US3271127A

US3271127A - Parison forming apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3271127A
Application number: US277164A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward F Wendle
Original assignee: Owens Illinois Inc
Current assignee: OI Glass Inc
Priority date: 1963-05-01
Filing date: 1963-05-01
Publication date: 1966-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-06

Description

Sept. 6, 1966 u E. F. WENDLE 3,271,127

PARISON FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 1, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EDWARD F. WENDLE ATTORNEYS Sept. 6, 1966 E. F. WENDLE 3,271,127

PARISON FORMING APPARATUS 7 Filed May 1, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. EDWARD F. WENDLE BYyj (Z ATTORNEYS E. F. WENDLE 5ept. 6, 1966 PARISON FORMI G APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 1, 1963 FIG 4 FIG. 3

FIG. 5

INVENTOR. EDWARD F. WEN DLE B% Z M 4? yea-Q4 AT O RN EYS Sept. 6, 1966 E. F. WEN DLE PARI SON FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 1, 1963 6 Sheets$heet L FIG. 8

m3 3 INVENTOR.

- EDWARD F WEN DLE A TORNEYS Sept. 6, 1966 E. F. WENDLE 3,271,127

PARiSON FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 1, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I i INVENTOR.

94 EDWARD E WEN DLE FIG. IO By/hjkzgiii ATTORNEYS E. F. WENDLE Sept. 6, 1966 PARI SON FORMING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed May 1, 1963 INVENTOR. EDWARD F. WENDLE BY KZZMM/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,271,127 PARISON FORMING APPARATUS Edward F. Wendie, Godfrey, 11]., assignor to Owens- Illinois, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed May 1, 1963, Ser. No. 277,164 4 Claims. (Cl. 65-207) The invention relates to glassware forming machines and processes for making bottles known and referred to as narrow neck ware, and more particularly, the invention relates to machine and process improvements for forming a preliminary or parison shape of glass from which narrow neck ware articles are blown to shape.

As used herein, the term narrow neck ware or narrow neck containers is intended to cover containers wherein the internal diameter of the neck is approximately one and one-half inch or less.

In the production of such ware, two well-known types of processes are used. The Owens machine process is typical of the first type. This is often described as a suction gather-and-blow process. It comprises placing an open-ended blank mold in a gathering pool of molten glass and evacuating the mold cavity of air by suction applied therein. A pin, core or short plunger is located in the opposite end of the mold in the neck rings or neck mold. The pin and neck mold together form the bottle finish on the parison. Evacuation of the mold cavity causes the latter to fill with glass, the glass raising around the neck pin and filling the neck mold. The mold is then lifted from the gathering pool and a knife cuts off the glass at the open end of the mold to'forrn a separated gather or charge of glass in the mold. The blank molds are now opened to suspend the gather or charge by the neck mold. This gather or charge is then puffed by air pressure applied at the indentation or bubble formed in the bore of the neck by the neck pin. This distended bubble is used for blowing the glass when it is next transferred into a blowing mold. The exact details are described in greater detail in the patent of LaFrance, No. 1,185,687. Y

The second type process is the blow-and-blow process, typically illustrated in the Hartford Empire LS. (individual section) machine process. It comprises loading a blank mold with a gob of glass severed from an orificefed stream in an overhead feeder device. The gob is conveyed by a chute and into the upper end-opening of the blank mold. The opposite end of the blank mold is closed about an adjacent neck mold, the latter being closed at its end by a neck .pin, core or plunger. The neck pin together with the neck mold will define the neck finish of the bottle on the parison. After the gob is loaded, a settle-blow head closes the open end of the blank mold and air pressure is blown down onto the gob to compact the glass into the underlying neck mold and around the neck pin to form a bored neck including the beginning of a central bubble or indent. The neck pin is next withdrawn and a baflie closes the top mold opening; whereupon, after a corkage reheat pause, counterblow air pressure is administered into the bubble formed by the neck pin to puff and distribute or distend the glass in the blank mold thereby forming a hollow, elongated parison. The details of this type machine are described in the patent to Ingle, No. 1,911,119.

The present invention presents :a different process for manufacture of narrow neck glassware. It involves basically forming the molten glass, whether it be introduced to the mold by suction gather or gob feeding, around .an elongated plunger shaped to define the final bubble or hollow shape in the parison and the glass charge is worked around this particular plunger by vacuum to fill the mold and define the parison shape. No puff or counterblow is needed, and difficulties previously en- 3,271,127 Patented Sept. 6, 1966 countered in distribution or settle wave appearance in forming the parison are removed from the process. Likewise, the process may proceed to final blowing sooner, thus enchancing a faster cycle.

In achieving the foregoing objectives, the invention also provides a novel plunger design which furnishes cooling necessary to the process for handling heat transfer from the glass in forming the parison shape, as mentioned.

Another advantage gained by the process of the invention, just-outlined, is the achievement of some of the benefits alluded to which arederived from a press-and blow type bottle making process in forming wide mouth containers, but without entailing the necessity of the extremely high pressing forces necessary for pressing or pushing a pressing plunger into a charge of glass in a mold. As a suggested technique in production of narrow neck glassware, US. Patent No. 2,402,234 to Berthold describes a press-and-blow method for forming narrow neck ware by loading a gob of glass into an open-top blank mold of an 1.8. machine, closing the top of the mold with a battle and pressing the gob to a parison by use of an elongated, solid (uncooled) plunger. In the disclosed method, the pressing plunger begins from a lowered position at the lower opening of the neck and blank molds and is moved upwardly into the blank mold cavity as the gob is descending therein during loading.

' The pressing of the parison is completed with a top baffle seated, that is, before the pressing plunger is fully inserted in the mold cavity, the baflle is seated on the mold to close the upper opening whereat the gob was loaded into the mold. In pressing the glass gob to a parison, exceptionally high forces are necessary, e.g., on the order of 1200 pounds per square inch, which limits the practical success of the method and requires an exceptionally heavy machinery unit to operate under these pressing pressures.

'By way of distinction, the present process obviates the difficulties with pressing pressures and resultant forces that are encountered in a. press-and-blow process of this type and the invention is found by comparison to perform satisfactorily and with further unexpected superior benefits.

Another object of the invention, is to enable getting an increased bubble in the glass charge before the blank mold is opened :and thus the puff is eliminated so that a more consistent process will result.

A further object of the invention is to provide for chilling of the glass at the inside of the parison and enable setting an enamel in this area so that improved shoulder thickness distribution in the bottle will be obtained. At present in the Owens process, this presents a problem of weakness to the ware formed. The bottles tend to run thin at the shoulders requiring overloading or beefing up glass distribution unnecessarily throughout the bottle to achieve adequate shoulder thickness.

Another object of the invention is to provide for molding glass loaded to an open-top mold without the necessity of a chilling bafile to close the mold opening and, therefore, provides for greater ease in reheat of the parison, which enables unexpectedly the advantage of a means obviating the cut-off scar or shear mark of the gob fed to the blank mold, as normally appears in a finally blown bottle.

Other objectives realized in the present invention are a colder blank cavity in operation and a well-centered pattern of the parison formed from the glass charge by the techniques of this invention.

The specific nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the annexed sheets of drawings, on which, by way of preferred example only, are illustrated embodiments of this invention.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view showing the invention adapted to a single cavity mold on the known Owens suction machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, showing the invention on said Owens machine;

FIGS. 3-7 are somewhat schematic views showing one form of the method of the invention, as performed on the Owens machine embodiment illustrated on FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIGS. 811 show in sectional elevational views another form of the method of the invention as performed on the LS. (individual section) machine; wherein, FIG. 8 shows the relationship of the parts of the new blank mold apparatus of the invention as the gob of molten glass is loaded to the mold; FIG. 9 shows the new blank mold apparatus of the invention in forming the parison; FIG. 10 shows the new blank mold apparatus of the invention as the formed parison is to be transferred to the final blow molding station; and, FIG. 11 is a sectional elevational view of the conventional blow mold apparatus of an LS. machine, showing the parison blown to a bottle in the blow mold.

In essence, the process of this invention entails inserting a long, narrow plunger through the neck mold and into the end of the closed blank mold well into the cavity of the latter, loading a charge of glass through the other open end of the closed blank mold and onto the long plunger, simultaneously applying vacuum from the neck end of the mold to fill the charge around said long plunger and form an elongated parison having a neck finish and an elongated bubble or pattern that is well centered. Cooling fluid is administered inside the long plunger to facilitate removal of heat from the glass and set up an enamel on the pattern. The long plunger is now withdrawn and the blank molds opened. The parison is then allowed to re heat while it is transferred to the blowing mold where it is presently and in suitable fashion blown out to form the bottle.

On the included drawings, two specific forms of the invention are set forth and illustrated in adaptation to the known Owens machine and the Hartford-Empire I.S. machine. However, it should be apparent that the invention is not limited to these particular machines. Persons skilled in this art will, therefore, readily understand and envision the various modifications to universally adapt the invention to other machines.

Referring to the drawings:

On FIG. 1 is shown a novel structure, as one embodiment of the invention, as applied to a head of the multihead Owens suction glass forming machine. This machine is described in considerable detail in the patent to LaFrance, US. No. 1,185,687; and, therefore, for sake of simplicity of illustration merely the portion of the machine relating to the improvement of structure of this invention will be described. The machine head is mounted by castings 10 and 11, shown broken away, which attach the mold carriage to the dipping frame of the machine (not shown). The dipping frame is capable of raising and lowering and is carried on the rotating frame of the machine. This carries the blank mold unit, indicated generally at 12, to and from the body of molten glass M for filling the cavity of the blank mold 12 and withdrawing it when filled.

The blank mold unit 12 includes a partible neck mold 13 and a partible body blank mold 14, each of these molds having complementary half sections. The neck mold half sections 13 are supported on pivoted arms (not shown) that are rotatably mounted on

bosses

15 and 16 supported on the pin 17 of the mold carriage 18. The neck molds 13 are held on the outer ends of these arms and carried in a plane below the plane of the dipping head 19 attached to the mold carriage. The neck molds 13 are manipulated by their arms to close and register on the dipping head 19. The blank molds 14 are held on the outer ends of their arms (not shown) which are pivoted by

bosses

20 and 21 on the vertical pin 17, and these mold sections 14 are carried in a plane below the plane of the neck molds 13. The body blank mold sections 14 are manipulated by their arms to close and register on the closed neck mold sections 13. These arms in closing their

molds

13 and 14 are operated in normal fashion by cams and mechanism on the Owens type machine.

The casting on the dipping frame provides a support for the plunger mechanism of this invention. The elongated, narrow neck plunger 22 of this invention is supported for vertical movement through the dipping head 19 on a cover member 23 which, in the lowered position shown, fits over and covers the cylindrical chamber 24 defined by the dipping head 19. The plunger 22 is of such length that it will extend into the parison forming cavity to a point axially beyond the region of the glass in the parison that will be blown to form the shoulder region of the bottle. On the upper side of cover 23, a plunger rod 25 is detachably connected by slide key 26 to the lower end of rack 27 provided with linear teeth 28. The teeth 28 are in mesh with the arcuate segment of teeth 29 of gear 30 pivoted at 31 on casting 10. This gear 30 is rocked about its pivot by a link 32 which is connected at 33 to the gear. The rocking of the gear 30 about its pivot will raise and lower the rack 27, and, in turn, this will raise and lower the cover 23 off of and onto the dipping head chamber 24. Also, this movement will raise and lower the plunger 22 away from and into the blank mold cavity of the blank mold unit 12. On FIGS. 1 and 2, the plunger 22 and cover 23 are shown in their lowered position ready for filling the closed blank mold 14 with molten glass from the pool M through the end opening 34 of the blank mold.

As best shown on FIG. 2, the plunger 22 is hollow and of thin walled construction and made of suitable plunger material, as known in the art. A tapered (stepped) cooling tube 35 is supported in the interior of the hollow plunger 22 in spaced relationship to the inner wall 36 thereof. The cooling tube is connected at 37 to the underside of cover member 23 which has an annular flange 38 forming a cylinder 39 thereat. Inside the cylinder 39 is an adapter 40 fastened to flange 38, such as by threads, and the adapter has a circular seal ring 41 making the chamber fluid tight. The hollow plunger 22 is fastened in the adapter 40 and retained by the interior boss 42 and the end portion 43 thereon. End portion 43 has circular seal rings 44. Plunger 22 is normally extended so that the end portion 43 seats against boss 42 by the spring 45. The cooling tube 35 is shaped such that it defines a generally uniformly annular zone 46 with the inner surface 36 of the plunger 22. Cooling tube 35 includes an axial opening (not shown) in the end thereof which is adapted to direct a cooling fluid against the tip of the plunger 22. In addition, cooling tube 35 is formed with a plurality of radially extending openings or holes, one of which is shown as 47, at longitudinally spaced points which direct the cooling fluid outwardly against the inner wall 36 of plunger 22. Cooling fluid, such as in the form of compressed air, is supplied from the machine source connected to the conduit or passage 48 in the cover member 23, which in turn is connected to the hollow upper end 49 of plunger cooling tube 35. The cooling fluid is thus supplied to the interior of tube 35 and forced through the end opening thereof and the radial openings 47. This spent coolant, as it absorbs heat from the plunger wall 36, is removed from the annular space 46 through the chamber 39 which is provided with an exhaust passage 50.

A vacuum source (not shown) is available also on the machine and is connected to dipping head 19 by conduit 51. The conduit 51 connects to an annular passage 52 in dipping head 19 and this passage is connected axially by vertical passages formed between surfaces 53 and 54 (dotted on FIG. 2). This vertical passage connects with the head-space 55 between cover 23 and the top edge of dipping head 19 around the periphery of cylindrical chamber 24.

The vacuum is next connected to the neck mold 13 and body blank mold 14, as may best be seen on FIG. 2. Along the sides of the forming cavity walls of the neck mold 113 are axially milled slots or passages 56 which join with slots or passages 57 connected to the cavity of the neck mold near its lower end. After the plunger 22 is inserted to glass forming position, as shown, there is a further vacuum connection to the upper end of the neck mold cavity by the clearance space 58. This space is on the order of three to five thousandths of an inch, which, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, will allow application of vacuum therethrough, but will not permit entry of the glass in this passage area in forming the neck portion of the parison.

Vacuum is connected into the parison body forming cavity of the blank mold 14 as follows. Grooves 59 extend substantially parallel along the contour of the parison cavity at the mold face or seam, one mold half section 14 being shown in full elevation view on FIG. 2. The mold face 61 between the longitudinal groove 59 and the wall surface 60 of the parison cavity in mold 14 is a relieved area. This face 61 as it is placed opposite a similar face on the other mold half section of mold 14 when the latter is closed provides a thin clearance passage on the order of three to five thousandths of an inch connecting vacuum between each groove 59 and the interior cavity space of the closed mold 14. The grooves 59 are connected into a recessed space 62 along the top of the mold 14, and this in turn is connected to a vertical channel formed between the surfaces 63 and 64 (shown in dotted outline on FIG. 2) of the neck mold and the dipping head 19. This vertical channel or passageway connects into the annular passage in the dipping head 19, and the vacuum conduit connection 51 by which vacuum is supplied from the machine. This vacuum source is turned on and off in the usual fashion by the machine control mechanism, as may be understood by one skilled in the art or from reference to the mentioned LaFrance patent.

When a parison is formed, as will be described shortly, in the blank and

neck molds

14 and 13 around the lowered plunger 22, the plunger will be pulled, the vacuum released and the blank molds 14 are opened away from the formed glass. This opening of the blank molds allows the formed parison that is suspended by the neck molds 13 to be enclosed by the blow molds for forming the final narrow neck ware (bottle). During this interval of transfer of the parison between the blank mold and blow mold, the parison will undergo a reheat of the skin or enamel formed on its surface and on its internal pattern or bubble surface. It is also sometimes suitable to assist the run of the glass, i.e., downward distending or stretching of the parison, by introduction of air interiorly into the hollow parison.

As the rack 27 (FIG. 1) raises the plunger 22 and cover 23, a blow side 65 is laterally shiftably mounted on the top of dipping head 19. This blow slide 65 is connected to a link 66 pivotally connected on arm 67 that is mounted intermediate its ends on casting by pin 68. The upper end of arm 67 carries a rotatable roller 69 that rides in cam groove 70 on gear 30. As gear 30 rocks in driving rack 27 upwardly, the cam rocks arm 67 so that the linkage 66 slides blow slide 65 over the top of chamber 24 which was left uncovered by the withdrawal of plunger 22 and cover 23. Blow slide 65 has a port 75 therein which is connectible to a source of compressed air. The port 75 may be connected to a supply of low pressure air on the machine which will communicate with the cylinder chamber 24 and the interior of the hollow parison that was formed around the plunger 22 by vacuum. This low pressure air is controlled by the cam control of the machine and will assist the run or stretch of the parison during transfer. Or, the low pressure air may be left off in blow slide 65 so that the run or stretch of the parison during transfer is achieved solely by gravity forces.

Referring to FIGS. 3-7, the method of operation in forming hollow articles of glassware by the presently described embodiment of the invention is as follows: On FIG. 3, the neck mold 13 and blank mold 14 are both closed and the plunger is in fully lowered (glass forming) position so that in the course of further rotation of the machine, the unit will pass over a pool of molten glass. The dipping frame will now be operated, as in FIG. 4, to lower the dipping head 19 until the bottom of blank mold 14 enters the molten glass surface and the end opening 34 thereof is immersed. At this time, the vacuum is applied at line 51 which evacuates the neck mold cavity and blank mold cavity in the manner above described. The atmospheric pressure on the surface of the glass pool fills the blank and neck mold cavities with molten glass and the parison is completely formed around the extended plunger and the parison is assured a well centered pattern or bubble. In FIG. 5, the dipping frame is raised to lift the blank mold from the glass, the vacuum being maintained and the plunger 22 extended. As this is being done, heat is extracted by the cooled plunger 22 to set up a skin or enamel on the bubble and permit withdrawal of the plunger therefrom without it sticking to the glass. The usual cut-oif mechanism for severing any string of glass from the lower end of the blank mold consists of a rotatable knife 71 and swivel mounting 72 (FIG. 2). The knife 71 rocks across the bottom of the blank mold as it lifts from the glass, as shown on FIG. 5. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the plunger 22 is raised out of the dipping head 19 and the vacuum is released. The blank mold 14 is next opened to leave the formed parison ready for reheat and transfer. It is during this reheat of the enamel on the ouside of the parison and in the bubble region thereof that the parison may run or stretch in the usual fashion. Next, the sections of a partible blow mold 73 are raised and closed about a bottom plate 74 and registered on the neck mold 13 holding the parison. As the plunger 22 was withdrawn, as in FIG. 6, the blow slide 65 was moved over the dipping head 50. After the parison is transferred to and enclosed by the

blow mold

73, 74, the port 75 of the blow slide 65 is connected to a source of blowing air pressure on the machine by the usual cam-operated valves of the machine. This will blow out the parison to the shape of a bottle, as is shown in progress on FIG. 7. Thus, one embodiment of the method has been shown and described whereby a parison is formed of glass around an elongated, narrow neck plunger in a blank mold, the glass being formed therein by vaccum or diiferential in atmospheric pressure created by applying the vacuum.

On FIGS. 811, a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated. These drawings show the invention employed on and adapted to a known I.S. blank mold unit, which will be described only to the extent necessary to explain this embodiment of the invention. A more complete understanding of the LS, machine and its mode of operation may be had by reference to the Ingle Patent No. 1,911,119.

On FIGS. 8 and 9, there is shown an inverted blank mold which is comprised of

partible sections

81 and 82 each mounted on a mold arm (not shown) movable toward and away from each other to open and closed molding positions. As viewed on FIGS. 8 and 9, the mold sections are shown in cross-sectional elevational view taken in a plane normal to the mold seam whereat the abutting faces of the

mold sections

81 and 82 meet when closed. In the closed position, as shown, the mold sections define the parison forming cavity 83 which includes a top opening formed around a seating surface 84 and a lower opposite end opening 85. The

closed mold sections

81 and 82 fit about an annular dovetail 86 on a partible neck mold 87. The

mold sections

81 and 82 close on the mentioned parting line or seam Where the meeting faces of these sections join in abutting relationship. The neck mold is mounted on and carried by the LS. invert arms 110 (shown only on FIG. in a conventional manner. The deck mold 87 defines a circular cavity that forms the particular narrow neck finish and corkage rim surface of the neck finish of the bottle to be utimately formed and the neck mold cavity conforms to and registers with the lower end opening 85 of the parison cavity of the blank mold. As seen on FIG. 8, the top opening about seating surface 84 receives a gob-guide funnel 88 which is mounted on the usual machine carriage mechanism (not shown) for moving the funnel into and out of the position shown on FIG. 8. As will be apparent from the description of the invention hereinafter, a baffle, which is usually necessary in an I.S. type blank mold unit, will not be required in the present invention, because the glass is not counterblown in the blank mold 80. Hence, the mechanism and process of this invention is simplified.

Associated with the underside of the neck mold 87 is the elongated, narrow neck plunger mechanism of this embodiment of the invention. This mechanism is comprised of the elongated, narrow neck plunger 89 which is a hollow plunger that is cooled and constructed similar to the above-described construction of the hollow, elongated plunger 22, as shown on FIG. 2. The plunger 89 is axially shiftable through a central bore of thimble 90 about which the neck rings 87 close in the registered forming position. As best seen on FIG. 9, the thimble 90 is connected by the clamp 91 to the outer hollow piston 92 of a fluid-operated cylinder piston assembly, referred to generally at 93. This assembly 93 includes a cylinder housing 94 supported on the frame of the machine. The cylinder 94 has an upper cylinder head '95 which retains the clamps 91 and provides a reciprocal guide for the thimble 90. Slidable axially in the cylinder 94 is the hollow piston 92. This piston is actuated by a source of air or fluid under pressure in the conventional manner for reciprocating it axially in manipulating the thimble 90 into and out of the molding position. As second piston 96 is coaxially mounted for movement in the hollow piston 92. The plunger 89 has an adapter 97 at one end that is threaded into the piston 96. The piston 96 is reciprocated by an independent fluid pressure connection to the source which is applied internally of the piston 92 in the usual fashion to obtain independent motion of the plunger 89 into the glass forming position, as shown. In a similar fashion as was earlier described for the plunger 82 on FIG. 2, the plunger 89 is a thin-walled, hollow plunger having therein a ported or apertured tube 98 which is connected by the passage 99 to a source of a cooling medium, such as air under pressure. As the cooling medium is supplied internally of the cooling tube and distributed through the apertures, as before described, the cooling medium removes heat from the internal wall of the plunger 89. The coolant circulates back through the spacing 100 between the inner wall of the plunger and the cooling tube. At the lower end of the plunger adapter 97 is a chamber 101 connected by an outlet passage 102 for the exhaust of the spent cooling medium.

In the present invention, a charge or gob of molten glass G (FIG. 8) is loaded to the blank mold cavity 83 by the funnel 88 registered on the upper opening of to provide a passage for air from the molding cavity 83, but is such that it will not permit the passage of the glass from within the cavity of the neck mold. This gap 103 connects to an underlying chamber 104 which is formed by the upright lugs 105 on the thimble 90 engaging the undersurface of the neck mold. The chamber 104 is connected with plural passages 106 extending upwardly through the neck mold and terminating at the top surface of the neck mold, as shown. The neck mold 87 is relieved at a radially outwardly point, or, to put it another way, is centrally embossed, such that its fit in the enclosure between two sections of the blank mold provides an annular clearance space 107 which connects with the upwardly directed passages 106. A formed passage 108 in the blank mold section 82 is connected into this clearance space 107. A pipe connection is made at 109 to connect the passage 108 and a source of vacuum on the machine. This line connection at 109 will extend through a valve controlled by the timing drum of the LS. machine so as to apply the vacuum by connecting the source thereof and the cavity 83 of the blank mold at the proper time in the molding cycle. This provides a means for applying a negative or subatmospheric pressure inside the neck mold cavity and the blank mold cavity at the time the glass is guided into the mold by the funnel 88. This vacuum will form the charge or gob G around the plunger 89 by the atmospheric pressure differential being exerted downwardly on the gob G at its upper end.

Once the gob of glass is completely distributed in the mold cavity 83, it takes the shape of a final parison P. The bafiling of the upper opening of the mold cavity is eliminated and the parison may now be transferred readily to the blow mold, as follows. Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, it may be seen that the

blank mold sections

82 and 83 are opened, and the fluid motor 93 operated so as to withdraw the thimble 90 and plunger 89, as shown on FIG. 10, to a cleared, lower position. The glass parison P is transferred by the invert arms 110, and during this time reheat of the parison P will occur. This reheat will soften the enamel formed in the corkage bubble B of the parison, as well as soften the skin or enamel of the exterior of the parison. Reheat will enable suitable blowing of the parison in the blow mold. As is shown on FIG. 10, the parison P now is supported in inverted position solely by the closed neck mold 87. An uprighting of the parison P is performed by the transfer arms 110 which are swung about a horizontal pivot or axis in the usual fashion to transfer the parison to the blow mold 111. The blow mold is partible mold of known design and includes a bottom plate 112. After the transfer of the parison to the blow molding station, the mold sections of the blow mold close about the bottom plate 112 and about the parison. Thereafter, as is conventional procedure, the neck rings are opened and returned to the parison molding position and a blow head 113 is placed over the neck finish of the parison. Air under pressure or blowing air is applied through the center passage 113 of the blow head to blow out the parison to the shape of the bottle, as shown on FIG. 11.

In connection with the foregoing description of the two embodiments of the invention, it should be apparent that a faster forming cycle is available due to the fact that corkage reheat time is eliminated, settle-blow and counter-blow are eliminated, baffles are no longer needed, puff operations in forming the bubble in the parison in the blank mold is no longer necessary; and, hence, the glass is quickly formed to the shape of the parison about the pre-positioned, elongated, narrow neck plunger. The heat transfer from the glass by reason of the cooled plunger occurs rapidly to quickly form the skin or enamel on the bubble region of the parison. An early withdrawal of the plunger will enable an early transfer of the parison in final shape to the blow mold. Along with the early transfer is realized the benefit of a longer time in the blow mold for heat removal from the glass in forming a better bottle having improved glass distribution. The improved glass distribution in the bottle is in part related to the unique ability of this process to attain well centered patterns (bubbles) in the parison having a controlled, uniformly cooled enamel or skin so that the parison will blow out into a more uniformly distributed wall of the final bottle.

While embodiments of the present invention have been herein specifically described, other embodiments and variations may occur to those skilled in the art after a knowledge of the disclosure herein, and it is desired to include within the scope of the patent granted hereon all such embodiments and variations, and more particularly as comprehended by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A glass parison forming apparatus comprising in combination a partible neck mold defining in closed position a neck finish portion of a parison, means supporting said neck mold for opening and closing movement at a parison forming station, a partible blank mold defining in closed position the body of a parison having a shoulder defining region for an article to be formed from said parison and being open at the one end opposite the neck mold for loading molten glass therein, means supporting said blank mold for opening and closing movement with respect to said neck mold at the parison forming station, an elongated, narrow plunger adapted to be inserted axially through said neck mold cavity and extend centrally into the blank mold inwardly beyond said shoulder defining region of the parison rwhereat the plunger is in a glass molding position, means connected to said plunger and operable for moving the plunger into and out of said molding position with respect to said blank mold cavity, means for loading molten glass into the open end of the blank mold, said means being operated to move said plunger into its said molding position whereby the plunger is in said molding position at the time the glass is loaded into said blank, and means applying vacuum into the neck mold and blank mold for filling the cavity defined by said blank and neck mold with glass around said plunger, the said mold cavities, when filled, forming a final narrow neck parison shape.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the blank mold being disposed upright with its end opening at the lower end of the blank mold, and the means connected to the plunger being disposed above the blank mold and supporting the plunger for inserting it downwardly into said molding position in the blank mold cavity.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the blank mold being disposed upright with its end opening at the upper end of the blank mold, and the means connected to the plunger being disposed below the blank molds and supporting the plunger for inserting it upwardly into said molding position in the blank mold cavity.

4. In a glass bottle molding machine for forming molten glass into a hollow parison having a formed neck and finish thereon and an axial intermediate segment defining the shoulder forming region of a bottle blow-formed therefrom, said machine including a partible neck mold and a partible blank mold, means connected to said partible molds for positioning them in a parison forming cavity defining relationship, means for supplying molten glass to said forming cavity, the improvement in combination therewith comprising an elongated, narrow hollow plunger adapted to be inserted through the neck mold and into said parison forming cavity to a molding position, said plunger in its said molding position extending inwardly beyond said shoulder forming region in said parison forming cavity and is tapered axially inwardly terminating in a smoothly truncated nose portion, means connected to said plunger for moving it centrally of the neck mold and axially relative to said neck and blank 'molds toward and away from said molding position, said means moving the plunger to place the latter in its molding position at the time the molten glass is loaded into said forming cavity means for circulating a coolant through the interior of the hollow plunger for cooling the latter, the plunger wall being relatively thin in cross-section and constructed of a metal alloy, and means for applying a vacuum into the neck mold and blank mold for filling glass around said plunger.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,177,613 4/1916 Garwood et al. -356 X 2,071,295 2/1937 Bridges 65-2l5 X 2,365,929 12/1944 Allen et al. 65-215 2,508,891 5/1950 Rowe 65-356 X DONALL H. SYLVESTER, Primary Examiner.

F. W. MIGA, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A GLASS PARISON FORMING APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A PARTIBLE NECK MOLD DEFINING IN CLOSED POSITION A NECK FINISH PORTION OF A PARISON, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID NECK MOLD FOR OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENT AT A PARISON FORMING STATION, A PARTIBLE BLANK MOLD DEFINING IN CLOSED POSITION THE BODY OF A PARISON HAVING A SHOULDER DEFINING REGION FOR AN ARTICLE TO BE FORMED FROM SAID PARISON AND BEING OPEN AT THE ONE END OPPOSITE THE NECK MOLD FOR LOADING MOLTEN GLASS THEREIN, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID BLANK MOLD FOR OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID NECK MOLD AT THE PARISON FORMING STATION, AN ELONGATED, NARROW PLUNGER ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED AXIALLY THROUGH SAID NECK MOLD CAVITY AND EXTEND CENTRALLY INTO THE BLANK MOLD INWARDLY BEYOND SAID SHOULDER DEFINING REGION OF THE PARISON WHEREAT THE PLUNGER IS IN A GLASS MOLDING POSITION, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID PLUNGER AND OPERABLE FOR MOVING THE PLUNGER INTO AND OUT OF SAID MOLDING POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID BLANK MOLD CAVITY, MEANS FOR LOADING MOLTEN GLASS INTO THE OPEN END OF THE BLANK MOLD, SAID MEANS BEING OPERATED TO MOVE SAID PLUNGER INTO ITS SAID MOLDING POSITION WHEREBY THE PLUNGER IS IN SAID MOLDNG POSITION AT THE TIME THE GLASS IS LOADED INTO SAID BLANK AND MEANS APPLYING VACUUM INTO THE NECK MOLD AND BLANK FOR FILLING THE CAVITY DEFINED BY SAID BLANK AND NECK MOLD WITH GLASS AROUND SAID PLUNGER, THE SAID MOLD CAVITIES, WHEN FILLED, FORMING A FINAL NARROW NECK PARISON SHAPE.