Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
105~468
This application is a division of application serial
number 213,011, filed November 5, 1974.
Individual section (I.S.) glassware forming machines
such as shown for example in U.S. Patent NQ. 1,911,119, comprise
a plurality of sections arranged in side-by-side relationship.
Each such section in and of itself comprises a forming machine
for converting a molten gob of glass at first into a parison
and then into a finally shaped article of glassware. That is,
each such section includes at least one parison mold, wherein
parisons are formed either by pressing or blowing, and at least
one final shaping blow mold wherein the parisons are blown into
the final shape of the desired article of glassware. In the
conventional I.S. machine, the parison mold is inverted, and
transfer mechanism including a neck ring structure engages the
inverted parison and swings it through an arc into an upright
position in the blow mold for final shaping.
Production efficiency and economy dictate that the
individual sections of the machine be operated in tim~ relation-
ship with each other so that the sections will produce the final
articles of glassware in sequence, section after section. The
same considerations dictate the use of a single feeder structure
which feeds the molten gobs of glass to the parison molds in
sequence, section after section. With this arrangement, the
finished articles of glassware are placed on a common take-away
conveyor section after section so that a substantially continuous
line or continuous lines of glassware move along the conveyor,
generally to a lehr for annealing.
It is the general object of the present invention to
provide an I.S. type glassware forming machine wherein each
individual section thereof is constructed and arranged: - to
provide fcr an intermediate forming of a parison at a station
between the parison mold and the final blow mold; to eliminate
- 1 - ~
105;~468
the need for an inverting transfer mechanism, and to make either
narrow neck or wide mouth glassware of either light weight or
heavy construction (that is, thin-wall or thick-wall ware) at
high speed.
In keeping with the invention there will be provided
a glassware forming machine section having a frame wherein three
operating stations are defined in horizontally spaced-apart
relationship longitudinally of the frame. The first such
station is to include at least one or (in the event of a
multiple gob machine operation) more upright top-opening blan~
or pairson molds. The second of such stations includes movable
parts to engage and support a parison for further forming after
it has been initially formed at the first station. The third
such station includes a mold adapted to engage and support the
further formed parison for final shaping as an article of glass-
ware.
A movable support structure is disposed over the
first station in the section and carries a guide chute and a
plunger actuator. The guide chute is positioned over the parison
mold to guide a gob of molten glass into it and then a plunger
is thrust into the mold to form a parison. A transfer mechanism
including a carriage is utilized to transport the formed parison
to the second station, then to the third station, and then out
- of the third station. The carriage includes neck ring parts
which engage the parison at the first station and carry it to
the second station before return to the first station Pairs of
tongs are also carried by the carriage, one pair being utilizcd
to move the parison from the second station to the third station
before return and a second pair being utilized to transport the
finally formed article out of the mold at the third station.
In accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a process of forming glassware in a press and blow
-- 2
lOS;~468
technique utilizing at least one upri~ht parison mold in a
first station of a forming machine section which also has two
additional stations spaced apart longitudinally of the section.
~le process comprises the following steps: placing a gob of
molten glass in the parison mold, closing the parts of a neck
ring over the parison mold and then thrusting a plunger through
the neck ring to form a parison; removing the plunger and mold
from the parison to leave the parison suspended by the neck
ring, transferring the neck ring to the next adjacent or second
of the stations; engaging the upper portion of the parison at
the second station to support the same for further forming; re-
turning the neck ring to the first station, engaging the upper
portion of the further formed parison by first tongs at the
second station; transferring the first tongs and further formed
parison to the third station; engaging the further formed parison
at the third station to support the same for final shaping; re-
turning the first tongs to the second station; blowing the pari-
son to the final shape of an article of glassware at the third
station, engaging the upper portion of the article by second
tongs at the third station, transferring the second tongs and
suspended article to a point beyond the third station' releasing
the article at said point, and returning the second tongs to the
third station.
In drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of
the present invention:-
FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a forming
machine section provided in accordance with
the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a larger scale plan view of the machine
section, but showing the transfer carriage
in an extended rather than in retracted
position;
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105~468
FIGURE 3 is an irregular vertical longitudinal sec-
tional view taken through the machine section,
the upper portion of the view being taken
along one of the guide rods for the transfer
mechanism and the lower portion of the view
being taken along the longitudinal center
line of the machine section.
- 3a -
105;~468
FIGURE 4 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional
view taken through the first station of the
machine section;
FIGURE 5 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional
view taken through the secnnd station of the
machine section;
FIGURE 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view
taken through a blowhead and tong structure
such as is supported by the carriage in its
retracted position over the second and
third stations of the machine section;
FIGURE 7 is another transverse vertical sectional
view taken through the second station of
the machine section and showing an alternative
construction for such station; and
FIGURE 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view
taken through the third station of the
machine section.
As best seen with reference to Figure 1, the individ-
ual section of the glassware forming machine has a frame 10within which there are three operating stations or areas pro-
vided in spaced-apart relationship along the longitudinal center
line of the section, these stations being designated generally
as the first station A, a second station B and a third station
C. The machine section shown is particularly adapted for
"double gob" operation wherein a pair of glassware parisons are
initially formed at the station A and then transferred to -the
station B for further forming and then transferred finally to
the station C for final shaping as articles of glassware such
as the bottles G,G shown in Figure 1. When the glassware
articles have been finally shaped as by blowing, they are moved
out of the machine section onto a deadplate 12 and they are
l~S~468
thereafter moved onto a take-away conveyor 14 where they are
placed in a line with other similar articles formed by the other
individual sections of the forming machine.
The machine section shown utilizes upright blank or
parison molds at the station A, and it is particularly adapted
to make the articles of glassware in a press and blow technique.
Thus, there is a mechanism indicated generally by the reference
number 16 located over the first station A and which includes
guide means for introducing gobs of glass to the parison molds
at the station A and it also includes plungers for pressing the
gobs of glass into parisons at the blank or parison molds.
Still referring to Figure 1 for an understanding of
the general arrangement of the major elements, it will be seen
that a transfer mechanism is utilized which includes a carriage
indicated generally at 18 which is supported on a pair of
horizontally disposed guide rods 20,20 extending longitudinally
of the machine section 10 over and straddling the stations A,B
and C and extending onwardly over the deadplate 12. The outer
ends of the rods are supported in a bracket 22 secured over the
deadplate 12 on the section frame 10, and the inner end portions
of the said guide rods are extended through cylinders 24,24
mounted on the inner end portion of the machine section frame
10 and extending inwardly beyond said frame. Each such cylinder
24 comprises a part of a reciprocable fluld motor which also
includes a piston 26 (Figure 3), the said piston being annular
- and surrounding an associated rod 20 and having an outwardly
projecting extension 28 which is connected with the carriage 18.
Thus, as the annular pistons 26,26 are reciprocated within the
cylinders 24,24, the carriage 18 is reciprocated between a
retracted position shown in Figure 1 and an extended position
shown in Figures 2 and 3.
The carriage 18 supports a neck ring mechanism 30
1053468
over the parison molds at the station A in its retracted posi-
tion, and in such position it supports a first combined blowhead
and tong mechanism 32 over the second station B, and it also
supports a similar combined blowhead and tong mechanism 34 over
the third station C, all as shown in Figure 1. In the extended
position of the carriage 18, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the
neck ring mechanism 30 is located over the second station B, the
first blowhead and tong mechanism 32 is disposed over the third
station C, and the second blowhead and tong mechanism 34 is lo-
cated over the deadplate 12.
Turning now to the structure and operations at thefirst station A, attention is directed to the gob guide and
plunger mechanism 16 shown in Figures 1 and 4.
Since the machine section is adapted for double gob
operation, there are two gob guide chutes 36,36 provided for
guiding molten gobs of ~lass into the two blank or parison molds
to be described, and there are two plungers 38,38 provided to be
thrust into the molds by a plunger actuator 40. The parison
molds are rather closely spaced along the longitudinal center
line of the section frame 10, and this dictates that the chutes
36,36 and the plungers 38,38 be similarly spaced so as to be in
registry with the top openings of the cavities in the parison
molds, selectively. That is, the chutes 36,36 are to be placed
over the molds to guide the gobs into them, and then they are
moved aside so that the plungers 38,38 will be disposed over the
molds. This is accomplished by mounting the chutes and the
plunger actuator 40 on a slide 42 which is movable transversely
relative to the section frame 10 on a fixed frame structure 44
located over the section frame. A reversible motor 46, which
30 preferably comprises a cylinder and piston, is provided to move
~ /,'~c
the su~e~ 42 transversely of the machine section, as indicated
by the double head arrow 48 at Figure 4, in timed relationship
10.~
to the operation of the other elements in the machine section and
in relationship to the operation of other sections in the compo-
site machine Thus, either the plungers or the guide chutes are
located over the parison molds as can be seen in Figure 4 where-
in the plungers are shown to be in position over the molds.
The reversible fluid motor 46 is preferably air
operated, and the assembly 16 carries an accumulator 50 for collec-
ting air under pressure for such motor operation, the accumulator
50 being connected to a source of air as by a conduit 52. The
plunger actuator 40 also preferably comprises an air operator
cylinder and piston, the assembly 16 also including an accumulator
54 for the plunger actuator, and the accumulator 54 is connected
to a source of air under pressure as by a conduit 56. In the
preferred form, there is only one cylinder and piston actuator
40 utilized, the piston being connected at the bottom of the
cylinder to the pair of plungers 38,38
Each blank mold construction at the station A in the
form shown in Figure 4 includes a one-piece body mold element 58
having a relatively wide open top cavity, a multi-part inter-
mediate mold section 60 and a multi-part neck ring mold 62 which
is a part of the neck ring structure 30. The open top body
mold element 58 is movab~ vertically on the end of a piston 64
which is reciprocable in a cylinder 66. The body mold 58 is
elevated by the piston 64 to the position shown in Figure 4 to
receive a gob of molten glass from one of the chutes 36, and it
remains in the elevated position until the parison has been
formed. Then, the body mold is moved downwardly to be stripped
off the formed parison. In the preferred construction, a single
piston 64 operating in a single cylinder 66 will be employed to
raise and lower the body molds of the side-by-side blank mold
constructions, and the cylinder 66 is preferably adjustably
supported in the section frame 10 so that the extended and re-
lOS;~468
tracted positions of the body mold elements can be adjusted forthe making of parisons of different shape and size~ The means
effecting such vertical adjustment comprises a manually operable
jack screw 68 shown in Figure 1 but eliminated from Figure 4 for
convenience.
As seen in Figure 4, the separable parts of the neck
ring 62 are mounted on respective racks 76,76 which are slidable
in the carriage 18 toward and away from each other and thus
transversely of the section frame 10. The racks are caused to
slide toward and away from each other by a pair of pinions 78,78
which are keyed to the respective guide rods 20, 20 but are slid-
able along the guide rods with the carriage 18. Thus, by simul-
taneously rotating the guide rods 20,20 in opposite directions,
the racks 76,76 are caused to move either toward or away from
each other and thus to close or open the neck ring 62.
The preferred reversible motor means for rotating
the guide rods to open and close the neck rings comprises a pair
of cylinders and pistons, there being one such cylinder 180 and
piston 182 (Figure 3) associated with each carriage cylinder 24
and guide rod 20. Each piston 182 is so constructed that as it
is moved within its associated cylinder 180 in one direction it
causes rotation of a piston rod or shaft 184 in one direction,
and as the piston experiences reverse movement the rod 184 is
rotated in the opposite direction. A gear 186 is supported on
a projecting end of the shaft 184 in mesh with a gear 188 on the
projecting end of the associated guide rod 20. Thus, by revers-
ing the direction of movement of the piston 182 in its cylinder
180, the associated guide rod 20 is caused to rotate in one and
an opposite direction. This rotation of the guide rod, as pre-
~iously mentioned, effects reciprocation of a neck ring rack 76
with which it is associated through a pinion 78.
A neck ring 62 is essential in making all articles of
105~46~
glassware, but the intermediate mold 60 is needed only when mak-
ing relatively narrow neck articles. When relatively wide mouth
glassware articles are to be made, the neck ring 62 can be locat-
ed immediately above the body mold 58 and in engagement there-
with. The neck ring 62 and the body mold ~8 are then held to-
gether during the pressing process by a clamp of dovetail constr-
uction which is actuated by means similar to the means described
below for moving the intermediate molds 60,
As mentioned earlier, the parts of the neck ring 62
are moved transversely of the machine frame 10 to engage each
other and define the neck ring and in so doing they will grip
the upper portion or "finish" of the parison when formed by the
plunger. The parts of the intermediate mold 60 also move trans-
versely of the frame 10 into and out of engagement and when
engaged they form a part of the parison mold cavity which is
relatively narrow at the top to match the neck ring opening and
relatively wide at the bottom to match the top of the body mold
cavity. It will be seen in Figure 4 that the parts of the
intermediate mold 60 are so constructed and arranged as to engage
the lower portion of the neck ring parts 62 and the upper portion
of the body mold 58 to clamp them together.
In the preferred construction, the intermediate mold
parts are moved into and out of engagement by a reversible motor
comprising a cylinder 70 and piston 72 (Figure 4). The cylinder
is located within the section frame 10 alongside the body mold
cylinder 66 as shown in Figure 1, but for convenience of illus-
tration, it is shown in Figure 4 below the cylinder 66. The fluid
motor piston 72 is connected by a lin~age structure 74 which is
arranged to effect horizontal movement of the intermediate mold
parts responsive to vertical movement of the piston 72 in the
cylinder 70.
The construction of the machine section at the station
- _ 9 _
~053468
B is shown in Figure 5, and it will be noted tha-t two of the
principal elements at this station comprise the halves 80,80 of
a separable preliminary blow mold. That is, there are two such
blow mold halves provided at the station B for each parison P
formed at the station A and carried by the neck ring structure
and carriage 18 to the station B. Thus, in the double gob section
disclosed there will be two preliminary blow molds, each having
the parts 80,80 which are movable transversely of the section
frame 10 into engagement with each other to define a cavity for
the parison P and away from each other to release the parison after
it has been preliminarily shaped by blowing. The mold halves
for the two molds are reciprocated toward a.nd away from each
other by a pair of carriers 82,82 which are operated for sliding
movement by a cylinder 84 and piston 86, the piston being connect-
ed to the carriers by the linkages 88,88 (Figure ~).
The mold halves 80,80 for each parison P in addition
to engaging each other to form a mold cavity, also engage a
vertically adjustable bottom plate 90 which defines the bottom
of the cavity. The mold halves are engaged with each other and
with the bottom plate to define the cavities immediately after
the parisons P,P have been transferred to the station B by the
neck ring structure 30. It will be observed that the mold halves
engage the parisons below the finish portion which is engaged by
the neck rings, and immediately after they have engaged the
parisons, the neck rings are opened and the neck ring structure
30 is returned to the station A by the carriage 18 with the neck
rings still open. This leaves the upper portion of the parisons
exposed for operation of the combined blowhead and tong structure
32 at the station B as will now be described wi-th reference to
Figures 5 and 6.
As previously mentioned, the structure 32 is support-
ed on the reciprocable carriage 18. An important element of the
-- 10 --
1OS3 4 6 8
structure 32 is a cylinder 92 having a vertically reciprocabl`e
piston 94 which carries and thus raises and lowers a blowhead 96
over the parisons P,P at the station B as best shown in Figure
6. The piston 94 and thus the blowhead 96 is biased upwardly by
a compression spring 98, but it is moved downwardly in opposition
to the force of the spring 98 when air under pressure is intro-
duced above the piston. When moved downwardly to the position
shown in Figure 6, the blowhead 96 carries the outwardly flared
ends 100,100 of a pair of air lines 102 into contact with the
upper ends or finish of the respective parisons P,P. When the
open ends of the parisons are so engaged, air under pressure is
introduced to them through the air lines or conduits 102,102 to
blow the parisons into a preliminary shape or form as defined by
the cavities in the preliminary blow molds.
A second piston 104 is carried by the blowhead 96 for
vertical reciprocation, and it is this piston which operates
the tong structure forming a part of the composite structure 32
More specifically, the piston 104 is vertically reciprocable
within a portion of the blowhead 96 and it is normally biased
20 upwardly by a compression spring 106 toward the first or main
blowhead piston 94. A tubular extension 108 on the piston 104
projects through the piston 94 and provides an entry for air
under pressure to be introduced between the first piston 94 and
the second piston 104 whereby to move the second piston 104
downwardly in opposition to the force of the spring 106.
A downwardly projecting extension or rod 110 is connec-
ted by linkages 112,112 to the tongs 114,114 of a front pair
associated with the front mold at the station B and with the
tongs 116,116 of a pair associated with the rear mold at the
station B. As will be seen in Figure 6, -the tongs slide substan-
tially horizontally, the tongs in each pair being reciprocable
toward and away from each other longitudinally of the section
- 11 -
iOS346~
frame to engage an associated parison P below its finish and
above the mold halves 80,80 of the associated preliminary blow
mold. The operating linkage arrangement is such that the left-
hand tong 114 and the left-hand tong 116 as viewed in Figure 6
move together and the right-hand tong 114 and right-hand tong 116
also move together.
The blowhead and tong assembly 32 is operated at the
station B after the carriage 18 has been extended and retracted,
thus after parisons have been delivered by the neck rings and
engaged by the preliminary blow molds and the neck rings have
been returned to the station A. That is, after the mold halves
80,80 have closed upon the initially formed parisons and the neck
rings have opened and been retracted, the blowhead 96 is lowered
into the position shown in Figure 6 by introducing air under pres-
sure over the piston 94. When the blowhead has been lowered to
engage the flared ends 100,100 of the conduits 102,102 with the
Parisons P,P, air under pressure is introduced through the said
conduits to blow the parisons into the shape defined by the closed
mold halves 80,80 and the bottom plate 90. Then, after a prede-
termined period of time sufficient for the preliminary formingof the parison P to fill the preliminary blow mold cavity, blow-
ing into the parison through the lines 102,102 is cut off and at
substantially the same time or in very close sequence, the mold
halves 80,80 are opened and the tongs 114 and 116 are closed on
the respective parisons P,P. The parisons will rest upon the
bottom plates 90 while the tongs are closed and the tongs are so
closed by introducing air under pressure to the top of the
second piston 104. When the pari.sons have been engaged by the
tongs and the mold halves 80,80 are separated, the parisons can
be lifted slightly off the bottom plates 90 by a slight reduction
in the pressure over the piston 94 permitting the blowhead to be
elevated slightly for transfer with the carriage 18 to the
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lOS3468
station C~
When the blowhead and tong structure 32 reaches the
station C, the halves of the final blow molds at that station
will close upon the further formed parisons and then the tong
pairs 114 and 116 are opened and the blowhead 96 is elevated
before retraction of the carriage which will place the structure
32 back at the station B.
An important advantage resides in the further forming
of the parisons P,P at the station B. That is, the further form-
ing provides for better distribution of the glass, particularlyin the manufacture of relatively light-weight articles of glass-
ware.
Part of the desirable glass distribution occurs as a
result of a re-heating. That is, when the initially formed
parison is released by the blank mold structure at the station A,
it no longer suffers heat loss to that blank mold structure and
it starts to re-heat and stretch while being carried by the neck
ring structure 30 and the carriage 18 to the station B. The mold
halves 80,80 and the bottom plate 90 at the station B are made
of a material which will extract a minimum amount of heat from
the initially formed parison as it is being further formed by
the preliminary blowing.
In the making of some articles of glassware, particu-
larly long narrow-neck articles, it may be more desirable to
permit further re-heating and stretching of the parisons at the
station B rather than to blow them into a preliminary shape. The
alternative structure used for re-heating at the station B is
shown in Figure 7, and it will be seen that such alternative
structure principally involves the substitution of opposed pari-
son engaging fingers 118,118 for the preliminary blow mold halves
80,80 and the substitution of a patter plate 120 for the shaped
bottom plate 90. The fingers 118,118 are supported on tne hori-
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105~468
zontally reciprocable carriers 82,82 and merely engage the pari-
sons on opposite sides thereof below the finish to support them
in a suspended condition and thus to permit them to elongate
or stretch during re-heat. The amount of stretch is limited by
the patter plate 120 which also provides some support for the
parisons as they are engaged by the tongs. When the re~heat
fingers 118,118 are employed, the tongs pairs are preferably
arranged so that they will engage the parisons in positions spaced
around the parisons from the fingers, thus permitting tong engage-
ment of the parisons before the fingers 118,118 are disengaged.
In this alternative construction, the blow head forming a part
of the assembly 32 can be eliminated if desired. If it is not
eliminated, it is not used in blowing the parisons at -the station
B, only the tong structure need be provided.
Except for the configuration of the final blow mold
halves, the structure at the final shaping or final blow mold
station ~ as shown in Figure 8 is substantially the same as that
used for preliminary blowing at the station B as shown in Figure
5, and the blowhead and tong assembly 34 is substantially the
same as the blowhead and tong assembly 32. Therefore, in order
to avoid unnecessary description, the elements at the station C
shown in Figure 8 having substantially the same construction and
operation as those shown in Figure 5 are designated by the same
reference numerals but with the suffix "a" added thereto.
The final blow mold halves 122,122 used at the station
C are, of course, different from the mold halves 80,80 used at
the station B because the cavity defined in station C is to pro-
vide the final shape for the article of glassware being formed.
Further, since all of the desired re-heating of the parison will
have taken place during transfer from the station A to the
station B, at the station B, and during transfer to the station
C, the final mold halves 122,122 can be made of a material which
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~OS~468
will extract heat from the final article of glassware as it is
blown to shape, It is desirable to extract heat from the glass-
ware in its final shape, and to this end cooling passages such
as indicated at 124 can be utilized in the mold halves 122 and
supplied a stream of cooling air from conduit means indicated
generally at 126. If desired, additional passages can be pro-
vided in the mold halves 122 for connection with a vacuum chamber
to assist in the final shaping of the ware by reducing the pres-
sure within the cavity and outside the parison as compared to
that in-ternally thereof. The bottom plate 90a, can also be pro-
vided with vacuum passages
When the two parisons P,P at the final station C have
been fully blown to the final shape of the article of glassware
G,G and the mold halves 122,122 have remained closed for the
necessary period of in-mold cooling, the mold halves are opened
and the tong pairs 114a and 116a of the assembly 34 engage the
finished articles to transfer them with carriage 18 to a position
on the deadplate 12 where they are released by opening the said
tong pairs. While not shown, means can be provided for spraying
or otherwise treating the articles G,G during movement from the
station C to the deadplate 12 so that they will be made more
tough and durable and thus capable of avoiding bottom checking
and deformation due to their own weight.
After the articles have resided on the deadplate 12,
and been further cooled, they are moved onto the conveyor 14 by
mechanism (not shown) operated in a timed relationship with the
operation of all of the other mechanisms associated with the
individual machine section shown.
As a further additional optional feature, the mold
halves 80 employed at the station B can also be provided with
passages for connection with a vacuum chamber to assist in the
further forming of the parison at station B. In another alter-
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105~468
native embodiment of the invention the blowheads at both stations
B and C are omitted and a gas pressure difference between the
inside and the outside of the parison at station B and the inside
and outside of the further formed parison at station C is created
by evacuating through passages in the intermediate and final
molds.
The operation of the individual section will now be
described, but ss a preliminary thereto it is to be understood
that this is just one of a plurality of sections operated in
timed relationship to each other in a composite machine structure.
In such machine structure or arrangement, a feeder mechanism will
be provided to feed two gobs of glass to the sections in timed
sequence and relationship and the finished articles of glassware
G,G will be produced by the sections in the same timed relation-
ship for ultimate movement onto the cnnveyor in a line or lines
of glassware articles produced by the several sections of the
machine.
OPERATION
It is believed that the step-by-step description of
the press and blow process carried on by the machine section
will be readily understood by reference to the following chart:
Station A Station B Station C Deadplate
1. Body molds up Molds close ~Molds closel
2. Gobs in I Neck Rings lTongs open J Tongs open
3~ Plungers Carriage
replace retracts
chutes
4. Neck rings Blowhead on Blowhead on
3o close
Interm molds
close
6 Plungers
down
- 16 -
~05~468
Station A Station B Station C Deadplate
7. Plungers up Blowhead off Blowhead off
8. Interm molds Molds open Molds open
open, Chutes
replace
plungers
9. Body molds Tongs close Tongs close
__ down ,
10 Carriage
extends
0 Sequential Functions - Must Follow
rl Substantially Simultaneous Functions - Within
~ about ,2 seconds
In describing operation with reference to the fore-
going chart, it is to be assumed that the machine section has
been in operation and that the carriage 18 has just been extended
to transfer a pair of newly formed parisons from the station A
to the station B, to transfer a pair of further formed parisons
from the station B to the station C, and to transfer two fully
formed articles of glassware G,G from the station C to the dead-
plate 12. It is at this point in time that the one piece body
molds 58 are moved up to the position shown in Figure 4 by the
piston 64 so as to be ready to receive gobs of molten glass from
the chutes 36,36 which have been previously moved into position
over the said molds at the station A by operation of the revers-
ible fluid motor 46. At about the same point in time, the mold
halves 80,80 (Figure ~) are closed on the parisons P,P at the
station B and the neck ring parts 62,62 are opened at the station
B. It is important that the neck ring parts open when the mold
parts close or very shortly thereafter. At the same time, the
final mold halves 122,122 close upon the further formed parisons
at the station C and the tong pairs 114 and 116 ~f the assembly
32 open at the station C. Also at this time, the tong pairs 114a
and 116a of the assembly 34 open at the deadplate 12,
:1~5;~6~
The next step in operation at the station A is for the
gobs of molten glass to be dropped into the open tops of the body
molds 58. No additional step takes place at the stations B and
C or at the deadplate 12, the molds having been closed at the
station B and the neck rings opened, the molds having been closed
at the station C and the tongs opened and the tongs having been
opened at the deadplate 12,
After the gobs have been dropped into the one piece
body molds at the station A, the reversible motor 46 is operated
to shift the plungers 38,38 into position over the body molds,
and while this is going on, the carriage 18 is retracted to re-
turn the assembly 34 to station C, the assembly 32 to station
B, and the neck ring structure 30 to station A,
The fourth step in the operation at station A then
takes place and this constitutes the closing of the neck ring
parts 62,62. At substantially the same point in time, the blow-
head 96 is lowered and starts the preliminary blowing of the
initially formed parisons at the station B, and the blowhead 96a
is lowered and starts the blowing of the further formed parisons
into final shape at the station C.
The fifth step in operation at the station A then
takes place, this being the closing of the intermediate mold
parts 60,60 to clamp the neck ring parts 62,62 and the body molds
58, into alignment to receive the plungers. No additional step
takes place at the other stations or at the deadplate, the pre-
liminary blowing being permitted to continue at the station B,
the final blowing being permitted to continue at the station C,
and cooling of the glassware articles G,G being permitted to
continue at the deadplate 12.
While this blowing at stations B and C and cooling at
the deadplate continues, the plungers 38,38 are -thrust into the
parison molds at the station A this being accomplished by the
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plunger actuator 40 and comprising the sixth step of operation
at the station A
After a sufficient dwell, to assure proper distribu-
tion of the molten glass around the plungers in the parison or
blank molds, the plungers are again elevated, and this is the
seventh step occurring at station A, At about the same time,
blowing is stopped at the stations B and C, the molds at said
stations are opened and the tongs are closed at the stations
B and C by the assemblies 32 and 34, respectively.
Then, the parts 60,60 of the intermediate molds at
the station A are opened, this being the eighth step, and at
about the same time the reversible motor 46 is operated to move
the chutes into position over the blank molds in place of the
plungers. Nothing further takes place at the stations B and C,
and at the deadplate, the parisons held by the tongs at the
station B being permitted to re-heat, the final articles of glass-
ware being held by the tongs at the station C being permitted to
initially cool or to be treated, and the final articles of glass-
ware at the deadplate being permitted to continue cooling.
The ninth step in operation at the station A involves
movement of the one-piece body molds 58 downwardly by the piston
64 in preparation for extension of the carriage and movement of
the initially formed parisons by the neck rings. At about this
point in time it is desirable to move the cooled articles of
glassware off the deadplate and onto the conveyor 14 by the
mechanism usually operated for such purposes.
Then, the final step, step 10, in the process takes
place, this being extension of the carriage 18 by the reversible
fluid mo-tors comprising the cylinders 24,24 and annular pistons
26,26. This moves the newly formed parisons to station B, the
further formed parisons to station C, and two nelNly formed
articles of glassware to the deadplate 12 and all structure is
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lOS~468
restored to the condition for -the start of the new cycle with
step 1 thereof.
It will thus be seen from the above chart that the
machine timing control is by a combination of independent mechan-
ism control and sequence timing. Those mechanism motions which,
if they were to malfunction, would cause damage or a serious jam
of the machine are sequence timed such that there is interlock
and fail-safe provisions should any of these mechanisms not com-
plete its full operational movement.
As examples of mechanisms where fail-safe provisions
should be included, downward movement of the plungers 38,38
should only be permitted when the lateral motion of the plungers
under control of the reversible motor 46 has been precisely com-
pleted; the carriage 18 should not be permitted.to extend unless
the plungers 38,38 have been fully elevated: and the one-piece
body molds ~8 should not be moved downwardly in step 9 of the
operation unless the intermediate molds ~ have been fully
opened.
The aforedescribed glassware forming machine appara-
tus and process provides for the manufacture of high quality
narrow neck or wide mouth articles of glassware utilizing a press
and blow technique at higher rates of production than could be
accomplished by the more conventional apparatus such as sho~n in
U.S. Patent 1,911,119. In press and blow glassware manufacture,
the -time taken is largely dictated by the time needed for blow-
ing and initial cooling in the two steps conventionally used.
That is, little tirne is needed for the pressing operation which
constitutes the first step, but the whole process must be slowed
down for the blowing.
In keeping with this invention wherein the blowing is
carried on as a two stage operation, or as a re-heat stage and
a final blowing stage, and wherein three operating stations are
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lOS;~468
provided in the machine section, the time of operation at each
station can be matched to that needed for the pressin~ at the
first station. This provides for the production of glassware at
the much higher desired rate.
The process and apparatus in accordance with this
invention wherein the glass article is formed from the parison
in two stages provides particular advantages in the manufacture
of lightweight glassware where a longer re-hea-t time is required
to enable the parison to stretch to produce the thin glass.
Also, a process and apparatus in accordance with the
present invention in which the glass article is formed from the
parison by two blowing stages at the second and third stations
respectively provides for adjustment of the re-heat time between
the formation of the parison by pressing at the first station
and -the intermeidate blow at the second station, the time for
which the intermediate blowing is performed at the second station,
and the re-heat time between the termination of the intermediate
blowing at the second station and the commencement of the final
blowing stage at the third station By these adjustments, and
also by choice of the shape, material and temperature of the
intermediate blow mold formed by the mold halves 80,80 at the
second station, the re-heat efficiency can be enhanced and the
distribution of the glass in the article formed at the final blow
mold in the third station can be more accurately controlled than
was possible in prior art processes.
Apparatus in accordance with the present invention
may, however, be utilized to perform a process similar to the
two stage process which is currently performed in a standard I.S.
machine by the press and blow technique to manufacture glass
articles of heavy construction. In such circumstances the third
station in the apparatus of the present invention is utilized for
a process step subsequent to the final formation of the glass
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i~S;~468
article. This extra process step may be an extra cooling step
preparatory to the glass article being placed on the conventional
conveyor or the conventional conveyor deadplate, the glass
article being cooled in this additional step whilst suspended
on fingers similar to the fingers 118 shown in Figure 7 or whilst
it is placed on a special deadplate. Alternatively, the third
station in the apparatus of the present invention may be used
for an additional treatment of the glass article, for example
for spray coating of the glass article from underneath and from
the sides to that a protective coating is applied to the glass
article, and particularly to its base, before it is brought into
contact with any other material
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