Abstract: The feeder tube in a molten glass gob feeder is mounted in a holder which is supported in the feeder structure by a pair of opposed hollow shafts. The shafts are vertically adjustable by the fact that they have their lower ends threaded onto vertical screws. The vertical screws are mounted for rotation about their vertical axes, in unison, to effectively raise or lower the shafts as desired. A scale and pointer arrangement indicates the tube height relative to the feeder bottom. The feeder tube is mounted in the holder such that reciprocation of a plunger in the tube will not raise the tube relative to the feeder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the average thickness (T.sub.1) of a film lamina of thermoplastic, dielectric material having a known density (D.sub.1) and coextruded at a variable extrusion rate with a foam lamina of similar thermoplastic material having a thickness (T.sub.2) and the density of (D.sub.2) to form a thermoplastic laminate is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first gauge for sensing the thickness of the laminate and for providing a caliper signal (C) corresponding to the thickness sensed and a second gauge for sensing the mass/unit-area of the laminate and for providing a mass signal (M) corresponding to the mass/unit-area sensed. The apparatus further comprises a third gauge for sensing a response to the dielectric material and its distribution in the laminate and for providing a dielectric signal (W) corresponding to the response sensed.

Abstract: The cooling wind for the molds on a glass bottle forming machine is controlled by a damper which is set by hand and positioned in the air passages from the section box or base of a glass forming machine and a nozzle base bolted to the top of the section box. As a further control for the air a piston operated vane positioned such that it will shut off the air to the air passages upon receipt of an air signal from the timing system of the machine is provided and is to be operated each cycle of the machine to prevent cooling air from impinging on bare glass.

Abstract: A centerline cooled forehearth for conditioning molten glass, wherein the sides of the flow channel of the forehearth are provided with external sheets of insulation. The channel is covered by a roof having vertical vents therethrough along the centerline with the usual burner blocks and burners spaced along the sides of the upper edge of the channel. Flue blocks are positioned immediately above the burner blocks, and their lower surfaces extend toward the centerline of the channel a greater extent than the burners, thereby serving as reflectors for the heat from the burners along the side walls of the channel.

Abstract: A multiple gob glass shearing mechanism in which the sets of opposed shear blades are supported for movement toward and away from each other in a straight line or with parallel motion. One set of shears is mounted on a shear guide that can be adjusted up or down relative to the holder of the opposed set of shears. This adjustment is for the purpose of adjusting the tension on all the sets of blades simultaneously and can be affected when the shears are in operation. The drive for the shears may be unlatched for safety purposes when out of position and when put back into operation the shear blades will not close unless the latch is refastened.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the aperture size of a valve in a fluid exhaust line from an individual section of glass forming machine is disclosed. The apparatus controls the aperture size of the valve in response to first and second control signals and comprises a driver connected to the valve for decreasing the aperture of the valve from a preset size to a restricted size by a series of discrete steps and then for increasing the aperture of the valve from the restricted size back to the preset size by a series of discrete steps. The driver is responsive to a directional signal and a series of electrical pulses each actuating a corresponding discrete step to decrease the size of the aperture when the directional signal is applied thereto and to increase the size of the aperture when the directional signal is removed therefrom.

Abstract: Apparatus for inspecting glass containers for irregularities in shape, wherein the containers are moved, in line, on a conveyor past a viewing station where there are three strobed light sources positioned at one side of the conveyor. One light is at 90.degree. with respect to the conveyor while the other two are at 45.degree. angles on either side thereof. Between the lights and the container being inspected are positioned Fresnel lenses; solid state discrete array cameras are positioned behind Fresnel lenses mounted on the opposite side of the conveyor with their viewing axes directed toward the light sources.Each backlighted container is viewed by the three cameras simultaneously and provides a profile scan of the container at a plurality of planar elevations. These scans are processed and compared electronically with input data fed to a central processing unit.

Abstract: There is herein disclosed a take-out arm mechanism for a glass forming machine particularly suited for the simultaneous handling of four or more containers wherein the arm is provided with an integrally molded and formed counterweight carried thereby to counteract the weight and mass of four take-out tongs, holders and attendant mechanisms. In addition, a novel tensioning means is provided for maintaining an adjustable, constant tension in an endless chain which extends between a pair of sprockets carried within the take-out arm. The sprockets and the chain together form, in essence, a parallel linkage mechanism which maintains the tong holder end of the take-out arm vertical relative to the movement of the arm through 180.degree. about the axis of the fixed spindle.

Abstract: A method for detecting a substantially transverse refractive defect in the sidewall of a transparent container is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of directing a filtered source of diffused light toward the sidewall of the container to provide an intensity gradient varying in a direction substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the container and sensing the intensity of light at a plurality of positions in a field-of-view aligned along a path in the plane of the sidewall and generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the container.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus is a quadruple gob glass parison forming machine. Its distinguishing features are the mounting of the mold carrying inserts in the mold arms so that equal closing forces will be applied to all the molds, and that the mold arms are formed with extensions so that a conventional mold closing motor can by coupled to the arms and the closing force will be greater by at least 25%. The four molds are opened and closed within the space that has normally been considered cramped, even when three molds were being used.

Abstract: Apparatus for accepting preheated or ambient containers in single file to an eighteen-head handling turret that will carry the containers through a generally circular path by their necks. The containers are transported through 320.degree. of the circle described by the chuck-carrying turret. The other 40.degree. of the circle is the zone where the chucks are open and the containers that are labeled move away from the turret and heated containers are entering. The chucks are rotated about their axes by a chain-driven mechanism, and while rotated, pass between spaced ovens to shrink theremoplastic sleeves about the containers.

Abstract: When multiple gob feeders are used in which an enlarged tube is necessary to accommodate a row of plungers, a substantial surface area of glass is exposed to radiation or convection cooling and, to avoid excessive heat loss, a pair of heat baffles are used which extend downward into the tube at either side of the row of plungers. The baffles have lower portions which occupy a significant part of the space between the plungers and tube, and act as barriers against the movement of heat up through the space therebetween. The pair of baffles are so configured that they may be raised from the tube without requiring the removal of the plungers. Further, the baffles are supported in the tube by the tube support and therefore will be raised or lowered with the tube when it is adjusted.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for sealing top end flaps of cartons into engagement with the inner walls of the cartons comprising a horizontal support plate, a first pair of juxtaposed parallel axes rollers mounted adjacent one end of the plate, a second pair of juxtaposed parallel axes with all the rollers having their axes rollers mounted adjacent the other end of the plate, with all the rollers having their axes lying in a common horizontal plane and means for vertical reciprocating support plate. After glue is applied to the inside of the top end flaps and walls of the carton the rollers are moved into engagement with the end flaps and carton walls to seal them together.

Abstract: A control circuit for an apparatus for inspecting objects, such as glass bottles and the like, for defects includes an interface circuit connected between a source of data signals and means for processing information obtained from the object. The interface circuit receives the data signals, typically in digital series form, and includes a latch for storing one of the digital signals, a pair of adders, and a storage means for a plurality of threshold signals. Each data signal is compared to the preceding data signal stored in the latch in one of the adders to generate a difference signal representing the difference in magnitudes between the two signals. Each difference signal is compared with a selected one of the stored threshold signals in the other adder to generate an event signal representing the difference in magnitudes between the two signals.

Abstract: A glassware forming machine is shown which has a baffle support arm. The baffle support arm provides for four individual baffle holders which are grouped in adjacent pairs. The pairs of holders are interconnected by an equalizer arm and are biased into position by a leaf spring above and by a coil spring below. The equalizer arms are connected intermediate their lengths to a third larger equalizer bar which is pivoted for a rocking motion. The apparatus further comprises means for lifting and moving the baffle support arm and a latch means for changing the baffle holders.

Abstract: Apparatus including a continuously traveling conveyor belt upon which containers which have dissimilar opposed panels are carried in line singly through a zone where the containers are separated from each other a small amount and then are permitted to pass in single line through the orienting device which, in those cases where the container is properly oriented, will permit the container to travel undisturbed through the orienting area. In the event the container arrives at the orienting position with its panels in the wrong directions, the container will be turned through 180.degree.

Abstract: A registration control circuit for a printed label cutoff machine controls both the location of the cut by performing a phase adjustment and the length of the individual labels by performing a base speed adjustment. A strip of labels have eyemarks printed thereon for defining the location at which the individual labels are to be cut. An optical scanner is positioned adjacent the labels and generates a scanner pulse upon detection of an eyemark. The control circuit includes a setup control for automatically running the machine into registration from an initial setup position. The setup control functions to generate a reference pulse a predetermined distance before the scanner is expected to see an eyemark. When the eyemark is detected within a designated window area the control utilizes the scanner pulse and the reference pulse to calculate the phase error for each label and generate a phase correction signal proportional to the actual phase error.

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.

Abstract: Apparatus for the shearing of three or more gobs of glass simultaneously wherein the shear mechanism is of the straight line type such that the shears move toward and away from each other with linear motions and the shearing mechanism is provided with drop guides which will function to control the drop of the gob after it has been sheared and in which the drop guides which are carried by the mechanism which drives the upper shear blades may be adjusted with respect to the instant when they will be arrested in their movement and this adjustment may be carried out on the fly with the individual drop guide for each of the gobs being individually adjustable while the mechanism is in operation without requiring interruption of the feeding of glass gobs to the forming machines that are being served.

Abstract: This application relates to parallel blank mold opening mechanism wherein the split blank molds, of which there are a plurality, are carried in holders that are mounted on horizontal hinge pins adjacent the rear thereof. These hinge pins are carried at the upper end of crank arms and move toward and away from each other during the cycle of operation of a pneumatic motor. Each of the mold holders is provided with a parallel link which is connected between the base of the mold mechanism housing and the holder, such that upon opening and closing of the mold the faces of the molds are maintained in a vertical plane. In addition, the position of the axes of the crank shafts and the hinge pins are such that the hinge pins move over top dead center or through the vertical plane defined by the axis of the crank shaft upon opening or closing. In this manner the molds are actually lifted a slight amount during movement from their closed to their open position.