Apparatus to align press forming tools

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an alignment retainer and a profile retainer, where the profile retainer is movably coupled to the alignment retainer. A biasing element is positioned between the alignment retainer and the profile retainer to enable movement of the alignment retainer relative to the profile retainer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for use with a domer, the apparatus comprising:
 an alignment retainer;   a profile retainer, the profile retainer movably coupled to the alignment retainer; and   a biasing element positioned between the alignment retainer and the profile retainer to enable movement of the alignment retainer relative to the profile retainer.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the alignment retainer includes a central opening to at least slidably receive a portion of the profile retainer. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the alignment retainer includes a first cylindrical body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end including an alignment profile. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the alignment profile includes a contoured shape providing an alignment surface and a clamping surface. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the profile retainer includes a second cylindrical body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end of the profile retainer including a profile forming surface. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the alignment profile of the alignment retainer is positioned adjacent profile forming surface of the profile retainer. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the alignment profile of the alignment retainer is movable relative to the profile forming surface of the profile retainer between a first distance when the apparatus is in a first operative position and a second distance when the apparatus is in a second operative position, the first distance is greater than the second distance. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second end of the alignment retainer includes a plurality of spring cavities radially spaced relative a longitudinal axis of the alignment retainer. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the profile retainer includes a flange formed at the second end of the profile retainer, the flange including a plurality of bores radially spaced relative to a longitudinal axis of the profile retainer. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the spring cavities and the bores coaxially align when the alignment retainer is coupled to the profile retainer. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further including a plurality of springs, the springs to be at least received by respective ones of the spring cavities. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further including a plurality of fasteners, the fasteners to be at least received by respective ones of the spring cavities and the bores. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the fasteners include a shank body and a threaded end, wherein the shank body of the fasteners extend through the bores of the flange and the spring cavities of the alignment retainer and the threaded end of the fasteners to threadably couple to respective threaded bores formed in bottom surfaces of the spring cavities. 
     
     
         14 . A domer apparatus comprising:
 a body defining a cavity;   a domer die positioned in the cavity, the domer die to shape a bottom profile of a can body; and   a clamp apparatus coupled to the body adjacent the domer die, the clamp apparatus to receive at least a portion of the domer die, the clamp apparatus including:
 a first sleeve having a first profile end to concentrically align a punch tooling of a ram with the domed die in response to the punch tooling moving toward the domed die and radially clamp the can body in fixed alignment with the domed die after the first sleeve concentrically aligns the punch tooling with the domed die; and 
 a second sleeve movably coupled relative to the first sleeve, the second sleeve having a second profile end to shape a lip of the can body, the second profile end being spaced from the first profile end by a first distance when the first profile end concentrically aligns the punch tooling and radially clamps the can body relative to the domer die, the second profile end being spaced from the first profile end by a second distance after the can body is concentrically aligned with the punch tooling and radially clamped relative to the domer die, the second distance being less than the first distance. 
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first sleeve includes a first central opening to at least partially receive the second sleeve, and the second sleeve includes a second central opening to at least partially receive the domer die. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further including a biasing element positioned between the first sleeve and the second sleeve, the biasing element to enable the first sleeve to move relative to the second sleeve between a first operative position to provide the first distance between the first profile end and the second profile end and a second operative position to provide the second distance between the first profile end and the second profile end. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first sleeve is a first cylindrical body, the first sleeve includes a plurality of spring cavities radially spaced relative to a longitudinal axis of the first sleeve, the spring cavities extending partially through the cylindrical body, wherein respective ends of the spring cavities include threaded bores. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the second sleeve includes a second cylindrical body and a flange, the second cylindrical body to be at least partially received by the first sleeve, and the clamp apparatus further including biasing elements positioned in the spring cavities, and further including a plurality of fasteners, the plurality of fasteners to slidably couple the first sleeve and the second sleeve, the fasteners to threadably couple to the threaded bores of the spring cavities. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for clamping to coaxially align a punch tooling supporting a can body with a domer die and radially fix the punch tooling relative to the domer die after coaxially aligning the punch tooling with the domer die; and   means for profiling a bottom of a can body, the means for profiling movably coupled relative to the means for clamping.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further including:
 means for fastening the means for clamping and the means for profiling; and   means for biasing, the means for biasing to enable the means for clamping and the means for profiling to move relative to each other between a first operative position and a second operative position when the means for fastening couples the means for clamping and the means for profiling.