GB2114302A - Indicating the relative degree positioning between and/or the frequency of mechanisms in a glassware forming machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Pulse generators are connected to those forming mechanisms to be monitored. A clock pulse source generates three hundred and sixty clock pulses for each machine cycle and the pulse generators generate one reset pulse for every 360 DEG of monitored forming means cycle. A switch means is provided for selecting the outputs of two of the pulse generators to be compared. The pulses generated by these selected generators are fed to a counter/display circuit having three inputs. A clock input receives the clock pulses generated by the clock pulse source. A clear input receives the reset pulse from the first selected generator. An enable input receives the reset pulse from the second selected generator. The counter/ display circuit counts the number of clock pulses received between the clear and enable pulses. The number of counted clock pulses represents the relative degree positioning between the selected forming mechanisms and can be displayed on a digital visual display. Alternatively, the counter/display circuit can receive pulses from a real time clock circuit and a selected forming operation generator to generate a display of operation per unit time, such as bottles per minute.

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to apparatus for indicating the relative degree positioning between and/or the frequency of mechanisms in a machine such as a glassware forming machine The present invention relates in general to machine timing indicating mechanisms and in particular to apparatus for indicating the relative degree positioning between mechanisms of a glassware forming machine.

The individual section (IS) glassware forming machine is well known and includes a plurality of sections, each having means for forming glassware articles in a timed predetermined sequence of steps. Typically, the sections are fed from a single source of molten glass. The source forms gobs of molten glass which are distributed to the individual sections. The sections are operated in synchronism at a relative phase difference such that the section is receiving a gob while another section is delivering a finished glassware article to a conveyor and one or more other sections are performing various ones of the intermediate forming steps.

Typically, machine timing is expressed in degrees and a machine cycle is 360 in length. The cycle for each individual section is also 360 , but the cycles for each of the sections will be offset from the start of the machine cycle by different numbers of degrees to compensate for the difference in gob delivery time to each section. The beginning and ending of the various forming operations in each section can thus be expressed in terms of degrees of section cycle. Once determined, the relative degree positioning between the beginnings of any two particular forming operations should remain generally constant throughout the operation of the machine.

The forming means in each individual section are typically operated by pneumatic motors or actuators. In early prior art machines, these pneumatic motors are controlled by a valve block which, in turn, is controlled by a timing drum. The timing drum for each section is driven from a line shaft which synchronizes all parts of the machine. Manually adjustable cams are positioned on the timing drum for actuating the valves in the valve block. Relative timing between the various forming means in each section can be adjusted by loosening, moving, and tightening the cams as the drum rotates.

Later prior art machines utilize an electronic control means to synchronize the operation of the individual sections. The electronic control means includes a master unit which is reponsive to a clock pulse generator and to a reset pulse generator, both of which are driven by a line shaft. The master unit generates reset signals to a separate control circuit for each of the individual sections. Each control circuit includes a pulse counter responsive to the clock pulses and the reset pulses for counting the degrees of the section cycle. Each individual circuit includes forty-eight three-decade thumbwheel switches for setting the degree of rotation of the machine thereon at which associated control signals are generated.

Thus, each particular function of the glassware forming cycle is controlled by one of the thumbwheel switches. Such a control system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Specification No.

3,762,907.

One prior art attempt to improve the operation of the IS glassware forming machine involves the use of position, temperature, and pressure sensors. There is disclosed in U.S.

Patent Specification No. 4,108,623 an electronic control system in which the initiation of each forming cycle is determined by a shear cut sensor. A temperature sensor senses the passage of a gob into a blank mold to trigger the actuation of the parison forming mechanisms. A pressure sensor senses the commencement of the parison forming operation within the blank mold to trigger the remaining program of the forming cycle. A real time clock generates a time base and the controller compares the actual forming times as indicated by the sensor signals with stored information to check the operation of the machine.

It has been found desirable to monitor the relative degree positioning of various forming mechanisms within an individual section of a glassware forming machine to aid the operator in aligning the mechanisms. There are presently two systems known in the art for accomplishing this. One system is a synchro system which utilizes a plurality of synchros.

A synchro is a small motor-like device containing a stator and a rotor which is capable of transforming an angular-position input into an electrical output. Each synchro is mounted on a particular forming mechanism to be monitored. The electrical output of the synchros can be compared to determine the relative degree positioning between the monitored forming mechanisms. A synchro monitoring system is simple and easy to install and maintain. However, the synchro system does not operate accurately when the glassware forming machine is operated at high speeds.

The other monitoring system known in the art is an induction resolver system, wherein an induction resolver is mounted on each of the glassware forming mechanisms to be monitored. A resolver is an electro-mechanical transducing device which develops an output voltage proportional to the product of an input voltage and the sine of the shaft angle. Although the induction resolver system is very accurate even when the glassware forming machine is operated at high speeds, such a system is very complex and, hence, is difficult and expensive to repair.

According to one feature of the present invention an apparatus for indicating the relative positioning between the beginnings of cycles of forming means in a glassware form- ing machine including at least two forming means for forming glassware in a timed predetermined cycle of forming operations, each forming means having a cycle beginning at a predetermined position in the machine cycle, comprises a source of clock pulses at a frequency proportional to the cycle speed of the machine, first pulse generator means responsive to one of the forming means for generat ing reset pulses representing the cycle position of said one forming means, second pulse generating means responsive to another of t forming means for generating reset pulses representing the cycle position of said another forming means, means responsive to said clock and reset pulses for determining the number of said clock pulses received between the receipt of one od said reset pulses from said first pulse generator and the receipt of one of said reset pulses from said second pulse generator, and means responsive to said determining means for displaying an indication of the relative positioning between the beginnings of the two forming means cycles.

According to another feature of the present invention an apparatus for indicating the relative positioning between cycles of two forming means in a glassware forming machine including a plurality of forming means for forming glassware in a timed predetermined cycle of forming operations, each forming means having a cycle beginning at a predetermined position in the machine cycle, comprises a source of clock pulses at a predetermined frequency, pulse generating means responsive to each of the forming means for generating timing pulses representing the cycle position of the associated one of the forming means, switch means for detecting a first and a second of said pulse generating means, means responsive to said selected pulse generating means for determining the number of clock pulses received from said source of clock pulses between the receipt of a timing pulse generated by said first pulse generating means and the receipt of a timing pulse generated by said second pulse generating means, and means responsive to said determining means for displaying said determined number of clock pulses as an indication of the relative positioning between the two selected forming means.

The present invention provides a simple and accurate apparatus for monitoring the relative degree positioning between the various mechanisms of an individual section glassware forming machine. Pulse generators such as proximity switches, pulse encoders, or similar timing interfaces are connected to those forming mechanisms which are desired to be monitored. For example, such generators can be connected to the feeder, scoop, and swee pout forming mechanisms as well as to the machine for monitoring the overall machine forming cycle. The pulse encoders generate three hundred and sixty clock pulses and one reset pulse for every 360"of monitored operation cycle whereas the proximity switches only generate the reset pulses.A switch means is provided for selecting two of the generators to determine the relative degree positioning between the associated selected forming mechanisms.

The pulses generated by the selected encoders are fed to a counter/display circuit. The counter/display circuit has three inputs. The clock input receives clock pulses generated by the machine cycle encoder or a clock source representing the machine forming cycle. The start input receives the rest pulse from the first selected machine operation pulse generator while the stop input receives the reset pulse from the second selected machine operation pulse generator. The counter/display circuit counts the number of clock pulses between the receipt of the start and stop input pulses. The number of counted clock pulses represents the relative degree positioning between the selected forming mechanism and can be displayed on a digital visual display.

If the relative degree positioning between monitored forming operations has changed from a predetermined value, an operator can either advance or retard one or more of the operations to obtain a desired relative positioning.

Alternatively, the counter/display circuit can receive pulses from a real time clock circuit and a selected operation pulse generator to generate a display of operations per unit time, such as bottles per minute.

Thus, according to a further feature of the present invention, an apparatus for indicating the frequency of at least one of the machine cycles and the forming means cycles in a glassware forming machine, including a plurality of forming means for forming a glassware in a timed predetermined cycle of forming operations, each forming means having a cycle beginning at a predetermined position in the machine cycle, comprises a source of clock pulses at a frequency proportional to one of the machine cycle and the forming means cycles, timing circuit means for generating first and second pulses at predetermined time intervals, means responsive to said clock and reset pulses for determining the number of said clock pulses received between the receipt of one of said first reset pulses and the receipt of one of said second reset pulses, and means responsive to said determining means for displaying an indication of the frequency of said one of the machine-cycle and the forming means cycles.

The present invention will be further de scribed by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of one type of glassware forming machine incorporating the present invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram of another type of glassware forming machine incorporating the present invention; and Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of a relative degree position indicator in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a block diagram of a glassware forming machine which is more fully described in U.S. Patent Specification Nos.

4,145,204 and 4,145,205. An individual section (IS) glassware forming machine 10 has a plurality of individual sections (not shown) which receive gobs of molten glass from a gob distributor 1 2 which, in turn, receives the gobs from a gob feeder 14. The gob distributor 1 2 and the gob feeder 14 are mechanically driven by a pair of drive motors 1 6 and 18, respectively, both of which are connected to a supply of variable frequency power such as generated by an inverter drive 20.

Each individual section is associated with a valve block, which valve blocks are designed with the reference numeral 22. Each valve block is connected to a plurality of glassware forming means in the individual section for actuating the forming means in a timed predetermined sequence of steps to form glassware articles from the gobs supplied by the gob distributor 12. The valves in the valve blocks are actuated by solenoids (not shown) which are controlled by a machine control circuit 24. The machine control circuit 24 determines the timed sequence of forming steps in accordance with a stored predetermined sequence of steps and timing clock signals generated by a timing circuit 26.

The machine control circuit 24 receives information as to the sequence of the steps and the times between the steps from a source (not shown) of such information. The timing circuit 26 is responsive to the frequency of the output power generated by the variable frequency power supply 20 to generate the clock signals. Since the speeds of the motors 1 6 and 1 8 are proportional to the frequency of the power generated by the variable frequency power supply 20, the timing of the forming of the gob by the gob feeder 14 and the timing of the distribution of the gob by the gob distributor 1 2 are synchronized with the clock signals generated by the timing circuit 26.

A gob sensor 28 generates a signal upon the detection of a gob at the mold in an individual section. A gob detector circuit 30 responds to the signal from the gob sensor 28 to generate a signal to the machine control circuit 24, which signal is utilized to adjust the timing of that individual section to the actual presence of the gob, rather than to a position related distribution time as was done in the prior art. The gob sensor and gob detector circuit are disclosed in more detail in U.S. Patent Specification No. 4,162,909.

A feeder shaft encoder 32 is connected to the gob feeder 14 for generating electrical timing signals in response to the mechanical movement thereof. The feeder shaft encoder 32 is conventional in the art and generates a plurality of electrical pulses, the number of such pulses being proportional to the amount of rotation of a shaft. The feeder shaft encoder 32 generates one rest pulse over a FEEDER INDEX line for every 360 of feeder cycle.

A scoop shaft encoder 34 and a sweepout shaft encoder 36 are each responsive to the mechanical movement of the respective glassware forming mechanisms in an individual section of the machine 10. The scoop shaft encoder 34 generates three hundred and sixty clock pulses over a SCOOP CLOCK line and one reset pulse over a SCOOP RESET line for every 360 of scoop cycle. Similarly, the sweepout shaft encoder 36 generates three hundred and sixty clock pulses over a SWEEPOUT CLOCK line and one reset pulse over a SWEEPOUT RESET line for every 360 of sweepout cycle.

Finally, a machine timing interface 38 is responsive to the signals generated by the machine control circuit 24 for generating electrical pulses similar to those generated by the above-described encoders. The machine timing interface 38 is conventional in the art and generates three hundred and sixty clock pulses over a MACHINE CLOCK line and one reset pulse over a MACHINE RESET line for every 360 of machine cycle.

It will be appreciated that the present invention can be adapted for use on early prior art machines in which a mechanical timing drum is utilized to synchronize the parts of the glassware forming machine. A machine shaft encoder (not shown) can be substituted for the machine timing interface 38 to generate the clock and reset pulses. As will be described in detail below, the signals generated by the encoders 32, 34, and 36 and the interface 38 are fed to a relative position indicator for comparison. Also, it will be appreciated that the above-described pulses can be generated at other frequencies to provide a different output scale for the cycle rates of the forming operations.

Fig. 2 is a block diamgram of an individual section glassware forming machine and associated electronic control system which is more fully described in U.S. Patent Specification No. 4,152,134. A machine supervisory computer (MSC) 40 and a plurality of individual section computers (ISC) 42 (only one is illustrated) receive a train of timing pulses from a timing pulse generator 44. The MSC 40 is connected to each ISC 42 and each ISC 42 is connected to an associated individual section 46 of the glassware forming machine.

The timing pulse generator 44 generates clock signals to the MSC 40 and the ISC 42, thus providing a reference for timing the machine cycle and the sequence of steps to be performed by the ISC 42. An input/output device 48 and a data storage device 50 are both connected to the MSC 40 by a pair of bi-directional lines. The MSC 40 is also connected over a bi-directional line to a bottle reject control panel 52. The panel 52 includes a plurality of switches (not shown), each of which corresponds to a particular cavity of the mold in each individual section 46. If the operator desires to reject a particular article of glassware, he actuates the appropriate switch in the panel 52. The MSC 40 periodically scans the panel 52 to see if any switches have been actuated.When the MSC 40 senses an actuated switch, it will compare the reject synchronization value corresponding to the section of the rejected glassware with the current postion. If these two values are equal, a reject signal will be supplied to a bottle reject station 54 such that the appropriate bottle will be rejected.

The ISC 42 generates control signals to a valve block 56 through a section operator console (SC) 58. The valve block 56 is connected to a plurality of glassware forming mechanisms 60 for actuating the forming mechanisms in a predetermined timed sequence of steps to form the articles of glassware. The valves in the valve block 56 are actuated by solenoids (not shown) which are controlled by signals generated in accordance with the control program and the timing data currently stored in the ISC 42. The valve block 56 and the glassware forming mechanisms 60 together comprise the individual section 46.

There is also shown in Fig. 2, a gob sensor 62 which is similar to the gob sensor 28 of the prior art glassware forming machine- illustrated in Fig. 1. The gob sensor 62 includes a gob detector circuit (not shown) for generating a signal to the ISC 42, which signal is utilized to adjust the timing of that individual section 46 to the presence of the gob rather than to a position related distribution time. The SOC 58 is connected to the ISC 42 and the valve block 56 and is used by the operator to make adjustments to the mechanism timing. The actuation of a particular valve may either be advanced or retarded by the operator with use of the SOC 58.

The scoop shaft encoder 34 and the sweepout shaft encoder 36 described above can be connected to the appropriate glassware forming mechanisms 60 to provide the clock and reset pulses over the respective lines. Similarly, the machine timing interface 38 can be connected to the SOC 58 to generate the above-described machine clock and reset pulses. Since the SOC 58 generates timing pulses directly to the feeder (not shown), a feeder timing interface 64 can be connected to the SOC 58 to generate one reset pulse over a FEEDER INDEX line for every 360 of feeder cycle. It will be appreciated that any means for generating the clock and reset pulses can be utilized such that the present invention can be adapted for use on any type of glassware forming machine.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is illustrated a schematic block diagram of a relative degree position indicator in accordance with the present invention. The signals from the various encoders and interfaces described above are fed to a five-pole, four-position switch means, indicated generally at 66. Additionally, a real time clock circuit 68 is provided to generate reference signals according to a real time base. These signals are generated over a REFERENCE INDEX line and a REFERENCE RESET line to the switch 66. The signal generated over the REFERENCE INDEX line is followed, after a predetermined length of time, by the signal generated over the REFER ENCE RESET line. The utility of the real time clock signals will be explained in greater detail below.

The switch 66 has a first pole 70 which is connected to an ENABLE LATCH line. A first contact 70-1 of the pole 70 is connected to the MACHINE RESET (MR) line. A second contact 70-2 is connected to the SCOOP RESET (SCR) line. A third contact 70-3 is connected to the SWEEPOUT RESET (SWR) line. A fourth contact 70-4 is connected to the REFERENCE RESET (RR) line.

The switch 66 has a second pole 72 which is connected to CLOCK line. A first contact 72-1 of the pole 72 is connected to the MACHINE CLOCK (MC) line. A second contact 72-2 is connected to the SCOOP CLOCK (SCC) line. A third contact 72-3 is connected to the SWEEPOUT CLOCK (SWC) line. A fourth contact 72-4 is connected to the MA CHINE CLOCK (MC) line.

The switch 66 has a third pole 74 which is connected to a CLEAR COUNTER line. A first contact 74-1 of the pole 74 is connected to the FEEDER INDEX (Fl) line. A second pole 74-2 is also connected to the FEEDER INDEX (Fl) line. A third contact 74-3 is connected to the MACHINE RESET (MR) line. A fourth contact 74-4 is connected to the REFERENCE INDEX (RI) line.

The switch 66 has a fourth pole 76 which is connected to an ADVANCE line. A first contact 76-1 of the foruth pole 76 is connected to a MACHINE ADVANCE line. A second contact 76-2 is connected to a SCOOP ADVANCE line. A third contact 76-3 is connected to a SWEEPOUT ADVANCE line. A fourth contact 76-4 is an open connection.

The MACHINE ADVANCE line, the SCOOP ADVANCE line; and the SWEEPOUT AD VANCE line are each connected to their respective advance control unit (not shown) to enable an operator to change the relative timing of the forming operations such that a selected operation occurs earlier in the three hundred and sixty degree cycle.

The switch 66 has a fifth pole 78 which is connected to a RETARD line. A first contact 78-1 of the pole 78 is connected to a MA CHINE RETARD line. A second contact 78-2 is connected to a SCOOP RETARD line. A third contact 78-3 is connected to a SWEEP OUT RETARD line. A fourth contact 78-4 is an open connection. The MACHINE RETARD line, the SCOOP RETARD line, and the SWEEPOUT RETARD line are each connected to their respective retard control units (not shown) to enable an operator to change the relative timing of the forming operations such that the selected function occurs later in the three hundred sixty degree cycle.

A single-pole, double-throw switch 80 is utilized to selectively advance or retard a selected control unit. The ADVANCE line is connected to a first contact 80-1 of the switch 80. The RETARD line is connected to a second contact 80-2 of the switch 80. The switch 80 is manually operable into contact with either the first contact 80-1 or the second contact 80-2. The pole of the switch 80 is connected to ground potential, thereby completing an electrical circuit with the selected advance or retard control unit. An operator can thereby select advance or retard and adjust the relative degree positioning between the monitored forming operations.

A counter/display means 81 is provided for displaying the relative positioning between the monitored forming operations. The couner/display unit 81 includes a binary coded decimal (BCD) counter 82, a latch 84, and a digital display 86. The second pole 72 of the switch 66 is connected over the CLOCK line to a clock input of the BCD counter 82. The signals carried over the CLOCK line represent the clock pulses generated by the selected one of the above-described encoder or timing interface units. Since all of the units generate three hundred and sixty clock pulses for every 360 of forming operation cycle, the output of the BCD counter 82 will be a count total signal similarly incremented three hundred and sixty times for each such cycle.

The third pole 74 of the swich 66 is connected over the CLEAR COUNTER line to a clear or zeroing input of the BCD counter 82. The clear signals carried over the CLEAR COUNTER line are the pulses carried over the FEEDER INDEX line, the MACHINE RESET line, or the REFERENCE INDEX line. Thus, the output signal of the BCD counter 82 will be cleared to zero whenever a feeder index, reference index, or machine reset pulse is received. The receipt of such a pulse indicates that the first selected operation to be monitored is beginning a new cycle. When the BCD counter 82 is cleared to zero, it will begin to count upwardly therefrom in response to the signals received at the clock input.

The first pole 70 of the switch 66 is connected over the ENABLE LATCH line to an enabling input of the latch 84. The latch 84 receives the binary coded decimal output of the BCD counter 82 in parallel fashion. The enable signals carried over the ENABLE COUNTER line are the reset pulses carried over the MACHINE RESET line, the SCOOP RESET line, the SWEEPOUT RESET line, or the REFERENCE RESET line. Thus, the output of the BCD counter 82 will be stored in the latch 84 whenever a reset pulse is received.

The receipt of a reset pulse indicates that the second selected operation to be monitored is beginning a new cycle. When the enable signal is recieved, the output of the BCD counter 82, which has been increasing from zero since the clear signal was received by the counter 82, is stored in the latch 84.

Since the clock pulses which have been utilized to increment the BCD counter 82 represent the actual degree position of the selected forming operation in its cycle, the number stored in the latch 84 is equal to the relative degree positioning between the beginnings of the two selected forming operation cycles. The binary coded decimal output of the latch 84 is utilized to drive the digital display 86, which can be a conventional three digit light emitting diode array. Thus, a visual representation of the relative degree positioning between the beginnings of the two selected forming operation cycles is provided.

From the above-described circuit construction, it will be appreciated that the digital display 86 will display the relative degree positioning between the machine cycle and the feeder cycle when the poles of the switch 66 are connected to their respective first contacts. Similarly, the relative degree positioning between the scoop and feeder cycles will be displayed when the poles of the switch 66 are connected to their respective second contacts. The relative degree positioning between the sweepout and machine cycles will be displayed when the poles of the switch 66 are connected to their respective third contacts. Finally, the number of machine cycles per unit time will be displayed when the poles of the switch 66 are connected to their respective fourth contacts.

In operation, the synchronization of the machine is initially accomplished by experienced forming personnel. As each operation is brought into the desired degree position, a number value will be displayed on the digital display 86 which can be recorded for later use.

In the event of a machine shutdown, resyn chronization can be readily achieved by using the advance or retard switch 80. The switch 80 can be located on the counter/display unit 81 for convenience. The operator can utilize the switch 80 to either advance or retard the relative degree positioning of the selected forming operation to re-attain the previous synchronized number value on the digital display 86.

Alternatively, the relative degree position indicator can be utilized to display the number of selected forming operation cycles per unit time. In the illustrated embodiment, the digital display 86 can be utilized to display the number of shear cuts per minute when the switch 66 is operated to connect each of the poles to their respective fourth contact. In this position, it will be appreciated that the advance or retard switch 80 is inoperable since both the ADVANCE and RETARD lines are connected to open circuits.

Although the present invention has been illustrated in Fig. 3 as having three sources of clock pulses, a single source of clock pulses can be utilized. The single source can be the machine timing interface, the feeder, the scoop, the sweepout, or any other source having a frequency proportional to the machine speed. The clock source could be connected to the clock input of the counter 82 and the second pole 72 of the switch 66 could be eliminated. The reset pulses for the forming means could be generated by proximity switches at the rate of one pulse per machine cycle.

Claims (16)

1. An apparatus for indicating the relative positioning between the beginnings of cycles of forming means in a glassware forming machine including at least two forming means for forming glassware in a timed predetermined cycle of forming operations, each forming means having a cycle beginning at a predetermined position in the machine cycle, comprising:: a source of clock pulses at a frequency proportional to the cycle speed of the machine, first pulse generator means responsive to one of the forming means for generating reset pulses representing the cycle position of said one forming means; second pulse generator means responsive to an other of the forming means for generating reset pulses representing the cycle position of said another forming means; means responsive to said clock and reset pulses for determining the number of said clock pulses received between the receipt of one of said reset pulses from said first pulse generator and the receipt of one of said reset pulses from said second pulse generator; and means responsive to said determining means for displaying an indication of the relative positioning between the beginnings of the two forming means cycles.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said reset pulses are generated as one pulse per forming means cycle.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which said clock pulses are generated as three hundred and sixty pulses per forming means cycle.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which at least one of said first and second pulse generators for generating reset pulses is a shaft encoder connected to an associated one of the forming means.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, in which said number of clock pulse determining means includes a binary coded decimal counter having an output and a latch connected to said counter output.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which said counter is responsive to each of said clock pulses for incrementing a count total signal at said counter output and is responsive to each of said reset pulses from said first pulse generator means for clearing said count total signal to zero.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which said latch is responsive to each of said reset pulses from said second pulse generator means for storing said output signal of said counter.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, in which said display means is a light emitting diode array.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, further including means for selectively advancing or retarding the beginning of the cycle of at least one of the forming means.

10. An apparatus for indicating the relative positioning between cycles of two forming means in a glassware forming machine including a plurality of forming means for forming glassware in a timed predetermined cycle of forming operations, each forming means having a cycle beginning at a predetermined position in the machine cycle, comprising:: a source of clock pulses at a predetermined frequency, pulse generating means responsive to each of the forming means for generating timing pulses representing the cycle position of the associated one of the forming means; switch means for selecting a first and a second of said pulse generating means; means responsive to said selected pulse generating means for determining the number of clock pulses received from said source of clock pulses between the receipt of a timing pulse generated by said first pulse generating means and the receipt of a timing pulse generated by said second pulse generating means; and means responsive to said determining means for displaying said determined number of clock pulses as an indication of the relative positioning between the two selected forming means.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further including timing circuit means for generating said timing pulses at predetermined timed intervals and wherein said switch means is connected to said timing circuit means for selecting said timing circuit means as said first pulse generating means, whereby said determined number of clock pulses will be displayed as an indication of the frequency of the selected second forming means cycle.

1 2. An apparatus for indicating the frequency of at least one of the machine cycle and the forming means cycles in a glassware forming machine including a plurality of forming means for forming glassware in a timed predetermined cycle of forming operations, each forming means having a cycle beginning at a predetermined position in the machine cycle, comprising: a source of clock pulses at a frequency proportional to one of the machine cycle and the forming means cycles; timing circuit means for generating first and second reset pulses at predetermined time intervals; means responsive to said clock and reset pulses for determining the number of said clock pulses received between the receipt of one of said first reset pulses and the receipt of one of said second reset pulses; and means responsive to said determining means for displaying an indication of the frequency of said one of the machine cycle and the forming means cycles.

1 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, in which said first and second reset pulses are spaced in time by a predetermined interval.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 2 or 13, in which source of said clock pulses is a shaft encoder connected to the one of the machine and the forming means.

1 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, 1 3 or 14, in which said pulse determining means includes a binary coded decimal counter having an output, said counter being responsive to each of said clock pulses for incrementing a count total signal at said counter output and being responsive to each of said first reset pulses for clearing said output signal to zero.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, in which said pulse determining means includes a latch connected to said counter output, said latch being responsive to each of said second reset pulses for storing said output signal of said counter.

1 7. Apparatus for indicating the relative positioning between and/or the frequency of mechanisms in a glassware forming machine, constructed and arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 or Fig. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.