Abstract: A burner head actuator for lubricating glassware molds of a glassware forming machine includes a base mount and a guide post carried by the mount. A gearbox housing carried on the guide post carries a gear train including drive and driven gears. A servomotor is coupled to the gearbox. A burner head arm is carried by the gearbox housing and coupled to the driven gear for rotation relative to the gearbox housing about an arm axis. The arm includes a burner head leveling gear train including a drive sprocket direct-driven by the driven gear about the arm axis and a driven sprocket driven by the drive sprocket via a chain. The servomotor rotates the gearbox drive gear, thereby rotating the gearbox driven gear and burner head arm, and thereby rotating the leveling gear train so that the burner head remains level as the arm is rotated about the arm axis.

Abstract: A burner head actuator for lubricating glassware molds of a glassware forming machine includes a base mount and a guide post carried by the mount. A gearbox housing carried on the guide post carries a gear train including drive and driven gears. A servomotor is coupled to the gearbox. A burner head arm is carried by the gearbox housing and coupled to the driven gear for rotation relative to the gearbox housing about an arm axis. The arm includes a burner head leveling gear train including a drive sprocket direct-driven by the driven gear about the arm axis and a driven sprocket driven by the drive sprocket via a chain. The servomotor rotates the gearbox drive gear, thereby rotating the gearbox driven gear and burner head arm, and thereby rotating the leveling gear train so that the burner head remains level as the arm is rotated about the arm axis.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening and closing mold arms in a glassware forming machine includes a gearbox for mounting on a glassware machine frame, a cylinder housing suspended beneath the gearbox, and a mold open/close cylinder disposed within the cylinder housing. The cylinder has a mold open/close piston with an extending piston rod and a gear rack machined or otherwise formed in the piston rod. A first drive gear in the cylinder housing is coupled to the gear rack and a drive shaft extends from the first drive gear and the cylinder housing into the gearbox. A second drive gear is disposed in the gearbox and coupled to the drive shaft. Laterally spaced operating shafts extend upwardly from within the gearbox. Means including an idler gear couple the second drive gear to the operating shafts such that the operating shafts are rotated simultaneously in opposite directions by the cylinder, the gear rack, the first and second drive gears and the idler gear.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening and closing mold arms in a glassware forming machine includes a gearbox for mounting on a glassware machine frame, a cylinder housing suspended beneath the gearbox, and a cylinder disposed within the cylinder housing. The cylinder has a piston with an extending piston rod and a gear rack machined or otherwise formed in the piston rod. A first drive gear in the cylinder housing is coupled to the gear rack and a drive shaft extends from the first drive gear and the cylinder housing into the gearbox. A second drive gear is disposed in the gearbox and coupled to the drive shaft. Laterally spaced operating shafts extend upwardly from within the gearbox. Means including an idler gear couple the second drive gear to the operating shafts such that the operating shafts are rotated simultaneously in opposite directions by the cylinder, the gear rack, the first and second drive gears and the idler gear.

Abstract: A glass gob distributor for delivering gobs of molten glass to sections of a glassware forming machine, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, includes at least one electric motor, a ball screw coupled to the electric motor and a carriage slidable on a carriage shaft and coupled to the ball screw. At least one gear rack is coupled to the carriage and at least one scoop is coupled to the gear rack for rotation around a scoop axis as a function of linear motion of the gear rack and the carriage. A pair of slides are slidably disposed on opposite sides of the carriage and are disconnected from the carriage. A pair of fluid cylinders are disposed adjacent to the slides. The fluid cylinders are responsive to an absence of power at the electric motor for pushing the centering slides toward each other to abut and slidably position the carriage on the carriage shaft, the gear rack and the at least one scoop at a home position.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening and closing mold arms in a glassware forming machine includes a gearbox for mounting on a glassware machine frame, a cylinder housing suspended beneath the gearbox, and a mold open/close cylinder disposed within the cylinder housing. The cylinder has a mold open/close piston with an extending piston rod and a gear rack machined or otherwise formed in the piston rod. A first drive gear in the cylinder housing is coupled to the gear rack and a drive shaft extends from the first drive gear and the cylinder housing into the gearbox. A second drive gear is disposed in the gearbox and coupled to the drive shaft. Laterally spaced operating shafts extend upwardly from within the gearbox. Means including an idler gear couple the second drive gear to the operating shafts such that the operating shafts are rotated simultaneously in opposite directions by the cylinder, the gear rack, the first and second drive gears and the idler gear.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening and closing mold arms in a glassware forming machine includes a gearbox for mounting on a glassware machine frame, a cylinder housing suspended beneath the gearbox, and a cylinder disposed within the cylinder housing. The cylinder has a piston with an extending piston rod and a gear rack machined or otherwise formed in the piston rod. A first drive gear in the cylinder housing is coupled to the gear rack and a drive shaft extends from the first drive gear and the cylinder housing into the gearbox. A second drive gear is disposed in the gearbox and coupled to the drive shaft. Laterally spaced operating shafts extend upwardly from within the gearbox. Means including an idler gear couple the second drive gear to the operating shafts such that the operating shafts are rotated simultaneously in opposite directions by the cylinder, the gear rack, the first and second drive gears and the idler gear.

Abstract: An apparatus for lubricating a mold in an individual section glassware forming machine by combustion of at least one combustible gas. The apparatus includes a shaft positioned adjacent to the mold, a burner head on the shaft and including a spark electrode for igniting a combustible gas exiting the burner head, a manifold on the shaft spaced from the burner head for connection to a combustible gas supply, and a gas passage within the shaft extending from the manifold to the burner head.

Abstract: A glass gob distributor for delivering gobs of molten glass to sections of a glassware forming machine, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, includes at least one electric motor, a ball screw coupled to the electric motor and a carriage slidable on a carriage shaft and coupled to the ball screw. At least one gear rack is coupled to the carriage and at least one scoop is coupled to the gear rack for rotation around a scoop axis as a function of linear motion of the gear rack and the carriage. A pair of slides are slidably disposed on opposite sides of the carriage and are disconnected from the carriage. A pair of fluid cylinders are disposed adjacent to the slides. The fluid cylinders are responsive to an absence of power at the electric motor for pushing the centering slides toward each other to abut and slidably position the carriage on the carriage shaft, the gear rack and the at least one scoop at a home position.

Abstract: Glass gob shearing apparatus having opposed shear blades that reciprocate along generally parallel, opposed horizontal paths to periodically bring the shearing ends of the shear blades into partly overlapping contact with one another, to thereby shear a gob of molten glass from a stream of molten glass flowing downwardly between the shear blades. Contact loads between the shear blades are reduced by placing a shim between one of the shear blades, namely the shear blade that is the lower of the shear blades when they are in contact with each other, to thereby impart a slight downward inclination to such shear blade with respect to the other shear blade. Contact loads between the shear blades are further reduced by resiliently mounting the other shear blade to the blade holder to which it is attached, and this is done by positioning curved spring washers between the other shear blade and the blade holder to which it is attached.