Abstract: When the tube of a feeder assembly for a glass forming machine is lowered into engagement with the spout bowl, the separation of the jack and the tube support lifts a ring assembly which normally rests on the jack housing. This exposes a pressurized air conduit resulting in a sensed pressure drop which confirms that the tube has engaged the spout bowl.

Abstract: The individual needles of a glass feeder mechanism which control the volume of the streams of molten glass sheared into discrete gobs are displaceable to adjust the size of the sheared gobs. The controller for the motor, which raises or lowers a stream, receives positional data from the plunger, which forms the gob into a parison, and determines the Parison Formation Point for that parison and raises or lowers the needle to maintain that point at a desired plunger location.

Abstract: A spout assembly for use in feeding gobs of molten glass to a glassware forming machine which includes a spout bowl, a plurality of burner blocks on top of the spout bowl and a plurality of cover blocks on top of the burner blocks. Adjacent ends of both the root blocks and burner blocks form a junction which has a jog therein to provide a baffle effect to prevent heat loss. The cover blocks also have a projection extending downward therefrom that taper downward and inwardly toward the axis of the spout bowl.

Abstract: A fluid transferring mechanism especially adapted for providing cooling fluid to the scoops of a glass gob distributor having a housing and an oscillating member mounted therein. The housing has inlet and outlet passageway having an exit and entrance respectively at the interface between the housing and oscillating member. The oscillating member has first and second grooves in its outer surface which communicates with the exit and entrance respectively during the entire oscillation of the oscillating member. A passageway connects the first and second grooves to provide a path for the fluid from the inlet and outlet passageways.

Abstract: One or more jigs or frameworks are provided at a location remote from the glass feeder so several different plunger assemblies can be made up for ready installation in the feeder. Each jig is made up with the help of an alignment tool having characteristics peculiar to that feeder and to the orientation of the plungers relative to the feeder. The extensive downtime now required to repair or replace the refractory plungers in the feeder can be minimized by following the method detailed herein for use of the alignment tool and subsequent fabrication and assembly of the jig or framework in which the plungers are assembled away from the feeder.

Abstract: A swing out support frame is provided on X-Y slide support structure such that one of several different diameter refractory tubes can be supported in a fixed spout bowl for rotation inside the bowl, and also for electrically controlled and non-electrically dependent vertical movement of the tube inside the bowl.