Necking die assembly with internal rollers

Claim 1

Can-necking apparatus comprising: means for inwardly deforming the end of a can body forced axially thereinto, said means including a stationary ring die having a die surface facing inwardly towards the axis of said ring die, said die surface including an annular portion of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the can body to be necked, an inwardly tapered surface and an annular portion of reduced diameter, a rotatable shaft coaxial with said ring die, a roller mount, means mounting said roller mount on said shaft for rotation therewith and thereby and for movement of said roller mount towards and away from the axis of said shaft, a roller carried by said roller mount for rotation about an axis parallel to and offset from the axis of said shaft, said roller having an outwardly facing cylindrical surface in opposition to said annular die surface portion of reduced diameter of said ring die and engageable by the end of a can body as said can body is forced into said ring die and said end is deformed inwardly by sliding engagement with said inwardly tapered die surface, means resiliently pressing said roller mount away from the axis of said shaft.