US2338841A - Fire polishing machine - Google Patents

Description

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FIRE POLISHING MACHINE Filed June 10 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 11, 1944- F. J. FEDoRcHAK ETAL 2,338,841

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ATTORN YS F. J. FEDORCHAK ETAL FIRE POLISHING MACHINE Filed June lO, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 11, 1944.

Patented Jan. `1.1,

AUNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE FIRE POLISHING MACHINE William J. Fedorchak, Granite City, Albert S.

Jackson, Wood River, and Francis A. McCormick, Clarence A. Heyne, and Harold E. Nelson, Alton, Ill., assignors to Owens-Illinois Glas Company, a corporation of Ohio application June 1o, i941, serial No. 397,414

(c1. 1a-5s) 8 Claims.

Our invention relates to machines for fire polishing or finishing the surfaces of glass articles and more particularly for fire polishing the lips or iinishes oi.' glass bottles, jars and the like as they are delivered from the glass blowing machine. It is customary to nre polish such articles by applying an intense flame to the surfaces to be polished, whereby the surface portion of the glass is softened or melted so that ns, cracks, mold seams and other surface irregularities are eliminated and a smooth surface obtained.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine adapted to receive the glassware as supplied .from automatic blowing machines which deliver the blown articles in rapid succession, and subject them to such a fire polishing operation.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a fire nishing machine embodying the present invention:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, the section being ,taken at the line 2 2 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view at the line 3 3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail at the line 4 4 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the machine at the line 5 5 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation at the line 6 6 on Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a section at the line 1 1 on Fig. 5.

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary sectional plan views taken respectively at the lines 8 8 and 9 9 on Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the machine comprises a stationary hollow base or casing I0, a tubular center column Il having a fixed mounting within the base, and a carriage mounted for continuous rotation about the vertical axis of the column Il. The carriage comprises a table I2 supported on roller bearings I3, and aspider I4 spaced above the table I2 and supported on an annular series of standards or castings I5 mounted on the table I2. The carriage further includes a distributing head I6 spaced above the spider I4 and connected thereto by tie rods I6, The head I6 is formed with annular chambers I1 and I8 to which fuel gas and air or oxygen may be supplied respectively and from which the gases are distributed to the several burners as hereinafter described.

Mounted on the carriage for rotation therewith are a multiplicity of burner units 20 arranged in an annular series. Each unit comprises a hood 20a (Fig. 2) carried at the lower end of a vertical stem 2l, the latter being inthe form of a rectangular pipe. The hood 20 is lined on its interior with a lining 20h of refractory material which is formed with a combustion chamber 20c in communication with the passageway through the stem 2 I The carriage is rotated continuously by an electric motor 24 housed withinthe base I0. Driving connections between the motor and the carriage include a sprocket chain 25 (Figs. 1 and 5) trained over sprocket wheels 26 and 21 keyed respectively to the motor shaft and a worm shaft 29, the latter journalled in a gear box 29 (Fig. 6) within the base I0 and attached to the cover plate of said base by bolts 3l. The worm' shaft 28 drives a worm gear 32 keyed to a vertical shaft 33 journalled in the gear case 29. The shaft 33 drives a set of planetary gears 34 which in turn drive a ring gear35 to which is bolted a spider 36. The hub of the spider is journalled in the cover plate '31 of the gear case and is keyed to a shaft 38 in vertical alignment with the shaft 33. A pinion 39 keyed on the shaft 38 meshes with a ring gear 40 (Figs. 2 and 5) bolted to the under surface of the table I2. The planetary gears 34 are mounted on a plate 4I (Fig. 6) to which is bolted a worm gear 42. Means for rotatively adjusting the plate 4I about the axis of the shaft 33 includes a Worm 44 keyed to a shaft 45 journalled in the gear case and to which is attached a hand crank 46. This adjusting means permits the shaft 38 to be'rotatively adjusted relative to the shaft 33 for a purpose hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. 3 the articles 41, herein shown as bottles, which are to be fire polished, are

brought in succession to a transfer station A bya continuously traveling endless belt conveyor 48. The bottles may be supplied to the conveyor from the bottle blowing machine, conventional mechanism being used for automatically transferring the bottles from the machine to the said conveyor. When the bottles reach the station A they are transferred to the rotating carriage by a transfer mechanism comprising a transfer wheel of the fingers 5|.

The bottles are nre finished as hereinafter described, during their rotation With the carriage, and are then transferred back to the conveyor 48 at a transfer station B by means of a transfer wheel 55 carrying radial fingers 56. The wheel 55 is attached to a shaft I51. The conveyor belt 48 is driven in synchronism with the rotating table I2. The transfer wheels 49 and 55 are driven from the ring gear 40 through driving connections including a pinion 58 (Figs. 2 and 5) running in mesh with the gear 40 and keyed to a shaft 59 journalled in the machine base. A sprocket wheel attached to the lower end of the shaft 59 drives a sprocket chain 60 which is trained over sprocket wheels keyed respectively to the shafts 50 and 51.

The bottles are guided into position on the rotating table I2 and held in position during the fire finishing operations by means of guide plates 6| mounted on said table and individual to the burner units. The guide plates are arranged in an annular series and extend radially of the carriage, the outer ends of the plates being bifurcated to straddle the bottles. The table I2 is formed with bosses 82 (Fig. 2) on its upper surface on which the guide plates are mounted and by which -they are spaced above the surface of the table. Each guide mate is adjustable rdially of the table by means of an adjusting rod 63 rotatably mounted on the under side of the table and having a screw-threaded connection with an arm 64 attached to'the plate 6| and extending downward therefrom through an elongated opening 65 in the boss 62. The guide plate is held in its adjusted position by clamping bolts E6.

As each bottle is shifted from the conveyor belt onto the rotating table at the transfer station A, it is guided into position in the bifurcated end of a plate 8|. The transfer wheel 49 4may be rotatively adjusted relative to its shaft 50 for accurately timing the movements of the bottle relative to the traveling guide plates. This adjustment may be made by a hand operated worm shaft 61 mounted on the transfer wheel and meshing with a worm gear B8 (Fig. 3) attached to the shaft i50. Similar adjusting means is provided for the transfer wheel 55.

In order to insure the accurate positioning of each bottle in contact with its supporting plate 6I, an arm 69 (Figs. 3 and 7) is mounted in position to guide the bottle in place. The arm 69 is secured to the upper end of a vertical rock shaft 10 journalled in a bracket 1| bolted to the base I0. A rock arm 12 attached to the lower end of the shaft 10 carries at its outer end `a cam roll 13 which runs on a cam disk 14 fixed to the lower end of the shaft 50. The cam disk is formed with cam recesses 15 in its periphery spaced to correspond with the angular spacing A coil spring 18 holds the arm 12 in contact with the cam disk. As the cam disk rotates, the guide arm 69 is given an inward swing each time the cam roll drops into a cam notch 15. This operation is timed to push each bottle snugly into engagement with the supporting plate 8|.

The burners 20 are movable vertically into and out of operative relation to the bottles 41 during the rotation of the carriage. To permit such movement the stems 2| are mounted for sliding movement in the spinder I4 and distributing head I6. Referring to Figs. 2 and 9, the distributing head carries a ring 11 integrally connected thereto by radial arms 18. Said ring is formed with rectangular bosses 19 providing guideways for the stems 2|. The stems are held in place by removable front plates 80. Like means, including bosses 8| (Fig. 1) on the periphery of the spider |4, are provided for guiding the burner stems up and down therein.

The means for moving the burners up and down include rectangular sleeves 82 individual.v

to said stems and each including a removable front plate 83. The sleeves are individually adjustable up and doWn on the stems by means of adjusting devices, each of which comprises a rack 84 formed on the stem and a pinion 85 journalled in the plate 83 and running in mesh with the rack. The pinion is rotatable by a knob 86. The stem is clamped in its adjusted position by a clamping screw carrying a knob 81. The sleeves 82 serve as stops to limit the downward movement of the burners, each sleeve resting on the rim of the spider I4 when the burner is lowered.

Means for controlling the lifting and lowering of the burners comprises a cam track including a lifting cam 88 and a lowering cam 88EL mounted respectively on radial arms 89 and 89la (Fig. 8) which are clamped to the center column I. The cam track includes an intermediate section 90 (Fig. 8) in the form of an arc-shaped bar connected at its ends to the arms 89, 89a. Each of said arms is bifurcated at its inner end to provide an upper bearing or hub 9| and a lower hub 92 (Fig. 2) surrounding the column Each hub includes a section integral with the arm, and a strap 93 attached thereto by clamping bolts 94 which serve to clamp the arms to the center column. The cam track section 90 may be replaced with other sections of different lengths for adjustment purposes.

The sleeves 82 have mounted thereon cam rolls 96 which run on the cam track. The lifting cam 88 is positioned and arranged to lift each burner before the latter reaches the unloading station and the lowering cam 89EL is positioned to permit the burner to be moved downward by its own weight to operative position after a bottle has been positioned on the table therebeneath. The cam arms may be adjusted circumferentially of the machine to effect the lifting and lowering of the burners at any predetermined points, thereby determining the length of time the bottles or other articles are subjected to the action of the burners. The length of time required for best results may vary considerably, depending upon the size and shape of the articles which are being fire finished and on other variable factors.

The means for supplying fuel gases to the burners will now be described. Referring to Fig. 2, air under pressure may be supplied from a suitable source through a pipe 91 opening into the column I| at the lower end thereof. The air passes upward through said column to a branch pipe 98 leading to the air chamber |8 formed in the distributing head I6. A swivel connection 99 is provided between the column and the pipe 98 to permit rotation of the latter with the carriage. The fuel gas is supplied through a pipe having a swivel connection ||l| with a branch pipe |02 similar to the pipe 98 and which opens into the annular chamber |1 surrounding the chamber I8. The gases are distributed from the chambers I1 and I8 through pairs of pipes |03. |04, leading respectively from the said chambers to mixing heads |05 on the upper ends of the burner stems 2|. Hand valves |06 and |01 connected respectively to the pipes |03 and |04 serve to regulate the ow of gases to the burners. In this manner the rate at which the gases are supplied to each burner may be adjusted or the supply may be shut oiT entirely from any selected units.

The lifting cam 88 is positioned and arranged to lift each burner before the latter reaches the discharge station B and the burners are held in their lifted position by the cam track until they have passed beyond the station lA. This permits the transfer of the articles to and from the carriage without interference from the burners. The cam track is adjusted to hold each burner in its lowered or operative position a length of time determined by the requirements of the particular articles which are being fire finished. When a burner is lowered, the lip portion or finish of the bottle therebeneath is -brought within the chamber 2lic (Fig. 2) and subjected to the heat of the gases which are burning within said chamber. This heat may be sumciently intense to soften or melt a surface layer of the glass before much of the heat has time to penetrate the glass to any considerable depth. In other words, the heating effect is confined mainly to the surface of the glass. A smooth surface or glaze is thus produced and all ne cracks, fissures, fins, mold seams or other irregularities smoothed out and eliminated.

Modifications may be resorted to Within the spirit and scope of our invention.

1. A machine for fire finishing glass articles comprising a carriage mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, a motor connected to rotate the carriage, an annular series of burner units on the carriage, each unit comprising a burner, automatic transfer mechanism positioned adjacent to the carriage and comprising means for individually moving articles horizontally onto the carriage at a receiving station with the articles positioned below and in register with the burners, mechanism for lowering each burner into operative relation to a said article at a point beyond said receiving station, a transfer device positioned at a discharging station adjacent to the path of movement of the articles with the carriage, said transfer device comprising means operable to remove the articles from the carriage as they are brought to said discharging station, and burner lifting mechanism positioned and arranged to lift each burner during its travel as it advances with the carriage toward the said discharging station.

2. A fire finishing machine comprising a carriage, means for rotating it about a vertical axis, a series of burner units mounted to rotate with the carriage, each said unit comprising a hood formed with a. combustion chamber, a. vertical tubular stem carrying said hood, and a bearing sleeve mounted on the stem, means for individually adjusting said sleeves up and down on said stems, cam rolls carried on said sleeves, and a stationary cam track in the path of the cam rolls, said cam track being positioned and arranged to support each burner unit during a predetermined portion of its travel, ai; a height determined by the said adjustment of its bearing sleeve.

3. A fire finishing machine comprising a carriage, means for rotating it about a vertical axis, a series of burner units mounted to rotate with lthe carriage, each said unit comprising a hood formed with a combustion chamber, a vertical tubular stem carrying said hood, a bearing sleeve mounted on said stem, means for adjusting the sleeve up and down on the stem including a rack on the stem, a pinion carried ,by the sleeve and engaging the rack, means for rotating the pinion,

means for clamping the sleeve in adjusted posiy tion on the stem, and means for lifting the burner units in succession comprising a stationary cam track.

4. A fire finishing machine comprising-a carriage, means for rotating it about a vertical axis, said carriage comprising a table, a horizontal conveyer positioned at one side of said table by which articles are brought in succession to a transfer station, means at said station for transferring the articles from the conveyor to the said table, said transfer means including a transfer wheel, means for rotating said wheel about a vertical axis in synchronismwith the rotation of the carriage, and radial fingers carried by said wheel, plates mounted on said table, said plates shaped and arranged to guide and hold the articles in a predetermined position, an arm positioned adjacent to the path of said plates for moving the articles into position in contact with said plates, said arm having a stationary mounting, and cam means vfor periodically actuating said arm in synchronism with the said movements of the articles.

5. A fire finishing machine comprising a. carriage mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, devices on the carriage for individually positioning and holding articles each in a predetermined position on the carriage, a. belt conveyor by which articles are carried to a transfer station, means at said station for transferring the articles from said conveyor to the carriage, and a device for moving each article into said predetermined position, said last mentioned device comprising a rock arm having a stationary mounting and means driven in synchronism with the rotation of the carriage for periodically rocking said arm.

6. A iire finishing machine comprising a carriage mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, devices on the carriage for individually positioning and holding articles each in a predetermined position on the carriage, a belt conveyor by which articles are carried to a transfer station, means at said station for transferring the articles from said conveyor to the carriage, and a device for moving each article into said predetermined position, said last mentioned device comprising a rock arm having a. stationary mounting and means driven in synchronism with the rotation of the carriage for periodically rocking said arm, said last mentioned means comprising a cam disk formed with cams spaced along its periphery, means for rotating said cam disk, and means controlled by said cams for periodically swinging said arm.

'1. A re finishing machine comprising a. carriage, means for continuously rotating the carriage about a, vertical axis, a. series of burners mounted to rotate with the carriage, cam rolls individual to the burners and connected to rotate therewith, means for individually adjusting the burners up and down relative to their respective cam rolls and securing them in adjusted position, a stationary circular track on which said rolls run, said track including a cam positioned and arranged to lift said rolls and their connected burners and hold them at an elevated position during a predetermined portion of the rotation'.

8. A fire finishing machine comprising a carriage, means for continuously rotating the carriage about a. vertical axis, a series of burners mounted to rotate with the carriage, cam rolls individual to the burners and connected to rotate therewith, meansfor individually adjusting the burners up and down relative to their respective cam rolls and securing them in adjusted position, a stationary circular track on which said rolls run, said track including a cam positioned and arranged to lift said rolls and their connected burners and hold them at an elevated position during a predetermined portion of the rotation, said carriage including an article supporting table v positioned beneath and spaced below the burners,

and automatic means for placing articles on said

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