US3001343A - Canning machine - Google Patents

Description

p 26, 1961 J. H. GORDON ETA}. 3,001,343

CANNING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1959 S pt. 26, 1 J. H. GORDON ET AL CANNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 /Z Z/f KAT 0 uecz 0F VAC.

[mi/M 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 p 1961 J. H. GORDON ETAL 3,001,343

CANNING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 16, 1959 Sept. 26, 1961 J. H. GORDON ETAL 3,

CANNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 p 1961 J. H. GORDON ET AL 3,001,343

CANNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 26, 1961 J. H. GORDON ET A]. 3,001,343

' CANNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 QRR'R SQ P 1961 J. H. GORDON ET AL 3,001,343

CANNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 United States Patent 3,001,343 CANNING MAGHINE James Henry Gordon, West @range, N..l., Stanley Arthur Peterson, Rochester, Minn, and George Martin Stone, Wesiiieltl, Ni, assignors to American Can (IOmpany, New York, N.Y., a corporation of. New .iersey Filed Sept. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 840,318 9 Claims. (Cl. 53-112) This invention relates to a canning machine and has particular reference to a machine for pressing irregularly shaped chunks of meat such as whole hams or the like into open topped can bodies in order to force the ham to trace the shape of the can body.

In the meat packing industry, it has been customary to utilize a ham press wherein a flat plateis pressed against the top surface of the ham to force it into the can body in order to reshape the ham and cause it to accommodate itself to the shape of the body. Such presses have been virtually unchanged in the industry for many years. However, a problem always existed whenever such presses were used in that when the pressure was first exerted against the upper surface of the ham, the soft, semi-plastic, fatty ham tissue was squeezed laterally into contact with the side wall of the can body prior to the time the ham was pressed into the bottom corners of the body. As a result, the air which was present at the bottom of the can body because of the initial difference in shape be tween the ham and the body interior became entrapped in pockets and could not escape. Thus, toward the end of the pressing operation, when the ham should have been pressed into the bottom corners of the can, these pockets of air became compressed and resisted the down Ward and lateral movement of theharn andthus prevented the ham from moving into the bottomcorner areas of the can. Upon release of the pressure on the ham, thecompressed air in these pockets expanded and forced the ham upwardly in the can. As a result of this entrapment of air, the can bodies were often not solidly filled with the ham and taller cans were frequently-required than would have been necessary had the air pockets not been present. Also, the entrapped air did not escape from the can. body after releaseof the pressure onytheham, since the ham remained in contact with the can side walls. Thus, after the can had been closed, the oxygen in this entrapped air reacted with the cooked ham and caused discoloration of the adjacent ham surfaces.

It has been discovered that all of theseproblems can be overcome if the can body is vacuumized prior to and during the application of pressure to theham, since such vacuumization removes the air from the can body and prevents the formation of the air pockets. This newly discovered method of pressing hams is covered in copending United States application Serial No. 840,317, filed September 16, 1959, in the name of Stanley A, Peterson and entitled Canning Method. The present invention covers a machine by means of which this method may be practiced.

In the present machine, the open-topped, ovate ham can bodies having the irregularly shaped hams loosely positioned therein are received on a feed-in belt and are fed laterally onto a lifter plate which raises them into a vacuum bell. As it rises to its up position, the lifter plate engages the bottom of the vacuum bell and seals it from the outside atmosphere. After it has been thus sealed, the bell is evacuated to draw the air from the can body and from any indentations or pockets that may exist in the ham.

After the can body and ham. have been vacuumized, a pressure plate is brought down into engagement with the exposed top surface of the ham and the ham is squeezed under great pressure into the can. body. Since no air is present at the bottom of the body, there are no air pockets to prevent the ham from being forced into intimate contact with substantially all of the can bottom and side Wall surfaces so that the can body is solidly filled with meat. During this pressing operation, the can body is supported againstbursting or deformation by a pair of oppositely disposed, reciprocally mounted can support molds or jaws which move in laterally against the side wall of the can body.

After the ham has been pressed into the body, the pressure is released and air is introduced into the vacuum bell. The lifter plate is then lowered to bring the body to its initial feed level and the cycle of operation is repeated. As the next can body is fed into position on the lifter plate, it pushes the preceding can body off the lifter plate and onto an inclined runway which feeds it onto a discharge belt which in turn delivers it to any suitable place of deposit, usually to a can closing machine which seams the top end onto the body preparatory to the processing of the barn in a pressure cooker. The instant machine has been designed to perform all of these functions smoothly, rapidly, and automatically, thus enabling the operator to devote all of his time to placing the hams in the. can bodies prior to their introduction into the machine.

An object of the invention is the provision of a ham press wherein the can bodies and the hams contained therein are vacuumized prior to and during the pressing operation in order to prevent the formation of air pockets within the bodies, which pockets would. interfere with the reshaping of the hams and cause discoloration of the hams during processing.

A further object of the inventionis the provision of a vacuum ham press which results in a more solidly filled can and thus produces economies because it makes possible a reduction in the height of the cans required to hold the hams.

Still another object is the provision of a vacuum ham press which is completely automatic in operation, but wherein the operating cycle is initiated only when a can is fed into feeding position in the machine.

Still another object is the provision of novel means for feeding and centering the cans in position on the lifter chuck of a ham press.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it isbetter understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Refen'ings to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a vacuum ham press embodying the principles of the instant invention, parts being broken away; a

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectionalview taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 2, but showing only the upper portion of the machine and showing the moving parts of the machine in position at a final stage in the ham pressing operation;

FIG. 5 is a view taken substantially along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the pusher arm in position at the completion of its forward stroke, parts being broken away;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are horizontal sectional views taken substantially along the lines 7-7 and 8-8 respectively of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the electrical and hydraulic systems for controlling and actuating the operating parts of the machine, the various parts of these systerns being shown in the positions they occupy just prior to the initiation of an operating cycle of the press;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the plane of FIG. 3 and showing how a can body which has been subjected to the pressing operation is displaced from the lifter chuck by an incoming can body, parts being broken away; and

FIGS. 11 and 12 are sectional views taken substantially along hte lines 11-11 and 1212, respectively, of FIG. 10, but showing a can body in centered position on the lifter chuck.

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, the drawings illustrate a vacuum ham press wherein can bodies C containing unpressed, loosely fitting hams H are received in longitudinal alignment on a continuously operating feed-in conveyor 20 which operates around a pulley 21 which is mounted on the main frame 22 of the press. As seen in the drawings, each can body C is formed with a bottom end member B and a side wall W which are seamed together in a conventional double seam D, the wall'W being formed at its upper end into a flange F. The can bodies C are substantially ovate in horizontal cross section, while the hams H which are loosely fitted therein are quite irregular and differ substantially in shape from the can body interiors. As a result of the differences in shape between the hams H and the can bodies C, spaces S filled only with air are initially present at the bottom corners of the bodies C when the hams H are loosely placed therein. In order to permit removal of the air from these spaces S in the vacuum ham press, it is essential that the hams H be positioned in the bodies C in such manner that vertical passageways P are present between the barns and can side walls W to serve as evacuating channels.

As each can body C bearing a ham- H within it is fed forward by the feed-in conveyor 20, it is received on a pair of flat feed-in rails 23 which are secured to a plate 24 which is carried on the frame 22 of the press. Side guides 25 are provided to keep the cams in longitudinal alignment while on the rails 23. The feed-in rails 23 have a length in excess of two can bodies, so that it is necessary that at least three can bodies be fed into the press by the feed-in conveyor 20 before its operating cycle is initiated. When three can bodies C have been fed into the press, the first body is forced against a starter switch 28 (see FIGS. 3 and 9) disposed adjacent the terminal ends of the rails 23, thus closing the switch contacts. As soon as this occurs, the forward movement of the body is stopped by a transverse stop bar 29 (FIG. which is secured to the plate 24.

The starter switch 28 is incorporated in an electrical circuit which includes a solenoid 30, the armature 31 of which is connected to the latch 32 of a single revolution clutch 34 which connects a constantly driven shaft 36 to a cam shaft 38 which carries a plurality of edge cams 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 which control the various functions of the press, as will be hereinafter described. These cams 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43 will hereinafter be referred to respectively as the cross-feed cam, the lifter cam, the support mold cam, the presser plate cam, and the vacuum cam. When the switch 28 is closed by a can body C, the armature 31 withdraws the latch 32 from a notch in the driven plate 33 of the clutch 34, thus permitting the cam shaft 38 to rotate and initiate the cycle of operation of the machine.

The cam edge of the cross-feed cam 33 engages a roller 44 which is mounted at the end of the contact arm 45 of a double throw, double pole switch 46. Prior to the initiation of the operating cycle, the roller 44 engages the low portion of the edge cam, as seen in FIG. 9. In this position the contact arm 45 closes the set of switch contacts which completes an electrical circuit which energizes a solenoid 48, the armature 49 of Which is connected'to a slide 50 of a hydraulic valve 51 which 4 is incorporated in a closed hydraulic system which actuates the moving parts of the press.

The hydraulic system includes a pump 60, the rotor of which is continuously rotated by a motor 62 in such direction that the hydraulic fluid in the system enters the pump 60 through an inlet or return pipe 64 and leaves it through an outlet or pressure pipe 66. The usual by-pass valve 68 is incorporated in the system H between these two pipes 64, 66 to maintain a substantially constant pressure in the system.

When the slide 50 occupies the position of FIG. 9, a pipe 69 leading to the right side of a hydraulic cylinder 70 is connected to the hydraulic pressure pipe 66, while a second pipe 71, leading to the other end of the cylinder 70 is connected to the return pipe 64. As a result, the cylinder piston 72 is forced to the left.

The cylinder 70 is pivotally mounted in a bracket 73 (FIG. 5) secured to the press frame 22, and the piston 72 is pivotally connected to the lower arm 75 of an oifset bell crank 76 formed with a vertical pivot shaft 78 which is mounted in a bearing 80 formed in the press frame 22 (see FIGS. 3 and 5). The upper arm 82 of the bell crank 76 is provided with an elongated pivot slot 84 which engages around a pin 86 mounted on the outer end of a cross-feed slide 88 which operates in grooves 91 formed in a pair of slideway gibs 92 mounted on the press frame 22.

The piston 72, when in the position of FIG. 9, holds the cross-feed slide 88 in its outer, retracted position, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. The inner end of the slide 88 carries a pusher plate formed with a curved face or wall 93 which matches the contour of the adjacent half of the leading can body C. The pusher plate 90 is also formed with a straight cut-01f wall 94 spaced about one can body length from the stop bar 29. When the slide 88 is in its said retracted position, the pusher plate 90 is disposed outwardly of the path of travel of the bodies C fed by the feed-in conveyor 20 (see FIG. 3).

Upon release of the clutch latch 32, the resultant rotation of the cam shaft 38 by continuously driven clutch shaft 36, causes the switch roller 44 to ride up onto the high portion of the cross-feed cam 39, thus deenergizing the solenoid 48 and energizing a circuit which includes a solenoid 100. The energization of the solenoid causes the slide 50 of the hydraulic valve 51 to move to the left, as seen in FIG. 9, thus connecting the pipe 71 with the pump pressure pipe 66 and connecting pipe 69 with the pump return pipe 64 thereby causing the piston 72 to move to the other end of the cylinder 70. This movement of the piston 72 causes the bell crank 76 to rock, thus moving the cross-feed slide 88 inwardly and bringing the curved face 93 of the pusher plate 90 into engagement with the can body C which has tripped the switch 28. The continued inward or forward movement of the slide 88 moves the engaged body C transversely across the rails 23, onto and across a rail 101 and deposits it in centralized position on the upper surface of a rectangular lifter chuck 102 (FIG. 3). During this movement of the slide 88, the cut-off straight wall 94 is moved into position across the feed rails 23 and prevents forward movement of the succeeding bodies along the rails 23. p

The lifter chuck 102 is provided with a pair of side guides 103 which confine the bottom seam D of the body C, and is formed with a centrally disposed support platform 104 which is similar to but somewhat smaller in outline than the bottom end member B and is raised above the main surface of the chuck a distance substantially equal to the height of the countersink wall of the bottom end seam D so that the support platform 104 engages the major portion of the bottom surface of the can bottom end member B in face to face contact, as seen in FIG. 12, to support the same during the pressing operation. The peripheral edge of the platform 104 is bevelled so that the can body C can be easily slid into position over the platform 104, and later slidingly removed therefrom, as will be hereinafter explained.

The chuck 102 is provided adjacent its two corners farthest removed from the pusher plate 90 with a pair of can body locating fingers 105 mounted on pivot pins 106, said fingers beingprovided at one end with upwardly extending walls 107 which project into the path of travel of the bottom seam D of the can body C. A pair of barrel springs 108 (FIGS. 10, l1 and 12) engage against the opposite ends of the fingers 105 to maintain them in their normal, can body centering position on the lifter chuck 102 (see FIG. 3). The slide 88 is preferably so adjusted that it slightly overtravels on its forward stroke so that the can body C is forced against the finger walls 107, thus pivoting them outwardly slightly against the compression of the springs 108. 1

After the transversely moved can body C has thusbeen deposited on the chuck 102, the continued rotation of the cam 39 causes the switch roller 44 to ride back onto the low portion of the cam 39, thus deenergizing the solenoid 100 and reenergizing the solenoid 48 thus causing the slide of hydraulic valve 51 to move to the right. This in turn through pipe 71 causes the piston 72 to move to the left, thereby rocking the bell crank 76 and causing the crossfeed slide. 88 to return to its fully retracted outermost position. During the initial portion of this return movement of the slide 88 the released springs 108 return the fingers 105 to body centering position, thus centering the can body C on the chuck 102. Completion of the return stroke of the slide 88 removes the cut-off wall 94 from its can intercepting position across the rails 23, thus permitting the succeeding can body on the rails 26 to advance and occupy the position vacated by the can C which has just been pushed onto the lifter chuck 102. As a result, this succeeding can recloses the switch 28 (FIG. 3), thus energizing the solenoid 30 (FIG. 9) and preventing reengagement of clutch driven plate 33 with the clutch latch 32 after the clutch 34 has completed a full revolution. Thus, the press is automatically kept in operation as long as there are suflicient cans C on the rails 23 to trip the switch 28.

As soon as the return movement of the cross feed slide 88 has brought the pusher plate 90 clear of the lifter chuck 102, the rotation of the cam shaft 38 causes the roller 109 of the contact arm 110 of a second double throw, double pole switch 111 to ride onto the low portion of the lifter cam 40, thus closing a circuit which energizes a solenoid 112 and causes the slide 114 of a second hydraulic valve 116 to move to the left, thereby bringing the pipes 118, 119 respectively into communication with the pressure pipe 66 and return pipe 64 of the hydraulic system thereby causing upward movement of a piston 120 which is disposed in a hydraulic cylinder 122. The cylinder 122 is mounted in a plate 124 (FIG. 2) which is secured to the main frame 22 throughout the medium of a plurality of vertical rods 126. The rod 128 of the piston 120 of hydraulic cylinder 122 is secured to the bottom end of a lifter shaft 130 which carries the lifter chuck 102 at its upper end. The lifter shaft 130 is mounted for vertical movement in a bearing 132 secured to the main frame 22. At its lower end, the shaft 130 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed guide rollers 134 (see FIGS. 2 and 8), each of which engages -a vertical guide rod 136 to steady the shaft 130 as it is moved vertically and to prevent it from rotating.

The upward movement of the piston 120 causes the lifter chuck 102 to move upwardly and lift the can C and the ham H contained therein through an opening 139 formed at the bottom of a vacuum bell or chamber 140. The vacuum bell 140 comprises an integral part of a housing 141 which is carried on four vertical standards 142 secured in the press frame 22. The upward motion of the lifter chuck 102 is continued until a flange 144 of the lifter'chuck 102 engages against a web 146. which defines the opening 139, thus sealingoif the interior of the vacuum bell 140. from the external atmosphere. A gasket 148 is carried by the flange 144 to insure a hermetic seal around the opening 139.

When the can C has thus been elevated into the vacuum bell and the vacuum bell sealed off" by the chuck flange 144, the interior of the vacuum bell 140 is vacuumized to withdraw the air from the interior of the can. The air is withdrawn from the vacuum bell 140 through a vacuum pipe 150 which communicates with the interior of the vacuum bell through a bore 152 formed in the upper end thereof, the other end of the pipe 150 being connected to a suitable source of vacuum such as a vacuum tank or pump (not shown). Prior to the time the bell 140 is sealed from the atmosphere, the vacuum in the pipe 150 is normally cut off by a slide 154 of a vacuum control valve 156 which is interposed in the vacuum pipe 150 (see FIG. 9). However, after the can C has been elevated into the bell 140 and the latter sealed off, the rotation of the cam shaft 38 causes a roller 158 connected to the valve slide 154 to ride onto the low portion of the vacuum cam 43, thereby permitting a valve spring 160 to move the slide 154' to the right and thereby establish a vacuum in the pipe 150, thus vacuurnizing the vacuum bell 140 and the can body C. This latter result is made possible by the fact that the air in the spaces S at the bottom of the can body C is withdrawn through the vertical passageways P which are present between the ham H and the side Wall W of the can body C.

Simultaneously with the movement of the roller 158 onto the low portion of the. vacuum cam 43, the roller 162 of the contact arm 164 of athird double throw, double pole switch :166 moves onto the low portion ofthe support mold cam 41, thus closing a circuit which includes a solenoid 168. Energization of the solenoid 168 causes the slide 1700f a third hydraulic valve 172 to move to the left, as viewed in FIG. 9, thus bringing a pipe 174 into communication with the pump pressure pipe 66, and a pipe 175 into communication with the pump return pipe 64. The pipes 174, 175 lead to the outer and inner ends, respectively, of a pair of hydraulic cylinders 176, 178 secured to opposite sides of the housing 141 (FIG. 2). Thus, the fluid in the hydraulic system is forced against the outer faces of a pair of pistons 188, 182 which are disposed in the cylinders 176, 178, and the pistons are moved inwardly toward each other. The rods 184 of the pistons 180, 182 are secured at their inner ends to slide shafts 186 which are mounted for horizontal reciprocation in bearings 188 formed on opposite sides of the housing 141. Suitable keys (not shown) are provided to prevent rotation of the shafts 186. At their inner ends, the shafts 186 carry support molds or jaws 188, each of which is shaped to correspond to the contour of substantially one-half .of the side wall W of the can body C above its bottom seam D. The support molds 188 are provided adjacent their upper ends with a plurality of closely spaced grooves 190 which receive the outwardly flaring flanges F on the upper ends of the can bodies C. The grooves '190 are spaced at vertical intervals which comprise the increments between the various can body heights normally used, so that can bodies of varying heights can be intermixed and fed at random into the press without requiring adjustment of its parts. The inward movement of the pistons 176, 178 moves the support molds 188 against the side wall W of the can body C and maintains them in pressured engagement therewith to support the wall W against collapse during the pressing operation.

Immediately after the support molds 188 have thus been moved into their operative position, the roller 200 of a fourth double throw, double pole switch 202 rides onto the low portion of the presser plate cam 42, thus moving the contact arm 204 of the switch 202 to the right and closing an electric circuit which includes a solenoid 206;.

Energization of the solenoid 2 06 moves the slide 208 of a fourth hydraulic valve 210 to the right and thus connects pipes 212, 213 with the pressure and return pipes 66, 64- respectively, thereby introducing hydraulic fluid under pressure into the upper end of a hydraulic cylinder 214 and forcing the cylinder piston 216 downwardly. The cylinder 214 is mounted in a plate 215 (FIG. 2) carried on four rods 217 (FIG. 7) secured to the top of a bearing 213 formed integral with the vacuum bell housing 141, and the rod 219 of the piston 216 is secured to a vertical shaft 220 which is slidably mounted in the bearing 218 and which is provided at its upper end with a pair of outboard rollers 223 which roll along guide rods 224 (FIG. 7) mounted between the plate 215 and the bearing 218, in order to prevent rotation and/or cocking of the shaft 220.

The vertically slidable shaft 220 carries on its lower end a presser plate 225 which has a horizontal contour similar to but somewhat smaller than the horizontal crosssectional shape of the can body C so that it can move into the can body C without touching the body side wall W. Thus, the downward movement of piston 216 of hydraulic cylinder 214 (FIG. 2) first brings the presser plate 225 into engagement with the upper surface of the ham H which protrudes above the upper end of the can body C, and its continued downward movement then presses the ham H into the can body C and causes it to fill all of the spaces S which were initially present therein. Since the air which was initially present in the spaces S has been removed therefrom through the vacuum pipe 150 prior to this pressing operation, there is no resistance to this movement of the ham into the can other than the inherent resistance of the ham to being reshaped, which resistance is overcome by the substantial fluid pressure which is applied by the presser plate 225. In order to apply sufficient pressure to cause the ham to become deformed and completely fill the interior of the can body C, it is desirable that the hydraulic cylinder 214 be large enough to cause the pressure plate 225 to exert a pressure of at least 1000 pounds against the ham when a ham can of a size known to the trade as a No. 4 is being run. Such pressures would of course burst the can body C were it not for the fact that the body is supported by the chuck platform 104 and the support mold 188 during the application of the pressure.

The downward movement of the plate 225 ceases when the ham has completely filled the can .body 0, since at this time the resistance of the ham to compression exceeds the pressure exerted by the plate 225. At such time, the plate 225 is positioned within the open mouth of the ham can C and the hamcis completely pressed into all the corners of the bottom of the can, as best seen in PEG. 4. This completes the pressing operation.

Thereaften the continued rotation of the camshaft 38 operates to restore the parts to their non-operative positions preparatory to the next pressingoperation. As the first step, the roller 153 rides back onto the high portion of the cam 43, thus moving the valve slide 154 to the position shown in FIG. 9. This cuts off the vacuum in the vacuum pipe 150 and vents the vacuum pipe 150 through a vent opening 226 formed in the vacuum valve 15-6, thus breaking the vacuum within the vacuum bell 140. At about the same time, the roller 200 rides back onto the high portion of its cam 4-2, thus deenergizing the solenoid 286 and energizing a solenoid 228, thus causing the slide 208 to move to the left as seen in FIG. 9 and reversing the flow of hydraulic fluid in the pipes 212,

13. This reversal moves the piston 216 of fluid cylinder 21 i upwardly and withdraws the presser plate 225 from the can body C and out of contact with the ham H.

After the plate 225 has been lifted out of the can body C, the roller 162 rides back onto the high portion of the cam 41, thus deenergizing the solenoidlfi and ener" gizingthe solenoid 232 to thereby move slide 170 to the right (FIG. 9) to reverse the flow of fluid in the pipes f 174, 175. As a result, the pistons 180, 182 move outwardly and return the support molds 188 to their outward position shown in FIG. 2; 7 V i As soon as the support molds 188 have been disengaged from the can body side wall W, the roller 109 moves onto the high portion of the lifter cam 40, thus deenergizing the solenoid 112 and energizing a solenoid 236 to move the slide 114 to the right to the position shown in FIG. 9. This reverses the direction of flow of fluid in the pipes 118, 119 and forces the piston 120 of the lifter chuck actuating cylinder 122 to move to its down position (see FIG. 2), thereby lowering the lifter chuck 102 and its supported can body C from the vacuum bell 140. This completes a cycle of operation of the machine.

As previously stated, the cross-feed slide 88 returns to its fully retracted position prior' to the completion of the pressing operation, thereby enabling the succeeding can body C on the rails 26 to move into feeding position against the pusher extension 92 andrclose the'starter switch 28. Thus, as long as sufficient can bodies C are being fed by the feed belt 20 to maintain a body in feeding position, the latch 32 controlling actuation of single revolution clutch 34 (FIG. 9) is held in inoperative position at the completion of a cycle of operation of the machine and cam shaft 38 continues its rotation, thus immediately initiating the succeeding cycle of operation. When this occurs, the succeeding can body C is fed forward onto the lifter chuck 102 by the cross-feed slide 88. As a result of this forward movement, the succeeding body hit-s against and displaces the preceding ean'C from the lifter chuck 102 and pushes it onto an inclined roller conveyor 238 from whence it rolls by gravity onto a take-away belt 240. During the displacement of the pressed can body C from the lifter chuck 102, the cen* tering fingers pivot outwardly against the pressure of the springs 108 (see FIG. 10). As soon as the bodyC passes the fingers they pivot inwardly to theirnormal position where they intercept and center the succeedingbody C in the hereinbefore described manner; The centered succeeding can body .C is then lifted upwardly; into the vacuum bell and the pressing operation on the ham is repeated.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent'that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof. a t

We claim: c c

1. In a machine wherein a movable presser plateis utilized to apply pressure against the exposed surface of a loosely fitted irregularly shaped ham disposed within an open can of different shape, to eonformthe ham to the shape of said can, said machine having movable means engageable with said can to prevent deformation of the can body walls during the application of pressure to the harm: the improvement comprising a fixed apertured vacuumizing chamber for receiving said presser plate and said can engaging means, means for elevating said can and its contained ham throughsaidap'erture into said chamber, and means for vacuumizing said chamber prior to the application of pressure tosaid ham by-the presser plate to remove residual air from said can.

2. in a machine for pressing an irregularly shaped ham into an open can, said ham differing in shape from the interior of said can and fitting loosely therein so that air filled spaces are present between said ham and themterior surfaces of said can: the improvement comprising a fixed apertured vacuumizing chamber, means for elevating the can containing the irregularly shaped ham through said aperture into said chamber, means for sealing said chamber against the outside atmosphere, vacuum means for withdrawing the air from the spaces in the can surrounding said ham while said can is in said chamber, means movable into engagement with the can side walls for supporting said can against deformation, and a presser plate engageable against said ham for pressing it into said vacuumized spaces to produce a solidly filled can.

3. A machine for pressing an irregularly shaped ham into an open-topped can body, said ham initially diifering in shape from the interior of said body and fitting loosely therein so that air filled spaces are present between said ham and the interior surfaces of said body, comprising in combination an open bottomed vacuum bell, a lifter chuck disposed beneath said vacuum bell for receiving a can body containing a loosely fitting ham, means for elevating said chuck to raise said body and ham into said vacuum bell, means associated with said lifter chuck for sealing the open bottom of said bell against the outside atmosphere, means for vacuumizing said bell and the can body contained therein, support means disposed in said bell and engageable against said can body for supporting the same against deformation, and pressure means engageable against said ham for pressing it into said" vacuumized can body to conform it to the shape of said body.

4. A machine for pressing an irregularly shaped ham into an open-topped can body, said ham initially diifering in shape from the interior of said body and fitting loosely therein 50 that air filled spaces are present between said ham and the interior surfaces of said body, comprising in combination, an open bottomed vacuum bell, a lifter chuck disposed beneath said vacuum bell, means for positioning a can body containing a loosely fitted ham on said lifter chuck, means for elevating said lifter chuck to raise said body and ham through the open bottom of said vacuum bell, means carried by said lifter chuck and engageable against the bottom of said vacuum bell to seal said bell against the outside atmosphere, means for vaeuumizing said bell and the can body contained therein, a pair of support molds mounted in said bell and engageable against said can body for preventing deformation of said body, a presser plate mounted in said bell in vertical alignment with said lifter chuck, and means for moving said presser plate downwardly into pressured engagement against said ham to press said ham into said vacuumized can body to conform it to the shape of said body.

5. A machine for pressing an irregularly shaped ham into an open-topped can body, said ham initially differing in shape from the interior of said body and fitting loosely therein so that air filled spaces are present between said ham and the interior surfaces of said body, comprising in combination, an open bottomed vacuum bell, a lifter chuck disposed beneath said vacuum bell, a bevelled support platform disposed on said lifter chuck for engaging and supporting the bottom of said can body, 10- cating means for sliding a can body onto said support platform, means mounted on said lifter chuck for 10- cating said can body relative to said support platform, means for lifting said chuck into said vacuum bell, means for vacuumizing said bell, and the can body contained therein, means for supporting the side wall of said can body, and presser means for pressing said ham into said vacuumized can body to conform it to the shape of said body.

6. The mechanism of claim 5 wherein said locating means comprise a pair of locating fingers engageable against said can body.

7. A machine for pressing irregularly shaped hams into open-topped can bodies, said hams initially differing in shape from the interiors of said bodies and fitting loosely therein so that air filled spaces are present between said hams and the interior surfaces of said bodies, comprising in combination, an open bottomed vacuum bell, an imperforate lifter member disposed beneath said vacuum bell, means for positioning a can body containing a loosely fitting ham on said lifter member, means for elevating said lifter member to bring it into engagement against the bottom of said vacuum bell to seal said bell against the outside atmosphere and to position a said can body and a ham in said vacuum bell, means for vacuumizing said bell and said can body, a pair of support molds mounted for horizontal movement in said bell, means for forcing said support molds into pressured engagement with said can body to prevent deformation of the latter, a presser plate mounted for vertical movement in said vacuum bell, and means for moving said presser plate downwardly against said ham to press said ham into said vacuumized can body to conform it to the shape of said body.

8. The machine of claim 7 wherein said support molds are provided with a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal grooves for receiving the flanges of said can bodies, whereby can bodies of various heights may be intermixed and operated upon in succession in said machine.

9. A machine for pressing an irregularly shaped ham into an open-topped can body, said ham initially differing in shape from the interior of said body and fitting loosely therein so that air filled spaces are present between said ham and the interior surfaces of said body, comprising in combination, an open bottomed vacuum bell, an imperforate lifter member mounted for vertical movement beneath said vacuum bell, a sealing flange formed on said lifter member, a pusher slide mount-ed adjacent said lifter member, hydraulic means for actuating said pusher slide to position a can body containing a loosely fitted ham on said lifter member, a hydraulic cylinder for elevating said lifter member to bring said sealing flange into engagement with said vacuum bell to seal said bell against the outside atmosphere and to position said can body and ham in said vacuum bell, means for vacuumizing said bell and said can body, a pair of support molds mounted for horizontal movement in said vacuum bell, hydraulic cylinders mounted on the outside of said bell for forcing said support molds into pressured engagement with said can body to prevent deformation of the latter, a presser plate mounted for vertical movement in said vacuum bell above said lifter member, and a hydraulic cylinder mounted above said vacuum bell for moving said presser plate downwardly against said ham to press it into said vacuumized can body to conform it to the shape of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,124,588 Murch July 26, 1938 2,241,943 Berch May 13, 1941' 2,696,443 Allbright Dec. 7, 1954

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