A ram drive assembly for a can bodymaker includes a mounting assembly and a number of forming assemblies supported thereon, each including: a stationary assembly, having a die pack and a domer, and a moving assembly having a ram assembly and a cam follower assembly. The die pack defines a passage having a proximal and a distal end, with the domer disposed adjacent the distal end. The ram assembly includes a ram body having a proximal and a distal end, with the cam follower assembly coupled to the proximal end. The ram body is structured to reciprocate through the passage between a retracted and an extended position. The ram drive assembly includes: a cam having a body with a number of surfaces for engaging each cam follower assembly; and a motor having a rotating output shaft operatively coupled to the cam body for rotating the cam body.

A method of manufacturing a container made of metal, including a bottom portion and a body portion, being open on an upper face side, and having a shape in which the body portion expands outward toward the upper face side. The method includes a stretch forming step of expanding a diameter of a stepped cup body made of metal by operating a diameter expanding punch having a tapered pressing portion that is smaller in diameter than an inner diameter of the large-diameter cylindrical portion and larger in diameter than an inner diameter of the small-diameter cylindrical portion of the stepped cup body along a cylindrical axis direction from an opening side of the large-diameter cylindrical portion, in which the stretch forming step is performed at least once.

A bi-directional and double-punch balanced high-speed bodymaker includes a punch driving mechanism and blank pressing mechanism, wherein: the punch driving mechanism includes a crankshaft, two identical connecting rods, slide rails, sliders and punches. The crankshaft is rotationally supported by a bearing, and the crankshaft has a first crank, second crank and first and second blank pressing cams. Compared with the prior art, the swing lever and secondary connection are removed from each set of punch driving mechanism, simplifying the structure while maintaining all original functions, constituting omitting elements. It adopts two blank pressing cams and arranges the first blank pressing cam driving point of the opposite the second blank pressing cam driving point, and finally, the directions of the first and second torque are opposite and counteract each other, to maintain balance of overall torque on the plane passing the crankshaft axis during the operation of the bodymaker.

In reforming a can bottom part, the defect of black discoloration in an associated formed portion is suppressed. A forming device for a can body, in which a cylindrical barrel part and a can bottom part are integrally formed, includes a tool used for the can body having a concave dome part in a center of the can bottom part and having an annular leg part on a periphery of the dome part to reform a shape of the leg part. The tool includes a pressing body that is inserted into the can body, and that abuts on an inner surface of the dome part, and a forming die that forms a curved end part heading inward on a lower end part of the leg part.

A ram drive assembly for a can bodymaker includes a mounting assembly and a number of forming assemblies supported thereon, each including: a stationary assembly, having a die pack and a domer, and a moving assembly having a ram assembly and a cam follower assembly. The die pack defines a passage having a proximal and a distal end, with the domer disposed adjacent the distal end. The ram assembly includes a ram body having a proximal and a distal end, with the cam follower assembly coupled to the proximal end. The ram body is structured to reciprocate through the passage between a retracted and an extended position. The ram drive assembly includes: a cam having a body with a number of surfaces for engaging each cam follower assembly; and a motor having a rotating output shaft operatively coupled to the cam body for rotating the cam body.

In a method of forming a beverage container, a can body is formed from a metal alloy. A can end is formed from a substantially compositionally identical metal alloy. The metal alloy is a heat treatable aluminum alloy . The heat treatable aluminum alloy is produced from up to 100% recycled aluminum material.

A preform of a can includes: a dome part being concave into the bottomed cylindrical body; and an annular leg part projecting in a direction opposite to a direction in which the dome part is concave, the dome part and the annular part being molded to form the preform of the can, and an inner surface of the dome part being pressed to mold a molded can. A maximum height of the preform of the can from a ground plane to the dome part is greater than a maximum height of the molded can from a ground plane to the dome part. In a vertical cross-sectional view, a length of an inner peripheral section of the leg part connecting between a ground point of the leg part and the dome part of the preform of the can is greater than a length of a curved end molded around the dome part of the molded can.

A reform apparatus for reforming a bottom portion of a metallic beverage container is provided. The reform apparatus generally includes a pair of reform rollers interconnected to pivot arms. Spring are operably interconnected to the reform rollers such that the reform rollers a biased radially inwardly in an unactuated state. The springs at least one of spring bushings and compression springs. The reform rollers rotate radially outwardly when a wedge member pushes axially between the two pivot arms. The wedge member engages and imparts rotation to the pivot arms. An annular edge of each of the reform rollers contacts an inner wall portion of the bottom portion of the beverage container to form a groove of a predetermined size and shape.

An expansion tool for expanding an article. The expansion tool includes a lead-in portion extending outwardly from a first end of the expansion tool and a first pilot portion extending from the lead-in portion. The first pilot portion has a first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a second pilot portion being generally parallel with the first pilot portion. The second pilot portion has a second diameter larger than the first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a forming portion bridging the first pilot portion and the second pilot portion. The forming portion is generally sloped. The expansion tool further includes an expansion portion extending from the second pilot portion toward a second end of the expansion tool. The expansion portion has a third diameter larger than the second diameter.

A cam follower assembly for a can bodymaker includes a slider structured to be coupled to the proximal end of a ram body of the can bodymaker; and a plurality of cam follower members rotatably coupled to the slider. The cam follower members are structured to be operatively coupled to a cam of a ram drive assembly.