Abstract: A mold mechanism for opening and closing a split mold is described wherein a single air cylinder moves one half of the mold in a linear direction and simultaneously, through a plurality of interconnected pivotal links, rotates the other half of the mold through an arc of at least 90 degrees so as to open and close the mold halves upon actuation of the air cylinder.

Abstract: Neck ring apparatus is disclosed for retaining and conveying glass along a predetermined path as the glass is transformed from an initially formed parison to a final blown glass article having a desired finish. A pair of sprockets, forming a part of the neck ring mechanism, selectively engage roller tracks as the mechanism proceeds along its predetermined path to (1) open segments of the neck ring so as to permit the delivery of a charge of molten glass to a mold position therebelow, (2) to close the neck ring segments so as to form a finish on an initially formed parison and retain such parison by said finish, (3) rotate the neck ring and accordingly said parison for uniformly cooling the parison and for removing blow mold seams during the blowing of the final article, and (4) to open the neck ring segments to remove the finished article therefrom.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for pressing and blowing a hollow article wherein a soft blank having a cavity is press formed which may require only minimal surface reheating prior to the blowing of such blank into a finished hollow article. At the completion of the press forming, the core temperature of the soft blank is substantially equal to the delivery temperature of the charge from which the soft blank is formed.

Abstract: A single mold and plunger set is programmed to form a parison within each of a plurality of neck rings which are continuously successively presented along a linear path. The mold, which is positioned below the linear path of said continuously successively presented neck rings, receives a charge of molten glass and accelerates in a direction parallel to said linear path to a speed commensurate with that of the continuously presented neck rings, and upon tracking with a particular neck ring, such mold moves vertically into engagement with a bottom portion thereof. Simultaneously, the plunger, which is positioned above said linear path, accelerates in a direction parallel with the movement of said continuously presented neck rings to a speed commensurate therewith, and upon tracking said particular neck ring moves vertically into engagement with an upper portion thereof so as to press form the charge of molten glass deposited within the mold into a shape determined by the shape of the parison mold and plunger.