Abstract: A system and method provide medical personnel with additional information about their patients. The system typically includes a portable computing device, communication link, printer, and/or fileserver. The method typically includes administering one or more healthcare screens from the portable computing device. On the portable device, the method typically includes displaying questions and appropriate answer choices for a patient to select from. In response to at least some of the questions, the method also typically includes displaying a next question and answers choices, the next question being useful in providing additional information about the patient. The method also typically includes scoring the healthcare screen according to standard scoring practices and printing or displaying a summary of the results. In addition, the method typically includes sending the summary to a printer and/or file server.

Abstract: An improved gob guide apparatus for a glass bottle molding machine having interconnected gob guiding parts including a trough and a deflector adapted for mounting on a machine frame. The trough is pivotably secured to the frame and interconnected to the deflector at its lower end by a carriage supporting the deflector and permitting arcuate movement of the trough in response to movement of the carriage. The apparatus permits rapid alignment of the deflector with the mouth of a blank mold of a glass bottle molding machine.

Abstract: The apparatus is arranged to hold side portions of three equally-spaced moulds. The apparatus comprises two holders (2 and 4) for opposite side portions of the moulds. One holder (2) comprises a support (12) on which moving means for moving the holders to open and close the moulds acts, a first carrier (16) for one side portion pivotally mounted on the support (12) and a second carrier (18) for two side portions pivotally mounted on the first carrier (16). The pivotal connections between the support (12) and the first carrier (16) and the first (16) and second (18) carriers are separated by half the mould spacing to balance the mould closing force between the three moulds.

Abstract: A method for forming parisons in the manufacture of hollow articles of glassware. The method comprising forming each parison by introducing a gob of molten glass into a mould cavity (10) having the shape desired for the external surface of the parison, and moving a plunger (14,70) into the mould cavity to cause the molten glass to conform to the shape of the cavity. The method also comprises forming a layer of gas (G.98) between a surface portion of the plunger and the molten glass so that, as the plunger moves into the cavity, the glass is pushed into shape by the layer of gas, and rotating or vibrating the plunger while it is in the mould cavity.

Abstract: The support is for an operative member, e.g. a funnel, a baffle or a blowhead, which moves between operative and out-of-the-way positions along a path which has a vertical component and an arcuate component about a vertical axis. The support comprises a first portion (16), a second portion (30) movable vertically relative to the first portion, and clamping means (18,20,28) operable to clamp the first portion to the piston rod (14) of a piston and cylinder assembly which moves the member. The operative member is mounted on the second portion (30) and moving means (32,36) is operable to move the second portion (30) vertically relative to the first portion (16). Operation of the moving means (32,36) can be used to increase the vertical component of the path.

Abstract: A blowhead (10; 100) for blowing air through a neck opening (12; 112) of a glass parison (14; 114) to cause it to expand. The blowhead defines an air supply passage (28; 128) through which air can enter the parison and an exhaust passage (45; 145) through which air can exhaust from the parison. The cross-sectional area, transversely to the direction of air flow, of at least a portion of the exhaust passage is adjustable.

Abstract: The movable side portions of a mould of a cyclicly operating glassware forming machine have cooling passages passing upwardly therein from an entrance in a bottom surface of the side portion. A plenum chamber is formed beneath the side portions and has upwardly opening exits which communicate with the entrances of the cooling passages when the side portions are stationary in either an open or a closed position thereof so that cooling air can pass into the cooling passages. In this way, each cooling passage can be supplied with air at substantially the same pressure and low pressure air can be used.

Abstract: A method and plunger arrangement for forming parisons in the manufacture of hollow articles of glassware. The method comprising forming each parison by introducing a gob of molten glass into a mould cavity (10) having the shape desired for the external surface of the parison, and moving a plunger (14,70) into the mould cavity to cause the molten glass to conform to the shape of the cavity. The method also comprises forming a layer of gas (G.98) between a surface portion of the plunger and the molten glass so that, as the plunger moves into the cavity, the glass is pushed into shape by the layer of gas, and rotating or vibrating the plunger while it is in the mould cavity. The plunger arrangement provides means for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A molten glass parison is expanded to the shape of a mould cavity (16) to thereby form the parison into an article of glassware (A). Air is supplied under pressure to the interior of the parison so that an elevated pressure is created in the parison causing it to expand. The air under pressure passes through an on/off valve (30) before entering the parison and, during the blowing process, the air supply is interrupted at least twice by turning the valve off. Thus, the pressure is caused to fluctuate, during the blowing process.

Abstract: A plunger (10; 30) for use in forming parisons during the manufacture of glass containers has a glass-contacting surface layer (18; 38) formed by a material which has, at least in a tip region of the plunger, a thermal conductivity in directions parallel to the glass-contacting surface (16; 36) of the layer greater than its thermal conductivity normal to the glass-contacting surface. A suitable material is pyrolytic graphite.

Abstract: A valve assembly for controlling the application of suction and counterblow air to a blank mould of a glassware forming machine. The assembly comprises a body (1, 2, 3, 4) in which are enclosed a first valve (5) for controlling the application of suction, a second valve (6) for controlling the flow of counterblow air, and a third valve (7) for venting the blank mould. The body (1, 2, 3, 4) has a central chamber (32) through which the suction is applied when the first valve (5) is open, through which the counterblow air passes when the second valve (6) is open, and through which the mould is vented when the third valve (7) is open.

Abstract: A mould portion (10) has one or more inner surfaces (16,18) arranged to define a portion of a mould cavity (14) in which molten glass can be moulded. A rod (20) of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the remainder of the mould portion extends from a region (22) of the mould portion requiring enhanced heat extraction into a recess (24) in an outer surface (26) of the mould portion. A passage (28) extends through the mould portion (10) and enters the recess (24). Cooling fluid, for example air, can be caused to flow through the passage so that the fluid enters the recess and cools the rod.

Abstract: A blow head which defines an upper portion of a mould cavity in which glass parisons are blown to the shape of mould cavity is moved into and out of operative position by a combination of horizontal and vertical movement. The vertical movement is brought about by a first piston and cylinder assembly (24, 26) and a second piston and cylinder assembly (38, 40) is operable, as the blow head approaches the parison, to oppose the action of the first piston and cylinder assembly (24, 26) thereby cushioning any impact between the blow head (4) and the parison.

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: The take-out mechanism comprises a tong carrier (2) movable in an arcuate path between a position at which tongs (4) carried by the carrier can grip an article and a second position at which the tongs release the article on to a dead plate of the machine. A piston and cylinder assembly (58, 60) provides cushioning means operable to oppose the movement of the carrier (2) as it approaches its second position to thereby reduce any impact between the articles and the dead plate.

Abstract: A method of cooling a mould in a glassware forming machine wherein an intermediate support (26) supports a mould portion (10) and defines a space (36) which serves to insulate a movable support (14) of mould opening and closing mechanism of the machine from the mould portion (10). The mould portion (10) is cooled by blowing air into the space (36). The air blown into the space (36) increases the insulating effect of the space (36) and also can be blown through an aperture (40) in the intermediate support (26) on to the mould portion (10) so as to cool that portion of the mould portion (10).

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 individual section of a multiple section glassware forming machine has three operating stations in spaced apart relation along the longitudinal center line of the section. A parison formed in the first station is transferred to the second station and released there by a first transfer means. A second transfer means which is operated independently of the first transfer means engages the parison at the second station and moves the parison to a third station in which an article of glassware is formed. By adjusting the time of operation of either transfer means relative to the other, the period of time during which the parison reheats may be changed without altering the relative timing of any of the machine functions which together make up the parison-forming cycle or the relative timing of any of the machine functions which together comprise the glassware forming cycle.