Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed which provides an entrance gating structure for spacing the entry of containers carried by a conveyor into a testing device. The containers arrive at the testing device under line pressure and are then permitted to enter a testing apparatus where they are conveyed through the testing device and then returned to the conveyor. The gating device is a spring-loaded pivot arm having a pair of legs. One leg stops the flow of containers until the prior container clears the length of the long or other leg. The gate functions automatically without requiring any external operator.

Abstract: Method for forming glass containers by the blow and blow process in which a parison mold having a plurality of cavities is centrally positioned relative to a pair of blow molds having a plurality of cavities. The parisons are formed with their necks down in the parison mold from a charge of glass delivered to each cavity. Vacuum is applied to the neck area of the mold to form the finish portion of the container. A neck pin is pulled and air under pressure is fed to the interior of the area from which the neck pin is drawn to expand the glass within the parison mold at a continuous rate until the glass within the parison mold comes in contact with a baffle which closes the upper end of the parison mold. The parison mold is then opened and the parisons are transferred alternately from the parison mold to the blow molds where they are expanded into final shape. During the transfer of the parisons from the parison mold to the blow mold, air under pressure is maintained within the hollow interior of the parison.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for handling a plurality of glass containers moving on a conveyor at spaced intervals to a coating application area where three containers are simultaneously grasped about their side walls, retracted laterally from the surface of the conveyor, then moved through a 90.degree. arc such that the containers exhibit horizontal axes one above the other and then moved into position between three heel and neck-engaging chucks carried by an indexible turret. The bottles are released to the chucks which are cam actuated in timed relationship with respect to the grasping means so that the grasping means will release the containers or bottles to the chucks. With the chucks holding the bottles in horizontal position, the turret rotates about a horizontal axis parallel to the axes of the bottles through an arc of 90.degree.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for cooling and lubricating shear blades for a glass feeder mechanism, with each blade having associated therewith a pair of spray heads in the form of blocks. These blocks are mounted above the blades with a generally vertical, fan-shaped, spray being issued from each spray head. The spray will consist of air and liquid, with the liquid being primarily water with a small amount of lubricant included therein. Each spray head is composed of a pair of blocks each having a passage, drilled therein, one communicating with air and the other with liquid, the blocks being separated by a pair of shims, with the shims having cut-out portions respectively to serve as exit openings for the combined air and liquid spray.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing glass containers for structural defects which may occur in the sidewalls thereof and which may render the containers incapable of withstanding a normal handling through a filling line and packing where the containers will be subjected to abuse. The apparatus is particularly designed to handle non-round bottles or containers and essentially takes the form of a pair of vertically oriented, rotatable, bottle-engaging rollers which, upon engagement with opposite sides of the bottle, will move the bottle through the gap between the two rollers. One of the rollers is laterally movable and biased toward the other roller, which has its axis fixed. An adjustable pneumatic pillow having a controllable pressure is positioned to be used to bias the mounting for the movable roller. The movable roller and its mounting structure has limited movement about a vertical pivot that is non-coincident with the vertical axis of the roller.

Abstract: Apparatus for the inspection of flask-type glass containers. Glass containers of the type having elongated necks and somewhat flattened main body portions, sometimes referred to as flask-type containers, may be inspected by conventional inspection devices if a particular handling system is used. The neck portion of the glass container is contained in a pocket formed in a neck holder carried by an upper, indexable starwheel. About 180.degree. of the neck circumference is in contact with the neck holder pocket. An upper guide rail contacts that portion of the neck which extends beyond the neck holder. A lower, indexable starwheel has a large pocket cut therein to allow the flattened main body portion to rotate freely at an inspection station. The flask-type container is fully stabilized for rotation by the contact of the neck portion with the neck holder pocket and the upper guide rail.

Abstract: Apparatus for pushing a row of glass containers from a cross-conveyor onto a lehr mat in which containers being pushed have their finish portions stabilized by both a forward and rearward positioned angle iron movable with the pushing member and mounted to the pusher mechanism that reciprocates during operation.A cam member contacts the rear portion of the spring-biased stabilizing member-mounting arms causing the bar to stop moving rearwardly as the pushing member is retracted so that the stabilizing member does not enter or cross the path of the next row of containers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for inspecting the side wall of a glass container for ribbon tear defects wherein the container is rotated past a detector assembly. Two pairs of photovoltaic devices mounted in the detector assembly in a vertical line parallel to the vertical axis of the container respond to the light transmitted through the side wall of the container from a light source focused on the interior of the container. Each cell output signal is logarithmically amplified and filtered to remove the d.c. component thereby eliminating differences in magnitudes between the signals not caused by the detection of a seam or a defect. Each cell output signal is then compared with each of four reference signal levels corresponding to severe, normal and small changes in the signal level, the latter level being further divided into light focusing and light scattering changes.

Abstract: A forehearth for feeding molten glass to a flow feeder, a set of blenders, and a set of homogenizers are spaced from each other along the length of the forehearth with three evenly spaced vertically positioned elongated plates located between the set of blenders and the set of homogenizers. The particular arrangement provides a system for eliminating, to a great extent, cords at the feeder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting glass containers is described in which a high frequency field is produced at an inspection station. The high frequency signal, which may be a radio frequency signal, is fed to the antenna of a probe centrally positioned relative to the antenna and coaxial therewith. The probe, as a unit, is supported adjacent the container to be inspected and the container is rotated relative to the probe. The manner of mounting the probe relative to the bottle permits the probe to move closer or further away from the container wall, depending upon the out-of-roundness of the container and the radio frequency signal is picked up by the probe with the signal level depending upon the relative position of the probe and the wall of the container. This varying detection output is compared with a steady state detection output to derive a signal which is proportional to the relative position of the probe and the container wall.

Abstract: An apparatus for spraying between the rows of a plurality of rows of glass containers moving on a lehr mat. The spray traversing mechanism is of a commercial type which is mounted to extend through an opening in the roof of the lehr. The spraying device traverses transversely of the lehr mat. One end of the mechanism for supporting the spray traversing mechanism is pivotally mounted to a first wheeled member which is capable of being longitudinally and adjustably positioned at one side of the lehr. The other end of the traversing device is pivotally mounted to a second wheeled member, with the second wheeled member being reciprocated parallel to the direction of the movement of the lehr mat. The second wheeled member is moved at a rate such that the spray head will spray between the rows of bottles as they are moved on the lehr mat.

Abstract: In the cooling of newly formed glass containers, the containers are moved from blow molds and placed on what is termed a cooling "dead plate". The dead plate is supplied with air under pressure which is fed into the casting forming the dead plate. The ware sits on a generally flat, perforate member which is the cover for the dead plate casting. The air supply is found beneath the conveyor belt in the housing for supporting the conveyor for carrying the ware away from the forming machine. A plurality of openings, adjacent each ware forming position, are provided through the bottom of the conveyor housing and air within the housing will enter the underlying, horizontal leg of the dead plate casting whose upper surface has complementary openings to those in the conveyor housing and exit through the perforations in the dead plate to cool the ware sitting thereon.

Abstract: An improved method is disclosed for forming glass bottles by the blow and blow process. A parison mold having a one-piece annular blank mold section and split neck and shoulder mold sections is charged fully with molten glass. Air is subsequently blown through a manifold covering the upper end of the parison mold to force the molten glass into an annular space defined by a cavity in the neck mold section and a neck pin projected into the neck mold cavity. The neck pin is then reciprocated from the neck mold cavity, and air is blown through the molded neck to cause the molten glass to chill its surface by pressure contact with the inside of an upright truncated pyramidal-shaped cavity formed in the blank mold section. The glass which comes into contact with the cavity walls in the blank mold section develops a very uniform enamel due to the uniform cooling achieved with the solid annular blank mold section.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming glass containers wherein the glass is expanded to its final shape in a blow mold. A blowhead is brought onto vertical registry with the blow mold cavity. In the conventional Hartford I.S. forming machine, the mechanism for moving the blowhead onto and out of registry with the blow mold is pneumatically operated. The blowhead and the arm that supports the blowhead or blowheads is of considerable mass, and when an operator is required to change blow molds, or in some instances repair mechanisms which are at the blow mold location, it is necessary to maintain the blowhead in its up position. Air lockout systems have been used in the past but have not been foolproof. Accidents may occur. The present invention utilizes a mechanical lockout arrangement which locks the piston rod in its elevated position to avoid any possibility of the blowhead dropping.

Abstract: Apparatus for sensing the presence of an article. One end of a very high impedance resistor is held at a fixed voltage. The other end of the resistor is connected to a sensing element. When an article is placed close enough to the sensing element, a form of capacitive coupling to ground is created which causes a minute current flow through the resistor. This causes a small voltage drop across the resistor. The current and voltage difference are presented to a voltage follower which effectively amplifies the current. Sample and hold circuits furnish a signal which indicates the actual voltage level. A minimum level detector measures the voltage level with no article present. This level is compared with the sample and hold signal, and an article present signal is generated if the sample and hold signal is a pre-selected amount greater than the minimum level.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of moving a plurality of two-piece canning jar-type lids in series to a feed mechanism which will single-line the caps and maintain them in assembled position. The single-lining is arranged to approach the path of movement of a plurality of containers also moving in series on their side with their axes horizontal. The caps are brought, under gravity and at an angle, to the path of movement of the finish or neck of the jars such that the finish of the jars or containers individually engage and move the caps from the supply of caps. The caps are then retained on the finish of the jar and by reason of the movement with the jar, in a linear path, the caps are rotated and thereby threaded onto the finish of the containers.

Abstract: Apparatus is described for preventing web weave from occurring at the exit from a corrugator bridge wherein a single face corrugated board is being drawn from the bridge by a glue machine. The single face web may be present on what is termed the upper bridge or the lower bridge and control is maintained by providing a friction plate faced with canvas which is biased against the single face web as it is traveling over an exit guide roll. Typically, a single face board is produced on a corrugator in widths of 80 to 86 inches and the friction plate is less in length than half the width of the paper. The drag force is regulatable by an operator adjustment of air pressure being delivered to biasing air cylinders.

Abstract: Apparatus is described for delivering two sulfur pellets or pills to the interior of hot glass containers which are moving on a conveyor. The pill delivery apparatus is supplied, through a magazine, with pills to a gating mechanism. The gating device which is pneumatically actuated, isolates two pills from the magazine, places the pills in the inlet to a delivery tube and then air under pressure, which actuates the gating device, is delivered to the two pills to pneumatically dispatch the pills through the delivery tube. The delivery tube has its delivery end positioned over the bottle conveyor so that the pills enter through the finish or neck of the bottle.

Abstract: An apparatus for refining molten glass comprising a shell mounted in a generally vertical position and having an intermediate cylindrical portion and frusto-conical end portions, refractory material within the shell defining a glass-receiving chamber. The shell is supported by bearings mounted upon a base and engaging the frusto-conical end portions of the shell. Drive means are interposed between the lower frusto-conical end portion and the lower bearing for rotating the shell about its generally vertical axis. A housing surrounds the shell. The shell is cooled by circulating air continuously in the area between the shell and the housing. The bearings are both lubricated and cooled by forcing oil about the bearings. Unrefined molten glass is delivered to the upper end of the shell, rotated, and the refined molten glass is removed from the lower end of the chamber.

Abstract: The testing of glass containers for structural defects, principally in the side wall surfaces thereof, is provided wherein bottles are conveyed in succession at spaced-apart intervals through the testing device. The testing device takes the form of a wheel having a substantial thickness mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, with the periphery of the wheel extending over a portion of the width of the conveyor belt. A pressure plate having a vertical surface facing in the direction of the wheel and positioned and supported from the opposite side of the conveyor has a surface configuration closely paralleling that of the curvature of the wheel. The pressure plate and wheel are positioned relative to each other such that a container, in order to pass between the wheel and the pressure plate, is subjected to a lateral compressive force. Because of the contour of the wheel and length of the pressure plate, at least 180.degree.