JP7008115B2 - Guide bearing assembly for can body making machines and can body making machines - Google Patents

Description

[Cross-reference of related applications]
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 993,159 filed January 12, 2016, which U.S. Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference. The U.S. patent application is a partial continuation application of U.S. patent application No. 14 / 470,987 filed on August 28, 2014, the title of the invention "OUTBOARD HYDROSTIC BEARING ASSEMBLY FOR CAN BODYMAKER". The application is incorporated herein by reference. The partial continuation application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 61 / 870,831 filed on August 28, 2013, which U.S. Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference.

The concepts disclosed and described in the claims relate to can body making machines, more specifically in which the ram assembly has an outboard bearing and a shortened ram body. Including can body making machine.

Generally, aluminum cans begin with disc-shaped aluminum (also known as "blank") punched out of sheet-like or coiled aluminum. That is, the sheet is fed into the dual action press, and the movement of the outer slide / ram cuts out a disk-shaped "blank" from the sheet. The inner slide / ram then pushes the "blank" through the drawing process, resulting in a cup. The cup has a bottom and a bottom and an accompanying side wall. The cup is supplied to one of several body making machines that perform redrawing and ironing operations. More specifically, the cup is placed inside the can forming machine at the entrance of a dye pack with a substantially circular opening. The cup is held in place by a re-squeeze sleeve that is part of the re-squeeze assembly. The redraw sleeve is a hollow tubular structure that is placed inside the cup and urges the cup against the dyepack. More specifically, the first die in the die pack is a redraw die, but is not part of the redraw assembly. The cup is urged against the redraw die by the redraw sleeve. The other dies, i.e. the ironing dies, are located behind the redraw dies and are axially aligned with the redraw dies. The ironing die and the re-squeeze die are not part of the re-squeeze assembly. The elongated cylindrical ram assembly 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A includes a carriage 2. The carriage 2 supports the ram body 3 with the punch 4 at the anterior distal end. The rams and punches are aligned with the openings of the redraw and ironing dies and are configured to move through those openings. At the tip of the dypack on the other side of the ram is a domer. A dormer is a die configured to form a recessed dome at the bottom of a cup / can.

Therefore, during operation, the cup is placed at one end of the die pack. Cups are usually larger in diameter and have thicker walls than finished cans. The re-squeeze sleeve is located inside the cup and urges the bottom of the cup against the re-squeeze die. The openings in the redraw die have a smaller diameter than the cup. The elongated ram body, more specifically the punch, passes through the hollow re-squeeze sleeve and contacts the bottom of the cup. As the ram body continues to move forward, the cup moves through the re-squeeze die. Since the opening of the redraw die is smaller than the original diameter of the cup, the cup is deformed and stretched, resulting in a smaller diameter. When the cup passes through the redraw die, the wall thickness of the cup usually remains the same. As the ram continues to move forward, the stretched cup passes through several ironing dies. Each ironing die thins the cup, which stretches the cup. The bottom of the stretched cup engages the dormer, forming a recessed dome at the bottom of the cup for final molding of the can body. At this point, compared to the original shape of the cup, the can body is stretched and has a thinner wall and a dome-shaped bottom.

During this operation, friction produces heat in both the ram assembly and the dyepack. This heat is dissipated by the cooling fluid that passes through the components and on their surfaces. The cooling fluid on the surface of the ram body is mostly collected in the seal assembly placed between the hydrostatic / hydrodynamic bearing assembly and the re-throttle (or hold down) assembly. .. The seal assembly includes several seals that fit the cross-sectional shape of the ram body. As the ram body passes through the seal assembly, the cooling fluid is collected and recirculated.

Once the can body forming operation is complete, the can body is removed from the ram, and more particularly from the punch, through further steps such as, but not limited to, trimming, cleaning, printing, flange formation, inspection, and the like. Placed in and sent to the filler. At the filling device, the can is removed from the pallet, filled with content and fitted with an end. The filled cans are repacked in 6-pack and / or 12-pack cases and the like.

The ram body moves cyclically many times every minute. To achieve this movement, the body maker also includes a crank assembly with a crank arm. The crank arm is connected to the ram assembly and reciprocates the ram assembly. The ram body is approximately axially aligned with the hollow re-throttle sleeve and dyepack. This alignment is important because misalignment causes the ram to wear down the die and vice versa. As shown in FIG. 1A, the alignment of the ram body is improved by a ram guide assembly 5 (hereinafter referred to as "ram guide") that guides the ram body through touring. There are additional hydrostatic / dynamic fluid bearing assemblies 6 on either side of the ram assembly carriage, but these bearings do not "guide" the ram. These hydrostatic / dynamic fluid bearing assemblies 6 are located in the channel and have a port 7. Ports 7 are located on the top, sides and bottom to provide lubricating fluid. Due to various factors, such as, but not limited to, the static pressure / dynamic pressure fluid bearing assemblies 6 are directly adjacent to each other and the length of the carriage is relatively short, these additional static pressure / dynamics. The pressure fluid bearing assembly 6 is prevented from controlling the orientation and alignment of the ram body. That is, a small amount of "wobble" of the carriage in the channel prevents the carriage and the hydrostatic / dynamic fluid bearing assembly 6 from guiding the ram body.

Therefore, as used herein, "guide" as used with respect to ram body bearings means controlling the orientation and alignment of the ram body. Therefore, the "guide bearing" or "guide bearing assembly" used herein is configured to control the orientation and alignment of the ram body and controls them. Bearings such as the prior art static / dynamic fluid bearing assembly 6 on either side of the ram assembly carriage have minimal effect or can only affect the orientation and alignment of the ram body. It is not a "guide" bearing assembly as used herein. In other words, noting that the ram body must be guided, if the ram body does not have a guide, the bearing assemblies on either side of the ram carriage are "guide bearing assemblies". However, if the ram body has guides, the bearing assemblies on either side of the ram carriage are not "guide bearing assemblies".

The guide assembly is typically located very close to the upstream of the rethrottle assembly (near the crank arm). The fluid bearing assembly includes a body that defines the passage. The ram body extends through the passage of the fluid bearing assembly. Further, the fluid bearing assembly introduces a fluid, such as, but not limited to, oil between the body of the fluid bearing assembly and the body of the ram. By controlling the amount and pressure of the fluid, it is possible to accurately control the alignment of the ram body with the hollow re-throbbing sleeve and the die pack. The fluid in the fluid bearing assembly is collected and reused by the seal assembly.

The disadvantage of this configuration is that the fluid in the fluid bearing assembly is not completely removed by the seal assembly. Therefore, when cooling fluid is used, some of the fluid in the fluid bearing assembly remains in the ram body. In addition, the fluids are mixed and the collected cooling fluid is contaminated. This also means that the fluid in the fluid bearing assembly, which can be expensive oil, is gradually lost.

Another disadvantage is that the ram body must be long enough to extend through the seal assembly and fluid bearing assembly as well as the dyepack. In a typical 12-liquid ounce can body, the length of the ram body is about 50 to 52 inches when the 24-inch stroke for a typical 12-liquid ounce can is used. The length of the ram depends on the length of the stroke, which supports different sized can bodies. For example, the following is a table showing typical ram lengths and their associated strokes.

Ram bodies of any of these lengths are prone to damage due to wear during normal use.

As described above, the ram body passes through the die pack in the first direction when forming the can body, and subsequently reverses the die pack after the can body is formed. The dye pack of the body making machine has a plurality of dies separated from each other, and each die has an opening. The opening of each die is slightly smaller than the adjacent upstream die. Subsequent die openings in the die pack have a smaller inner diameter, i.e., a smaller opening. So when the ram passes the aluminum through the rest of the die pack, the aluminum cup becomes thinner. The space between the punch and the redraw die is usually an unknown gap (0.001 to 2 inches per side surface) that exceeds the wall thickness of the metal and is less than 0.004 inches on the final ironing die. The typical aluminum gauge used to make a typical 12 fl ounce can is, in fact, 0.0108 inches today. However, narrowing the space in this way is disadvantageous, especially in the return process.

This elongated horizontal ram has a stroke length of 22 to 30 inches and a throughput frequency of 210 to 450 strokes / minute (SPM), depending on the diameter of the can, the height of the can and the machine model. And the punch is accompanied by sagging or bending of the ram. In the simplest form, the ram is fixed at one end as a cantilever and is depicted as free at the other end. The upper theorized beam type shows the deflection of the ram due to the weight of the tungsten carbide punch. The lower theorized beam type shows the deflection of a long steel ram due to its own weight. The total deflection of the horizontal ram in known body making machines is a combination of these two effects. The typical weight of a ram and punch assembly is approximately 50 lbf in total. The maximum deflection (δ), or ram sag, is the elongated lightweight steel ram (ρ _steel = 0.284 lb / in ³ ) and the heavy tungsten carbide at the tip of the ram (ie, WC-ρ _WC = 0. 567 lb / in ³ ) It is linearly proportional to the weight of the punch (point load P or distributed load ω). However, the maximum value of deflection or ram sag (conceptualized as a cantilever) is length (l), i.e., its fourth length for elongated steel rams, its fourth length for heavy carbide punches at the ram tip. It depends on the length of the cube. As is well known, I is an area moment of inertia. Therefore, if the ram can be shortened, bending or sagging of the ram can be significantly reduced. The concept of outboarding static / dynamic ram bearings outside the main ram itself is essential for shortening the length of the ram. This is because the ram no longer requires additional length to be supported by bearings throughout the can body manufacturing process. Lamb sagging is a problem in the return process where the can is not formed. In the return process, the punch and ram tend to come into contact with the touring, which causes wear and damage. A major contributor to this is the contact between the punch and ironing die (mainly the third or last iron) in the machine's return process.

Further, as described above, the ram body passes through the static / dynamic fluid bearing assembly. The static / dynamic fluid bearing assembly is secured to the bulkhead of the housing assembly of the can body maker. This means that the length of the cantilevered portion of the ram body changes during the body manufacturing cycle. That is, when the ram body is retracted and is in the first position, the length of the cantilevered portion of the ram body is relatively short. On the contrary, when the ram body is extended and in the second position, the length of the cantilevered portion of the ram body is relatively long. The dynamic nature of the length of the cantilever part of the ram body means that the amount of sagging changes dynamically as well. This means that it must be a system that compensates for ram sagging as well as a dynamic system.

In addition, the sagging of the ram and other contact between the ram body and the dypack will prevent the ram body from aligning with the dypack. In other words, the contact between the ram body and the dypack creates offset forces that act in different directions around the center of gravity of the ram assembly. These offset forces generate torque around the center of gravity of the ram assembly, resulting in the aforementioned "wobble". This is a drawback.

Therefore, there is a demand for a ram assembly including a ram body that is not easily affected by ram sagging. More specifically, there is a demand for a ram body with a short length. That is, the length of the ram body is a defined problem.

These and other requirements are satisfied by at least one embodiment of the invention. The present invention, in one embodiment, is about 2.0 to 2.5 inches in diameter and about 30.0 to 32.0 inches in length, for example, for a typical 12 fluid ounce can. Alternatively, a ram assembly with a ram body that is approximately 31.0 inches is provided. In another exemplary embodiment, a ram seal assembly is used and the length of the ram body is from about 33.0 inches to about 36.0 inches, or about 34.5 inches. In this embodiment, the diameter of the ram body is about 1.5 to about 3.5 inches, or about 2.5 inches, for a typical 12 fluid ounce can.

In another embodiment, the ram assembly of the can body making machine comprises an outboard guide bearing assembly. The outboard guide bearing assembly is "outboard", i.e., as used herein, separated from the ram body. The outboard guide bearing assembly includes a carriage assembly and a bearing assembly. The bearing assembly comprises, in an exemplary embodiment, two bearings located on either side of the carriage assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the bearing assembly is a static / dynamic pressure bearing assembly. The outboard guide bearing assembly allows the ram body to be shortened because the ram body does not have to extend through the bearing assembly and die pack.

In another embodiment, the ram assembly of the can body making machine comprises an elongated, almost hollow ram body and a tensile assembly. The ram body includes the proximal, central and distal ends. The tensile assembly includes an elongated support member. Support members of the tensile assembly include proximal and distal ends. The support member of the tension assembly is mostly located within the ram body, the proximal end of the support member of the tension assembly is coupled to the proximal end of the ram body, and the distal end of the support member of the tension assembly is of the ram body. It is attached to either the central part or the distal end of the ram body.

In another embodiment, the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly is configured to orient the ram body in the passage through the die pack. That is, the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly contains fluid producing elements so that the fluid producing elements move over the selected path of travel (aligned along the longitudinal axis of the Dyepack passage). The ram body or punch is sufficiently spaced apart to turn the ram body or punch in a manner intended to position the longitudinal axis of the ram body. The guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly produces a reasonable amount of fluid that is sufficient to establish an aligning fluid bearing stiffness.

A full understanding of the present invention can be obtained by reading the following description of the preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the prior art ram assembly. FIG. 1A is an isometric view of the prior art ram assembly. FIG. 1B is a side view of the prior art ram assembly. FIG. 2 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the body making machine, with the ram assembly in the first position. FIG. 3 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the body making machine with the ram assembly in the middle position. FIG. 4 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the body making machine, with the ram assembly in the second position. FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the body making machine, with the ram assembly in the first position. FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the body making machine with the ram assembly in the middle position. FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the body making machine with the ram assembly in the second position. FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the outboard guide bearing assembly. FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the outboard carriage assembly. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the ram body. FIG. 10A is a detailed cross-sectional view of the central portion of the ram body. FIG. 10B is a detailed cross-sectional view of the proximal end of the ram body. FIG. 11 is a first isometric view of another embodiment of the outboard guide bearing assembly. FIG. 12 is a second isometric view of another embodiment of the outboard guide bearing assembly. FIG. 13 is a plan view of another embodiment of the outboard guide bearing assembly. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the ram body. FIG. 14A is a detailed cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the central and distal portions of the ram body. FIG. 15 is a top view of another embodiment of the outboard guide bearing assembly. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the outboard guide bearing assembly. FIG. 17 is a table showing an equation relating to the deflection of the ram. FIG. 18 is a table showing the formula of the load of the cantilever. FIG. 19 is an isometric view of another embodiment. FIG. 20 is another isometric view of another embodiment. FIG. 21 is an exploded isometric view of another embodiment. FIG. 22A is a top view of the ram assembly showing the center of gravity of the ram assembly. FIG. 22B is a side view of the ram assembly showing the center of gravity of the ram assembly. FIG. 22C is a front view of the ram assembly showing the center of gravity of the ram assembly.

As used herein, for example, "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "upward", "downward", and derivatives thereof. The representation of orientation relates to the orientation of the elements shown in the drawings and does not limit the scope of the claims unless explicitly stated in the claims.

As used herein, singular forms such as "one" and "that" include references to plurals unless the context clearly stipulates that they do not.

As used herein, the statement that two or more parts or components are "combined" is, as long as a link occurs, directly or indirectly, i.e., one or more. It means that the parts are combined or work together through the middle part or component of. As used herein, "directly coupled" means that the two elements are in direct contact with each other. As used herein, "fixed and combined" or "fixed" means that the two components are combined to move as one and at the same time maintain a constant orientation with respect to each other. Means that you are. Therefore, when the two elements are combined, all parts of these elements are combined. However, the description of a particular part of the first element coupled to the second element, such as the first end of the mandrel coupled to the first wheel, is specific to the first element. The portion means that it is placed closer to the second element than the other portion. Furthermore, if an object resting on another object is held in place only by gravity, it "bonds" to the lower object unless the upper object is substantially maintained in place. It has not been. That is, for example, a book on a table is not bound to the table, but a book glued to the table is bound to the table.

As used herein, the description that two or more parts or components "engage" with each other means that the elements are either directly or via one or more intermediate or components. It means exerting or encouraging each other.

As used herein, the term "unitary" means that a component is made up as a single piece or unit. That is, a component that includes pieces that are made separately and then joined together as a unit is not an "integral" component or object.

As used herein, the term "several" means an integer (ie, plural) greater than 1 or 1.

As used herein, a "coupling assembly" includes two or more couplings or coupling components. Multiple components of a coupling or coupling assembly are generally not part of the same or other component. Therefore, multiple components of a "coupling assembly" may not be described simultaneously in the following description.

As used herein, a "coupling" or "coupling component" is one or more components of a coupling assembly. That is, the coupling assembly contains at least two components configured to be coupled together. The components of the coupling assembly are understood to be compatible with each other. For example, in a coupling assembly, if one coupling component is a snap socket, the other coupling component is a snap plug. Alternatively, if one coupling component is a bolt, the other coupling component is a nut.

As used herein, "related" means that the elements are part of the same assembly and / or collaborate, or somehow / together. .. For example, a car has four tires and four hubcaps. While all the elements are combined as part of the car, each hubcap is understood to be "related" to a particular tire.

As used herein, "corresponding" means that the two structural elements are of similar size and shape to each other and can be coupled to each other with minimal friction. Therefore, the opening "corresponding" to the member is slightly larger than the member so that the member can pass through the opening with minimal friction. This definition changes when the two components are said to be "snugly" fitted or "corresponding" to each other. In such a situation, the difference in the size of the components is even smaller, which increases the amount of friction. If the element defining the opening and / or the component inserted into the opening is made of a deformable or compressible material, the opening may be slightly smaller than the component inserted into the opening. This definition is further modified when the two components are said to be "almost corresponding". "Almost corresponding" means that the size of the opening is very close to the size of the element inserted into it. That is, the contact and friction are greater than the "corresponding fit", i.e., the "slightly larger" fit, although not close enough to cause significant friction, as in the case of a snug fit. Further, as used herein, "loosely" means that the slot or opening is larger than the elements placed therein. This means that the increase in the size of the slot or opening is intentional and is greater than the production tolerance. Further, with respect to a surface formed by two or more elements, a "corresponding" shape means that the surface shape, eg, curvature, is similar.

As used herein, "configured to [verb]" means that a particular element or assembly is shaped, sized, and arranged to perform a particular verb. , Combined and / or having a structured structure. For example, a member "configured to move" is movably coupled to another element and includes an element that moves the member. Alternatively, the member is otherwise configured to move in response to another element or assembly. Therefore, as used herein, "configured to be [verb or" [X] "]" refers to structure rather than function. Further, as used herein, "configured to be [verb or" [X] "]" means that a particular element or assembly performs a particular verb. Or it means that it is intended and designed to be [X]. Therefore, an element that may execute a particular verb, but is not so intended or set, is "configured to be [the verb or" becomes "[X]"]. do not have.

As used herein, "at" means above or near.

As used herein, "cantilever" means a protruding beam or other horizontal member supported at one or more points.

As used herein, a "tension member" is a structure that maximizes length when tensioned, or is quite flexible, such as chains and cables. However, it is not limited to these.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, the can body making machine 10 is configured to convert the cup 2 (FIG. 2) into the can body 3 (FIG. 2). As described below, the cup 2, the ram body 50, the passage through the die pack 16, and other elements are assumed to have a substantially circular cross section. However, it is understood that the cup 2 and the resulting can body 3 and the elements interacting with the cup 2 or the can body 3 may have a shape other than a substantially circular shape. The cup 2 has a bottom 4 and an accompanying side wall 5 defines a substantially enclosed space (not shown). The end of the bottom 4 of the cup is open.

The can body making machine 10 includes a housing assembly 11, a reciprocating ram assembly 12, a drive mechanism 14, a die pack 16, a redraw assembly 18, and a cup feeder 20. Each element identified here is coupled to the housing assembly 11. In an exemplary embodiment, the drive mechanism 14 includes a crank assembly 30 that includes a reciprocating crank arm 32. As is well known, in each cycle, the cup feeder 20 places the cup 2 in front of the dyepack 16 and the open end faces the ram assembly 12. Dyepack 16 defines a passage 17 through several dies (not shown). When the cup 2 is in front of the die pack 16, the redraw sleeve 40 urges the cup 2 against the redraw die 42. As is well known, the drive mechanism 14 drives the re-throttle sleeve 40 via, for example, some secondary crank arms 36 (FIG. 5) so that the ram assembly 12 advances immediately after the re-throttle sleeve 40 advances. The timing is set to. In an exemplary embodiment, the housing assembly 11 does not include a seal assembly for the ram body 50. That is, since the ram is not lubricated, the ram body 50 does not extend through the seal assembly configured to collect the lubricant.

Generally, the ram assembly 12 includes an elongated substantially circular ram body 50, which has a proximal end 52, a distal end 54, and a longitudinal axis 56. The distal end 54 of the ram body includes the punch 58. The proximal end 52 of the ram body is connected to the drive mechanism 14. The drive mechanism 14 causes the ram body 50 to reciprocate, and the ram body 50 moves back and forth approximately along its longitudinal axis 56. That is, the ram body 50 is configured to reciprocate between the first retracted position and the second forward position over the selected movement path. At the first pull-in position, the ram body 50 is separated from the die pack 16. In the second extended position, the ram body 50 extends through the die pack 16. Therefore, the reciprocating ram assembly 12 passes through the redraw sleeve 40, engages the cup 2 and advances forward (to the left in the figure). The cup 2 moves through a redraw die 42 and some ironing dies (not shown) in the die pack 16. The cup 2 is converted into the can body 3 in the die pack 16 and then removed from the can body 3. As used herein, "cycle" is understood to mean the cycle of the ram assembly 12 starting from the first retracted position of the ram assembly 12.

Therefore, when the punch 58 carrying the can body 3 passes through the die pack 16, the can body 3 is deformed. More specifically, the can body 3 becomes elongated and the side wall 5 becomes thinner. At the end of the forming step, a dome may be formed on the bottom 4 of the can by a well-known method. Further, at the beginning of the return step, the can body 3 is removed from the punch 58, any well known method or device may be used, eg, a stripper device or a gas compressed inside the can body 3. Methods of supplying, but are not limited to these. At the beginning of the next forming step, a new cup 2 is placed over the end of the punch 58.

As shown in FIGS. 5-9, in an exemplary embodiment, the ram assembly 12 also includes an outboard guide bearing assembly 60. In a first exemplary embodiment, the outboard guide bearing assembly 60 includes a carriage assembly 62 and some elongated journals 64. In one embodiment (not shown), a single journal 64 is located vertically below the ram body 50 and aligned with the ram body 50, i.e. parallel to the ram body 50 but separated. ing. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two journals 64, i.e., a first journal 66 and a second journal 68, which are aligned approximately horizontally with the ram body 50, i.e., ram. It is in the same substantially horizontal plane as the main body 50. In an exemplary embodiment, the first journal 66 and the second journal 68 are slightly longer than the stroke length of the ram assembly 12 and are coupled to the housing assembly 11 of the body making machine.

In an embodiment having two journals 66, 68, the carriage assembly 62 includes a substantially rectangular body 70 including a ram coupling 72, a crank coupling 74, the body 70 defining some journal passages 80. do. In an exemplary embodiment, the ram coupling 72 is configured to support the ram body 50 in a substantially horizontal direction. The crank coupling 74 is, in an exemplary embodiment, a substantially circular bearing 76 configured to extend through a substantially circular opening (not shown) of the crank arm 32.

In an exemplary embodiment, some journal passages 80 include a first pair 82 of substantially aligned journal passages and a second pair 84 of nearly aligned journal passages. The journal passages 80 at each pair 82, 84 of the journal passages are separated. In an exemplary embodiment, the journal passages 80 at each pair 82, 84 of the journal passages are longitudinally spaced by about 8.0 to 12.0 inches, or about 10.25 inches. The first journal 66 extends through the first pair 82 of the nearly aligned journal passages and the second journal 68 extends through the second pair 84 of the nearly aligned journal passages. In an exemplary embodiment, the journal passage 80 is located at each corner of the rectangular body 70 of the carriage assembly.

The journal passage 80 at each pair 82, 84 of the journal passage comprises a bearing assembly 90, respectively. In certain embodiments, the bearing assembly 90 comprises a carbon fiber bearing (not shown). Such carbon fiber bearings do not require, and are not limited to, lubricants and do not include moving elements such as ball bearings. Therefore, in one embodiment, the bearing assembly 90 is a "static bearing assembly". That is, the "static bearing assembly" used herein is a bearing assembly that does not require a lubricant and does not contain moving elements.

In such a configuration, the body 70 of the carriage assembly is configured to move in a substantially plane and reciprocate between a first retracted position and a second forward position. When the carriage assembly body 70 is in the first position, the ram body 50 is in its first position, and when the carriage assembly body 70 is in the second position, the ram body 50 is in its second position. It is understood that there is. Therefore, the body 70 of the carriage assembly has a axis of motion 78 that is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis 56 of the ram body. That is, the axis of motion 78 of the body of the carriage assembly may be parallel to and separated from the longitudinal axis 56 of the ram body, or may be located approximately on the longitudinal axis 56.

In another embodiment, as best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, each bearing assembly 90 is a static / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100. As used herein, a "static pressure / dynamic pressure bearing assembly" is either a static pressure bearing assembly, a dynamic pressure bearing assembly, or a combination thereof. As is well known, the hydrostatic / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100 includes a housing 102 and a bearing 104. The bearing 104 is arranged in the housing 102. The bearing 104 defines a passage 80 through which the journal 64 extends, as described above. The static / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100, ie, the outboard guide bearing assembly 60, further includes a lubricant sump 106, a pump assembly 108, and a plurality of conduits 110, all schematically shown. The static / dynamic bearing assembly conduit 110 includes a conduit extending through the housing 102 and bearing 104 of the static / dynamic bearing assembly. As is well known, a lubricant, such as, but not limited to, oil passes through the conduit 110 and is placed between the bearing surface and the journal 64. Alternatively, the linear rotation of the bearing 104 draws fluid to the inner surface of the bearing 104 to form a lubricating wedge or fluid lift under or around the journal 64.

Since the static pressure / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100 is separated from the ram body 50 in the exemplary embodiment, mutual contamination between the coolant and the static pressure / dynamic pressure bearing assembly lubricant is significantly reduced. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, the outboard guide bearing assembly 60 does not include a seal assembly that collects the lubricant and returns the lubricant to the lubricant sump 106 or filter assembly. On the contrary, a portion of the housing assembly 11, i.e. the lower portion of the outboard guide bearing assembly 60, is approximately hollow and defines an enclosed space that acts as a sump 106. In such a configuration, the lubricant from the journal 64 enters the sump 106. Moreover, unlike the ram body 50, the journal 64 is not heated to the temperature at which the cooling fluid is required. Therefore, there is no cooling assembly associated with the journal 64 and / or the static / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100. There is also no filter assembly associated with the journal 64 and / or the hydrostatic / dynamic bearing assembly 100, as it is not necessary to separate the lubricant from the cooling fluid.

In an exemplary embodiment, when assembled, the first journal 66 and the second journal 68 are aligned horizontally, i.e., in the same substantially horizontal plane, as described above. Further, the first journal 66 and the second journal 68 extend through two pairs 82, 84 of the journal passage. Therefore, the body 70 of the carriage assembly is configured to move in a substantially horizontal plane. Further, the ram body 50 is also coupled, directly coupled or secured to the ram coupling 72 of the carriage assembly in an exemplary embodiment. More specifically, the proximal end 52 of the ram body is coupled, directly coupled or secured to the ram coupling 72 of the carriage assembly. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the ram body 50 is placed in the horizontal plane defined by the first journal 66 and the second journal 68. The ram body 50 and the body 70 of the carriage assembly move in a direction substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis 56 of the ram body, and more specifically reciprocate. Therefore, the ram coupling 72 of the carriage assembly is configured to support the ram body 50 in a substantially moving plane.

By utilizing the outboard guide bearing assembly 60, as described above, the can body making machine 10 can operate without the seal assembly being placed around the ram body 50. Further, the ram body 50 does not pass through the static / dynamic bearing assembly or ram guide. Therefore, unlike the known ram body, which must be long enough to pass through these elements / assemblies and the die pack 16, the ram body 50 of the exemplary embodiment is sufficient to pass through the die pack 16. It just needs a long length. This reduction in the length of the ram body 50 reduces the amount of ram sag, which reduces wear on the ram body 50 and the die pack 16. In an exemplary embodiment, the ram body 50 is about 30.0 inches to 32.0 inches long, and in another embodiment the length is about 31.0 inches. That is, the change in size ameliorate the shortcomings known in known techniques.

There are several sizes of known ram body 50. The dimensions identified above are associated with an exemplary embodiment, eg, a ram body 50 sized for a standard 12 ounce can. In the prior art, the length of such a ram body was about 50 to 52 inches when using a stroke of 24 inches. Therefore, it is understood that the disclosed invention allows the length of the ram body to be reduced by about 40% plus or minus about 1 inch. Other known ram body lengths include 45.387 inches, 50.0 inches, 51.0 inches and 57.0 inches, including those lengths plus or minus about 1 inch. Accordingly, the disclosed inventions also provide ram bodies (not shown) that are all plus or minus about 1 inch and are about 27.0 inches, 30.0 inches, and 34.2 inches long. Alternatively, roughly speaking, the reduced ram body 50 has a length of about 26.0 to 36.0 inches, all of which are shorter than the known ram body length. That is, the length of the "reduced length ram body" used herein is about 26.0 inches to 36.0 inches.

In another exemplary embodiment, the outboard guide bearing assembly 160 comprises a carriage assembly 162 and the carriage assembly 162 is a ram cup, as shown in FIGS. 11-13 and 19-20. It includes a ring 172, a crank coupling 174 and some guide bearing assemblies 180, as well as a body 170 having a pump assembly 108 and a plurality of conduits 110 as before. As mentioned above, the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly is separated from the ram body 50. That is, as described above, the body 170 of the carriage assembly is substantially rectangular in an exemplary embodiment and includes a front axial surface 171 and a first side surface 173 and a second side surface 175. The ram coupling 172 is located on the anterior axial surface 171 of the body of the carriage assembly, i.e., in front of which the axis of motion passes. The ram coupling 172 is configured to support the ram body 50 in a substantially horizontal direction. As described above, the body 170 of the carriage assembly is configured to move in a substantially plane and reciprocate between a first retracted position and a second forward position.

The guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly is, in an exemplary embodiment, with the two guide bearing assemblies 180 of the carriage assembly, i.e. the first guide bearing assembly 180A of the carriage assembly and the second guide bearing assembly 180B of the carriage assembly. including. In an exemplary embodiment, the first guide bearing assembly 180A of the carriage assembly is located and coupled to the first side surface 173 of the body of the carriage assembly and the second guide bearing assembly 180B of the carriage assembly is the carriage assembly. It is arranged and coupled to the second side surface 175 of the body of the carriage. It is further understood that the elements of the first guide bearing assembly 180A and the second guide bearing assembly 180B of the carriage assembly are also coupled to the housing assembly 11 of the body making machine as described below. The ram body 50 is coupled to the front axial surface 171 of the main body of the carriage assembly, and the first guide bearing assembly 180A and the second guide bearing assembly 180B of the carriage assembly are the first side surface 173 of the main body of the carriage assembly. Also note that the guide bearing assemblies 180A, 180B of the carriage assembly are coupled to the second side surface 175 and are separated from the ram body 50.

Since the first guide bearing assembly 180A and the second guide bearing assembly 180B of the carriage assembly are almost similar, only one will be described. However, the guide bearing assemblies 180A, 180B of the carriage assembly include the elements described below, which are associated with the first guide bearing assembly 180A of the carriage assembly by the reference letter "A". The elements associated with the second guide bearing assembly 180B of the assembly are identified by the reference letter "B", but those elements are not given that indication in the first description of each element. It should be understood to be included. Further, thereafter, the names of the components of each guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly may be shortened to "first [X]" and "second [X]". For example, in an exemplary embodiment, each of the first guide bearing assembly 180A and the second guide bearing assembly 180B of the carriage assembly comprises a saddle 186 described below. The saddle 186 may be hereafter specified as "first saddle 186A" or "second saddle 186B". It is understood that the terms "first" and "second" identify the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly to which the part is associated.

In an exemplary embodiment, the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly includes a first component 182 and a second component 184. The first component 182 of the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly is the saddle 186 and the second component 184 of the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly is the journal channel 188. That is, the journal channel 188 used in the present specification is a channel that defines a route of movement, and is similar to the journals 66 and 68 described above. Moreover, as used herein, a "saddle" is a structure sized to approximately match the associated channel 188. That is, the cross-sectional shape of the saddle 186 is similar to that of the channel 188, but slightly smaller and the dimensions in the longitudinal direction are reduced. In this equipment configuration, the saddle 186 is configured to travel through channels 188. In an exemplary embodiment, each saddle 186 is integrated with the body 170 of the carriage assembly.

In an exemplary embodiment, the journal channel 188 is formed on several substantially flat surfaces to form a substantially square, C-shaped channel. That is, the channel 188 has a substantially rectangular cross section. Therefore, the corresponding saddle 186 also has a substantially rectangular cross section. Further, as shown in FIG. 12, in an exemplary embodiment, the saddle 186 is a substantially parallelepiped structure. In another embodiment not shown, the channel 188 and saddle 186 have a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape.

Further, in one exemplary embodiment, the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly is a static / dynamic pressure bearing assembly. In this embodiment, the first component 182 of the bearing assembly is configured to be coupled to the lubricant sump 106 and fluidly communicate with the lubricant sump 106. That is, the saddle 186 includes several fluid ports 190 that are coupled to the lubricant sump 106 and communicate with the lubricant sump 106. As mentioned above, some conduits 110 provide fluid communication of the lubricant, and the pump assembly 108 allows the lubricant to be pumped from the sump 106 through the fluid port 190. Some conduits 110 pass through the body 170 of the carriage assembly in an exemplary embodiment. In this configuration, a layer of lubricant is placed between the first component of the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly 182 and the second component of the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly 184.

In an exemplary embodiment, the second component 184 of the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly comprises a gib assembly 192. The jib assembly 192 includes several, typically two substantially parallel flat members (not shown), which are separated and adjustable coupling components, such as, but not limited to, screws. Combined by a rod (not shown). The relative spacing and angle of the flat members may be adjusted by activating adjustable coupling components. For example, if the journal channel 188 is a substantially square, C-shaped channel with three substantially flat surfaces, each surface may be formed by a jib assembly 192, respectively. That is, one of the flat members of each jib assembly 192 forms each flat surface of a square, C-shaped channel. In this configuration, the alignment of features, such as the channel surface or the cross-sectional area of the journal channel 188, can be adjusted.

In an exemplary embodiment, the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly is configured to direct the ram body 50 or punch 58 into the passage through the die pack 16. As used herein, "configured to orient the ram body" to the longitudinal axis of the passage 17 of the dypack aligns the longitudinal axis of the ram body 50 with the axis of the dypack 16. By changing the orientation of the ram body or punch in a manner intended to this, it means that the ram body 50 is configured so that it does not need to be supported by a guide bearing. The orientation of the ram body 50 reduces misalignment between the punch 58 and the die pack 16 and reduces the above-mentioned "wobble". That is, prior art bearing assemblies, including static / dynamic bearing assemblies, affect the orientation of the associated ram body 50 or punch 58, while other assemblies, such as, but not limited to, guide assemblies. The orientation of the main body 50 or the punch 58 was substantially controlled. That is, the static pressure / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100 has a compensatory effect. For example, in a carriage assembly body 170 that includes a static / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100, any offset of the carriage assembly 62 with respect to the channel 188 is the first component of the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly and the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly. The gap between the second component 184 and the second component 184 is narrowed in one place and increased in another place. This change in the crevices changes the fluid pressure at those positions, i.e., increases the pressure that narrows the crevices and decreases the pressure that increases the crevices. This, in turn, reorients the carriage assembly 62 to balance the pressure. As shown in FIG. 1, the compensatory effect of the prior art static / dynamic bearing assembly 100 in which the pads are located adjacent to each other is as used herein, "to orient the ram body. Not configured in ".

In other words, various features of prior art bearing assemblies, including, but not limited to, manufacturing tolerances, and static / dynamic bearings that are directly adjacent to each other, for example. The position of the assembly allowed the ram body or punch to swing relative to the housing assembly of the can body maker. Therefore, prior art static / dynamic bearing assemblies required ram guides. As used herein, "configured to orient the ram body" means substantially controlling the orientation of the ram body 50 or punch 58. In order to substantially control the orientation of the ram body 50 or punch 58, the bearing assembly including the guide bearing assembly 180 controls the orientation of the ram body 50 or punch 58 in an intended manner as a result of exceeding the compensation effect described above. Must. As used herein, "controlling the orientation of the ram body or punch" (50,58) means that the hydrostatic / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100 includes the following features: (1) Guided Carriage Assembly In a manner intended to position the longitudinal axis of the ram body 50 so that the fluid generating elements of the bearing assembly 180 are "sufficiently separated" and travel over a selected travel path. , The direction of the ram body 50 or the punch 58 changes. (2) Guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly produces a reasonable amount of fluid that is sufficient to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing. As described below, in an exemplary embodiment, the fluid generating element of the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly is the thrust pad assembly 400.

As used herein, "generation" means passing fluid through the pump assembly 108, the plurality of conduits 110, and the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly. That is, "occurrence" does not mean "generation". Further, "generation" means that the fluid is passed through the pump assembly 108, the plurality of conduits 110, and the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly as a sufficient amount of bearing fluid, and the bearing fluid is the guide bearing assembly 180. It means that it acts to strengthen, that is, to make it harder. Thus, with respect to "generating a reasonable amount of fluid that is sufficient to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing", the first and second components 182 of the guide bearing assembly The fluid disposed between is sufficient to effectively eliminate wobbling of the ram body 50 or punch 58 with respect to the housing assembly 11 of the can body maker and align the longitudinal axis of the ram body 50 with the axis of the die pack 16. It is understood that it is pressure. This is not possible with the static / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100 in any configuration. As an impossible example, the static pressure / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100 including the pump and the static pressure / dynamic pressure bearing assembly 100 shown in FIG. 1 (and directly adjacent to each other) is almost infinite. Given that it is configured to provide a fluid flow rate, such hydrostatic / dynamic pressure bearing assemblies can generate large amounts of fluid to establish the strength of the centered fluid bearing. However, it is understood that the fluid flow characteristics of the pump assembly 108, any conduit 110, and the hydrostatic / dynamic bearing assembly 100 are limited by physics and current technology, so a nearly infinite fluid flow rate is Not "reasonable". Thus, as used herein, "producing sufficient but reasonable amount of fluid to establish the strength of a centered fluid bearing" means that the fluid in the bearing assembly is to those of skill in the art. It means that the pressure is sufficient to effectively remove the wobbling of the ram body 50 or the punch 58 against the housing assembly 11 of the can body making machine using known components. Thus, for example, a "static / dynamic bearing assembly" that is superficially capable of "establishing the strength of a centered fluid bearing" given an almost infinite fluid flow rate "orients the ram body". Not configured to ". This is because such a fictitious hydrostatic / dynamic pressure bearing assembly "is sufficient to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing, but does not generate a reasonable amount of fluid". That is, infinite fluid flow is not "reasonable". Further, for clarity, static / dynamic bearing assemblies 100 that are directly adjacent to each other, as shown in FIG. 1, have, as used herein, "strength of the centering fluid bearing. Sufficient to establish, but cannot generate a reasonable amount of fluid.

Further, as used herein with respect to the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly, "sufficiently spaced" means that the guide bearing assemblies 180 of the carriage assembly are not directly adjacent to each other. The ability of the guide bearing assembly 180 to direct the ram body 50 or punch 58 into the passage through the die pack 16 is, as described above, the first component of the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly and the first component of the guide bearing assembly of the carriage assembly. It is understood that it is a function of the fluid pressure between the two components 184, the spacing of the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly and the distance of the guide bearing assembly 180 from the center of gravity of the ram assembly 12. Other properties of the ram assembly 12 also affect orientation, but are less important herein and are negligible in this case. As shown in FIGS. 22A to 22C, the center of gravity of the ram assembly 12 is located substantially on the longitudinal axis 56 of the ram body at the boundary between the ram body 50 and the carriage assembly body 170. Further, it is understood that the farther the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly is from the center of gravity of the ram assembly 12, the greater the influence of the fluid passing through the thrust pad assembly 400 on the position of the ram body 50, as will be described later. .. That is, the farther the thrust pad assembly 400 is from the center of gravity of the ram assembly 12, the larger the lever arm becomes. Therefore, "sufficient to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing, but generate a reasonable amount of fluid" also depends on the position of the thrust pad assembly 400 with respect to the center of gravity of the ram assembly 12. Further, as used herein, "sufficiently spaced" means that the thrust pad assembly 400, i.e., the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly, refers to the amount of fluid generated in the thrust pad assembly 400. The thrust pad assembly 400 is spaced apart so that it is configured to orient the ram body 50 or punch 58 so as to position the longitudinal axis of the ram body 50 to move over the selected movement path. It means that it is. Thus, in a "sufficiently spaced" thrust pad assembly 400, the known pump assembly 108 and the known conduit 110 are sufficient to establish the strength of the alignment fluid bearing, but with a reasonable amount of fluid. Can occur. " Therefore, having a "sufficiently spaced" thrust pad assembly 400 solves the aforementioned problem of "wobble".

For example, generally speaking, with a relatively short ram assembly 12, less force is required to direct the ram body 50 or punch 58 into the passage through the dyepack 16. Thus, the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly may be reasonably spaced, and the outboard guide bearing assembly 160 is configured to generate a modest amount of guide fluid. Further, the amount of fluid generated in the thrust pad assembly 400 relatively close to the center of gravity of the ram assembly 12 is greater than the amount of fluid generated in the thrust pad assembly 400 relatively far from the center of gravity of the ram assembly 12.

If the same relatively short ram assembly 12 is used and the spacing of the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly is increased, that is, if the rear thrust pad assembly 400 is further away from the center of gravity of the ram assembly 12, the outboard The guide bearing assembly 160 is configured to generate a smaller amount of guide fluid. Conversely, with the relatively long ram assembly 12, the carriage assembly guide bearing assembly 180 requires greater spacing and outboat compared to the outboard guide bearing assembly 160 that supports the relatively short ram assembly 12. The guide bearing assembly 160 will need to generate a larger amount of guide fluid.

Thus, the guide bearing assembly 180 "configured to orient the ram body 50" is a guide bearing assembly 180 that "generates a sufficient amount of fluid to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing". , The fluid-generating elements of the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly are "sufficiently separated" from each other. Therefore, the reverse is also true, "generating a sufficient amount of fluid to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing", and the fluid generating elements of the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly are sufficiently separated from each other. The guide bearing assembly 180 is "configured to orient the ram body 50".

Further, as described above, in order to be "constructed to be [verb or" [X] "]", the composition is to execute a specific verb or to be [X]. It needs to be intended and designed to be. Therefore, as used herein, a lubricated bearing assembly that simply uses a lubricating fluid is not "configured to orient the ram body 50" unless specifically stated as such. In other words, prior art bearing assemblies that may be able to orient the ram body 50 or punch 58 in a intended manner are "configured to orient the ram body" as used herein. It does not "generate enough fluid to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing" and contains the "well separated" fluid generation element of the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly. not present. Guide bearings in the carriage assembly Contains fluid generating elements that are "well separated" in the assembly 180 and are "configured to orient the ram body" to "establish the strength of the alignment fluid bearings". In order to generate a sufficient amount of fluid, the guide bearing assembly 180 must be described as being able to orient the ram body 50, or is designed or designed to intentionally orient the ram body 50. Must be shown.

Again, it should be noted that the first guide bearing assembly 180A and the second guide bearing assembly 180B of the carriage assembly are substantially the same and only one will be described. However, it is understandable that each bearing assembly 180A, 180B of the carriage assembly guide includes the elements described below. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 19-21, each saddle 186 includes several thrust pad assemblies 400. As described below, the integral body components may extend across the individual thrust pad assemblies 400, but the thrust pad assembly 400 is still a separate and separate assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the saddle 186 has a nearly rectangular cross section, i.e., a parallelepiped cross section. Therefore, each saddle 186 has an upper surface 181 and an outer side surface 183 and a lower surface 185. In this configuration, each thrust pad assembly 400 includes an upper pad portion 402, a lateral pad portion 404, and a lower pad portion 406. The upper pad portion 402 is arranged on the upper surface 181 of the saddle. The lateral pad portion 404 is arranged on the outer side surface of the saddle 183. The lower pad portion 406 is arranged on the lower surface 185 of the saddle.

Each pad portion 402, 404, 406 is substantially the same and only one is described. The pad portions 402, 404, and 406 include a substantially flat pad body 410. The body 410 of each pad section defines a recessed slot 412 in an exemplary embodiment. Slot 412 of the pad body has a fluid passage 414 and some coupling passages (not shown). The fluid passage 414 of each pad portion body is configured, i.e., arranged so as to be aligned with the passage 452 of the fluid distribution assembly described below.

In an exemplary embodiment, each saddle 186 includes an anterior thrust pad assembly 400 ″, at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly 400 ″, and a posterior thrust pad assembly 400 ″. Including at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly 400'' in addition to the front thrust pad assembly 400'and the rear thrust pad assembly 400'', that is, adding each intermediate thrust pad assembly 400'' As mentioned above, it provides additional orienting forces and a better ability to provide the resulting reaction moments to the offset forces. In addition, the addition of at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly 400'' adds the burden of "sufficient to establish the strength of the alignment fluid bearing, but generate a reasonable amount of fluid". Means to be distributed among the thrust pad assemblies. That is, the pump assembly 108 and conduit 110 of current technology are "sufficient to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing, but generate a reasonable amount of fluid" in a poorly spaced thrust pad assembly. Is not enough. That is, for example, the required fluid pressure will not be obtained or the conduit will rupture. By including at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly 400'', this required fluid pressure is reduced and the pump assembly 108 and conduit 110 of current technology "to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing. Sufficient, but sufficient to generate a reasonable amount of fluid. Therefore, the inclusion of at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly 400 ″ solves the aforementioned problem with “wobble” described above.

The three thrust pad assemblies 400', 400'', 400''' are merely exemplary, each saddle 186 has a number of thrust pads greater than one, and the thrust pad 400 is as described above. It is understood that any number of thrust pads may be included as long as they are "sufficiently separated" from each other. As illustrated, in an exemplary embodiment, there is one intermediate thrust pad assembly 400 ″. Hereinafter, the number of "" symbols indicates the components of the individual pad assemblies 400 ″, 400 ″, 400 ″ ″. As shown in FIG. 19, in each of the front thrust pad assembly 400'and the intermediate thrust pad assembly 400', the upper pad portions 402', 402'', the lateral pad portions 404', 404'', and the lower pad Parts 406'and 406'' are almost aligned. That is, for example, the leading edge and the trailing edge of each pad portion main body 410 in each of the front thrust pad assembly 400 ′ and the intermediate thrust pad assembly 400 ″ are arranged in substantially the same plane. In the rear thrust pad assembly 400 "", the upper pad portion 402 "" and the lower pad portion 406 "" are offset in the longitudinal direction from the lateral pad portion 404 "". In this configuration, a pin 33 that connects the crank arm 32 of the crank assembly to the carriage assembly body 170 is arranged between the upper pad portion 402 ″ ″ and the lower pad portion 406 ″ ″.

In an exemplary embodiment, the anterior thrust pad assembly 400', at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly 400'', and the posterior thrust pad assembly 400''' are several integral pad members 430,432,434. Share. That is, each guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly includes an integral upper pad member 430, an integral lateral pad member 432, and an integral lower pad member 434. The one-piece upper pad member 430 includes an elongated, substantially flat, one-piece body 448, which body includes the upper pad portion 402'of the front thrust pad assembly and the upper pad portion 402'' of the intermediate thrust pad assembly. It is defined as the upper pad portion 402''' of the rear thrust pad assembly. That is, the substantially flat upper pad member 430 includes a recess, i.e., a thin portion of the pad member body 448, thereby defining a thicker portion as the body 410 of the various pad portions. Similarly, the integrated lateral pad member 432 includes the lateral pad portion 404'of the front thrust pad assembly, the lateral pad portion 404'' of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and the lateral pad portion 404 of the rear thrust pad assembly. '', And the integrated lower pad member 434 includes the lower pad portion 406 of the front thrust pad assembly, the lower pad portion 406'' of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and the rear thrust pad. It defines the lower pad portion 406'' of the assembly.

In an exemplary embodiment, each guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly includes a fluid distribution assembly 450 configured to provide a balanced fluid flow to the associated saddle thrust pad assembly 400. Therefore, each saddle 186, i.e., each fluid distribution assembly 450, includes several passages 452. Each passage 452 of the fluid distribution assembly is configured to be coupled to and communicate with the fluid passage 414 of the pad body and the lubricant sump 106. In this configuration, the lubricant is fed to the guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly.

Further, the fluid distribution assembly passage 452 is configured to "provide a balanced fluid flow" to the associated saddle thrust pad assembly 400. As used herein, "providing a balanced fluid flow" means that the passage 452 of the fluid distribution assembly provides sufficient fluid flow to the relevant portions 402, 404, 406. , The guide bearing assembly 180 of the carriage assembly "generates a sufficient amount of fluid to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing" as described above, and the fluid pressure at each fluid port 190 is approximately the same. It means that the fluid is generated at such a flow rate. Therefore, it is understood that the configuration of the passage 452 of the fluid distribution assembly depends on the weight and configuration of the can body making machine 10 and the ram assembly 12. In order to be configured to "provide a balanced fluid flow", the fluid distribution assembly is described as being able to "provide a balanced fluid flow" or is intentionally "balanced". It must be designed or indicated to "provide a well-balanced fluid flow." That is, a fluid distribution assembly that simply provides fluid flow is described as being able to "provide a balanced fluid flow" or is intentionally designed to "provide a balanced fluid flow". Or, unless indicated, do not "provide a balanced fluid flow" as described herein.

In addition, some fluid passages 452 of the fluid distribution assembly can be selectively closed. For example, some fluid passages 452 of a fluid distribution assembly are configured to have plugs (not shown) installed inside. The plug seals the fluid passages 452 of the individual fluid distribution assemblies. In an exemplary embodiment, the plug is placed in the carriage assembly body 170 at an opening configured to interface the conduit 110 with the sump 106. Alternatively, the plug may be arranged in the passage 414 of the pad body. In another embodiment not shown, some fluid passages 452 of the fluid distribution assembly include a valve assembly (not shown) that operates between open and closed positions.

In this configuration, the first saddle 186A and the second saddle 186B are configured to generate a sufficient amount of fluid to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing. That is, as used herein, the first saddle 186A and the second saddle 186B have a front thrust pad assembly 400', at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly 400'', and a rear thrust pad assembly 400'. The thrust pad assembly 400', 400'', 400''' has a'''' and is coupled to the passage 452 of the fluid distribution assembly configured to "provide a balanced fluid flow". The first saddle 186A and the second saddle 186B generate a sufficient amount of fluid to establish the strength of the alignment fluid bearing.

In this embodiment, the housing assembly 11 may include a seal assembly 196 for the ram body 50, which is included in the figure. That is, the seal assembly 196, as is well known, includes two cup seals (not shown). That is, one cup seal is configured to remove the coolant from the ram body 50 when the ram body moves from the second position to the first position, and the other cup seal has the ram body 50 first. It is configured to remove the lubricant from the ram body 50 as it moves from the position to the second position. Note that the seal assembly 196 is not a bearing assembly and does not support the ram body 50, so it does not change the "cantilever length" of the ram body 50 as described below.

In this embodiment, unlike the known ram body, which must be long enough to pass through the bearing assembly, the ram body 50 of this exemplary embodiment passes through the seal assembly 196 and the die pack 16. It only needs to be long enough. This reduction in the length of the ram body 50 reduces the amount of ram sag, which reduces wear on the ram body 50 and the die pack 16. In an exemplary embodiment, the ram body 50 has a length of about 33.0 inches to about 36.0 inches, or about 34.5 inches. That is, the change in size ameliorate the shortcomings of known techniques.

Using any embodiment of the outboard guide bearing assembly 60, 160, the proximal end 52 of the ram body is coupled to the ram coupling 72 of the carriage assembly, directly coupled or secured to the ram. The body 50 extends from it. The ram body 50 is a cantilever member 120, 220 (FIGS. 8 and 13). Note that the assembly to the right of the redraw sleeve 40 shown in FIG. 3, for example, the air blade 44 and the mechanical stripper 46, does not support the ram body 50.

Further, the cantilever member 120 has a "cantilever length", which is the length of the cantilever member beyond the support closest to the unsupported end. As described above, in the prior art in which the ram body 50 moves through the bearing assembly 60, the cantilever length of the prior art ram body has a dynamic cantilever length. That is, the cantilever length was determined by the length of the ram body 50 extending through the bearing assembly 60. Since the ram body 50 of the exemplary embodiment does not extend through the bearing assembly 60, the cantilever length of the cantilever member 120 is kept constant during the reciprocating motion of the carriage assembly 62.

In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 10, 10A and 10B, the ram assembly 12 comprises an elongated, substantially circular, approximately hollow ram body 50A. As mentioned above, the ram body 50A includes a proximal end 52, a distal end 54 and a longitudinal axis 56, as well as an intermediate portion 59. In an exemplary embodiment, and at the intermediate portion 59 of the ram body, the inner surface of the hollow ram body 50A includes a flange 130 extending inward. In this exemplary embodiment, the flange 130 of the ram body is the boundary between the distal end 54 of the ram body and the intermediate portion 59 of the ram body.

The punch 58 is located at the distal end 54 of the ram body beyond the inwardly extending flange 130. That is, the radius of the distal end 54 of the ram body is reduced relative to the proximal end 52 of the ram body and the intermediate portion 59 of the ram body. The punch 58 is substantially cylindrical and includes a hollow body 57. The outer diameter of the punch body 57 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the intermediate portion 59 and the proximal end 52 of the ram body. The punch 58 is located beyond and coupled to the distal end 54 of the ram body. In this configuration, the outer transition between the punch 58 and the intermediate portion 59 of the ram body is substantially smooth. In this exemplary embodiment, the ram assembly 12 also includes a tensile assembly 140.

The tension assembly 140 is configured to reduce ram sagging by applying tension to the ram body 50A. In an exemplary embodiment, the tensile assembly 140 includes an elongated support member 142, a proximal coupling assembly 144, and a distal coupling assembly 146. The support member 142 includes a proximal end 150, a distal end 152 and a longitudinal axis 154. The support member 142 is, in an exemplary embodiment, one of the rigid or tensile members. The support member 142 is substantially arranged in the ram body 50A.

The proximal coupling assembly 144 of the tensile assembly is located at the proximal end 52 of the ram body. Proximal coupling assembly 144 of the tensile assembly is, in an exemplary embodiment, an adjustable coupling assembly 148. That is, in an exemplary embodiment, the proximal end 150 of the support member and the proximal coupling assembly 144 of the tension assembly are screwed together, for example, a screw rod 143 and a mooring nut 145, respectively. As shown, the proximal end 150 of the support member extends through the axial passage 149 within the proximal end 52 of the ram body. As shown, the axial passage 149 at the proximal end of the ram body is arranged on a collar 147 that defines an inwardly extending flange.

The distal coupling assembly 146 of the tension assembly is located at one of the middle portion 59 of the ram body or the distal end 54 of the ram body. In an exemplary embodiment, the distal coupling assembly 146 of the tension assembly is located on the flange 130 of the ram body. In an exemplary embodiment, the distal coupling assembly 146 of the tension assembly comprises a mount 260 and a mount coupling assembly 262. That is, the mount coupling assembly 262 includes a coupling component described below, which couples the mount 260 to the ram body 50A. The mount 260 of the distal coupling assembly of the tensile assembly includes the body 264, which defines the axial first coupling assembly 266 and the radial second coupling assembly 268. Otherwise, the mount body 264 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is sized and shaped to fit within the ram body 50A by the ram body flange 130. The first coupling assembly 266 of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tensile assembly comprises, in an exemplary embodiment, a threaded cavity 270. In another embodiment, the cavity 270 includes a radial pin and its passage (not shown). Distal coupling of tensile assembly Cavity 270 of the first coupling component of the mount body of the assembly corresponds to the distal end 152 of the support member. Thus, the support member 142 is configured by screwing the distal end 152 of the support member into the cavity 270 of the first coupling component of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly. It is coupled to the mount body 264 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly.

The mount body 264 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is coupled to the ram body 50A by a second coupling assembly 268 of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the second coupling assembly 268 of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tensile assembly comprises a threaded hole 290, which, substantially radially, the distal cup of the tensile assembly. It extends into the mount body 264 of the ring assembly. The second coupling assembly 268 of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tensile assembly also includes a fastener 292 and a radial passage 294 through the middle portion 59 of the ram body at the flange 130. The mount body 264 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is disposed within the ram body 50A at the flange 130. The fastener 292 of the second coupling component of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly provides a radial passage 294 of the second coupling component of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly. By passing through and screwing into the screw hole 290 of the second coupling component of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly, the mount 260 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is ram body 50A. It is bound to and fixed to.

The support member 142 extends between the proximal coupling assembly 144 of the tension assembly and the distal coupling assembly 146 of the tension assembly and is coupled to them. The support member 142 receives tension. The coupling of the distal end 152 of the support member to the distal coupling assembly 146 of the tensile assembly has been described above. As further mentioned earlier, in an exemplary embodiment, the proximal end 150 of the support member and the proximal coupling assembly 144 of the tensile assembly are threaded couplings, each of which is, for example, a threaded rod. 143 and mooring nut 145. That is, the proximal end 150 of the support member is threaded. In this equipment configuration, the tension in the support member 142 can be easily adjusted. That is, the mooring nut 145 is screwed into the proximal end 150 of the support member and is pulled out with respect to the collar 147 at the proximal end of the ram body. The mooring nut 145 is pulled out against the collar 147 at the proximal end of the ram body to create tension in the support member 142. Then, the tension of the support member 142 is increased or decreased by rotating the mooring nut 145 of the screw rod 143.

Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the support member 142 is located above and aligned with the longitudinal axis 56 of the ram body. That is, the longitudinal axis 154 of the support member is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 56 of the ram body and is separated from the longitudinal axis 56.

In another exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 14 and 14A, the tensile assembly 340 is configured to be largely enclosed. That is, in this embodiment, the structure that connects the mount body to the ram body 50A is not exposed on the outer surface of the ram body 50A. In this configuration, the structure connecting the mount body 264 to the ram body 50A is not in a position to cause wear in the seal assembly 196. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, the support member 142 and the proximal coupling assembly 144 of the tensile assembly are substantially as described above. However, in this embodiment, the distal coupling assembly 146 of the tension assembly is as follows.

In this exemplary embodiment, the distal coupling assembly 146 of the tension assembly comprises a mount 360 and a mount coupling assembly 362. That is, the mount coupling assembly 362 includes the coupling components described below, which couple the mount 360 to the ram body 50A. The mount 360 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly includes the body 364. The body 364 has a first distal end 363 and a second proximal end 365, defining an axial first coupling assembly 366 and a radial second coupling assembly 368. .. The mount body 264 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is sized and shaped to fit within the ram body 50A and extend over the flange 130 of the ram body. That is, when mounted, the distal end 363 of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is located distal to the flange 130.

Distal coupling of tension assembly The first coupling component 266 of the mount body of the assembly is located at the proximal end 365 of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly, in one typical embodiment a screw. Includes cavities 370. Distal coupling of tensile assembly Cavity 370 of the first coupling component of the mount body of the assembly corresponds to the distal end 252 of the support member. In this typical embodiment, the distal end 252 of the support member comprises a screw 374. Thus, the distal end 252 of the support member is screwably connected to the cavity 370 of the first coupling component of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly.

The mount body 364 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is coupled to the ram body 50A by a second coupling assembly 368 of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the second coupling assembly 368 of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is a threaded hole extending approximately radially in the mount body 364 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly. 390 is included. The second coupling assembly 368 of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tensile assembly also has a fastener 392 and a radial passage 394 through the distal end 54 of the ram body at a position distal to the flange 130. including. The mount body 364 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is disposed within the ram body 50A at the flange 130. The fastener 392 of the second coupling component of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly provides a radial passage 394 of the second coupling component of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly. By passing through and screwing into the screw hole 390 of the second coupling component of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly, the mount 260 of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is ram body 50A. It is bound to and fixed to.

It is noted that when the ram assembly 12 is assembled, the distal coupling assembly 146 of the tension assembly is placed below / inside the punch 58. In other words, the punch 58 covers the distal coupling assembly 146 of the tension assembly. Therefore, during operation, the ram body reciprocates between the first and second positions so that the distal coupling assembly 146 of the tensile assembly is not exposed and cannot contact the seal assembly 196. As used herein, a coupling assembly that is not visible from the outside of the ram body 50A is a "hidden coupling." That is, in this embodiment, the second coupling assembly 368 of the mount body of the distal coupling assembly of the tension assembly is a hidden coupling.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details may be made in the light of the overall teachings of the present disclosure. .. Accordingly, the particular configurations disclosed are intended to be illustrative only and are limited to the claims of attachment and the scope of the invention given as the full scope of any and all equivalents thereof. do not have.

Claims (16)

A guide bearing assembly (180) for a can body making machine (10).
The can body making machine (10) includes an elongated ram body (50), a reciprocating crank arm (32) , and a carriage assembly (62).
The carriage assembly (62) includes a body (70) having a ram coupling (72) and a crank coupling (74) .
The reciprocating crank arm (32) is coupled to a crank coupling (74) of the body of the carriage assembly.
The ram body (50) is coupled to a ram coupling (72) of the body of the carriage assembly.
The guide bearing assembly (180) of the carriage assembly is
A first guide bearing assembly that includes a front thrust pad assembly (400A'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400A''), a rear thrust pad assembly (400A''') and a first journal channel (188A). (180A) and
A second guide bearing assembly that includes a front thrust pad assembly (400B'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400B''), a rear thrust pad assembly (400B''') and a second journal channel (188B). (180B) and
Equipped with
In the first journal channel (188A) and the second journal channel (188B), the main body of the carriage assembly is arranged between the first journal channel (188A) and the second journal channel (188B). They are placed apart from each other so that they are
The front thrust pad assembly (400A') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A), the at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400A'') and the rear thrust pad assembly (400A'''') are the first. It is provided on the body of the carriage assembly to travel through the journal channel (188A).
The front thrust pad assembly (400B') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400B''), and the side thrust pad assembly (400B'''') are the second guide bearing assembly (400B'''). It is provided on the body of the carriage assembly to travel through the journal channel (188B).
The body of the carriage assembly moves in a direction substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the ram body.
Each of the front thrust pad assembly (400A'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400A'') and the rear thrust pad assembly (400A'''') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) is the carriage . An upper pad portion provided on the upper side of the main body of the assembly, a lateral pad portion provided on the first lateral side of the main body of the carriage assembly, and a lower (185A) side of the main body of the carriage assembly. It is equipped with a lower pad section.
Each of the front thrust pad assembly (400B'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400B'') and the rear thrust pad assembly (400B'''') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) is the carriage . An upper pad portion provided on the upper side of the main body of the assembly, a lateral pad portion provided on the second lateral side of the main body of the carriage assembly, and a lower pad provided on the lower side of the main body of the carriage assembly. It has a part and
The upper pad portion (402A'''') and the lower pad portion (406A'''') of the rear thrust pad assembly (400A'''') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) are aligned and arranged. The lateral pad portion (404A'''' ) of the rear thrust pad assembly (400A'''') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) is after the first guide bearing assembly (180A). The ram body (50) is displaced in the longitudinal direction with respect to the upper pad portion (402A'') and the lower pad portion (406A'''') of the side thrust pad assembly (400A''''). ,
The upper pad portion (402B'''') and the lower pad portion (406B'''') of the rear thrust pad assembly (400B'''') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) are the ram body (50). ) Is aligned in the longitudinal direction, and the lateral pad portion (404B'''') of the rear thrust pad assembly (400B'''') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) is the first. The ram body (50) with respect to the upper pad portion (402B'''') and the lower pad portion (406B'''') of the rear thrust pad assembly (400B'''') of the guide bearing assembly (180B) of 2. A guide bearing assembly (180) that is offset in the longitudinal direction of the. The upper pad portion (402A'), the lateral pad portion (404A'), and the lower pad portion (406A') of the front thrust pad assembly (400A') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) are aligned. Have been placed and
The upper pad portion (402B'), the lateral pad portion (404B') and the lower pad portion (406B') of the front thrust pad assembly (400B') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) are aligned. Have been placed and
The upper pad portion (402A''), the lateral pad portion (404A'') and the lower pad portion (406A'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly (400A'') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) , Aligned and arranged,
The upper pad portion (402B''), the lateral pad portion (404B'') and the lower pad portion (406B'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly (400B'') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) The guide bearing assembly (180) of claim 1, which is aligned and arranged. The first guide bearing assembly (180A) is configured to generate an amount of fluid sufficient to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing.
The second guide bearing assembly (180B) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second guide bearing assembly (180B) is configured to generate an amount of fluid sufficient to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing. Guide bearing assembly (180). The front thrust pad assembly (400A') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) is sufficiently spaced from the rear thrust pad assembly (400A''') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A). ,
The front thrust pad assembly (400B') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) is sufficiently spaced from the rear thrust pad assembly (400B''') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B). , The guide bearing assembly (180) according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The first journal channel (188A) includes a substantially square C-shaped channel.
The guide bearing assembly (180) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second journal channel (188B) includes a substantially square C-shaped channel. The first guide bearing assembly (180A) includes a first upper pad member (430A), a first lateral pad member (432A), and a first lower pad member (434A). ,
The first upper pad member (430A) includes an upper pad portion (402A') of the front thrust pad assembly, an upper pad portion (402A'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and an upper side of the rear thrust pad assembly. The pad part (402A''') is specified,
The first lateral pad member (432A) includes a lateral pad portion (404A') of the front thrust pad assembly, a lateral pad portion (404A'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and the rear thrust pad. Defines the lateral pad section (404A''') of the assembly
The first lower pad member (434A) includes a lower pad portion (406A') of the front thrust pad assembly, a lower pad portion (406A'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and the rear thrust pad. Defines the lower pad section (406A''') of the assembly
The second guide bearing assembly (180B) includes a second upper pad member (430B), a second lateral pad member (432B), and a second lower pad member (434B). ,
The second upper pad member (430B) includes an upper pad portion (402B') of the front thrust pad assembly, an upper pad portion (402B'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and an upper side of the rear thrust pad assembly. The pad part (402B''') is specified,
The second lateral pad member (432B) includes a lateral pad portion (404B') of the front thrust pad assembly, a lateral pad portion (404B'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and the rear thrust pad. Defines the lateral pad portion (404B''') of the assembly and
The second lower pad member (434B) includes a lower pad portion (406B') of the front thrust pad assembly, a lower pad portion (406B'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and the rear thrust pad. The guide bearing assembly (180) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which defines the lower pad portion (406B''') of the assembly. The first guide bearing assembly (180A) includes a front thrust pad assembly (400A'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400A'') and a rear thrust pad assembly of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) . (400A''') includes a first fluid distribution assembly (450A) configured to provide a balanced fluid flow.
The second guide bearing assembly (180B) includes a front thrust pad assembly (400B'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400B'') and a rear thrust pad assembly of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) . The guide bearing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a second fluid distribution assembly (450B) configured to provide a balanced fluid flow to (400B'''). 180). The first fluid distribution assembly (450A) includes several fluid passages (452A).
The second fluid distribution assembly (450B) includes several fluid passages (452B).
Some fluid passages (452A) of the first fluid distribution assembly can be selectively closed.
The guide bearing assembly (180) of claim 7, wherein some of the fluid passages (452B) of the second fluid distribution assembly can be selectively closed. Reciprocating crank arm (32) and
Elongated ram body (50) and
A carriage assembly (162), including a body (70) having a ram coupling (72), a crank coupling (74), and some guide bearing assemblies (180).
In the can body making machine (10) equipped with
The ram body (50) is coupled to the ram coupling (72).
The crank coupling (74) is configured to be coupled to the reciprocating crank arm (32).
The body (70) of the carriage assembly is configured to move in a substantially plane and reciprocate between a first position retracted and a second position advanced.
Some of the guide bearing assemblies (180) include a first guide bearing assembly (180A) and a second guide bearing assembly (180B).
The first guide bearing assembly (180A) includes a front thrust pad assembly (400A'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400A''), and a rear thrust pad assembly (400A''') and a first. Includes journal channel (188A) and
The second guide bearing assembly (180B) includes a front thrust pad assembly (400B''), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400B''), and a rear thrust pad assembly (400B'') and a second. Includes journal channel (188B) and
In the first journal channel (188A) and the second journal channel (188B), the main body of the carriage assembly is arranged between the first journal channel (188A) and the second journal channel (188B). They are placed apart from each other so that they are
The front thrust pad assembly (400A') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A), the at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400A'') and the rear thrust pad assembly (400A'''') are the first. It is provided on the body of the carriage assembly to travel through the journal channel (188A).
The front thrust pad assembly (400B') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400B''), and the side thrust pad assembly (400B'''') are the second guide bearing assembly (400B'''). It is provided on the body of the carriage assembly to travel through the journal channel (188B).
The body of the carriage assembly moves in a direction substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the ram body.
Each of the front thrust pad assembly (400A'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400A'') and the rear thrust pad assembly (400A'''') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) is the carriage . An upper pad portion provided on the upper side of the main body of the assembly, a lateral pad portion provided on the first lateral side of the main body of the carriage assembly, and a lower (185A) side of the main body of the carriage assembly. It is equipped with a lower pad section.
Each of the front thrust pad assembly (400B'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400B'') and the rear thrust pad assembly (400B'''') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) is the carriage . An upper pad portion provided on the upper side of the main body of the assembly, a lateral pad portion provided on the second lateral side of the main body of the carriage assembly, and a lower pad provided on the lower side of the main body of the carriage assembly. It has a part and
The upper pad portion (402A'''') and the lower pad portion (406A'''') of the rear thrust pad assembly (400A'''') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) are aligned and arranged. The lateral pad portion (404A'''' ) of the rear thrust pad assembly (400A'''') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) is after the first guide bearing assembly (180A). The ram body (50) is displaced in the longitudinal direction with respect to the upper pad portion (402A'') and the lower pad portion (406A'''') of the side thrust pad assembly (400A''''). ,
The upper pad portion (402B'''') and the lower pad portion (406B'''') of the rear thrust pad assembly (400B'''') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) are the ram body (50). ) Is aligned in the longitudinal direction, and the lateral pad portion (404B'''') of the rear thrust pad assembly (400B'''') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) is the first. The ram body (50) with respect to the upper pad portion (402B'''') and the lower pad portion (406B'''') of the rear thrust pad assembly (400B'''') of the guide bearing assembly (180B) of 2. The can body making machine (10), which is arranged so as to be offset in the longitudinal direction of the can body. The upper pad portion (402A'), the lateral pad portion (404A'), and the lower pad portion (406A') of the front thrust pad assembly (400A') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) are aligned. Have been placed and
The upper pad portion (402B'), the lateral pad portion (404B') and the lower pad portion (406B') of the front thrust pad assembly (400B') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) are aligned. Have been placed and
The upper pad portion (402A''), the lateral pad portion (404A'') and the lower pad portion (406A'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly (400A'') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) , Aligned and arranged,
The upper pad portion (402B''), the lateral pad portion (404B'') and the lower pad portion (406B'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly (400B'') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) The can body manufacturing machine (10) according to claim 9, which is aligned and arranged. The first guide bearing assembly (180A) is configured to generate an amount of fluid sufficient to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing.
The second guide bearing assembly (180B) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the second guide bearing assembly (180B) is configured to generate an amount of fluid sufficient to establish the strength of the centering fluid bearing. Can body making machine (10). The front thrust pad assembly (400A') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) is sufficiently spaced from the rear thrust pad assembly (400A''') of the first guide bearing assembly (180A). ,
The front thrust pad assembly (400B') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) is sufficiently spaced from the rear thrust pad assembly (400B''') of the second guide bearing assembly (180B). , The can body manufacturing machine (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 11 . The first journal channel (188A) includes a substantially square C-shaped channel.
The can body making machine (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the second journal channel (188B) includes a substantially square C-shaped channel. The first guide bearing assembly (180A) includes a first upper pad member (430A), a first lateral pad member (432A), and a first lower pad member (434A). Bearing,
The first upper pad member (430A) includes an upper pad portion (402A') of the front thrust pad assembly, an upper pad portion (402A'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and an upper side of the rear thrust pad assembly. The pad part (402A''') is specified,
The first lateral pad member (432A) includes a lateral pad portion (404A') of the front thrust pad assembly, a lateral pad portion (404A'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and the rear thrust pad. Defines the lateral pad section (404A''') of the assembly
The first lower pad member (434A) includes a lower pad portion (406A') of the front thrust pad assembly, a lower pad portion (406A'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and the rear thrust pad. Defines the lower pad section (406A''') of the assembly
The second guide bearing assembly (180B ) includes a second upper pad member (430B), a second lateral pad member (432B), and a second lower pad member (434B). ,
The second upper pad member (430B) includes an upper pad portion (402B') of the front thrust pad assembly, an upper pad portion (402B'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and an upper side of the rear thrust pad assembly. The pad part (402B''') is specified,
The second lateral pad member (432B) includes a lateral pad portion (404B') of the front thrust pad assembly, a lateral pad portion (404B'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and the rear thrust pad. Defines the lateral pad portion (404B''') of the assembly and
The second lower pad member (434B) includes a lower pad portion (406B') of the front thrust pad assembly, a lower pad portion (406B'') of the intermediate thrust pad assembly, and the rear thrust pad. The can body manufacturing machine (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 13 , which defines a lower pad portion (406B''') of the assembly. The first guide bearing assembly (180A) includes a front thrust pad assembly (400A'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400A'') and a rear thrust pad assembly of the first guide bearing assembly (180A) . (400A''') includes a first fluid distribution assembly (450A) configured to provide a balanced fluid flow.
The second guide bearing assembly (180B) includes a front thrust pad assembly (400B'), at least one intermediate thrust pad assembly (400B'') and a rear thrust pad assembly of the second guide bearing assembly (180B) . The can body making machine according to any one of claims 9 to 14 , comprising a second fluid distribution assembly (450B) configured to provide a balanced fluid flow to (400B'''). (10). The first fluid distribution assembly (450A) includes several fluid passages (452A).
The second fluid distribution assembly (450B) includes several fluid passages (452B).
Some fluid passages (452A) of the first fluid distribution assembly can be selectively closed.
15. The can body making machine (10) of claim 15, wherein some of the fluid passages (452B) of the second fluid distribution assembly can be selectively closed.

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