Abstract: The mould used in manufacturing moulded articles is cooled by cooling fluid flowing along a cooling passage in the mould. In order to concentrate the cooling effect in a desired central region of the cooling passage, an exit portion of the passage is enlarged relative to the central region. If desired, the entrance portion may also be enlarged to further concentrate the cooling effect.

Abstract: The take-out mechanism comprises a tong carrier supporting bottle-gripping tongs. The carrier is mounted on an arm which is turned about a horizontal axis to move the carrier between gripping and release positions. The mechanism also comprises turning means operable to turn the carrier during movement of the arm to maintain the carrier in a constant vertical alignment. The turning means comprises two pulleys one fixedly mounted on the turning axis of the arm and the other rotatable on the arm and carrying the carrier. The pulleys are interconnected by two belts, each fixed to both pulleys and passing around the pulleys in opposite directions.

Abstract: Valve 11 includes a slide sliding in a first chamber 26 with the possibil of reaching two stable end positions opposite each other. In the first position the slide 21 allows intercommunication between a conduit 6 for supply of the product from a supply source and conduit 12 communicating with the upper part of chamber 10 of a double acting piston 9, as well as the intercommunication of the other part of chamber 10 with a conduit 15 connected to a delivery apparatus; in the second position the slide allows the reversal of such connections. To avoid the infiltration and mixing of the fluid under pressure used for the control of valve 11 in the conduits in which the product circulates, said slide 21 is equipped with a projection 35 which extends beyond one of the ends of the chamber 26 and is connected to a small pneumatically controlled piston 36, sliding in a second chamber 37, separate from the first.

Abstract: The mould arrangement comprises two supports which support movable side portions of a mould and two plenum chambers each associated with one of the supports and movable therewith. Each plenum chamber extends above the mould side portion without obstructing an upwardly-opening entrance to the mould and has one or more exits which communicate with entrances of cooling passages formed in the side portion. Air supplied to the plenum chambers passes through the exits into the cooling passages and serves to cool the side portions.

Abstract: A forehearth for the conveyance of molten glass has at least one cooling zone which includes a trough and a roof over the trough. A pair of spaced projections extend downwardly from the roof to define in the space below the roof a central channel over the central portion of the stream of molten glass and side channels over respective side portions of the stream of glass. The roof has at least one area of reduced thickness in the portion over the central channel. An enclosed upper cooling channel extends longitudinally of the forehearth over the area of reduced thickness and has an inlet and an outlet spaced longitudinally from the inlet. Heating means are provided for applying heat to each side portion of the stream of glass.

Abstract: A newly-moulded article of glassware is positioned on a dead plate with a central opening of the dead plate beneath a central region of the bottom of the article and a plurality of grooves or openings extending from beyond the article to beneath the bottom thereof. Air is sucked through the central opening so that it flows through the grooves or openings past the bottom of the article. Air is also blown on the sidewalls of the article through a plurality of nozzles uniformly spaced around the article.

Abstract: An infra-red detecting device is mounted for turning movement about a vertical axis which lies in a plane which is substantially equi-distant from the centre-lines of two adjacent sections of the machine. The device is turned through an arc about the vertical axis between a first orientation, in which it receives radiation from a mould portion of a first of the sections which radiation is used to detect the temperature of the mould portion, and a second orientation, in which it receives radiation from a mould portion of the other section.

Abstract: A take-out mechanism is turned about a horizontal axis between positions at which gripper members thereof can grip or release articles of glassware. The mechanism comprises an arm, a shaft on which the arm is mounted for rotation about the horizontal axis and moving means for turning the arm about the axis. The moving means comprises a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly comprising a piston, a first piston rod making a screw-threaded connection with an end cap of the cylinder so that movement of the piston causes it to turn, and a second piston rod connected to the arm to transmit rotation thereto.

Abstract: A mould opening and closing mechanism for a plurality of mould portions of a glassware container manufacturing machine. The mechanism comprises fixed rods (26) carrying fixed pistons (30) on each of which a cylinder (32; 54) is slidably mounted. When fluid under pressure is introduced into the cylinder, the cylinder is caused to slide along the rod. The cylinder is connected to a shaft (18,20, 22,24) so that movement of the cylinder causes the shaft to turn about its longitudinal axis. The shaft is connected to a mould portion carrier so that, when the shaft turns, the mould portions are moved to open or close them.

Abstract: The take-out mechanism comprises gripper members and driving means operable to move an operating rod vertically to move the gripper members between gripping and releasing conditions thereof. The driving means comprises a cam which engages opposed surfaces of the operating rod, and motor means to turn the cam through a preselected angle to move the operating rod vertically. The cam maintains contact with the opposed surfaces of the operating rod throughout movement thereof so that the operating rod and, therefore, the gripping members are positively positioned.

Abstract: The take-out mechanism is operable to remove articles from the mould of a glassware forming machine. Two gripper member supports are mounted on a horizontal shaft for arcuate movement and driving means is operable to move the support to move grippers mounted on the supports. The supports are moved by moving two racks past the shaft on opposite sides of the shaft each rack being meshed with teeth on a surface of the support.

Abstract: A cooling air system for a glassware forming machine which has a plurality of individual forming units, with each unit having a plurality of different mechanisms to be cooled and each unit having the same mechanisms. The system includes a manifold associated with each mechanism, an inlet line connecting each manifold to a source of cooling air, and a pilot operated regulator in each inlet line. The manifold is connected to its associated members in all forming units. Manually operated means are associated with each of the pressure regulators for individually controlling the flow of pilot air to each pressure regulator.

Abstract: An improved blank cylinder mechanism for a glassware making machine which utilizes shims between the bottom plate and support in conjunction with the cam track to adjust the angular position of the cylinder in down position. Also, the blank cylinder mechanism uses a double tapered slot in the piston rod to provide cushioning.

Abstract: A blowhead apparatus including a blowhead arm and a blowhead body having at least one blowhead therein. The blowhead body is removably connected to the blowhead arm. The blowhead includes a retaining member, a seating member mounted on a sealed bearing, and a sealing ring having a seating surface mating with a seating surface on the seating member. A fluid system for supplying high and low pressure air includes a sealed pilot operated shuttle valve for controlling the high and low pressure air, a pilot valve for controlling the shuttle valve, and an on-off valve for the low pressure air.

Abstract: A takeout tong head includes a support bracket having an upper portion adapted to be attached to a takeout arm and a lower portion having at least one cylinder housing. A cylinder and tong assembly is associated with each cylinder housing and includes a mounting flange removably attached to the cylinder housing, a cylinder extending into said cylinder housing, a piston member in said cylinder, a scissors tong assembly extending downwardly from said flange, a piston rod extending from the piston to the scissors tong assembly, and a spring contained between said flange and said piston member.

Abstract: The mould arrangement comprises a mould body defining a mould cavity and cooling passages each having an opening in an upper surface of the mould body around an opening of the mould cavity. Air delivery means for delivering cooling air to the cooling passages comprises an annular chamber movable into an operative position in which openings in the bottom of the chamber communicate with the openings of the cooling passages so that air blown into the annular chamber enters the cooling passages. When the chamber is in its operative position, access can be obtained to the mould cavity through the center of the annular chamber.

Abstract: An exit device including a latch bolt and an action lever. The action lever includes a cam lever pivotably connected thereto and having a first portion engaging a locking member and a second portion engaging the latch bolt the cause the retraction thereof as the action lever is pivoted into its open position when a locking member is in an unlocked position. When the locking member is in the locked position, the first portion of the cam lever is free of engagement of the locking member and a second portion is free to cam about the latch bolt upon pivoting of the action lever into its open position whereby the latch bolt is not retracted.

Abstract: The bottom plate mechanism has an adaptor plate (10) on which bottom plates of one or more moulds are mounted. The adaptor plate contains passages (14,20) which connect an inlet (16) thereof to a source of vacuum through a filter (72). In order that the filter may be rapidly changed, the adaptor plate is supported by a vertically-extending tubular member (24) which is supported for height adjustment, with a cylindrical projection (12) of the adaptor plate telescopically received within the tubular member. The arrangement is such that the adaptor plate (10) may be lifted away from the tubular member (24) so that the cylindrical projection (12) and filter (72), which is mounted on the cylindrical projection, leave the tubular member.

Abstract: Two mould portion carriers (14,16) are supported for pivoting movement about a column (12). Two cooling passages (44,48) pass through the column and each is connected to a passage (56,96) in one of the carriers. Each passage (56,96) in a carrier is connected to passages (82,84,86,88) in a mould portion (18) supported by the carrier (14,16) so that air under pressure supplied to the passages (44,48) in the column (12) is supplied to the passages in the mould portion to cool the mould portion. The air supply to each of the passages in the column is controllable independently so that the air supply to each mould portion is independent.