Control Responsive To Condition Sensing Means Patents (Class 65/160)
  • Publication number: 20020000102
    Abstract: A porous preform vitrification apparatus of the present invention, provided with a means for forcibly feeding nitrogen etc. from a furnace core tube to a discharge gas pipe so as to balance a pressure between a furnace core tube accommodating a porous preform and a heating furnace body surrounding this and so as to suppress pressure fluctuation in the furnace core tube to a minimum level, controlling the gas feed rate and discharge rate to the furnace core tube and the heating furnace body, and controlling the feed rate of the nitrogen from the furnace core tube to the discharge gas pipe based on a differential pressure signal of a pressure in the furnace core tube and a pressure in the heating furnace body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Applicant: THE FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yukio Kohmura
  • Patent number: 6321570
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for bending and tempering a sheet of glass heated to a formable state provides an improved rigid mold and pressing member for pressing the heated sheet against the rigid mold which cools and bends the sheet. The pressing member includes a conformable pressing element which permits a manifold to be positioned between the rigid mold and the pressing member to direct a gas to cool the heated sheet of glass during bending. The conformable pressing element is pressurized into a convex shape for initially pressing on a portion of the heated sheet and for rolling the heated sheet onto the rigid mold. The rigid mold and the conformable pressing element may each include a cover to increase the heat transfer from the heated sheet to the bending and tempering apparatus. Furthermore, the covers may have increased thermal conductivity in their peripheral regions for increased cooling of the edge of the sheet of glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Martin De Vries, Jr., Donald L. Bareman, Mervin Dirkse, Niels Alfred Olesen, James M. Beebe
  • Patent number: 6289697
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling rate of molten glass flow through a forehearth that includes a flume disposed in the forehearth for restricting the width of the forehearth to glass flow, such that there is a difference in level of molten glass in the forehearth upstream and downstream of the flume. Sensors measure the level of molten glass upstream and downstream of the flume, and a controller is responsive to the sensors for determining rate of molten glass flow through the forehearth as a function of a difference in molten glass level between the sensors. Rate of glass flow through the forehearth is controlled as a function of the difference in glass level across the flume as compared with a desired flow rate set by an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Perry, Michael T. Dembicki
  • Publication number: 20010007198
    Abstract: An I.S. machine has a blankmold which is open at the top and includes inner and outer annular top sealing surfaces. Associated with the blankmold is a baffle including a body having a cup shaped portion closed with a vertical cylindrical bore open at the bottom, an annular bottom sealing surface for sealingly engaging the blankmold outer annular top sealing surface, and a top having a hole. A tubular sleeve communicates with the hole and extends vertically upwardly from the top of the body. A piston has a cylindrical head including a top surface, a cylindrical sealing surface and an annular bottom sealing surface having a plurality of radial notch means across the bottom thereof. A tubular rod extends vertically upwardly from the top surface for slidable displacement in the tubular sleeve, and a collar is secured to the top of the rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Publication date: July 12, 2001
    Inventors: Frank Alan Fenton, Russell Bruce Gottlieb
  • Patent number: 6240746
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming glass sheets is provided wherein in a furnace structure of a heating furnace where molds with glass sheets carried thereon are intermittently conveyed, the staying period in the heating zone just before an annealing zone is variable, and the annealing zone includes a lifting device to separate a mold from a conveying device. By such arrangement, glass sheets having different shapes can be successively produced with a period for job change being greatly shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Maeda, Toshimi Yajima, Katsuki Saito, Yasuichi Ueno, Masaaki Konishi, Hiroshi Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 6237368
    Abstract: A method for regulating or controlling the content of NOx in the exhaust gases of a glass-melting furnace having several burners operated in alternation, wherein both the beginning and the end of a combustion break (FP+, FP−) are supplied to a binary signal generator (8) which passes a signal to a regulator (4) with a time delay and upon receipt of the time-regulator (4), and the amount of NH3 supplied to the denitrating plant is adjusted to a lower constant fixed value F1 via a control, and by means of a memory element (7) a higher constant fixed value F2 is calculated as amount of NH3 and supplied to the regulator (4), whereupon as soon as the regulator (4) has received the signal of the time-delayed end of a combustion break, the fixed value F1 is adjusted to the fixed value F2 via a control, and subsequently the regulation is directly continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans Beisswenger, Klaus Hasselwander, Hansjörg Herden, Gernot Mayer-Schwinning, Gurudas Samant, Peter Ludwig
  • Patent number: 6131412
    Abstract: A method and equipment for adjusting the temperature of glass sheets in a tempering furnace. The tempering furnace (1) comprises rollers (3) for conveying and oscillating the glass sheets (4) during heating, and resistors (5, 6) for heating the glass sheets (4) from above and from below. The temperature of the glass sheets (4) is measured inside the tempering furnace (1) during heating and the dwell time of the glass sheets (4) in the furnace is adjusted based on the temperature measurements. This enables exact control of the final temperature of the glass from the beginning, and the temperature can be kept uniform independently of the measures taken by the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Uniglass Engineering Oy
    Inventor: Jukka Vehmas
  • Patent number: 6085552
    Abstract: A mold opening and closing mechanism includes an aligning mechanism which has a horizontal mounting plate including a number of vertical openings for the number of molds, that is supported by a pair of spaced vertical uprights secured to the section frame top surface. A plurality of aligning cylinders are located in the vertical openings in the horizontal mounting plate and move parallel with the mold holder motion. Each cylinder includes surfaces configured to mate with the clamping surfaces of the mold holders. The axis of one of the aligning cylinders is held but not clamped at the theoretical centerline so it can move to the actual centerline when the mold holders are located at the advanced clamped closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Emhart Glass S.A.
    Inventors: Gary R. Voisine, Joseph C. Fasciano, David K. Hwang
  • Patent number: 6079230
    Abstract: The apparatus for preparing quartz micropipettes includes a pair of carriers mounted on a linear ball bearing guide which grasp opposite ends of a quartz glass capillary tube. A pair of miniature torches fueled by a mixture of oxygen and propane simultaneously heat a portion of the center of the capillary tube and an inverted U-shaped bar disposed between the torches in propinquity to the capillary tube. A cable having one end attached to one of the carriers and the other end attached to the core of a solenoid, the intermediate portion of the cable being wound around a pulley and attached to the second carrier, is used to pull the capillary tube in opposite directions as the tube softens. The cable is also wound around the axle of an optical encoder assembly which sends an electrical signal to a computer based upon either the distance or velocity at which the tubing is pulled apart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Inventor: Jian-Qiang Kong
  • Patent number: 5979191
    Abstract: An apparatus for melting materials is provided comprising a melter body having a batch injection portion including a batch inlet port, a batch melting portion including a batch melting chamber adapted to receive materials from said batch injection portion, and a molten materials delivery portion including a molten materials outlet port. At least one jet stream injection assembly injects a jet stream into said batch melting chamber. The jet stream comprises a fuel, an oxidant, and heated products of combustion and produces a vortex flow pattern in said batch melting chamber. Fuel and oxidant within said vortex flow pattern react to form laminar flamelets within said vortex flow pattern. The heat generated in the flamelets melts the materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Owens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Q. Jian
  • Patent number: 5951734
    Abstract: A semi-convective forced air system for heating glass sheets during a heating cycle. The system has a heating chamber, and a longitudinal conveyor extending lengthwise through the heating chamber. A plurality of longitidinally-extending air manifolds are located within the chamber and are in fluid connection with a compressed air source. The manifolds are arranged in at least one widthwise-extending column. Each of the manifolds are oriented parallel to the length of the conveyor and are constructed and arranged to create a downward flow of heated air toward the conveyor to convectively heat the entire length of selected widthwise portions of a sheet of glass on the conveyor. A controller supplies or restricts the flow of compressed air to selected manifolds within a column at predetermined times during the heating cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: TGL Tempering Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Friedel, Cliff Matukonis
  • Patent number: 5928399
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a chamber, the chamber including first and second glass substrates and an enclosure arranged between the substrates or an enclosure and at least one spacer arranged between the substrates. The apparatus includes a pair of heating plates, having heaters therein, for holding the glass substrates, a temperature controller for controlling the temperature of the heaters, a position alignment device for moving at least one of the pair of heating plates in X-, Y-, and .theta.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Yakou, Tomoyuki Kubota
  • Patent number: 5908483
    Abstract: A press head drive cylinder control having a force sensing, force signal providing load cell on the drive cylinder of a glass molding press. The glass molding press having a base, a mold table rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of mold positions on the table for locating from one to a plurality of molds thereon, at least one mold at a mold position, a press head, a press head tower, and a press head drive cylinder supporting the press head and being reciprocally mounted on the press head tower for movement of the press head to and from a mold aligned at a molding station. The press head drive cylinder control responds to force signals from the load cell to control the press head drive cylinder location, movement, and pressing force, during glass molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Lynch Machinery, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Hileman, deceased, Stanley E. Houston, Jr., Russell W. Roe
  • Patent number: 5904745
    Abstract: In an individual section (IS) glassware forming system that includes a plurality of operating mechanisms for performing cyclic motions, an electronic controller for controlling cyclic motion of at least one of the operating mechanisms includes an electronic memory for storing a plurality of motion profiles for the one operating mechanism, with each of the profiles including a set of motion data versus time data. Each of the profiles has a piecewise linear contour determined by a plurality of control points, with each of the control points having associated motion and time data values. The operator may selectively display one of the profiles as a table of time values for the control points, with the time values preferably being in units of IS machine degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory W. Nafziger, Jeffrey P. Henning
  • Patent number: 5895513
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Emhart Glass Machinery Investments Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Ciriello, Steven J. Pinkerton, Joseph A. Borbone, Douglas J. Roberts
  • Patent number: 5857358
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for bending a sheet of material heated to a formable, state such as glass, resinous polymeric material, viscoelastic material, and thermoplastic material, provides an improved pressing member for pressing the heated sheet against a first rigid mold which reduces the size of the buckles in the bent sheet, eliminates the need for a second rigid mold, reduces the process control steps, reduces the risk of damaging the rigid mold, increases the tolerances for the positioning of the sheet in the apparatus, and increases the range of application. The pressing member includes a flexible diaphragm which rolls the heated sheet against a rigid mold by first applying a pressure to a portion of the heated sheet and then radiating the pressure from that portion to the remaining surface area of the heated sheet in a rolling action. The bending apparatus includes a rigid mold and a flexible diaphragm pressurized into a convex shape for initially pressing on a portion of the heated sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Martin De Vries, Jr., Donald L. Bareman, Mervin Dirkse, Niels Alfred Olesen, James M. Beebe
  • Patent number: 5846282
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Emhart Glass Machinery Investments Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Pinkerton, Joseph A. Borbone, Marty J. Grant
  • Patent number: 5843201
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Emhart Glass Machinery Investments Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Borbone, Steven J. Pinkerton, Marty J. Grant
  • Patent number: 5841524
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring a moving filamentary product having a device for monitoring the centering of the filamentary product relative to the coating, and a device for monitoring the quality of the coating. The centering monitoring device includes two light sources positioned at 90.degree. to each other in a plane perpendicular to the filamentary product. The coating quality monitoring device includes an optical receiver disposed between the two light sources in the same plane, and at 45.degree. to each of them, to receive the light beams reflected by the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale D'Electricite
    Inventors: Bernard Floch, Didier Rolland
  • Patent number: 5800589
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Emhart Glass Machinery Investments Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Alan Gorski, Marty J. Grant
  • Patent number: 5800590
    Abstract: Controlled movement of the pneumatically operated plunger in the narrow neck press and blow process of manufacture of glass containers is achieved by use of a pressure regulating valve in the air supply to the plunger which determines the pressure supplied according to the magnitude of a control signal which is determined by set point means operating in response to timing pulses from a timing control of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Emhart Glass Machinery Investments Inc.
    Inventor: Ove Per Pilskar
  • Patent number: 5795364
    Abstract: A mixing method insures adequate mixing of gases in a glass furnace that employs a reburning process. Because of the mixing method, a novel glass furnace can be constructed that strikes an optimum balance between a reduction in nitrogen oxide (NO.sub.x) emissions and the cost of the reburn process, particularly, the number of requisite reburn and overfire air jets as well as reburn fuel. The glass furnace is constructed as follows. A combustion housing defines a primary zone for receiving combustible fuel, a reburn zone connected to the primary zone for receiving exhaust from the primary zone and reburn fuel to generate a first gas mixture. A burnout zone is connected to the reburn zone and receives the first gas mixture and overfire air to generate a second gas mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventors: Roy Payne, David K. Moyeda
  • Patent number: 5772719
    Abstract: A system for detecting and automatically adjusting the position of a plurality of burners with respect to the edges of a continuous glass sheet is provided. The glass sheet is transported by rolls along the length of a thermal treatment lehr. Sensor elements for sensing the edge of the glass sheet are attached conjointly with the burners in order to adjust the position of the burners. A programmable controller is coupled to the sensor elements in order to adjust the position of the burners in accordance with the position of the sensor elements at the edge of the glass sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Vidrio Plano de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
    Inventors: Manuel Alarcon-Lopez, Lenin Roman-Gomez, Rafael Jorge Rojas-Cortes, Victor Enciso-Aguilar, Severino Islas-Sanchez, Jose Carlos Montes-Juarez
  • Patent number: 5746800
    Abstract: A glass making apparatus adapted to deposit a lubricating/detaching layer of carbon black obtained from acetylene cracking on the internal walls of a blank mold (1, 18). The glass making apparatus includes a blank mold (1, 18) having an open top and an open bottom (10); a collar (6) sized, shaped, and positioned to selectively plug the open bottom (10) of the blank mold (1, 18) during a glass forming process and to disengage from the open bottom (10) of the blank mold (1, 18) during a blank mold sooting process; a ring (7) disposed in the collar (6); a plunger (8, 14) sized, shaped, and positioned to selectively move up into the collar (6) and down out of the collar (6); and a sleeve (9) surrounding the plunger (8, 14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Avir Finanziaria S.p.A.
    Inventor: Morettin Ambrogio
  • Patent number: 5716425
    Abstract: A closed loop control system for a hydraulically actuated glass sheet press bending platen. Flow of fluid supplied to the cylinder operating the press platen is controlled through a servo solenoid valve. A linear motion transducer associated with the platen and sends appropriate signals to a programmable motion controller. The motion controller controls a position module operatively coupled to a servo solenoid valve which regulates the flow of hydraulic fluid from a pump to the cylinder. The motion controller utilizes data from the linear motion transducer for making necessary corrections to insure that the platen cycles precisely in accordance with a predetermined program. In a second embodiment of the invention, the closed loop control system for the hydraulically operated platen is combined with a precision control of a variable speed glass sheet conveyor means for improved registry of the glass sheet being bent with the platen member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Libbey-Owens-Ford Co.
    Inventors: Jennifer R. Wolfe, Allan T. Enk, Robert G. Revells, Gary A. Smith
  • Patent number: 5707414
    Abstract: A plunger mechanism for forming a hollow article of glass in a "narrow neck press and blow" operation which utilizes an electro servo-driven leadscrew to actuate it. A position sensing resolver is used to determine the position of the plunger over the full range of its stroke, and the position information can be used as feedback to control the position of the plunger prior to contacting a molten gob of glass in a mold chamber. The depth of the plunger penetration into the molten gob is then controlled by the pressing pressure, which is a function of motor torque and screw mechanics. It is possible to control the pressure exerted on the molten glass gob by controlling the torque applied by the motor. A separate gob weight controller is not required because changes in gob weight can be determined by closely monitoring the plunger penetration of the gob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventor: D. Wayne Leidy
  • Patent number: 5697996
    Abstract: A mold positioning apparatus which is used in a pressing apparatus for pressing a work by a plunger and a bottom mold, comprising keys and key guides which are provided on a plunger and a bottom mold, and which are engaged together to restrict a relative position between the plunger and the bottom mold; means for shaking at least one of the plunger and the bottom mold in clearance between the key and the key guide while keeping the key and the key guide in engagement; means for measuring a movable range of the at least one of the plunger and the bottom mold during the shaking; a device for calculating a relative position between the key and the key guide and the relative position between the plunger and the bottom mold based on the measured movable range; and means for adjusting the plunger and the bottom mold in a range of the clearance of the key and the key guide based on the calculation to carry out positioning therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Tsuda
  • Patent number: 5697995
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventors: D. Wayne Leidy, Derek W. Shinaberry
  • Patent number: 5667551
    Abstract: A secondary air humidity controller comprising a humidity sensor which detects a humidity in secondary air for combustion in a glass melting furnace; and a humidifier which is arranged upstream of the humidity sensor, and which supplies moisture to the secondary air so that an output from the humidity sensor reaches a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Todoriki, Ichiro Terao
  • Patent number: 5667549
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed to automatically lift the curtains of the exit hood of a machine for the production of float flat glass by the floating process. A light beam emitter is provided for a light beam which strikes the surface of the glass ribbon, being formed, and is reflected by that surface. A light beam receptor receives the light beam reflected by the surface of the glass ribbon and provides a signal representative of the absence or deviation of the reflected light beam should there be a break in the glass ribbon. A controller receives the signal representative of the absence or deviation of the reflected light beam, and provides operating signals to the actuators of the i) curtain lifting mechanism, ii) reheating system, iii) glass edge follower mechanism and iv) alarm of the glass ribbon forming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Vidrio Plano de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
    Inventors: Manuel Alarcon-Lopez, Lenin Roman-Gomez, Rafael-Jorge Rojas-Cortes, Victor-Octavio Enciso-Aguilar
  • Patent number: 5662723
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a decorative pattern on glassware having an edge that includes a base, a forming tool, actuation means and control means. The forming tool is mounted on the base. The tool is moveable between a first position and a second position. The tool engages the edge of the glassware at the second position to form the decorative pattern on the edge. The actuation and control means move the tool from the first position to the second position. The method of the invention includes the steps of (a) moving the glassware along a predetermined path; (b) heating the edge; and (c) engaging the edge with a forming tool as the tool is being moved along the predetermined path to form the decorative pattern on the edge of the glassware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Libbey Glass Inc.
    Inventor: Robert R. Dickens
  • Patent number: 5660610
    Abstract: A needle assembly (30) for controlling the flow of molten glass from a feeder bowl (76) through one or more orifices (84) in an orifice plate (86) beneath the feeder bowl. The needle assembly includes a vertical needle (32) for each orifice and each needle is precisely adjustable along its vertical axis by a stepper motor (34). The stepper motor for each needle is positioned remotely from the needle and drives the needle through a potentiometer (72) and a linkage mechanism (36). Each linkage mechanism includes a generally horizontally extending member (38), a vertically extending member (40), and a bevel gear drive (88) to permit the generally horizontally extending ember to drive the vertically extending member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventors: Frank J. DiFrank, John M. Slifco, Francis R. Morrison
  • Patent number: 5644227
    Abstract: A piston rod (2) of a piston-cylinder unit (3) carries at the top a pressing plunger (not shown) of a glass forming machine and is guided in a guide sleeve (22). The guide sleeve (22) is seated in a magnetically conductive support sleeve (20) of a retaining flange (14). The support sleeve (20) carries an external coil (27) whose connecting wires (30) are guided outwardly to a plug socket (37). On the top of the piston (6) is fixed an internal flange (39) of a circular annular metallic actuating member (40). At the uppermost end of the pressing stroke of the piston (6) the actuating member (40) enters into an annular chamber (29) around the coil (27) and thereby changes the inductance of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: The Firm Hermann Heye
    Inventor: Gerhard Geisel
  • Patent number: 5611834
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for controlling the free deformation of thermoplastic material in an automated process for processing the material to form articles. These articles are especially ampules, small bottles and the like produced from glass tubes. In this method, in order to obtain a high dimensional accuracy of the article, a corrective action is carried out by applying heat to the starting material in the deformation region in the heating phase. This corrective action takes place in dependence on a desired-value/actual-value comparison of the deformation of a workpiece achieved in a predetermined working step. In order to exclude interference influences in the development of the deformation, the measurement of the deformation achieved, the desired-value/actual-value comparison and the corrective action are carried out in situ on one and the same workpiece during shaping of the deformation in the heating phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Schott Rohrglas GmbH
    Inventors: Claus Walter, Paul Schmitz
  • Patent number: 5609659
    Abstract: A cyclical machine for forming at least one glass container each machine cycle comprising a plurality of controllers for controlling regulators and/or profiled motion actuators, at least one displaceable structure, controllers controlling the operation of all the other controllers, each of the controllers including repetitive sequencer and operable in any of a plurality of states, the one controller determines the critical time when each of the states should begin, and instructs each of the other controllers to begin any of the states at the associated determined critical time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Emhart Glass Machinery Investments Inc.
    Inventors: George T. Peterson, Timothy J. Liska, Can Nguyen, John W. McDevitt, Kevin N. O'Connor, George J. Collins
  • Patent number: 5609663
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing glass and plastic containers is disclosed which has at least two computers connected by a network or more than one network. Each computer has a local virtual network process which establishes a connection with the other node, notifies that other node when its database(s) are open or closed and establishes a connection of its own database(s) so that a node can transparently communicate with any other node on its network or on any connected network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Emhart Glass Machinery Investments Inc.
    Inventors: Can Nguyen, Timothy J. Liska
  • Patent number: 5597396
    Abstract: A robot carries a swabbing member to a position of each mold to rub the swabbing member against each one of the molds. The swabbing member feeds a swabbing agent to the surface of each mold where it comes in contact with, and rubs the agent thereinto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Yamamura Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanehiro Tohjo
  • Patent number: 5573570
    Abstract: A parallel shear apparatus (10) for sequentially shearing each of a plurality of streams of molten glass (A,B,C, D) from a glass feeder into gobs for processing into glass containers by a glass forming machine. The apparatus (10) has first and second opposed carriages (12, 14) which are reciprocable along parallel slides (16, 18, 20) toward and away from one another, each of the carriages carrying one or more opposed knife elements (32a, etc., 34a, etc.), corresponding to the number of streams of molten glass, and the opposed knife elements (32a, 34a, etc.) overlap at the innermost limits of their travel to perform the shearing action. Motion of the carriages (12, 14) is actuated by a unidirectionally acting servo motor (36), which imparts oscillating motion to a bell crank (22) through a connecting rod (46).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventors: D. Wayne Leidy, Carl E. Denlinger
  • Patent number: 5545244
    Abstract: A control for a glass forming machine having at least one controlled mechanism which will generate position feedback signals representative of its position, comprising control profile means for generating a profile for each mechanism to be controlled, means for transforming the profile either into control signals for the mechanisms to be controlled or into simulated position feedback signals, a screen, and display means for receiving either the position feedback signals or the simulated position feedback signals and for generating display signals for the screen, and means for commanding operation either in a machine mode wherein the transforming means will transform the profile into the control signals and the display means will receive feedback position signals from the controlled mechanisms or in a simulation mode wherein the transforming means will transform the profile into the simulated feedback position signals and the display means will receive the simulated positoin feedback signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Emhart Inc.
    Inventor: David K. Hwang
  • Patent number: 5512077
    Abstract: A test apparatus for measuring operating characteristics of a position sensor coupled to a parison mold plunger for glass gob weight control in a press-and-blow individual section glassware manufacturing machine includes circuitry for connection to the sensor to provide a signal as a function of electrical characteristics thereof, a switch network for selecting among a plurality of differing electrical characteristics to be measured, and a display responsive to the sensor signal for displaying the selected and measured electrical characteristic of the sensor to an operator. The measurement circuitry includes a measurement bridge for measuring resistance characteristics of the sensor, and an amplifier circuit for measuring sensor output as a function of position of the plunger. The switch network selectively connects the sensor signal to the measurement bridge and amplifier circuit in differing modes of operation of the test apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventor: Mathias P. Welker
  • Patent number: 5486221
    Abstract: Opposed shear assemblies are conjointly driven via a rack and pinion assembly by a servo motor which follows a displacement profile. When the cycle rate exceeds a selected limit the profile is scaled to reduce peak motor velocity and a shorter stroke is defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Emhart Glass Machinery Investments Inc.
    Inventors: Marty J. Grant, Steven J. Pinkerton
  • Patent number: 5480467
    Abstract: A device for treating glassware and crystalware articles driven in rotation about an axis of rotation, which includes a mandrel upon which the articles is rotatably mounted. The device includes one of a heating source and a cooling source movable along a direction parallel to the treatment plane, and a data recording system having a control unit for storing and handling the data measured by a sensor relating to the angular position of each glassware or crystalware article. An intersection sensor is included to measure the distance between the external wall of each article and the heating mechanism. Further, a command unit controls the displacement and the location of the one movable heating and cooling source during treatment of the rotating article so as that a substantially constant spacing between the heating mechanism and the rotating articles is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Etablissements Biebuyck S.A.
    Inventor: Leon Biebuyck
  • Patent number: 5437702
    Abstract: A glass bottle production line comprising a bottle mold which has a plurality of mold cavities arranged in a predetermined order for forming bottles from glass parisons and for transferring the bottles to a conveyor in a predetermined sequence corresponding to the predetermined order of the mold cavities. The conveyor has a hot end portion and a cold end portion for receiving bottles from the bottle mold at an elevated temperature at the hot end portion and conveying the bottles to the cold end portion. A hot bottle inspector located at a fixed inspection station along the conveyor at the hot end portion non-touchingly inspects the bottles as the bottles are conveyed past the inspection station by the conveyor. A mold transfer signal and bottle detection signal are processed to determine the mold cavity used to produce the bottle detected at the inspector's station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Assignee: Coors Brewing Company
    Inventors: John W. Burns, Dennis R. Erickson, Jack D. McKeehan, James A. Gulka
  • Patent number: 5425794
    Abstract: A machine for forming glass containers from discrete gobs of molten glass comprising a mechanism displaceable between retracted and advanced position. A pneumatic actuator having upper and lower chambers controlled by a servo pneumatic valve controller, controls the displacement of the pneumatic actuator. A position lead based upon the actual position of the mechanism is calculated and differenced with a position demand to define a position delta. A position lag is calculated based on the position delta. The pressures within the upper and lower chambers are sensed and based thereon a force representative of the force being applied to the piston is calculated and differenced with the position lag to define a force error and a lag force is calculated based on the force error. The servo pneumatic valve controller is driven with the lag force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Emhart Glass Machinery Investments Inc.
    Inventors: Dean K. Frederick, Joseph L. Lehman, James R. Pettingell
  • Patent number: 5417733
    Abstract: Asymmetric stress in the tip of a polarization-maintaining optical fiber is measured using the photoelastic effect to determine the fiber polarization axes of two fibers appointed to be joined. The fibers are rotated to align their respective polarization axes and are joined together. A single polarization-maintaining optical fiber is thereby produced in an accurate, reliable, and time and cost efficient manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Inventor: Laurence N. Wesson
  • Patent number: 5405424
    Abstract: A molten glass gob distributor for a glass container manufacturing system that includes a plurality of gob discharges and a plurality of scoops for receiving gobs from each such discharge and distributing the gobs among a plurality of troughs leading to associated molds in an IS machine. Each scoop is mounted to rotate about a fixed axis with the upper end remaining positioned beneath the associated gob discharge while the lower end swings through an arc adjacent to the associated troughs. A plurality of electric servo motors are individually coupled to each associated scoop for selectively and individually rotating the scoops. The electric motors are connected to servo motor controllers for synchronizing operation of the motors and rotation of the scoops to each other and to operation of the forming machine. The motor controllers synchronize operation of each motor by means of a synchronizing input from the forming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard D. Steffan, D. Wayne Leidy
  • Patent number: 5383948
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for cracking off glass attached to, or comprising a portion of, the constricted end (neck) of the glass funnel component of a glass cathode ray tube and thereafter sealing a replacement glass neck component to the funnel component. A gauge and sensor mechanism are used to produce a signal representative of the location of a defined plane through the funnel. This signal is sent to a central processing unit which controls the apparatus so that the cracking off of the old neck and subsequent sealing of the new neck take place at that defined plane. In this way, the individual method steps are integrated into an automated process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Lance P. Muir
  • Patent number: 5306324
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for bending and tempering a glass sheet. A glass sheet is supported by one and the same ring mould (3) throughout all its working operations. Following the preheating of a glass sheet from a temperature of about 500.degree. C., its heating to a final bending and tempering temperature is effected at a high output and rate of speed. For example, on 4 mm thick glass, this final heating is performed within a period of time of 15-25 s. Therefore, the temperature of bending station is 800.degree.-1000.degree. C. Since rapidly heating glass bends quickly, the bending flexure or temperature of glass is monitored and the glass is advanced to tempering as soon as a predetermined bending flexure or temperature is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Tamglass Engineering Oy
    Inventors: Jukka H. Vehmas, Juha Paavola
  • Patent number: 5305224
    Abstract: A fuzzy controller is provided which enables even an unskilled operator to easily adjust various conditions in a glass pipe sealing process. The fuzzy controller has a fuzzy control processor including an image processing unit for processing and calculating image information as a softened state change value of the glass pipe and a combustion state value of burner flame, and a fuzzy control processing unit for calculating and outputting, by receiving a result of this calculation, a suitable control value for controlling parameters relating to the burner flame by fuzzy inference. The fuzzy controller may further has a fuzzy diagnosis support processor which, if there is an abnormality in the sealed portion of the glass pipe and if the state of the glass pipe after sealing is input to the manipulation instruction data input support processor by the operator, automatically ascertains the cause of the abnormality by using fuzzy inference and displays it on a CRT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Genshiryoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Iwasaki Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Hishida, Terukuni Yokoyama, Yoshihiro Atsumi, Motonobu Masui, Yasuo Ban
  • Patent number: 5284502
    Abstract: An automatic, rotary, glass-making press comprises a base, a rotary table mounted for rotation on the base, and glass-forming mechanisms on the table and base, for formation of glass articles at work stations around the press. A rotator is mounted for rotation to the base, and a drive pin is mounted to the rotator. The drive pin is advanced and retracted into engagement and out of engagement with the table. A rotator drive drives the rotator in reciprocating rotation, and includes opposed hydraulic drive and cushion cylinders mounted between the base and the rotator. The drive cylinder advances the rotator; the cushion cylinder cushions the advance, and returns the rotator to starting position. The drive and cushion cylinders are trunnion mounted to the base, for arcuate motion of the rods of the cylinders during rotary motion of the rotator. A control co-ordinates the advance and retraction of the drive pin and the drive and return of the rotator, for incremental forward advances of the press rotary table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Lynch Machinery - Miller Hydro
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Hileman, Nile Limbaugh