Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a glass fiber strand in which a glass fiber strand is formed by bundling a plurality of glass fiber filaments comprising molten glass drawn out from a nozzle, wherein said method for manufacturing a glass fiber strand is capable of detecting breakage of the glass fiber filaments in a more reliable manner. This method comprises: an image capturing step for generating a plurality of items of image data by continuously capturing images of a plurality of glass fiber filaments f; an image processing step for extracting, from the image data, a high luminance object having a luminance of a prescribed value or more; and a breakage detection step for detecting that a glass fiber filament f has broken on the basis of the results of the image processing in the image processing step.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatuses and methods for non-contact processing a substrate, for example a glass substrate, overtop a gas layer. The support apparatus includes a plurality of gas bearings positioned on a pressure box supplied with a pressurized gas. Some embodiments are directed to a method of supporting and transporting softened glass. The method includes placing the glass in proximity to a gas bearing device having a support surface with a plurality of outlet ports disposed therein. Some embodiments are directed to a glass processing apparatus comprising an air table configured to continuously transport and support a stream of glass and a plurality of modular devices supported by a support structure and disposed above the air table. Some embodiments are directed to a method for flattening viscous glass using a two-sided gas bearing device or a one-sided gas bearing device.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a tube catcher for a hot forming machine comprising a foot for mounting the tube catcher in the hot forming machine, an upper contact surface for catching a glass tube as it falls into the hot forming machine, and a damping element, which is arranged below the upper contact surface in such a way that it allows the upper contact surface to elastically recede in the direction of the falling direction of the glass tube. This minimizes damage to glass tubes on impact and permits a high production speed. For this purpose, the damping element includes a compressible chamber that can be filled with a gas.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a solenoid and a solenoid controller. The solenoid is configured to move an actuator a distance between a first position and a second position when a voltage is supplied to the solenoid. The solenoid controller is implemented in at least one of a memory or a processor, and includes a feedback module and an output module. The feedback module is configured to receive a feedback signal associated with a solenoid current after the voltage is removed from the solenoid. The feedback module is further configured to determine whether the distance is less than a maximum distance between the first position and the second position (i.e., a “stroke”). The output module configured to produce an output signal when the feedback module determines that the distance is less than the maximum distance.

Abstract: A glass tube cleaning and cutting device includes a glass tube cutting device configured to cut an end portion of a glass tube while the glass tube cutting device rotates the glass tube having a predetermined length about a tube axis of the glass tube and conveys the glass tube in a direction orthogonal to the tube axis, at least one blower configured to blow air into an opening located on a first end portion side of the glass tube, and at least one cutting blade provided at a position opposite to the at least one blower interposing the glass tube therebetween, the at least one cutting blade being configured to impose thermal shock and scratches on an outer circumference surface of a second end portion side of the glass tube to cut the second end portion side of the glass tube.

Abstract: The invention relates to: a process for manufacturing a hollow glass product (30) employing at least one mold comprising two mold halves (100, 200) closed up at one end on a ring mold (300) and closed off at the other end by a top, which process includes the greasing of at least one of said molds in the closed-up position of said mold halves (100, 200) on said ring mold (300), but said top not closing up said other end, characterized in that the greasing includes a spraying by a spray tube (4) moving in the cavity of the mold and in that the spray tube (4) is carried by a robot (1) that can move alongside the blank mold of an IS machine a device for implementing this process.

Abstract: A method and a machine for the production of hollow glassware articles, by the blow-and-blow, press-and-blow, press-and-blow paste mold and direct-press processes in a glassware forming machine including single or multiple machine sections each having single or multiple-cavity, comprising: forming a parison in an inverted orientation, into a blank mold and a first transferable and open-able neck ring mold held by an inverting apparatus having a first and a second diametrically opposed arms, each arm holding a transferable and open-able neck ring mold; inverting the parison held by the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold, by rotating the first arm 180° to an upright orientation at an intermediate station, while the second arm with a second transferable and open-able neck ring mold is simultaneously placed at the parison forming station; transferring the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold holding the parison in an upright orientation, from the intermediate station, to a blow mold statio

Abstract: A method and a machine for the production of hollow glassware articles, by the blow-and-blow, press-and-blow, press-and-blow paste mold and direct-press processes in a glassware forming machine including single or multiple machine sections each having single or multiple-cavity, comprising: forming a parison in an inverted orientation, into a blank mold and a first transferable and open-able neck ring mold held by an inverting apparatus having a first and a second diametrically opposed arms, each arm holding a transferable and open-able neck ring mold; inverting the parison held by the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold, by rotating the first arm 180° to an upright orientation at an intermediate station, while the second arm with a second transferable and open-able neck ring mold is simultaneously placed at the parison forming station; transferring the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold holding the parison in an upright orientation, from the intermediate station, to a blow mold statio

Abstract: A roller table for supporting and transporting a hot glass strand. A plurality of rollers arranged parallel to each other and perpendicular to the transport direction of the glass strand are capable of being selectively rotated in the direction of transport of the glass strand. At least some of the rollers are sleeves, the casings of which are which are gas-permeable on at least a portion of their surfaces and the casings are provided with a supply of pressurized gas which is emitted through the openings of the gas-permeable surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus for simultaneously making different hollow glass products having different gob sizes comprising at least one feed apparatus (12), that has at least one glass reservoir (14), at least one plunger (18a, b), and at least one appurtenant cutting device (24a, b) in the discharge from the reservoir, at least one conveying means (28) to successively transport at least one of the gobs discharged from the feed apparatus (12) into a plurality of shape-imparting units (32a–c) disposed next to each other for variously sized gobs, at least one controller (22) to control the plunger (18a, b) and the cutting device (24a, b) of the feed apparatus (12), the conveying means (28), and the shape-imparting units (32a–c), and said controller (22) controls the activity of the shape-imparting units (32a–c), the feed apparatus (12), and the conveying means (28) in coordination with the gob-size-specific processing time of the products in the shape-imparting units (32a–c) or their cyc

Abstract: A takeout grips a formed bottle at a blow station of an I.S. machine and releases the bottle onto a conveyor and returns to grip the second bottle formed in the blow station following the bottle removed by the takeout.

Abstract: A takeout mechanism for an I.S. machine grips a formed bottle at the blow station and carries the bottle to a first position spaced above a deadplate. The bottle is held at this position for a period of time and then is lowered to a position proximate the deadplate whereupon it is released.

Abstract: An I.S. machine is disclosed wherein the blow molds are held open during a preheat blank mold mode of operation and the neck ring arms of an invert and neck ring assembly are rotated to an acute angle and opened to release held parisons. A cullet chute is defined in the section frame from a location below the invert of the assembly towards the blow molds to collect the parisons which are delivered by a parison deflector.

Abstract: A parison chute assembly for an I.S. machine. The assembly has a chute which is rotatably supported at one end and is displaceable from an out of the way position above the horizontal down to a vertical position for receiving gobs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the provision of a modular control system for a glass forming machine. The glass forming machine control system comprises one central control unit (20) and one machine control unit (22), which are connected via a high-speed data bus (32). The machine control unit (22) is spread out to a plurality of peripheral control units (24, . . . , 30) via a plurality of high-speed data buses (34, . . . , 40). The machine control unit (22) is adapted to distribute control signals received from the central control unit (20) to the peripheral control units (24, . . . , 30) in real time.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for removing a film layer on a glass plate includes: a movable base (5) which is movable in an X direction and a Y direction along a glass-plate placing surface (3); a moving means (6) for moving the movable base (5) in the X direction and the Y direction along the glass-plate placing surface (3); a movable base (7) provided on the movable base (5) in such a manner to be movable in a Z direction so as to be capable of moving toward or away from the glass-plate placing surface (3); a moving means (8) for moving the movable base (7) in the Z direction so as to cause the movable base (7) to move toward or away from the glass-plate placing surface (3); a grinding wheel (9) provided on the movable base (7) in such a manner as to be capable of being lifted or lowered with respect to the movable base (7); a resiliently pressing means (15) for resiliently pressing the grinding wheel (9) against a film layer (14); and a detecting means (17) for detecting the lifted or lowered position of the grinding

Abstract: A control for defining data for setting the times for controlled events in a glass forming machine which is controlled by a programmable sequencer which defines the time of a machine cycle. The control includes a computerized model of a mathematical representation of a network constraint diagram of the unwrapped bottle forming process which takes more than two machine cycles to complete and a computer for analyzing the computerized model as a constrained optimization problem for determining, with the following data inputs: 1. the motion durations, 2. the submotion durations, 3, the machine cycle time, 4. the event time for each displacement to begin and for each valve to be turned “on” and “off”, and 5. the thermal forming process durations, whether there is a feasible optimized schedule and the machine cycle time and the event time for each displacement to begin and for each valve to be turned “on” and “off”.

Abstract: A control for use with a glass forming machine which is controlled by a programmable sequencer which defines a machine cycle having a set time. A computerized model of a mathematical representation of a network constraint diagram of the unwrapped bottle forming process which takes more than two machine cycles to complete is provided for determining, with the following inputs: 1. the time in an unwrapped bottle forming process for each displacement to begin; 2. the machine cycle time; and 3. the motion durations of each of the mechanisms, the duration of each of the thermal forming processes.

Abstract: A control for a glass forming machine. Each machine mechanism, etc., is turned “on” and “off” at selected angles around a wrapped 360° machine cycle. The control unwraps the “on” and “off” angles around the wrapped 360° machine cycle to “on” and “off” times along an unwrapped bottle forming process which takes more than two machine cycles to complete and the unwrapped schedule is analyzed to determine whether an optimized schedule is possible and once a schedule is optimized, the analysis is done again with all the optimized values locked except one or more of the motion durations which are targeted at their maximum duration. This second optimization defines the motion durations at their longest possible setting so that the associated motor(s) can be concomitantly slowed down to minimize wear.

Abstract: A control for use with a glass forming machine which is controlled by a programmable sequencer which defines a machine cycle having a set cycle time. A computerized model of a mathematical representation of a network constraint diagram of the unwrapped bottle forming process is provided for determining whether, with the following inputs: the time in an unwrapped bottle forming process for each displacement to occur; the machine cycle time; the motion durations of each of the mechanisms from the retracted position to the advanced position and from the advanced position to the retracted position and the collision zones between interfering paths, a collision will result between the gob, the parison, the bottle or any mechanism.

Abstract: A control for use with a glass forming machine which is controlled by a programmable sequencer which defines a machine cycle having a set cycle time. A computerized model of a mathematical representation of a network constraint diagram of the unwrapped bottle forming process is provided for determining whether, with the following inputs: the time in an unwrapped bottle forming process for each displacement to occur; the machine cycle time; the motion durations of each of the mechanisms from the retracted position to the advanced position and from the advanced position to the retracted position and the collision zones between interfering paths, a collision will result between the gob, the parison, the bottle or any mechanism.

Abstract: A control for defining data for setting the times for controlled events in a glass forming machine which is controlled by a programmable sequencer which defines the time of a machine cycle.

Abstract: A machine cycle unwrapper for use with a glass forming machine which is controlled by a programmable sequencer which defines a 360° machine cycle having a set cycle time. The cycle unwrapper converts the “on” and “off” angles around the wrapped 360° programmable sequencer to “on” and “off” times along an unwrapped bottle forming process which takes more then two machine cycles to complete.

Abstract: A control for a glass forming machine. Each machine mechanism, etc., is turned “on” and “off” at selected angles around a wrapped 360° machine cycle. The control unwraps the “on” and “off” angles around the wrapped 360° machine cycle to “on” and “off” times along an unwrapped bottle forming process which takes more than two machine cycles to complete and the unwrapped schedule is analyzed to determine whether an optimized schedule is possible and once a schedule is optimized, the analysis is done again with all the optimized values locked except one or more of the motion durations which are targeted at their maximum duration. This second optimization defines the motion durations at their longest possible setting so that the associated motor(s) can be concomitantly slowed down to minimize wear.

Abstract: A control for defining data for setting the times for controlled events in a glass forming machine which is controlled by a programmable sequencer which defines the time of a machine cycle.

Abstract: A control for defining data for setting the times for controlled events in a glass forming machine which is controlled by a programmable sequencer which defines the time of a machine cycle.

Abstract: A glassware manufacturing system includes at least one blank mold and a loading funnel for feeding molten glass gobs in sequence into the blank mold. A temperature sensor is operatively coupled to the external surface of the funnel for providing an electrical signal indicative of temperature at the funnel due to heat imparted thereto by the molten glass gobs falling through the funnel. Electronics are responsive to the sensor signal for indicating an increase in gob diameter as a function of an increase in temperature at the funnel external surface.

Abstract: A control is disclosed for a section of an I.S. machine which produces vertically standing bottles having a finish portion at the top thereof, with two vertically separated gripable finish portions. The section has a takeout displaceable between advanced and retracted positions, tongs carried by the takeout which can be closed, and an opposed pair of blow molds which can be displaced from a closed position to an open position. A takeout control controls the advancement of the takeout to either a first “in” position for gripping one of the gripable finish portions or a second vertically lower “in” position for gripping the other gripable finish portion and for retracting the takeout from either the first or second “in” position to a selected “out” position. A tongs control controls the closing of the tongs and a blow mold control controls the displacement of the blow mold pair to an open position.

Abstract: An I.S. machine is disclosed wherein the blow molds are held open during a preheat blank mold mode of operation and the neck ring arms of an invert and neck ring assembly are rotated to an acute angle and opened to release held parisons. A cullet chute is defined in the section frame from a location below the invert of the assembly towards the blow molds to collect the parisons which are delivered by a parison deflector.

Abstract: A feeder tube assembly for a feeder bowl of a glass melting furnace forehearth. The feeder tube assembly has an horizontally extending elongate support arm, and a feeder tube that is carried by the support arm at a location near an end of the support arm. The feeder tube is rotatable about its longitudinal central axis with respect to the support arm, and the support arm carries drive elements for rotating the feeder tube about its longitudinal central axis. The support arm is supported on a vertically extending servo motor actuated linear actuator, and the elevation of the support arm is adjustable by actuation of the linear actuator, a releasable brake being provided to prevent rotation of the servo motor when it is desired to prevent a change in elevation of the support arm.

Abstract: To provide a press mold for molding glass that is relatively less expansible than a mold material. The mold is configured so that the content volume of the mold is approximately equal to the volume of molded glass at the time of press molding, and a side face member of the mold is divided into a plurality of pieces so as to be capable of moving toward an outside but incapable of moving toward an inside. Thereby, over-tightening of mold side face can be prevented effectively, and a satisfactory molding operation can be performed by transmitting a molding pressure uniformly to a molded member without opening any mold side face.

Abstract: A single drive mechanism for simultaneously driving plungers of a plurality of metal molds in each of the sections by employing an output cost-efficient electric motor as a mechanism for driving the plungers. The novel plunger drive mechanism makes it possible to correctly and efficiently mold the articles without causing defect even when the glass material is fed in varying amounts into the metal molds. In molding a glass material thrown into the metal molds by moving the plungers forward, a mechanism moves the plungers forward with a predetermined torque and then backward. The mechanism includes a drive motor, a main gear, planetary bevel gears, a first driven wheel member, a second driven wheel member, a first drive pinion, a second drive pinion, a first main drive member, and a second main drive member.

Abstract: A device for inhibiting glass from falling into an annular cavity formed between a plunger piston and an inner piston telescopically journalled within a longitudinal cavity within the plunger piston includes a rigid sleeve mountable to the plunger piston, adjacent walls of the longitudinal cavity, so as to substantially fill the annular cavity. The sleeve is mountable into snug sliding relation with the inner piston.

Abstract: A machine for making glass containers having a number of displaceable mechanisms comprising a plurality of selectively operable regulators for controlling the operation of the displaceable mechanisms, a control panel including a corresponding plurality of toggle switches switchable between select and deselect positions, each toggle switch being associated with one of the regulators. The control panel is enabled when all of the toggle switches are in the down position and start motion buttons pushed simultaneously will implement the machine state defined by the operator by locating specific toggle switches in the select position.

Abstract: A takeout mechanism for a section of a I.S. machine which will grip the finish of one or more bottles at a blow station and carry the gripped bottles away from the blow station and deposit them on a deadplate. The bottom of the bottles can be a vertical distance from the finish within a selected distance range. A Z-axis offset is defined for the bottles and an X-Z profile is defined for the Z-axis offset to control their displacement from the blow station to the deadplate.

Abstract: An invert and neck ring holder mechanism having an opposed pair of neck ring holders displaceable from a blow station to a blank station of a section of an I.S. machine. The invert and neck ring holder mechanism has a pair of an opposed pair of pneumatically operated cylinder assemblies extending between a gear housing a gear and side brackets including a cylinder housing supporting a neck ring holder support rotatable with the gear and axially displaceable from an open position to a closed position. Each of the cylinder housings includes a target sensed by a sensor when the neck ring holder support is at the closed position. Each of the targets is configured so as to be sensed by the associated sensor for a selected angular range when the neck ring holder support is at the closed position.

Abstract: An invert and neck ring holder mechanism for displacing a parison from a blank station to a blow station. The invert and neck ring holder mechanism has an opposed pair of side brackets, a worm gear housing supporting a worm gear, and a motor/worm housing for supporting the worm gear housing intermediate the opposed side brackets. The invert and neck ring holder mechanism also has a pair of cylinder assemblies extending between the sides of the worm gear and the side brackets. The cylinder assemblies include a cylinder having an in support. Each cylinder is axially displaceable from a first location adjacent the worm gear to a second location adjacent the associated side bracket and rotationally displaceable to displace its neck ring holder support from a first position at the blank station to a second position at the blow station.

Abstract: A parallel shear apparatus for sequentially shearing each of a plurality of streams of molten glass from a glass feeder into gobs for processing into glass containers by a glass forming machine. The apparatus has first and second opposed carriages which are reciprocable along parallel slides toward and away from one another, each of the carriages carrying one or more opposed knife elements, corresponding to the number of streams of molten glass, and the opposed knife elements overlap at the innermost limits of their travel to perform the shearing action. Motion of the carriages is actuated by a unidirectionally acting servo motor, which imparts oscillating motion to a bell crank through a connecting rod. The oscillating motion of the bell crank imparts simultaneous, opposed, rectilinear motion to the carriages through connecting rods, which are pivotally attached to the servo motor at diametrically spaced apart locations.

Abstract: An H-28 machine for forming glass containers comprising a cylindrical timing drum having inner and outer surfaces and a timing cam having a circumferentially extending inner surface for matingly engaging the outer drum surface. A pair of elongated circumferentially extending slots are cut in the timing drum. A slider matingly engages the inner surface of the drum and is held against the outer surface of the timing drum by first and second spring biased studs supported by the slider. A motor driven horizontally extending linear actuator which extends between the timing drum and the slider horizontally displaces the slider to horizontally circumferentially displace the timing cam.

Abstract: A molten glass gob distributor for a glass article manufacturing system that includes a gob discharge, and at least one scoop for receiving gobs from such discharge and distributing the gobs among a plurality of troughs or chutes leading to associated molds in a multiple-cavity IS machine. The scoop is coupled by a cogged drive belt to an electric motor for oscillating the scoop through a cyclic path adjacent to the troughs or chutes. Rupture at the drive belt is detected by coupling first and second electronic sensors to the motor and the scoop so as to provide respective first and second electrical signals as functions of motion at the motor and scoop. Rupture at the drive belt is indicated as a function of a difference between the first and second signals, indicating loss of synchronization between the drive motor and the associated scoop.

Abstract: A production installation for the contact toughening of glass sheets comprises a horizontal furnace for heating the glass sheets, a press containing two liquid-cooled pressing plates, a feed apparatus for transferring the heated glass sheets into the press and a removal apparatus for removing the toughened glass sheets out of the press. To the lower pressing plate, a solids-transmitted sound pick-up is coupled which, if a glass sheet breaks in the press, supplies an electrical signal. From this signal, after suitable processing of the signal, the control device is triggered, and as a result thereof interrupts the process sequence.

Abstract: A shear mechanism has opposed shear assemblies mounted for reciprocation on a pair of parallel guide rails. Each shear assembly has a removable portion which supports the shears with top accessible fasteners so that these portions can be removed when the shear assemblies are fully advanced. A stop mechanism locks the shear assemblies at their fully advanced positions.

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: A gob distributor is disclosed having a deflector which will be operated whenever gobs should be prevented from entering the gob distributor. The deflector is operated by an interceptor valve which is controlled by an air operated four-way pilot valve. A pilot valve maintenance circuit is provided to periodically blow collected water and oil out of the pilot valve. This circuit inlcudes a frequency timer which will periodically operate a solenoid valve and a duration timer which controls the duration of this operation. Means are provided for preventing the operation of these timers beyond selected ranges which assures that any water or oil collected in the pilot valve will be cleared.

Abstract: Gobs of molten glass are sheared and fall by gravity to a gob distributor which redirects the gobs to individual glassware forming sections. The location of the gob as it drops is monitored and at the time when the interceptor must be actuated if a gob is to be deflected into a cullet chute, the gob request is verified and section status is determined. If the specific section has not been enabled or if an out of sequence request has been received, the gob interceptor is actuated at this time.

Abstract: The present invention refers to an intelligent controller for predicting and automatically compensating for variations in cycle time, in machines for forming articles of glass or other materials, by predicting estimated cycle periods of the machine based on present and past measurements, so as to effect compensations without mechanical failures and/or without having to repeat cycles, even in cases when the information signals from the machine are lost; and which comprises: at least one forming cycle sensor for the whole of the machine; a signal conditioner which conditions the signals detected by the forming cycle sensor of the machine; at least one real-time data processing unit that calculates the initial forming cycle time and the times of operation of the forming mechanisms and compares the present and past cycle times in order to predict the next start-up of the forming cycle of whatever section of the machine, and/or determine the cycle in cases where the detected signals are lost, and supplies said pre

Abstract: A computer based system for controlling the operation of a ware reject mechanism for an independent section glassware forming machine.

Abstract: In the closing action of the mould, pulses are produced which represent the movement of a mould portion in the closing action. The number of pulses produced between a fixed position and the mould closed position is counted and compared with the greatest number of pulses previously counted for the corresponding movement. If the two numbers differ by a predetermined number, a stop signal is produced which presents further closing actions of the mould.

Abstract: A servo control system and method for controlling repetitious or oscillatory motion of a member in a glass manufacturing process between predetermined points. A desired trajectory between such points is first established as a function of time, and this trajectory is then loaded into a digital electronic memory as a plurality of discrete trajectory position signals arranged in an incremental series as a function of time. Control logic, which includes a real time oscillator, periodically accesses the memory so as to sequentially select and read therefrom the incremental trajectory position signals. These incremental signals are fed as a desired position control signal to a servo amplifier, which receives a second input from a position transducer coupled to the movable member and provides an amplifier output to a servo motor and then to the member.

Abstract: An infra-red detecting device is mounted for turning movement about a vertical axis which lies in a plane which is substantially equi-distant from the centre-lines of two adjacent sections of the machine. The device is turned through an arc about the vertical axis between a first orientation, in which it receives radiation from a mould portion of a first of the sections which radiation is used to detect the temperature of the mould portion, and a second orientation, in which it receives radiation from a mould portion of the other section.