Importance

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Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus and method for producing untrimmed container bodies from pre-cut metal blanks. The method involves cupping a metal blank by positioning the blank against an immovable draw punch comprising an annular body having an inner surface adapted to form a redraw die and an outer surface, and drawing a periphery of the blank over the outer surface of the draw punch with an encircling draw die to form a cup having an open end, a closed end and an interior. The cup is then inverted and redrawn by forcing a redraw punch into the closed end of the cup to draw the closed end through the redraw die until the cup is inverted to form an inverted cup with a closed end supported on the punch. The inverted cup while supported on the redraw punch is passed through one or more ironing rings to lengthen the inverted cup to form an untrimmed container body having a closed end. The closed end of the untrimmed container body is shaped by engaging the closed end of the untrimmed container body with one or more end shaping tools while supported on the redraw punch. The apparatus comprises tools, actuators and a solid support structure adapted to carry out the method. The metal blank may be pre-cut and supplied to the apparatus for shaping, or it may be cut from a metal sheet supplied to the equipment just as the shaping operations commence.

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First Claim