Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a press forming machine for glass optical devices which is superior in the temperature uniformity and has a low manufacturing cost. An upper die is fixed to a lower end of a fixed shaft, and a lower die is fixed to an upper end of a moving shaft. The upper die and the lower die are accommodated in a quartz tube, and a forming chamber in which atmosphere adjustment is possible is formed inside the quartz tube. An infrared lamp unit is arranged so as to surround the quartz tube. The infrared lamp unit is constituted by a plurality of straight tube type infrared lamps each of which has a vertical axis, and a reflecting mirror is arranged behind each infrared lamp. In this example, straight tube type infrared lamps are used in the infrared lamp unit.

Abstract: A plunger assembly (10) for a glass container forming machine of the I.S. type, the plunger assembly having a plunger (12) that is open it one end and is non-threadably secured at its open end to a free end of an annular cylinder rod (14) that operates to reciprocate the plunger relative to a blank mold of the forming machine. A perforated cooling air inlet tube (20) is positioned within the plunger, and the free end of the air inlet tube is held against a free end of an annular extension (22) of the cylinder rod, an opposed end of which is threadably received in the cylinder rod, by a split locking ring (30) an inwardly facing recess (36, 38) of which traps a radially outwardly extending flange (40) of the plunger to axially position the plunger relative to the split ring. The split ring abuts an endless ring (24) and is axially positioned thereagainst by a flange (44, 46) of the split ring that is received in a recess (42) of the extension.

Abstract: A spray device which is provided with a nozzle for spraying a lubricant is arranged in proximity to a bottom mold and/or a plunger, and the nozzle is operated and controlled by a control device to spray the lubricant on a mold surface of the bottom mold and/or the plunger.

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.

Abstract: In the press-molding method for producing molded glass bodies, the molding plug remains in contact with the molded glass body in the mold after the molding process until the regions close to the surface have cooled to a temperature at which the molded body at least temporarily possesses sufficient inherent stability to be removed from the mold. To prevent re-heating of the regions near the surface from causing undesirable deformation of the molded glass body, the body is transferred to a cooling station after being removed from the press mold. With this method, the waiting period during which the molded glass body is in the mold is minimized, so this mold is available for another molding process after a very short time. The capability of a glass-molding apparatus operated according to the method of the invention is thus increased.

Abstract: A plunger supporting mechanism includes a bottom mold into which a gob is loaded; a plunger which is arranged above the bottom mold, and which is lowered to pressure the gob in the bottom mold to press the gob into a glass product, the plunger having an upper portion provided with a flange; a floating unit which supports the flange in a floating manner to support the plunger so as to be movable in a horizontal direction; and a press machine for raising and lowering the plunger through the floating unit; wherein the floating unit is supported so as to be tiltable with respect to the press machine, or the plunger is supported so as to be tiltable with respect to the flange.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pressing glass articles. A single mold may be utilized for each article being pressed. The plunger has a ring-like member movably attached thereto. After pressing, when the plunger is retracted from the plunger, the plunger retains the glass article thereon. The ring-like member is then lowered relative to the plunger, thereby removing the pressed article therefrom.

Abstract: A forming method of a glass product includes the steps of successively setting female press-molds on a gob feeding stage; feeding gob to the female press-molds at the gob feeding stage at predetermined intervals; successively transferring the female press-molds fed with the gob to a press-forming stage; press-forming the gob into a glass product at the press-forming stage; and removing the press-formed glass product at a product removing stage.

Abstract: In a method of and an apparatus for manufacturing a plurality of kinds of glass molding articles, a plurality of processing compartments are arranged in order of processing steps. The compartments have their functions which process glass materials to be molded which are accommodated respectively in a plurality of molds and which are different in processing condition from each other. The functions are different in property from each other. Each of the compartments is divided into a plurality of processing chambers having their functions which process the glass materials. The functions of the processing chambers of the compartment are identical in property with each other but different in condition from each other. The molds remain respectively in the processing chambers for a predetermined period of time. The molds are successively moved to their respective subsequent processing chambers to process the glass materials to form the glass molding articles.

Abstract: An improved mechanism for securing a parison molding cone atop the plunger shaft of a glass container-moulding machine. A one piece collar is secured to the head of the shaft by a bayonet tongue-and-groove assembly. The collar has a crenulated inwardly projecting flange around its upper rim. The base of the molding cone has an outwardly projecting crenulated flange around its lower rim. The flanges of each part are shaped and dimensioned to mesh together, thus allowing the flanged part of the base to be inserted into the top section on the collar then rotated into a locking position. Two spring-loaded locking members mounted into the collar engage recesses in the flange of the molding cone in order to prevent rotation of the molding cone away from its engaged position. A locking pin located in a vertical channel in the collar when forced down by the cone engages a recess or groove in the shaft and is locked there permanently by the cone while it remains in its engaged position.

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.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a glass product which comprises: a single glass gob feeding device for feeding a glass gob to a mold for forming a formed body; a press forming device for press forming the glass gob into the formed body of a predetermined shape; a formed body removing device; a plurality of carrier means on which the mold is loaded; and a transfer means for transferring and circulating the carrier means on which the mold is loaded in an order of the glass gob feeding device, the press forming device, the formed body removing device, and back to the glass gob feeding device; wherein, assuming a path is defined as a path for transferring and circulating the carrier means by the transfer means, a single path or a plurality of paths is or are provided for the single glass gob feeding device.

Abstract: A molding machine having a plunger replacement apparatus is disclosed. Molding operation of the molding machine for a plunger requiring replacement is only discontinued, and the plunger requiring replacement is taken out to a plunger replacing position through a reciprocating mechanism. Moving yokes are locked by locking mechanisms to fixed yokes at the pressing and plunger replacing positions. The position of the plunger is always held constant during the process of replacement at the plunger replacing position and also when the plunger is returned to the pressing position. When the plunger requiring replacement is taken out in a plunger replacing position, molding operation for the molding machine is continued by using the remaining plungers, thereby minimizing possible drop in molding operation productivity and preventing undesirable changes in temperature distribution conditions.

Abstract: A glass face plate press is provided with a semi-automatic, plunger changing apparatus. The changing apparatus takes the form of a movable plunger supporting head and carriage that is mounted adjacent the press station for movement into and out of position to insert a new plunger on the plunger clamping mechanism of the press. The press has a receiving box into which a plunger support plate is inserted prior to clamping and locking of the plate and supported plunger to the press.

Abstract: In an apparatus for molding glass articles, a plurality of processing chambers including a heating chamber, a press chamber and a cooling chamber are arranged in order along a predetermined circular transport path. The processing chambers are surrounded by a case within a furnace body. A rotary table is driven for intermittent rotation about an axis thereof. The transport path extends in concentric relation to the axis of the rotary table. The rotary table extends radially outwardly to a position below the case. A plurality of sample mounts are mounted on the rotary table and are arranged along the transport path in spaced relation to each other. The sample mounts extend into the processing chambers through a slit formed in a bottom wall of the case. A plurality of molds each having accommodated therein a glass preform to be molded are mounted respectively on the sample mounts.

Abstract: In a press-molding device for lenses, an upper surface of a drag is formed into a molding surface, and a lower surface of a cope is formed into a molding surface. An inner peripheral surface of a guide mold portion is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the drag, and has an axial length longer than that of the outer peripheral surface of the drag so that the inner peripheral surface extends upwardly from the molding surface of the drag. The cope is capable of sliding along the inner peripheral surface. A pressure plate is in contact with an upper surface of the cope before pressing, and is abutted against the upper surface of the guide mold portion by the pressing. A glass preform to be molded is arranged between the molding surfaces of the respective cope and drag. The cope is pressed from above through the pressure plate, thereby molding the glass preform to a lens. The guide mold portion may be divided into a pair of upper and lower portions.

Abstract: A cathode ray tube faceplate press having an indexing table rotatable around a column normal to the table and having circular array of female molds concentric with the column. Index speed of the table is optimized by a barrel cam drive cut to provide smooth acceleration and deceleration which can be tolerated by the molten glass in the molds. A cam dwell precisely registers the table work stations avoiding the need for register pins and the delays they introduce. Acceleration and deceleration peak at about the one-eighth and seven-eighths position of the drive cycle following a generally sinusodial form.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for pressforming an article of a thermoplastic material. In accordance with the method a charge of molten material is deposited in a mould (14) and the central axis of a pressing plunger (18) and the mould (14) are aligned, after high a pressing operation is performed, the alignment being interrupted just before the end of the pressing operation. The apparatus comprises a frame (2), a mould (14) and a plunger (18), which plunger (18) is connected to a guide mechanism (22) which is movably connected to the frame (2) and which can be coupled rigidly to the mould (14) by coupling means (52).

Abstract: A variable index molding press having a mold table rotatably placed on a base including a plurality of mold positions on the table for locating various numbers of molds thereon with molding means on the base for cooperating successively with one or all of the molds on the said table at a molding station, table drive means for rotating the table, electronic index control means connected to the drive table means and the molding means including a digital computer programmed for number, type and spacing of the molds, molding times for controlling and synchronizing the molding and the table rotation and a time signal source adapted to generate time representative signals to the computer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing glass bottles, is characterized by the forming of an air curtain to cover a plunger of the apparatus so as to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the plunger, a phenomenon which is the cause of decreasing the impact strength of glass bottles and which, therefore, makes it difficult to produce thin-walled glass bottles.