US1857491A - Method and apparatus for completing pressed blown ware or blown ware - Google Patents

Description

May 10, 1932. R. J. BEATTY 1,857,491

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPLETING PRESSED BLOWN WARE OR BLOWN WARE Filed Sept. 20. 1927 2 Shets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

A TTORNYS.

R. J. B EATTY May 1'9, @332.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPLETING PRESSED BLOWN WARE OR BLOWN WARE Filed Sept. 20 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVZTOR.

I 6 s a a ,M, A TTORNEYS.

.. .Patentecl May 10, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT J. BEATTY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIG'NOR TO THE FEDERAL GLASS COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPLETING PRESSED BLOWN WARE OR BLOWN WARE Application filed September 20, 1927. Serial No. 220,674.

My invention relates to a method and apparatus for completing pressed blown ware or blown ware. It has to do, )rimarily, with the treatment of the blown blank which results in the conversion of this blown blank into the finished article.

In the past, the usual method of treating the blown blank to convert it into the finished article has consisted in passing it through a lehr and then subjecting it to a series of operations by relatively independent units which are each manually fedwith the article in progressive stages. Usually, there is a device fed manually for severing the cap from the blown article which frequently takes the into a grinder which grinds the edges thereof.

Then, this tumbler is manually introduced into a washer which washes off the dust from the grinding operation. Then, the ware is manually fed to a melting or glazing machine.

After this, it is manually fed to a lehr to minimize the strains set up in the melting and glazing apparatus. It is obvious, that in this process, there is a very great amount of handling of the article with a consequently'high labor cost.

Other processes have been devised in an effort to decrease the number of necessary operations but these have been attended by comparatively slight success. In one of these operations, tbe usual flame crack-off device has been replaced by an acetylene or hydrogen cut-off apparatus which is semi-automatic but which must be manipulated by an operator. This device is supposed to render grinding 40 of the edges of the tumbler unnecessary but,

in practice, a large percentage of the articles must be re-ground.

My invention is aimed at the development of a process which will largely, if not entirely,

eliminate the necessity for manual intervention and which will at the same time reduce the steps of operation. Furthermore, my aim is to rearrange these steps of operation in such a way as to produce a superior product with less loss from breakage.

for a period and under conditions which will remove the strains from the articles. This lehr is preferably provided with an automatic carrier which conducts the ware through the annealing area. After thearticles leave the annealing area, I transfer them either manually or automatically to a second conveyor unit which automatically conveys these blown blanks to a flame crack-off and rotates these blanks in a proper position while passing them under subjection to a row or rows of flames which form a part of this flame crackolf. As they emerge from the flame crackotf, the caps which have been severed from the blanks are preferably blown therefrom automatically or these tops may be supported during the severing action by means provided and may be rexnovedither during or immediately after passing through the severmg umt. m

After leaving the severing unit, the blanks, with the caps removed, are conveyed automatically upon the same conveying unit to and through a glazing and melting unit. After leaving this glazing and melting unit upon the conveyor, they are transferred either automatically or manually to the conveyor of a second lchr which may be of the same type as the first lehr.

The apparatus which I preferably use in performing my process is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the lehr unit which I prefer to use.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of my flame crack-off and melting and glazing apparatus together with the conveying unit for conducting the blown blanksto and through them.

Figure is a perspective view. partially broken away, of my flame crack-01f unit.

Figure 4 is an end view, partly in section, of the device shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of my second conveyor unit and showing the air finger which I preferably utilize for blowing the severed caps from the blanks.

Figure 6 is a modified form of device for removing the severed caps from the blanks.

Figure 7 is a detailed view illustrat ng the supporting wires of the device of Figure 6 which pass beneath the flanges of the caps, this figure also illustrating the fingers which project into the cap openings and move them along the supportingwires.

In the drawings, the first annealing un t may be designated 1. This annealing un t may take various forms but I have shown it as embodying positively heated channels 2 and 3 and a supplementarychannel 4 which is not directly heated but which may be attached to the annealing unit. This channel 4 is shown with its top removed. The annealing' unit is only shown diagrammatically and it may take various forms. Likewise, it may be'heated in any desired manner.

Movable through the annealing unit is an endless carrier 5 formed of numerous sections hinged together and carrying a series of cups 6. These cups 6 are designed to receive the blown blanks, preferably at station A, and to transport these blown blanks first through compartment 2 on the lehr, then through compartment 3 of the lehr and area 4 thereof, these blanks being preferably removedifor transfer at station B.- It will be understood that the endless conveyor may be driven by the main sprocket 7 and may pass around sprockets 8, 9 and 10.

In the operation of the mechanism thus far described, the blown blanks as they leave the shaping machine or the blow-pipe are placed upon the conveyor 5 at station A and pass through the annealing compartments 2 and 3 of the lehr with the result that the strains are substantially removed therefrom. After leaving compartment 3, these blanks are conducted through the area 4 and are finally removed at station B. At this time, these blanks are transferred either automatically or manually to station C of the endless conveg or mechanism shown in Figure 2.

his mechanism shown in Figure 2 comprises an endless conveyor 11 driven by sprocket 12 and passing around sprockets 13, 13 and 14. It receives the blown blanks at station 0 and conducts them in the direction of the arrows to a flame crack-off unit 15. It conducts these blown blanks through this crack-off unit 15 which may be covered if desired under subjection to burner crack-off members to be subsequently described in detail. Mechanism is provided, as will also be described, for causing rotation of these blanks whileunder subjection to the crackofi flame.

After leaving the crack-off unit 15, these blanks with the severed caps thereon pass into subjection to a finger of air which blows each cap into a waste chute 16. If desired, means may be provided, between the end of the crack-off unit from which the glass articles emerge and the finger of air, for chilling the glass ,articles at the line at which the tops are severed therefrom to insure positive removal of the tops from the articles.

After the blanks, with the caps removed have passed beyond the air finger, they pass into and through a glazing and melting unit 17 This glazing and melting unit may be of any suitable form. It serves to glaze and fire polish the glassware and melts and smooths the top edges of the articles.

After the articles'leave the glazing and melting unit, they are removed at station D and sent through an annealing lehr. This annealing lehr may be of substantially the same construction as the annealing lehr shown in Figure 1. It will serve to remove the strains which have been set up by passage through the glazing and melting unit or in other ways.

-The crack-off unit may vary as to form but the detailed construction of the form which I have shown is disclosed best in Figures 3 and 4 and is substantially as follows:

Such crack-off unit consists of a frame 18 which frame is madein two parts, connected together at their lower end and so formed as to have an opening 19 between the upper edges thereof when the frame is in assembled relation. Each part of the frame is provided with the angle iron ways 20 upon spindles 22 are rotatable in bushings 23 that are driven or otherwise inserted into the joints between the links of the conveyor chain 11, and these bushings form a bearing surface for such spilidles.

A pinion gear 24 is rigidly mounted upon the lower end of each'spindle in such position as to mesh with the rack 21 and rotate the spindle and a spool 25 is rotatably mounted upon each spindle immediately above the joints made by connecting the links and immediately below the cup 26 which is rigidly mounted upon the extreme upper end of each spindle. The spools 25 make a tight fit with the opening 19 in the frame 18 and prevent lateral movement of the spindle as it asses through the cutting unit.

- Iorizontal supports 27 support the burners 28, which burners are made of any suitable material, and such horizontal supports have the threaded rods 29 rigidly attached thereto and depending downwardly therefrom. These threaded rods extend through the castings or plates 30 in the manner shown in Figure 4. Nuts 31 on the threaded rods hold the supports 27 in the position necessary to obtain the proper level of the nozzles 32 that are disposed in a horizontal row along the inner faces of the burners 26.

Guides 33 disposed on each side of the castings of plates 30 prevent lateral or ver-- tical movement of the castings orplates while permitting horizontal longitudinal adjustments of the same. Such horizontal longitudinal adjustment is controlled by means of the screw bolts 34 that are threaded into the castings or plates 30 as shown in Figure 4. The outer end of the screw bolts 34 are provided with collars 35 and 36 which are so disposed on the screw bolts as to embrace the plates 37, rigidly attached to the frame 18, when the screw bolts are disposed in slots therein. Such construction permits rotation of the screw bolts but prevents horizontal longitudinal movement of such bolts, therefore, permits in and out adjustment of the castings or plates 30 and the burners supported thereby. Such adjustment will move the nozzles 32 towards and away from the tumblers or similar glass articles carried by the conveyor.

, The burners 28 are made up of a double row of burner castings, one row on each side of the line of travel of the tumblers or similar glass articles, and each casting is equipped with a row of spaced burner nozzles 32as hereinbefore described. As clearly illustrated in Figure 4, the burner nozzles are small and have minute openings through which the flame issues in the form. of a pin point. As a result of the burners being spaced, the tumblers or similar glass articles along the line at which cracking oil is desired are-subjected to an alternate heating and cooling action. Also, a small haiile 32 is preferably provided-in each of the burner castings to distribute the incoming gases evenly throughout the interior of the burner casting. Each row of burner castings preferably consists of a plurality of such castings. tl at are substantially the same as to length, placed end to end on one of the supports 28 and each separate burner casting is preferably independent of the others as far as fuel control is concerned. However, it will be understood that each row of burner castings may consist of any desired number of castings and these castings may be dependent upon each other in the matter of fuel control if such construction is desired.

The air finger cap remover is best shown in Figure 5 of the drawings and is constructed as follows tripping mechanism is mounted upon vertical support 38 and such tripping mechanism is preferably made adjustable as to position on this vertical support. The tripping mechanism preferably comprises the tripping arm 39 that is fulcrumed to an arm 40 as at 41. The outer end of this tripping arm 39 a valve stem 42 which forms a part of the valve 43. When the tripping arm 39 contacts with the spindle 22'and'is moved forwardly the valve 43 will be pulled open and constant air under pressure will be permitted to flow througlrthe pipe 44 past the valve 43 and through the pipe 45 to contact with'the severed top of the tumbler or similar glass article in the conveyor. As clearly shown in Figure 5 the constant air under pressure striking the severed tops of the tumblers or similar glass articles at the necked in portion of the top will blow these tops into a chute 16 or some other receptacle in the manner shown in Figure 5. As also shown-in Figure 5'tl1e constant air pipe 45 passes through or is rigidly attached to a block 47 which block is adjustable on the vertical support 38 so as to bring the pipe 45 to the proper angle required into the chute 16 or other receptacle.

In order that the burner elements 28 may be adjusted to exactly the proper height with respect to the articles being conveyed through the cutting unit, I have provided graduated scales 54 which are rigidly attached to the castings or plates 30 and extend perpendicularly upward therefrom. These graduated scales cooperate with lugs or extensions 55 on the horizontal supports 27. As is clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the burner elements 28 may be adjusted so that the nozzles 30 will impinge a flame at exactly that line on the glass articles at which the top is to be cracked off.v This is accomplished by raising or lowering the supports 28 until the lugs 55 register at the same heights on the graduated scales 54. Graduated scales may be provided as an integral part of the mechanism governing the horizontal longitudinal movement of the castings or plates 30 with the burner elements 28 thereon.

A wire and finger cap remover may be used by me as asubstitute for the air finger cap remover if desired. This device is shown best in Figures 6 and 7 and is preferably constructed in the following manner: v

An endless belt 48, made ofsome suitable material, passing around pulley wheels 49 and 50 has wire fingers 51 mounted thereon at posed beneath the top edges of the tops of the tumblers or similar glass articles as shown in Figure '4'. As the tops are severed in the. passage of the blanks through the cutting unit they are, prevented from falling and then lifted from the glass articles by the upwardly extending conveyor track. At substantially the same time that the tumblers or similar glass articles enter the cutting unit the wire fingers 51 traveling on the conveyor belt 48 7 enter the tops of the articles as shown in Figure 6. After they are lifted entirely away from the body of the tumblers or similar glass articles the tops may be carried to a chute or other receptacle by the wire conveyor track or may beremoved from the conveyor track by hand.

The term crack-oil unit" may be understood as defining a unit of any suitable form in which a series of flames. hot enough to set up a cracking strain along a selected line but not hot enough to melt the glass, are used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An apparatus for finishing, an article of glassware of the type described, comprising means for annealing the article, a fluid means for cracking off the cap, a fluid means for removing, the severed cap, a fluid melting and polishing means, and a means for supporting and conveying said article of glassware without stoppage through said annealing means, through said fluid crack-oil means, through said fluid cap removing means, and through said fluid melting and polishing means.

2. The method of removing excess material from glass blanks which comprises continuously conveying blanks past a crack-oil station. rotating said blanks while passing said crack-off station. and effecting cracking ofif at said crack-oil" station by causing each blank at the line at which cracking off is desired to contact in turn with each of a series of pin points of flame which are arranged along the line of travel of said blanks and spaced so as to cause an alternate heating and cooling of the blanks along the cracking off line while said blanks are both rotating and travelling through said crack-oil" station.

3. The method of removing excess material from glass blanks which comprises continuously conveying blanks past a crack'ofi station, rotating said blanks while passing said crack-off station, and effecting cracking otf at said crack-0H station by causing each blank at the line at which cracking off is de-- sired to contact in turn with each pair of a series of opposed pairs of pin points of flame which are arranged along the line of travel of said blanks and spaced so as to cause an alternate heating and cooling of the blanks along the cracking off line while said blanks are both rotating and travelling through said crack-off station.

4. The method of removing excess material from glass blanks which comprises continuously conveying blanks with their caps uppermost past a crack-oil station, rotating said blanks while passing said crack-off station, and efl ecting cracking ml at said crack-off station by causing each blank at the line at which cracking oil" is desired to contact in turn with each of a series of opposed parallel pairs of pin points of flame which are arranged along the line of travel of said blanks and spaced so as to cause an alternate heating and cooling of the blanks along the cracking oil line while said blanks are both rotating and travelling through said crack-off station.

5. Apparatus for removing excess material from glass blanks comprising an endless conveyor. a series of blank supporting members on said conveyor. means for impinging each one of a series of pin points of flame upon each blank at the line at which cracking off is desired as they are transported by said conveyor, said pin points of flame being spaced so as to eti'ect an alternate heating and cooling of the blanks along the cracking off line. and means for rotating said blanks as they are transported under subjection to the said series of spaced pin points of flame.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature.

ROBERT J. BEATTY.

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