Roller assembly

Abstract

A turret-head assembly including a turret head-assembly support member defining a turret-head axis and a base plate having an aperture through the center thereof, the turret head-assembly support member extending therethrough. The base plate is rigidly coupled to the turret head-assembly support member. The turret-head assembly further comprises a front housing and a pivot plate positioned between the base plate and the front housing. A first side of the pivot plate is coupled with a first side of the front housing. A second side of the pivot plate is coupled with a first side of the base plate. The pivot plate is axially movable along the turret-head axis. The turret-head assembly further comprises a plurality of rollers coupled to the pivot plate. The plurality of rollers is configured to move radially with respect to the turret-head axis. The radial movement corresponds with the axial movement of the pivot plate.

1 . A turret-head assembly for forming an article, the turret-head assembly comprising:
 a turret head-assembly support member defining a turret-head axis;   a base plate having an aperture through the center thereof, the turret head-assembly support member extending therethrough, the base plate being rigidly coupled to the turret head-assembly support member;   a front housing having an opening configured to receive an open end of the article therethrough;   a pivot plate positioned between the base plate and the front housing, a first side of the pivot plate being coupled with a first side of the front housing, a second side of the pivot plate being coupled with a first side of the base plate, the pivot plate being axially movable along the turret-head axis; and   a plurality of rollers coupled to the pivot plate such that the plurality of rollers is configured to move radially with respect to the turret-head axis, the radial movement corresponding with the axial movement of the pivot plate.   
     
     
         2 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the article includes a narrowed neck portion extending from the open end, a body portion, and a shoulder portion bridging the neck portion and the body portion, the opening in the front housing having a diameter configured to allow the neck portion of the article therethrough and block the shoulder portion of the article. 
     
     
         3 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of pivot arms, each of the plurality of pivot arms being pivotably coupled to the pivot plate; and   a plurality of H-links for pivotably coupling a first end of each of the plurality of pivot arms to the base plate,   the plurality of rollers being coupled to a second, generally opposing end of each of the plurality of pivot arms, the front housing being rigidly coupled to the pivot plate.   
     
     
         4 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of resilient devices positioned between the base plate and a second side of the pivot plate. 
     
     
         5 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of alignment pins coupling the base plate to the second side of the pivot plate and having the plurality of resilient devices coupled thereto, the base plate being rigidly fixed to the plurality of alignment pins, the pivot plate being slideably coupled to the plurality of alignment pins. 
     
     
         6 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of pivot arms includes an opening positioned through a body thereof, the turret-head assembly further comprising a plurality of fasteners positioned through the openings of the pivot arms to pivotably mount each of the plurality of pivot arms to the pivot plate. 
     
     
         7 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a pilot coupled to the first side of the pivot plate through a generally central aperture therein. 
     
     
         8 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a pilot shaft rigidly mounted to the first side of the pivot plate, the pilot being rotatably coupled to the pilot shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front housing includes a compression hub positioned within and generally concentrically with the opening of the front housing, the compression hub being freely rotatable about the turret-head axis. 
     
     
         10 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of angled rods coupled to the front housing, the pivot plate having a plurality of apertures therethrough, the plurality of angled rods extending through the respective plurality of apertures in the pivot plate such that the pivot plate is configured to slide along the lengths of the plurality of angled rods. 
     
     
         11 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of rollers is rigidly coupled to the pivot plate. 
     
     
         12 . A method of forming an article, the method comprising:
 providing a turret-head assembly including
 a turret head-assembly support member defining a turret-head axis, 
 a base plate having an aperture through the center thereof, the turret head-assembly support member extending therethrough, the base plate being rigidly coupled to the turret head-assembly support member, 
 a front housing having an opening configured to receive an open end of the article therethrough, 
 a pivot plate positioned between the base plate and the front housing, a first side of the pivot plate being coupled with a first side of the front housing, a second side of the pivot plate being coupled with a first side of the base plate, the pivot plate being axially movable along the turret-head axis, and 
 a plurality of rollers coupled to the pivot plate such that the plurality of rollers is configured to move radially with respect to the turret head axis, the radial movement corresponding with the axial movement of the pivot plate, 
   moving at least one of at least a portion of the turret-head assembly and the article toward one another such that an open end of the article passes through the opening in the front housing;   axially advancing at least one of the at least a portion of the turret-head assembly or the article against the other of the turret-head assembly or the article such that the pivot plate moves in a first direction toward the base plate, thereby decreasing the distance between the pivot plate and the base plate, thereby moving the rollers radially inward toward the neck portion;   rotating the turret-head assembly about the turret-head axis; and   engaging the plurality of rollers with a portion of a neck portion of the necked article, thereby forming a groove on the necked article.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the article includes a narrowed neck portion extending from an open end, a body portion, and a shoulder portion bridging the neck portion and the body portion, 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the axial advancing occurs via the shoulder portion abutting a second opposing side of the front housing. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the shoulder portion of the article contacts a compression hub positioned within and generally concentrically with the opening of the front housing, the compression hub being freely rotatable about the turret-head axis and formed of a generally non-marring material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the turret-head assembly further comprises
 a plurality of pivot arms, each of the plurality of pivot arms being pivotably coupled to the pivot plate, and   a plurality of H-links for pivotably coupling a first end of each of the plurality of pivot arms to the base plate,   the plurality of rollers being coupled to a second, generally opposing end of each of the plurality of pivot arms, the front housing being rigidly coupled to the pivot plate.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the turret-head assembly further comprises a plurality of resilient devices being positioned between the base plate and a second side of the pivot plate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the turret-head assembly further includes a plurality of alignment pins coupling the base plate to the pivot plate and having the plurality of resilient devices coupled thereto, the base plate being rigidly fixed to the plurality of alignment pins, the pivot plate being slideably coupled to the plurality of alignment pins. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein moving the pivot plate in the first direction toward the base plate compresses the plurality of resilient devices positioned therebetween. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of pivot arms includes an opening positioned through the body thereof, the turret-head assembly further comprising a plurality of precision fasteners positioned through the openings of the pivot arms to pivotably mount each of the plurality of pivot arms to the pivot plate. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising moving the at least one of the at least a portion of turret-head assembly and the article away from one another such that the article having the groove formed thereon is removed from the opening in the front housing. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the article is advanced axially toward the turret-head assembly, thereby pushing the pivot plate in a first direction toward the base plate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the front housing is rigidly connected to the pivot plate by a plurality of fastening devices. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the turret-head assembly further comprises a pilot coupled to the first side of the pivot plate, the axial advancing occurring via the open end of the neck portion of the article engaging the pilot. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the turret-head assembly is incorporated into a machine line.