Abstract: Apparatus for indexing glassware through a series of angularly spaced stations includes first and second arrays of glassware gripping fingers mounted on associated carriers that are rotatable about a common axis, both conjointly and with respect to each other. Each carrier is connected to as associated servo motor, which in turn are connected to a controller for rotating the carriers with respect to each other to grip and release glassware between the fingers, and to rotate the carriers conjointly to index the glassware between apparatus stations. One array of glassware gripping fingers includes coil springs for biasing the fingers toward the fingers of the opposing array for accommodating tolerance variations in the glassware. Drive rollers are located at at least some of the stations, and are pivotal into and out of positions for rotating the containers about their axes for inspection or other purposes.

Abstract: Apparatus for indexing glassware through a series of angularly spaced stations includes first and second arrays of glassware gripping fingers mounted on associated carriers that are rotatable about a common axis, both conjointly and with respect to each other. Each carrier is connected to as associated servo motor, which in turn are connected to a controller for rotating the carriers with respect to each other to grip and release glassware between the fingers, and to rotate the carriers conjointly to index the glassware between apparatus stations. One array of glassware gripping fingers includes coil springs for biasing the fingers toward the fingers of the opposing array for accommodating tolerance variations in the glassware. Drive rollers are located at at least some of the stations, and are pivotal into and out of positions for rotating the containers about their axes for inspection or other purposes.

Abstract: A variable pressure gas jet system for lifting and forming glass sheets including a controller (32) for providing an electrical signal corresponding to a preselected pressure to an electrical-to-pressure converter (34) which converts the received signal to a corresponding pressure. A remotely operated gas flow regulator (36) receives a small volume of the pressurized gas from the converter and transmits a large volume of gas at a corresponding pressure through the system to a series of gas jets (42) comprising an array of nozzles (24) which direct the pressurized gas onto the lower surface of the heated glass sheet to lift the glass sheet from a conveyor to the downwardly facing surface of an upper mold (22).