Can treatment tool
United States Patent Adamson 5] Apr. 29, 1975 [5 1 CAN TREATMENT TOOL 1209.209 M940 Ruby 29/426 2.441.322 5/!948 .lagcr n 30/4 R [761 Adammm 28 3.094.776 6/l963 Smith 30/155 Dartmouth Nova 5Com Canada 3.510.932 5/1970 Lammcrsetal. ll3/l20 R p [2|] Appl. No.: 456,600  
 Primary Exmniner-Leonidas Vlachos [52] US. Cl 82/47; 30/4 R; 30/8; 30/155 [5 1] Int. Cl B23b 1/00 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 30/8-11, 3,  
 30/4 2 29/401 Inspection of can double seams is performed by cutter l 20 R I30 120 DD; 82/47 which approaches can in a relative direction and location to both sever the cover hook and move it along References the can without damage to the body hook.  
  UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,012,955 9/l935 Gabm 30/8 X 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDmamrs SHEET 2 0? 2 FIG. 4  
 FIG. 3  
 CAN TREATMENT TOOL This invention relates to a means for cutting the cover hook of a cylindrical can seam and can be considered as a type of rotary seam stripper.  
  Cans are formed with a seam at each end wherein the can wall material. at the end of the wall. extends outwardly therefrom and then back a short distance to form what is known as a body hook spaced from the wall of the can body sufficiently to receive the end of a hook formed by material of the can cover. The can cover at the end of the can under discussion was provided with a cover hook comprising an edge extending outwardly. over the outward extending portion of the cover book. along the outside of the body hook. inward across the end of the body hook and between the body hook and the body. This seam is formed and crimped to provide a sealed can end closure. known as a double seam.  
  It is standard procedure to provide one such closure for the can at the plant where the can is manufactured. and the other end closure is provided at the canning factory after the contents have been inserted.  
  For safety and quality control reasons. it is necessary to provide for inspection of a certain proportion of such seams by cutting and detaching the cover hook therefrom allowing measurement of the dimensions and thicknesses of the undetached portion of the seam and of the detached cover hook.  
  This invention provides means and a method for severing and separating a cover hook from a completed seam for inspection purposes. The invention was designed primarily for use in the can manufacturing plane. ie for inspecting the seam of the first formed can end closure. However. if desired. the invention may equally be used to perform the same operations on the second formed seam. formed in the canning factory.  
  The invention provides: means for holding the can. whose seam is to be inspected. with the seam exposed. a cutter. and means for moving the can along a locus relative to the cutter. with the can seam to be inspected leading in its motion measured relative to the cutter. The locus is selected and the cutter located so that the movement of the can along the locus severs the cover hook but does not sever and preferably does not damage the body hook or the remainder of the seam. To achieve such severance. means are provided for rotating the can relative to the cutter at the line of severance. The cutter and locus are also designed so that. movement of the can along said locus is permitted a short distance past the point at which the cutter has severed the cover hook, and the resultant movement of the cutter relative to the can separates the severed portion of the cover hook from the seam to allow easy inspection of the seam and easy removal and inspection of the cover hook. It will be obvious that the invention includes the alternatives wherein the can moves along the locus toward the cutter or the cutter moves in the opposite direction along the locus relative to the can. It will also be obvious that the invention includes the alternatives wherein either the can is rotated and the cutter remains stationary or the can is stationary and the cutter is rotated. The latter alternative is considered more expensive to provide.  
  In drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention:  
  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus in accord with the invention;  
  FlGS. 2. 3 and 4 are enlarged views of apparatus in accord with the invention; and  
 FIG. 5 shows a can after operation by the tool.  
  The preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes a modified drill press. Such drill press is designed to support the can on platform l0 centred relative to the chuck l2 thereabove. In accord with the conventional design of such machines. pulling the lever toward the operator causes the platform It] to rise. contacting the chuck and causing rotation of chuck. can. and holder as these members continue to rise while rotating the can under the continued movement of lever 14 toward the operator. A cutter l8 is located to sever the cover hook seam as the rotating can moves upwardly as described in connection with FIGS. 2 4.  
  As illustrated in FIG. 2. the can will be closed. in accord with normal closure techniques by a conventional double seam achieved by shaping the edge of the can lid 20 and the adjacent edge of the can wall so that. the edge of the can body extends outwardly then back. roughly parallel to the can body to form a body book 22 spaced from the can body to receive the end of a cover hook 24 between the body hook 22 and the can body. The edge of the cover 20 extends a short distance upwardly along the inside of the can body outwardly. down the outside of the backwardly extending body hook. at 26 across the edge of the body hook and back to form a cover hook 24 between the body hook and the can wall. The seam. as described above. is formed and crimped in accord with standard and well known. can making techniques. and the intent is of course to enclose and properly seal the can.  
  In accord with the invention. H68. 2. 3 and 4 disclose the desired path of movement of the cutter [8 to achieve severance and stripping of the cover hook 24 from the can cover and the seam.  
  The dotted line A in FIGS. 2. 3 and 4 designates the locus of relative movement of the seam relative to the line of movement of the cutter edge 19. The cutter edge I) is directed generally in the direction of relative movement of the cutter 18 toward the can (in the specific embodiment this is actual movement of the can toward the cutter). Some variation of the cutter edge 18 orientation is permitted as long as severance of the cover hook is achieved, as the seam and cutter move relative to each other along the locus of movement. and the body hook 24 is undamaged by the passage of the cutter.  
  FIG. 3 shows the cutter edge 19 severing the cover book 26 from the remainder of the cover member and the seam. during movement of the rotating can upwardly past the cutter. FIG. 4 shows an extent of travel which must be permitted in the design to carry the can further past the cutter 18, still moving along its locus of movement. resulting in the cutter edge l9 moving the cover hook away from the seam. It will be noted that this is the only device known to applicant which will sever the cover hook from the seam and move it to a spaced location from the seam in a single operation. providing a great advantage over prior seam strippers.  
  When this has been done. the cover. now severed from the seam. may easily be removed as may the now annular cover hook. The remaining seam and the cover hook may then be measured and inspected.  
  It will be appreciated that due to the necessity of severing the cover book. while leaving the body hook unscathed. requires precise adjustment of the cutter relative to the locus of travel of the can. for each size of can. and requires precise fitting of the chuck [2 with the top of the can and of platform 10 with the bottom. Howe\ er. such adjustment may be conveniently achieved by those skilled in the art.  
  Design of the cutter l8 and its support must be such that the cutter may move past its severance location to move the cover hook away from the seam.  
  As discussed in the introduction. the invention may equally well be embodied and performed by alternative means. wherein means are provided to cause a can to rotate with its seam exposed at a given location and lever or other control to bring the cutter along a locus of movement into contact with the seam for severance and displacement thereof.  
 1 claim:  
 1. Seam inspection device for use with a can having a cylindrical wall terminating at at least one end in a double seam comprising a body hook wherein the end of the material of the can wall is curved outwardly then backwardly along the can wall. and a Cover hook wherein the edge of the cover is curved to extend along the outside of the body hook. inward across the end thereof then in between the body hook and the can wall.  
 means for holding such can. designed to leave said seamed end free for cutting; a cutter means for moving said can parallel to its cylindrical axis relatively toward said cutter. said cutter being located. on said relative movement. to sever said cover book without severing said body hook. and to move said severed cover hook along said can; means for causing rotation of said can relative to said cutter. 2. Seam inspection device for use with a can having a cylindrical wall terminating at at least one end in a seam comprising a body hook wherein the end of the material of the can wall is curved outwardly then backwardly along the can wall. and a cover hook wherein the edge of the cover is curved to extend along the outside of the body hook. inward across the end then in between the body hook and the can wall.  
 a cutter designed to sever the seam. means for supporting the can, with said seam exposed for cutting by said cutter. and  
 means for moving said can relative to said cutter in a locus allowing said seam to encounter said cutter.  
 said cutter being located mounted and directed. on movement of said can along said locus. to sever said cover hook, without cutting the body hook.  
 said cutter and said means for moving said can being designed so that said can moves along said locus a short distance past the point at which the cutter has severed the cover hook and so that over said short distance said cutter moves said severed cover hook along said can.  
  3. Method of treating can seams for inspection thereof. wherein the can is of a type having a cylindrical wall terminating at at least one end in a double seam comprising a body hook wherein the end of the material ol&#39; the can wall is curved outwardly then backwardly along the can wall. and a cover hook wherein the edge of the cover is curved to extend along the outside of the body hook. inward across the end thereof. then in between the body hook and the can wall.  
 comprising the steps of:  
 holding said can in a manner to leave said seamed end free for cutting moving said can parallel to its cylindrical axis. relatively toward a cutter. with the seam end advanced. along a locus of movement. such that said cutter severs said cover hook without severing said body hook. and displaces said severed cover hook away from said seam;  
  4. A method of treating can seams for inspection thereof. wherein the can is of a type having a cylindrical wall. terminating at at least one end in a seam comprising a body hook. wherein the end of the material of the can wall is curved outwardly then backwardly along the can wall. and a cover hook wherein the edge of the cover is curved to extend along the outside of the body hook. inward across the end thereof. then in between the body hook and the can wall. comprising the steps of:  
 supporting said can to allow cutting to take place thereon. while exposing said seam for cutting; rotating said can about its longitudinal axis relative to a cutter; moving said rotating can, seam end first. relatively toward said cutter in a locus of movement designed so that said cutter severs said cover hook. without severing said body hook and moves said severed cover hook away from said seamv