| 摘要 |
<p>A can reshaping apparatus includes a mould having two halves 18, 20 pivotally supported from a pivot post 12. A shuttle comprising a shaft 40 having upper and lower supports 48, 42 is slidable along the mould chamber axis to bring a can into and out of the chamber. When a can is brought into the chamber, the two mould halves 18, 20 are closed and this also imprisons the supports 48, 42 in the mould. A hydraulic clamp 54 acts to seal the flange of the can against a mould liner (26B, Fig. 6) of the mould. A mandrel 52 upstanding from a base 10 substantially fills the can but leaves a small gap. Compressed air is fed through openings 56 in the mandrel 52 into the gap to cause the can to expand to conform to the profile of the mould liner. The air is pressurised totally outside the can, and after reshaping of the can some of the pressurised air is recovered while still under pressure, for use in pressurising a subsequent can. The apparatus may be an automated can reshaping apparatus comprising eight can reshaping stations (4, Fig. 5) on a rotary turntable (2). A drive system of the rotary turntable is coupled to a piston (62, Fig. 8) supplying the pressurised air. The piston (62) moves in a cylinder (60) which is precharged with air from a source (68) of substantially constant pressure. <IMAGE></p> |
