby as said sleeve is moved away from said cutting ring said fixed pin rides down the cam surface toward the outside of said Sleeve carrying said stud shaft and said cutter with it toward cutting cooperation with said cutting ring and as said sleeve is moved toward said ring said fixed pin rides up said cam surface toward the longitudinal axis of said sleeve carrying said stud shaft and cutter with it.

Claim 5

An apparatus for cutting a tubular workpiece as set forth in claim 3 further comprising: a bifurcated means for moving said trunnion ring toward and away from said cutting ring, trunnion bearing means mounted on opposing sides of said trunnion ring for cooperation with said bifurcated means whereby motion of said bifurcated means is imparted to said trunnion ring and thus to said sleeve.

Claim 6

An apparatus for cutting a tubular workpiece as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: ejection means for ejecting the cutoff portion of a tubular workpiece from adjacent said cutting ring after said rotary cutter has cut the tubular workpiece and separated said cutoff portion from said tubular workpiece and said cutter has returned from its cutting position to a central position as said sleeve has retracted from the neighborhood of said cutting ring and said fixed pin has slid down said cam surface on said sleeve.

Claim 7

An apparatus for cutting a tubular workpiece as set forth in claim 5 in which said ejection means comprises: a knockout ring means for pressing the cutoff portion of said tubular workpiece out of said apparatus.

Claim 8

An apparatus for cutting a tubular workpiece as set forth in claim 6 comprising further: an air chamber located behind and adjacent to said knockout ring means for pressing said knockout ring against said cutoff portion of said workpiece and expelling said cutoff portion from said apparatus.

Claim 9

A can end trimming device comprising: an outer cutting ring forming an orifice and attached to the casing of the can end trimming device, can holding means for moving an untrimmed can into the outer cutting ring and for moving the trimmed can away from the outer cutting ring after the surplus material has been removed from said can, a main shaft mounted for rotation about its axis and having a T-shaped slot in one end, a stud shaft having a first end and a second end and having a T-shaped fitting at said first end for sliding in said slot whereby said stud shaft is slidably joined to said main shaft, a rotatable cutter mounted on the second end of said stud shaft, a passageway through said stud shaft and extending normal to the axis of said main shaft, a movable pin mounted in said passageway, a fixed pin mounted in said passageway and extending out of said stud shaft a short distance, a compression spring mounted in said passageway between said movable pin and said fixed pin for urging said movable pin outwardly from said stud shaft, a sleeve mounted about said main shaft, a first groove of varying depth extending longitudinally of said sleeve along the interior of said sleeve whereby said fixed pin rides in said groove to move said stud shaft and said rotatable cutter to and from cutting position against the side of said can end, and a second groove of uniform depth extends longitudinally of said sleeve on the opposite side of said sleeve from said first groove whereby said movable pin rides in said second groove while the main shaft and sleeve turns and when said fixed pin rides down the varying depth of said first groove then said compression spring urges said stud shaft outwardly to cause said cutter to engage and sever said can side against said outer cutting ring.

Claim 10

A can end trimming device comprising: an outer cutting ring forming an orifice and attached to the casing of the can end trimming device, can holding means for moving an untrimmed can into the outer cutting ring and for moving the trimmed can away from the outer cutting ring after the surplus material has been removed from said can, a main shaft mounted for rotation about its axis and having a T-shaped slot in one end, a stud shaft having a first end and a second end and having a T-shaped fitting at said first end for sliding in said slot whereby said stud shaft is slidably joined to said main shaft, a rotatable cutter mounted on the second end of said stud shaft, a passageway through said stud shaft and extending normal to the axis of said main shaft, a movable pin mounted in said passageway, a fixed pin mounted in said passageway and extending out of said stud shaft a short distance, a compression spring mounted in said passageway between said movable pin and said fixed pin for urging said movable pin outwardly from said stud shaft, a sleeve mounted about said main shaft, a first groove of varying depth extending longitudinally of said sleeve along the interior of said sleeve whereby said fixed pin rides in said groove to move said stud shaft and said rotatable cutter to and from cutting position against the side of said can end, and a second groove of uniform depth extends longitudinally of said sleeve on the opposite side of said sleeve from said first groove whereby said movable pin rides in said second groove while the main shaft and sleeve turns and when said fixed pin rides down the varying depth of said first groove then said compression spring urges said stud shaft outwardly to cause said cutter to engage and sever said can side against said outer cutting ring.