A quick-change die assembly for a necker machine includes an outer die mounting, an outer die, an outer die quick-release coupling, an inner die mounting, an inner die assembly, and an inner die quick-release coupling. The outer die is coupled to the outer die mounting by the outer die quick-release coupling. The inner die assembly is coupled to the inner die mounting by the inner die quick-release coupling.

The present disclosure provides methods and a necking apparatus to reduce a first diameter of an open end of a container body to a second diameter. The necking apparatus includes a necking die and a die guide. The die guide is selectively moveable relative to the necking die to guide the open end of the container body into engagement with the necking die. The die guide includes a flange that extends into a cylindrical bore of the die guide. The flange is configured to engage a shoulder of the container body when the die guide is in a first clamping position relative to the necking die. After engaging the container shoulder with the flange, the die guide moves toward the necking die into a second necking position such that the open end contacts the necking die and the first diameter of the open end is reduced to the second diameter.

An aluminum roll-on container and a method of manufacturing the same are provided herein where the container retains a roller sphere for applying a product onto an external surface. The roller sphere can both rotate and move within the container, and a chamber is formed between the container and the roller sphere. In a first position of the roller sphere, the chamber forms a continuous volume with the interior volume of the container such that the chamber receives a product stored in the container volume. Then, in a second position, the chamber forms a continuous volume with the external environment such that rotation of the roller sphere transfers the product from the chamber to an external surface. A relationship between the roller sphere and an upper opening of the container allows the roller sphere to be pressed into the container and then retained in the container.

The principles of the present invention further provide both a shaped metal container and its preforms that exhibit a rounded grain structure characteristic created by an annealing process and a method for making a shaped metal container. The process of making said metal container results in a quicker process time and uses less metals (at least 10% metal weight savings), thus allowing for a decrease in the costs of making such shaped metal containers. A shaped metal container may include work hardened rolled sheet-metal defining a sidewall, an opening, and a base, where at least one section along the sidewall has grains with an average aspect ratio less than about 4 to 1.

A quick-change starwheel guide assembly is structured to be coupled to a starwheel guide assembly mounting base. The quick-change starwheel guide assembly includes a starwheel guide assembly mounting assembly, a starwheel guide assembly support assembly, a number of starwheel guide assembly guiderails and a starwheel guide assembly can body height adjustment assembly. The starwheel guide assembly mounting assembly is coupled to the starwheel guide assembly support assembly. The starwheel guide assembly guiderails are coupled to the starwheel guide assembly mounting assembly. The starwheel guide assembly can body height adjustment assembly is coupled to at least one the starwheel guide assembly guiderail. At least one of the starwheel guide assembly mounting assembly or the can body height adjustment assembly is a quick-change assembly.

A base reformer assembly, and/or a base reformer roller die unit, includes a generally torpid chuck, a roller die, and a roller die unit actuating assembly. The roller die is movably disposed within the chuck. The roller die unit actuating assembly is structured to actuate the roller die. The roller die unit actuating assembly is operatively coupled to the roller die. Further, all elements of the roller die unit actuating assembly have a robust cross-sectional area.

Provided is a process of making an aluminum bottle, the process including: obtaining sheet aluminum, the sheet aluminum having a difference between ultimate tensile strength and yield strength between 3.31 thousand pounds per square inch (ksi) and 8.0 ksi, and the sheet aluminum having a yield strength between 33.1 ksi and 42 ksi; cutting a blank from the sheet aluminum; plastically deforming the blank into a cup with three or fewer drawing steps; and necking the cup to form an aluminum bottle with a neck.

The principles of the present invention further provide both a shaped metal container and its preforms that exhibit a rounded grain structure characteristic created by an annealing process and a method for making a shaped metal container. The process of making said metal container results in a quicker process time and uses less metals (at least 10% metal weight savings), thus allowing for a decrease in the costs of making such shaped metal containers. A shaped metal container may include work hardened rolled sheet-metal defining a sidewall, an opening, and a base, where at least one section along the sidewall has grains with an average aspect ratio less than about 4 to 1.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a metal packaging in the form of a bottle. The method includes a step of forming a tubular part, in order to form a threaded neck. This manufacturing method includes, prior to at least one operation for forming a roll, preferably prior to the step of forming the tubular part, a step of localised annealing which is carried out in order to confer an annealed state on the tubular part, at least over the height of a downstream strip of the tubular part intended to be formed into a roll.