Abstract: Mould portions supporting arms of a mould arrangement are moved by drive means between mould-open and mould-closed conditions. The drive means comprises two vertical drive shafts (20) connected to the supporting arms and arranged to move the arms when turned in opposite directions by motor means (40). The motor means (40) is connected to the drive shafts (20) by connecting means comprising a driving pulley (70) driven by the motor and two driven pulleys (72 and 74) mounted on the shafts (20). The pulleys are interconnected by belts (76,78,80 and 82) whose ends are attached to the pulleys. During motion in each direction, two of the belts move the driven pulleys and hence turn the shafts (20) while the other two belts act to maintain tension in the first-mentioned belts.

Abstract: A valve assembly for controlling the application of suction and counterblow air to a blank mould of a glassware forming machine. The assembly comprises a body (1, 2, 3, 4) in which are enclosed a first valve (5) for controlling the application of suction, a second valve (6) for controlling the flow of counterblow air, and a third valve (7) for venting the blank mould. The body (1, 2, 3, 4) has a central chamber (32) through which the suction is applied when the first valve (5) is open, through which the counterblow air passes when the second valve (6) is open, and through which the mould is vented when the third valve (7) is open.

Abstract: A mould portion (10) has one or more inner surfaces (16,18) arranged to define a portion of a mould cavity (14) in which molten glass can be moulded. A rod (20) of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the remainder of the mould portion extends from a region (22) of the mould portion requiring enhanced heat extraction into a recess (24) in an outer surface (26) of the mould portion. A passage (28) extends through the mould portion (10) and enters the recess (24). Cooling fluid, for example air, can be caused to flow through the passage so that the fluid enters the recess and cools the rod.

Abstract: The mould arrangement comprises a mould (10) comprising a bottom plate (12) and two side portions (16,18). When the side portions (16,18) are in a first, closed, or a second, open, position thereof, cooling passages (20) formed therein communicate with exits (28) of a plenum chamber (24) beneath the bottom plate (12) so that cooling air can flow from the chamber and through the passages. The exits (28) of the chamber (24) are formed in a distribution plate (26). At least one air supply passage (50; 70) extends in the thickness of the distribution plate (26) to supply air to one or more further cooling passages (60; 80) in the side portions (16,18) to give enhanced cooling in selected regions.

Abstract: The moving means is for use in moving an operative member between an out-of-the-way position and an operative position by a movement having a linear component in a vertical direction and a rotary component about a vertical axis. A first shaft on which the operative member is mounted is movable vertically by a first piston and cylinder assembly and is in driving connection with a second shaft relative to which it can move vertically. A second piston and cylinder assembly is operable through a screw-threaded connection to cause its piston to rotate thereby rotating the second shaft and hence the first shaft about the vertical axis.

Abstract: The mechanism comprises two mould support arrangements (14; 114) each comprising a supporting arm (16; 116) pivotal about a first fixed axis (18; 118), a support (22; 122) for mould portions pivotal on the arm about a second vertical axis (24; 124), and a link (36; 136) pivotal about a third fixed vertical axis (28; 128) and on the support about a fourth fixed vertical axis (38; 138). The first axes (18; 118) of the support arrangements are spaced from one another and the first, second, third and fourth axes of each arrangement are arranged at the corners of a parallelogram to retain the relative orientations of mould portions as the arms (16; 116) pivot about the first axes (18; 118).

Abstract: Neck ring half (18,20) supporting arms (14,16) are mounted on carriers (10,12) therefor, in a parison transferring mechanism of a glassware manufacturing machine, by providing a stop (40) on each carrier at a predetermined height (x) relative to an axis (24) about which the carriers turn to move the neck ring halves and hence the parisons. As an arm slides into a mounting therefor on the carrier, a heightwise adjustable stop (44) on the arm contacts the stop (40) and thereby determines the height of the arm. Adjustment of the stop (44) on the arm can be carried out away from the machine so that machine down-time can be reduced.

Abstract: Parison transferring means for transferring glass parisons from a mould of a glassware manufacturing machine. A shaft (20) which carries supports (38) for neck rings which can grip or release a parison is turnable back and forth about a horizontal axis (22) to move the neck rings between gripping and releasing positions. The end positions of the arcuate movement about the axis (22) are determined by adjustable stops (70 and 100) which engage projections (42 and 102) of the shaft (20) or of the supports (38).

Abstract: Containers are removed from a mould by a take-out mechanism which comprises a container centring member which is mounted for movement between a lower, operative, position thereof, in which the member can project into a neck opening of a container before the container is gripped by gripper members of the take-out mechanism, and a upper, out-of-the-way position. In its operative position, the centring member prevents displacement of tilting of a container into which it projects.

Abstract: An operative member such as a blowhead (10) is moved between an out-of-the-way position thereof and an operative position thereof by moving means which comprises a vertical shaft (15), means for moving the shaft vertically and turning it about a vertical axis (14), and a support (18) for the operative member clamped to the shaft. The support (18) comprises an arm (20) on which the member is mounted and clamping means (30,34,38,40) to clamp the support to the shaft. Complementarily-shaped camming surfaces (22 and 36) of the shaft and the support urge the support into the correct orientation with respect to the shaft.

Abstract: An actuator for use in or with a glassware forming machine for driving a member through an arcuate path, such member being a pusher cylinder for moving glassware articles. The pusher member comprises a linearly movable piston for linearly moving a convoluted shaft attached thereto. The convoluted shaft has three surfaces thereon which act as tracks for three roller bearings mounted on a hub which is disposed about the shaft. Linear motion of the shaft is converted into rotary motion in the hub by the action of the bearings running on the convoluted sides of the linearly moving shaft.

Abstract: A glassware forming machine of the individual section type has a parison catching device movable between an intercepting position, in which it is in the path of a glass parison being transferred between mould arrangements of the machine and, in the event of a machine break-down, can direct the parison to a cullet chute, and an out-of-the-way position of the device is above the intercepting position thereof and moving means for the device is arranged, in the event of a power failure, to move the device into its intercepting position.

Abstract: The plunger mechanism is for use in moving a plunger into or out of a mould cavity and has a piston movable in a cylinder with a piston rod projecting from the piston. A plunger can be mounted on the piston rod. A passage passes through the piston and the piston rod and communicates with a chamber in the plunger or with the mould cavity. A tube which can be connected to a source of air under pressure or to a vacuum source passes through the cylinder and enters the passage. The gap between the passage and the tube is sealed by an inwardly-contracting ring with an overlapping joint which makes sealing contact around the tube. A ring of resilient material may encircle the inwardly-contracting ring to seal the gap between the inwardly-contracting ring and the wall of a recess in which it is mounted.

Abstract: Two gripping means (50 and 58) are used alternately to transfer articles (16) from a blow station (14) to conveyor belts (20). The gripping means are mounted on a carriage (30) which is movable transversely of the blow station to move the gripping means in turn into alignment with the blow station or above one of the conveyor belts. Horizontal moving means (66 and 70) is associated with each gripping means to move it to and from the blow station to collect articles. Vertical moving means (42) is associated with each gripping means to move it downwardly on the carriage to release articles on to one of the conveyor belts.

Abstract: The section comprises a supporting frame which supports a mould arrangement. Drive means is associated with the mould arrangement and is operable to open and close a mould of the mould arrangement. The drive means comprises two vertically-extending drive shafts mounted for turning movement about respective vertical axes to move mould portions. The drive means also comprises at least one rotary hydraulic motor operable to turn the drive shafts. The motor or motors are mounted on the underside of a removable portion of a table of the supporting frame so that the motor or motors and the removable portions can be removed from the section as a unit.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises two horizontally extending blades (22, 24) mounted for turning movement about a common vertical axis (26). The blades each have a hole (28; 30) therein so arranged that, when the blades are in a first condition, the holes are aligned and a vertical column of plastic material (12) can pass through the holes. Upon the blades being turned about the common vertical axis through a predetermined angle, one clockwise and the other anti-clockwise, edges of the holes (28; 30) pass each other until the holes do not overlap and the column of plastic material passing through the holes is sheared through by edges of the holes.

Abstract: A parison transferring device for use in transferring glass parisons from a parison forming mold to a blow mold. The device comprises gripping members operable to grip or release a parison. The gripping members are movable about a horizontal axis between a gripping position and a releasing position. A cylinder is mounted on a horizontal shaft and has the gripping members mounted thereon. A piston is movable in the cylinder and is screw-threadedly connected to the shaft so that movement along the cylinder causes the piston to rotate about the horizonal axis. A driving connection between the piston and cylinder causes the cylinder to rotate when the piston does so.

Abstract: The plunger comprises a base portion adapted to be mounted on a piston rod and a tip portion which has a glass-engaging surface and a projection which enters a recess in the base portion. A generally cylindrical passage is defined by the base portion and the projection of the tip portion, the portion of the wall of the passage defined by the base portion being screw-threaded. A screw-threaded member is threadedly received in the passage and serves to retain the tip portion on the base portion by engaging a lip of the projection which projects across a portion of the passage.

Abstract: A support for a mould portion comprises an upwardly-facing recess into which a hook portion of the mould portion is received. The support further comprises a projection which enters a slot in the mould portion to prevent transverse movement thereof. The support also comprises a locking member, movable into an operative position in which it projects over an upwardly-facing surface of the mould portion and prevents upwards movement thereof, and moving means for moving the locking member between its operative position and an out-of-the-way position thereof.

Abstract: The mould arrangement is for use in a cyclicly operating glassware forming machine. A plenum chamber, forming part of a bottom plate mechanism on which a bottom plate of the mould is carried, extends beneath a mould of the arrangement and has exits through which cooling air may leave the plenum chamber and enter cooling passages in side portions of the mould when the latter are in a closed position thereof. Air is blown into the plenum chamber for a predetermined period in each cycle of operation of the machine and leaves the plenum chamber through the exits thereby cooling the mould by passing through the passages in the side portions thereof. The air leaving the plenum chamber may first pass through passages in the bottom plate of the mould which communicate with the passages in the side portions.