Abstract: An operating mechanism for a glassware forming machine is located on a horizontal table of the machine. A locating sleeve is secured to a lower face of the table and serves to determine the vertical alignment of the operating mechanism while a clamping device determines the vertical location of the mechanism.

Abstract: An algorithm is disclosed which effectively removes the knurled annular portion on the bottom of a glass or plastic bottle which is located at an inspection location where diffused light is shown through the bottom of the bottle and is observed by a camera looking down through the bottle opening. The annular area is unwrapped and differenced to eliminate the knurling so that defects can be defined.

Abstract: A pneumatically operated mechanism for a glassware forming machine is located in an aperture in a top plate of the machine and comprises entry ports in a downwardly facing surface which mate with exit ports for air supplies located in an upwardly facing surface of the top plate.

Abstract: An individual section glassware forming machine in which each section comprises a section module, which supports operating mechanisms of the machine, and a piping module through which the necessary air supplies are passed to the section module. The two modules are both mounted for movement into and out of operative position. When in operative position the section module is connected to the piping module and the piping module is connected to a transverse manifold which conveys the air supplies to all the sections.

Abstract: A machine for inspecting containers is disclosed which has a number of adjustable structures such as the focus, orientation and zoom of a camera and mirrors which are used to direct an image to the sensor of the camera. The computer defines a gage for each adjustment and sequentially activates the gages on the computer screen.

Abstract: Opposed shear assemblies are conjointly driven via a rack and pinion assembly by a servo motor which follows a displacement profile. When the cycle rate exceeds a selected limit the profile is scaled to reduce peak motor velocity and a shorter stroke is defined.

Abstract: An inspection machine for inspecting a vertically standing container comprising a conveyor for horizontally displacing a vertically standing glass container through spaced inspection locations, a first pair of diffused light sources located behind the conveyor for forwardly directing angularly related beams of light substantially horizontally at a container located at one of the inspection locations, the beams being sufficiently large so that the light beams will pass around the entire profile of a container located at the first inspection location, a first two dimensional camera having an imaging surface on the other side of the conveyor, and first means for redirecting the forwardly directed beams to corresponding halves of the imaging surface, a second pair of diffused light sources located in front of the conveyor for rearwardly directing angularly related beams of light substantially horizontally at a container located at the other one of the inspection locations, the beams being sufficiently large so th

Abstract: Bidirectional communication between one or more workstations which may be operating on one platform such as UNIX, VAX/VMS or NOVELL's NetWare with an event driven database which is operating on a different platform such as QNX is made possible by separating a gateway into two portions with one portion in each platform bidirectionally linked with a pair of BSD socket libraries on each platform.

Abstract: A cyclical machine for forming at least one glass container each machine cycle comprising a plurality of controllers for controlling regulators and/or profiled motion actuators, at least one displaceable structure, controllers controlling the operation of all the other controllers, each of the controllers including repetitive sequencer and operable in any of a plurality of states, the one controller determines the critical time when each of the states should begin, and instructs each of the other controllers to begin any of the states at the associated determined critical time.

Abstract: A machine for inspecting the bottom of a glass container having an opening at the top thereof comprising deliverance of a glass container to an inspection station, the inspection station including a two dimensional camera having an imaging surface, viewing the bottom of the glass container through the opening thereof and focusing the viewed bottom on the imaging surface, computer for evaluating the viewed bottom imaged on the imaging surface and for illuminating the bottom of the glass container including a source of light for collimating light from the light source, diffusing the collimated light including two glass sheets each having a ground surface, the sheet being selectively locatable to define at least two spacings between the ground surface.

Abstract: A valve block assembly for controlling the flow of operating air to air operated mechanisms of a section of an I.S. machine comprising at least one valve block including a plurality of valves, each of the valves having an inlet chamber for receiving operating air, a conduit associated with each valve for directing operating air away from the valve towards the air operated mechanisms or for directing exhaust air from the air operated mechanism to the valve, and an exhaust channel for directing exhaust air away from the valves, and a manifold including means for supplying operating air to the inlet chambers, an exhaust channel for receiving exhaust air from the valve block exhaust channel, and a corresponding plurality of conduits communicating with the valve block conduits for delivering exhaust air from the air operated mechanisms to the valve block conduits or for directing operating air received from the valve block conduits towards the air operated mechanisms.

Abstract: A machine for forming glass containers from discrete gobs of molten glass comprising a mechanism displaceable between retracted and advanced position. A pneumatic actuator having upper and lower chambers controlled by a servo pneumatic valve controller, controls the displacement of the pneumatic actuator. A position lead based upon the actual position of the mechanism is calculated and differenced with a position demand to define a position delta. A position lag is calculated based on the position delta. The pressures within the upper and lower chambers are sensed and based thereon a force representative of the force being applied to the piston is calculated and differenced with the position lag to define a force error and a lag force is calculated based on the force error. The servo pneumatic valve controller is driven with the lag force.

Abstract: A machine for inspecting a container has an inspection conveyor for gripping and conveying containers delivered thereto at one speed. A feed conveyor delivers containers to the inspection conveyor at a slower speed. A container sensed on the inspection conveyor is brought to a stop at a selected location so that an inspection can take place.

Abstract: A glass forehearth is disclosed which is made up of upstream and downstream zones each having a roof structure which divides the channel into opposed side channels separated by a central channel. The glass in the central channel is heated for at least a portion of its length enabling the flow rate of the forehearth to be decreased.

Abstract: A plunger assembly for a glassware forming machine for use in forming parisons comprises a metal plunger with a small chamber at the nose portion of the plunger into which water is supplied when the plunger is in use, the water passing out through a pattern of small holes in the nose portion to provide a vapour barrier between the plunger and the hot glass. The plunger has an internal recess and is cooled by air supplied into the recess.

Abstract: An inspection machine for inspecting the circumference of a vertically standing container comprising means for conveying a vertically standing container through an inspection location including means for directing a beam of collimated light vertically downwardly towards the container, the beam having a configuration selected so that when the container is located at the inspection location the periphery of the beam will be spaced from the circumference of the container, two dimensional camera means for axially viewing the profile of the vertical projection of a container at the inspection location, and image processing means for evaluating the circumference of the profile viewed by the two dimensional camera and accepting or rejecting the container including means for defining the center of the acquired image, and means for remapping the perimeter of the acquired image into at least one two-dimensional rectangular area bisected by an imaginary line representing the perimeter of an ideal container in vertical p

Abstract: A machine for squeeze testing glass containers comprising a test station, including a fixed pad having a curved container engaging surface and an opposed wheel selectively spaced from the surface, rotating at a predetermined surface speed and in the direction required to roll a container delivered to the station along the curved surface until it is released therefrom. A conveyor delivers containers to the test station and carrys released containers away from the test station. A roller is rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel and defines with the wheel a path through which released containers will pass. The roller is biased forward to a selected location whereat the distance between the roller and the wheel is less than the outer diameter of a released container, and the roller is rotated at a surface speed selected to reduce the rotation of a released container, which passes between the wheel and the roller.

Abstract: A machine for inspecting the bottom of a glass container having an opening at the top thereof comprising means for delivering a glass container to an inspection station, the inspection station including a two dimensional camera having an imaging surface for viewing the bottom of the glass container through the opening of the bottle, a light source for directing light through the bottom of the container towards the imaging surface, a computer for evaluating the viewed bottom imaged on the imaging surface, and means for reducing the dynamic brightness range for the viewed bottom image including a spatial modulator located between the imaging surface and the light source and the computer complimenting and transferring the image of the glass container on the imaging surface to the spatial light modulator.