GB717853A - Improvements in or relating to methods of and machines for moulding or shaping glassarticles - Google Patents

Abstract

717,853. Glass manufacture. BRITISH HEAT RESISTING GLASS CO., Ltd., and HANN, D. G. Feb. 5, 1953, [Feb. 5, 1952.] No. 2979/52. Class 56. In the shaping of glass articles by pressing, gobs are delivered at a fixed feed station to the moulds in succession, the moulds being arranged in groups whereby each group has a subsidiary motion superimposed upon a main motion common to all the groups, the moulds being transferred in succession by the combined motions from the feed station to the pressing station and subsequently to the mould discharge station. As shown, the groups each includes a press 12 and may each have two moulds 77, 78 or three moulds 76-78 which are mounted on a table 70, rotatable on a fixed bush 71 secured to arms 67 on a structure 51 which rotates continuously on bearings 55 on a central fixed column 56. A gob is fed over a shoot 54 .to a mould 77 or 78, and is guided to the correct position in the mould by the means 130 which are removed from the path of the press dies as described in Specification 717,854. The pressure of the dies is supported by a block 90 against which bear studs 85 on the mould bottom, springs 83 raising the. studs from the block when the pressure is relieved. The tables 70 are rotated intermittently on the structure 51, and are locked by a detent 109 in the position to which the table is indexed. In Fig. 2, at the position I, assuming that two moulds 77, 78 only are being used, the gob is delivered into the mould 77, the table 70 then being stationary relatively to the structure 51. The mould 78 contains a pressed article from a previous cycle of operations, the article being retained in the mould until it has cooled sufficiently to be removed. When the continuous motion of the structure 51 has brought the table 70 to the position II, the mould 77 has been brought under the press 12 which functions, as described below, to form the article. At some pre-determined position between positions II-III or II-IV, a plunger 87 is kicked up by a ram 22 and ejects the article from the mould 78. Thus the glass forming an article stays in the mould from between one-and-a-half and one-and-threequarters revolutions of the structure 51 before it is discharged. If more cooling time is required, three moulds 76-78 are used, and the time in the mould is then between two-and-a-half and two-and-three-quarters revolutions. If desired, when three moulds are used, the article may be removed after about one-and-ahalf revolutions, the mould remaining empty for a revolution to allow it to cool. The press 12 consists of columns 92, 93, bolted to the structure 51, carrying a press head 94 including a main hydraulic ram connected to a crosshead 96 slidable on the columns 92, 93. The crosshead 96 carries a centre part 98 of the die, an outer flangeforming ring 100 being carried on subsidiary rams 14, the function of which is to control the time during which the ring 100 remains in contact with the margins of the article. The main shaping pressure of the ring 100 is transmitted to it by the step 101 of the central die 98. The ring 100 is carried on a cage 105 which is mounted on rods vertically slidable in the head 94, coil springs on the rods returning the ring assembly to its upper position when required. The structure 51 is driven continuously by a motor shaft 63, and gearing 65, 66, whilst the tables 70, presses, detents and ejectors are operated hydraulically in timed sequence controlled by adjustable cams 251 on the central column 56. The hydraulic fluid is supplied through a tube 255 in the column 56 to a distributing head 10, exhaust fluid passing back to the tank through the annular space surrounding the tube 255 and a pipe 258. A hydraulic system is described for effecting the various related motions of the machine parts, including the operation of a valve controlling the supply of air to a header supplying pipes which direct the air on to the moulds or any other parts of the machine which require cooling.