Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF TEiE INVENTION
In a conventional ~artford I. S. type of glassware
machine, a plurality of independent sections are operated in
timed relationship to one another, and individual gobs of
molten glass are fed to the blank side of each of these sections
also in timed relationship with one another. Each section has
one or more upwardly open blank molds Eor receiving the gob,
or groups o gobs and a baffle is adapted to move in and close
the open end of the hlank mold in order to permi-t the gob to
~ be pressed or otherwise formed from below in order to form an
inverted parison at the blank station. This inverted position
is transferred or swung over to the blow side of the section
where it assumes an upright orientation in a fin:ishing mold. .:
A blQw head descends onto the top of the finishing mold and
the parison is blown to its final shape while the transfer
mechanism returns with the neck ring mold in order to form
another parl.son or parisons.
The parison transfer mechanism in each of the
individual sections of s.uch a machine comprises two neck ring
arms mounted in an axially split neck ring mechanism or hub
structure, which structure includes means for rotating these
arms through approximatel.y 180 degrees. The neck ring mold
halves are mounted at the free ends of these arms and when the .
parison has been formed at the bl.ank station the still closed
neck ring mold halves serve to clamp the newly formed parisons
-therebetween as the neck ring arms move from the inverted
parison position at blank station, to an upright position at
the blow station. Once positioned in the finishing mold, the
neck ring arms move apart slightly, by axial movement of the
associated arms, to release the parison and permit the arms
and the neck ring molds to return to the blank sicle of the
machine.
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~he principal aim of the present invention is to ~;~
adapt a glassware forming machine section of the foregoing ~ ;
type in order to permit forming of the parison in an upright
configuration, and for transfer of the parison to the blow
side of the machine while maintaining this upright orientation.
SUMMARY OF I~VE~TION
A glassware forming machine having a blank mold
station comprisas the following improvement:
A structure defines at least two blank mold cavities
for receiving gobs of glass dropped downwardly therein~
Partible neck ring mold structure.s include neck
ring molds matiny with the blank mold cavity defining structure -~
at the blank station.
Parison forming plungers are provided for insertion
downwardly into said blank mold cavities.
A support means is provided for said plungers includ~
ing a vertically oriented fluid motor with a vertically movable
part.
A plunger supporting arm is carried by the movable
fluid motor part.
- Individual fluid motor means are associated with each
plunger, each individual fluid motor means having a first
part mounted in said supporting arm and a second part movable
with respect to the first and connected to an associated
plunger, and means for moving said plunger supporting arm
horizontally between an active position wherein said plungers
are located above the blank mold cavities and an inactive
position to one side thereof to permit said gobs to be so
dropped into the blank mold cavities.
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13RI_D~SCI~IP~ION OF Tl-lE~ DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the relevant
portions of an individual glassware forming machine section
with certain movable parts being shown in broken lines to
illustrate alternative positions for such parts.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the glassware ~orming
machine section depicted in Fig. 1, with a portion of the neck
ring structure broken away.
Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken generally
on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, but showiny the parison forming plungers
inserted into the blank mold defining structure at the blank
station t and also showing in schematic fashion the conventional
timiny means used to operate the various fluidic devices or
components of the typical glassware forming machine.
ETAILED DESCRIPTION
Turning now to the drawings in greater detail,
Fig. 3 shows the blank side or station of a glassware forming
machine of -the Hartford I. S. type wherein one or more gobs
of molten glass are adapted to be delivered into the upwardly
open blank mold cavities through the medium of fixed chutes
10 and 12 associated with each of the cavities in the blank
mold structure. Upon loading of the gobs of glass in the blank
mold structure -the plunger mechanism, .indicated generally at
14, would be positioned in its inactive position as best shown
in Fig. 2 in order to permit the yobs of molten glass to be
dropped into the upwardly open blank mold structureO Further,
and still with reference to Fig. 2, a funnel mechanism indicated
generally at 16 is adapted to be swung inwardly o~er the
upwardly open blank mold cavities for guiding these gobs of
glass as they are dropped downwardly from their associated
chutes 10 and 12 into the blank mold structure. This blank
mold structure will now be described in greater detail.
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While not necessarily so limited it is to be noted
that the blank mold structure illustrated in Fig. 3 may be
similar to that shown and described in my issued U. 5. Patent
No. 3,765,862. That is, the blank mold structure may include
a relatively wide cavity lower body mold, a relati~ely narrow
neck ring mold structure, and an intermediate or transitional
mold which is placed between the neck rnold and the body mold
~o that the parison can be for~ed. The transitional or inter-
mediate mold is split, the two halves being mounted to the
conventional blank mold holder arms provicled in a Hartford
I. S. type machine. As so constructed and arranged the
intermediate mold halves open after the parison has been formed
to permit the parison to reheat and stretch, the body molds
being dropped, or retracted downwardly slightly, so that even
before transfer takes place a segment of the cycle is devoted
to reheat at the blank station.
With particular reference to Fig. 3, the relatively
wide cavity body mold or molds are depicted at 18 and 20, and a
fluid motor in the form of an air cylinder 22 is provided for
raising and lowering these solid body molds 18 and 20. The ~`
intermediate or transitional molds 24 and 26, associated with
these body molds 18 and 20 respectively, are mounted to the
blank mold holder arms best shown in Fig. 2 at 28 and 30. These
intermecliate molds 24 and 26 are of the partible type, being
mounted in pairs to the mold holder arms 28 and 30 in a
conventional manner. Thus, a hinge pin 32 is provided in the
ixed frame of the machine and these mold holder arms 28 and
30 are pivotally supported thereby, and aré adapted to be
operated in timed relationship with other components of the
machine through conventional mold holder arm moving links
(not shown).
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Still with reference to the blank mold structure,
the neck riny portions of the blank mold defining structure
comprises split or par,tible neck ring molds segments 34 and ~.
36, which neck ring mold halves or C;egments are also provided
in pairs, and are preferably mounted in a cartridge struc-ture ,
best illustrated in Fig. 2 at 38 and 40. Thus, ~he blank
mold structure of Fig. 2 is of the double gob configuration
which permits two articles to be formed at one time in each
of the various individual sections of a typical glassware
forming machine. Each of the blank mold cavities is defined
by three cooperating elements as defined in the form of a solid
blank body mold 20, an assoclated intermediate mold 26, and
the neck ring mold 36. It should be noted that the intermediate
molds 24 and 26 mounted to the mold holder arms 28 and 30 are
adapted to clamp the neck ring mold segments in position and in
assoclation with the body molds. It should perhaps be noted
that when the gobs of molten glass have been fed into the
upwardly open blank mold cavities, prior to the configuration
depicted in Fig. 3, that the funnel 16 cooperates with the
solid body mold in order to receive the gobs of molten glass
which will ultimately be formed by the pressing plungers 42
and 44.
As mentloned previ.ously, these plunyers 42 and 44
are mounted to an associated supporti.ng str~cture 14 t and
will occupy an inactive position such as shown in Fig. 2 when
this charge loading step occurs. However, once the gobs have
been so deposited in the upwardly open blank mold cavity, the
funnels rnove away and means i9 provided for moving the plunger
supporting arm 14 from the position shown in Fig. 2, and for
causing -these plungers to descend into the posi-tions shown
for them in Fig. 3, whereby the gob is formed into relatively
heavy walled parisons at the blank side or station of the machine.
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In addition to the mea~s for moving the pressing
plunger mechanism from and to the positions mentioned in the
previous paragraph, e~ch of these pressing plungers is
individually mov~lble vertically with respect to.its associated
mounting structure 14. The means for so moving these plungers
comprise pistons 46 and 48 to which the plungers are adjustably
mounted in order to provide an added de~ree of freedom for
each of the hlank struc-tures, and also, in order to provide
two active positions for these plungers, one determined by
the basic means for moving the plunger supporting arm 14 and
a slightly lower pressing position for these pl.ungers as
depicted in Fig. 3 whereby the parisons are completely formed
in their associated cavities at a sli~htly later instant of
time. The timing for control of the plungers~ and also for
control of all of the various machine components is derived
through the timing drum indicated schematically at 50 in
~iy. 3, and ai.r l.ines associated with each of the various
valves in the valve block portion of the timing mechanism
provide signals for operation of the various fluid devices
in the glassware forming machine. The reader is referred to :~
any of the disclosures in the many patents issued on the timing
features of a typical glassware formi.ng machine of this type,
-and particularly to the U~. Patent No. 1,911,119 .;ssued to Ingle
in 1933, for a more detai.led discussion of these control ;~.
features in a typical machine section.
The plunger supporting structure 1~l is operated from
and to the position described above by two air cylinders one
of which is shown at 52, which actu~tor 52 has a movable
portion 54 connected to one end of a link 56, the other end
of said link being connected to a crank arm 58 attached to
rock shaEt 60. This shat 60 is shown to best advantage in
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Fig. 3, and ha~ a low~r ena which is rotatably supported in
a support bearin~ 62 and the upper end of such sha~t 60
carries a flan~e 69 which is attached to and adapted to rotate
a fittincJ 66. The fitting 66 provide5 a support for the lower
end of a shaft 68, and thus extension and retraction of the
movable portion 54 of the actuator 52 causes angular rotation
of this shaft 68 in order to move the plunger mechanism between
the position shown in Fig. 2 and that d~picted in Fig. 3.
In order to achieve vertical movement of the plunger
]0 suppor~ing arm 14, shaft 68 has a piston 70 provided adjacent
its upper end, which piston is splined as shown at 72 in order
that rotation of the ~haft 68 is also imparted to the housing
portion 74 of this actuator. An air line 76, from the timing
mechanism S0, provides air under pressure to the lower end
of housing 74, and thereby lowe~ the housing 74 to the position
shown and hence lowering the plunger supporting arm 14, to the
position shown for it in Fig. 3. When the plunger supporting
arm 14 is to be raised Erom its active position shown to its
inactive position ~not shown) air under pressure in line 78
to the upper end of housing 74 provides the means for lifting
the housing ~4 and the associated plunger supporting arm 14
and it is not~d that rotation o the shaft 68 will occur
once the plungers have cleared the blank mold cavi-ties, such
rotation being achieved by retraction of the actuator 52 as
described previously.
An upper support shaft 80 is provided in association
with the upper end o the housing 74 in order to further support
the housing 74 and to bet-ter react the forces generated by the
plungexs 42 and 44. Finally, the upper end of this support
shaft 80 is rotatably supported in a fixed bracket 82 provided
in the fixed ~xame of the machine as indicated generally at 84.
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Finally, and stlll with re~erence to the means for so moving
the plungers a cushioning device 30 is provided at the upper
surface of the piston 70 and this cushion 90 mates Wit}l a
sorresponding open.ing defined in the vertically reciprocable
housing 74 in order to cushion the downward movement of the
plungers 42 and 44. As noted previously individual pistons 46
. and 43 are provided in the plunger supporting arm 14 to achieve
the pressing movement of the plungers 42 and 44 and to properly
form the neck portion of the parisons.
Turning next to a more detailed description of the
neck r.ing mold st.ructure, and also to the mechanism Eor moving
the neck ring mold structure from the blank to the blow side
of ~he machine section, a vertically reciprocable rack gear 100
is conventionally provided generally centrally of the machine
section, and cooperates with a gear 102 located in centered
relationship on a laterally extending shaft, best. shown in
Fig. 2 and comprising a part of the ring mechanism or hub
structure. The said shaft and hub structure rotate the neck
ring arms in a conventional fashion from and to the blank sides
of the glassware forming machine sectionO However, the neck
ring arms depicted in the drawings differ from those utilized
previously in that the outer end portions thereof are adapted
to pivotally support the nec]c ring strue-tures 38 and 40, and
also in that means is provided for retaini.ng these neck ring : :
struetures in à particular orientation with respect to the
fixed frame of the machine, not only as the parisons are ormed ~ .:
at the blank station, but also as the neck ring structure and
its assoeiated parisons are transEerred from the blank to -the
blo~ side o the machine as suggested in Fig. 1.
The inner or pivoted ends of the nec]c rlng arms are
conventionally mounted to gihs 106 and 108 provided for this
purpose on the neck ring struct~l.re and more particularly on the
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splihed cylinders 110 and 112 respectively which cylinders are
adapted to rotate in response to rotation of tl-e gear 102, tha~
is in response -to vertical rnovemant of the rack gear 100. The
rack gear 100 is driven from an actuator 114 which actuator in
turn is operated th.rough a valving device associated with the
timing mechanism 50 of the machine section. These neck ring
arms are also movable toward and away one another generally
axially with respect to the neck ring hub structure of Fig. ~.
Such means is indicated schematically in Fig. 2 and comprlses
a conventional element oE the present combination, and hence need
not be described in detail herein. Basically, however such means
includes a pair of axially spaced annular pistons 114 provided
on the shaEt 104 and splined cylinders 110 and 112 associated
with said pistons and adapted to be moved axially in one
d.irection in response to air pressure from the valve -timing
mechanism 50 and in the opposite direction when such air pressure
is cut off, and coil compression springs 116 act between the
splined cylinders and axially ixed flanges 118 and 119.
This axial movement of the neck ring arms is necessary
to release the parisons at the blow station, and when the parisons
P t P have been so located, as suggested in ~iy. 1, and the blow
or final finishing molds 126 have cl.osed at the blow side or
station of the machine section, the neck ring arms move apart
releasing the parison for final forming in response to conven-
tionally operated blow heads iII the st.ructure indicated generally
at 122 in Fig. 2. These blow heads are adapted to move angularly
in a horizontal plane and then downwardly onto the tops of the
finishing molds structure once the nec]c r.ing arms and neck ring
molds have started their return motion to -the blank side of the
machine. Air for operation of the mechanism for so moviny the
blow heads as well as th~ blow air itself is provided under the
_g_ .
control of the timing mechanism 50. So too thc means for
moving the split blow ~old~ is air operated in a con~/entional
fashion, and need not be descri.bed in detail herei.n.
Referring now more specifically to the means for
transferring the neck ring mold structures 38 and 40 in an
orientation which will ~eep the parisons P, P upright, not only
during forming at the blank station, but also duri.ng movement
to the blow side of the machine, said means prefer~bly comprises
mechanical drive means associated wi-th at least one of the neck
1~ ring arms and includes an endless chain 130 entrained over the
sprockets 132 and 134 carried, respectively, adjacent the
pi~oted and the free ends of said one neck ring arm 128. This
struc-ture is shown to advantage in FigO 2 where one of the
neck ring mold structures 38 is also depicted as pivotally
supported at the free end of said neck ring arm 128 by stub
shaft 140. A second stub shat 142 is aligned with the first
such shaft 1~0 and it pivotally suppor~.s the other neck ring
structure 40. Thus, both neck ring structures are pivotally
supported at the free ends of their assoc.i~ted neck ring arms
by the aligned stub shafts 140 and 142
Means is preferably provided for continually allgning
the neck ring mold structures 38 and 40 with respect to one
another on these shafts ].40 and 142, and said means comprises
a pair of tens.ion springs 150 and 152 ex-tendin~ acros~ and
be~ween the neck ring struc-tu.res 38 and 40 as best shown in
Fig. 2. These springs bias the neck ring structures 38 and 40
toward ali.gned positions with respect to one another especially
during return movement of the neck ring Inold segments, that is
when the neck ring molds are being returned from the blow to
the blank side of the rnachine without any parison supported
therebetween. The presence of the parisons P, P will align
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these neck rin~ Ytruct~res duriny p~rison tran~fer ~ovement,
~ut means mus-t be prov.idecl du.rirlg ret~rn movement after the
parisons are deposited at the blcw station.
Still with reference to the mechanical drive means
for keeplng the neck ring structure 38 horizontal and hence
orienting the parisons vertically during transfer, said means
further includes a fixed gear 154 carried on the shaft 104 of
the neck ring hub structure. The said gear 154 is adapted to
mesh with ~a gear segment 156 provided on a rock shaft 158, which
rock shaft also serves to support the sprocket 132 associated
with -the inner or pivoted end of the neck ring arm 128. An
outer ~ear or idler gear 160 is provided at the free or outer
end of the neck ring arm on the stub shaft 140, and said gear
160 meshes with a gear 162 (best shown in Fig. 2) located on
the same shaft 136 which carries the outer sprocke~ 134 mentioned
previously. With particular reference to Fig. 1 then, i.t wilL
be apparent that as the neck ring arm 128 moves clockwise from
the solid line position at the blank side, to and through the
intermediate broken line position, and thence to its hlow side
position the neck ring structure 38 will be retained in a
~enerally horl~ontal configuration or orientation with the result
that the parisons P, P hang downwardly con-tinuously as they
move from the blank to the blow side of the machine section.
These geax and sprocket trains, Oll the pivoted and outer encls
of the neck ring arm rotate opposltely with respect to one
another, and in th~ ratio of one to one, in order to provide
the desired "hanging" movement o the parisons P, P.
~ s the neck ring arm 128 so moves, the fixed ~ear
159 on shaft 104 causes clockwise rotation of the gear segment 156
with the result that the chain 130 rotates in such a direction
a~ to cause similar clockwise rotation of sprocket 134 corres-
ponding to that of its associa-ted sproclcet 132 with the result
that gear 162 also rotate~ cl~ckwis~ ca-lsing ~ r 160 to rotate
counter-clockwi~e and throuc~ n anyular ~isplacement equal
but opposite to that of the n~ck rin~3 arm itsel. Since the
gear 160 is carried by stub shaft l~0 it follows that -the neck
ring structure 3~ will also rot~te with respec-t to the arm and
thereby remain in its horizontal orien-tation as depicted in
~ig. l as the arm so rotates. Duplication of this mechanical
mechanism associated with the left-hand neck ring arm is avoided
by virtue of the fact that when the parison is carried by the
nec~ ring mold segments the right-hand neck rin~ structure 40
mu~t follow its counterpart or left-hand neck ring mold structure
38. As mentioned previously, during return movemen-t of the neck
ring arms the neck ring mold structures are maintained in
corresponding positions as a resul-t of the alignment or tension
springs 150 and 152. Thus, the path of the parisons formed at
the blank station as they are transferred to the blow side of
the machlne it is best illustrated in Fig. l, wherei.n these
parisons are illustrated as hanging downwardly -throughou-t the
path of their travel facilitating the formation of glassware
articles by an upright press and blow process in a glassware
forming machine section of the Hartford I. S. typc. Heretofore,
the press and blow process in a typical l-iartforcl 1. S. type
glassware forming rnachine section has required that the parison
or blank be ormecl in an inverted orientation an(l be rotated
in~o an upright orientation with respect to the Erame of the
machine even as the neck ring arm transfers the parison to the
blow station. In the operation oE a glassware forming machine
at rela-tively high speed it has been found that this compound
swinging movement o the parison caused by rotation with respect ~ i
to the fixed frame of the machine during such transfer has
caused undue twisting action and undue stress in the area of the
neck where the parison is supported, all of which disadvantages
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are avoided in a modified or improved glassware forming
machine section of the t~pe described herein.
This application is a division of application Serial
No. 243,582, filed January 12, 1976.
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