Abstract: A completely automated system for inspection and sorting of molded containers, such as glass bottles, as a function of mold cavity of container origin. In a first system section, finished containers are one hundred percent inspected for defects, and a cavity identification device is controlled to reject all containers from cavities associated with defective containers. The cavity identification device is also coupled to feed sampled containers from selected cavities to an automatic sampling indexer wherein the sampled containers are fed to one or more stations for testing physical container properties, such as rupture pressure, wall thickness and internal volume. The cavity identification device and the automatic sampling indexer are controlled by a hierarchy of interconnected computers which receive cavity and test information from the various sections and stations of the system and control the sampling and sorting process based upon predetermined quality standards.

Abstract: The machine has a plurality of individual glassware forming sections each having a plurality of glassware forming mechanisms and means for distributing gobs of molten glass to each of the individual sections in an ordered sequence over one machine cycle consisting of a fixed number of clock pulses by cycling the forming mechanisms in a predetermined sequence of forming steps. Each individual section has an electronic control system responsive to each clock pulse for providing a load signal and forming signals to actuate the forming and a circuit for providing a gob load signal in response to a load signal from any one of the control systems and means responsive to the absence of a gob load signal for deflecting a gob from being distributed to an individual section.