Abstract:
A neck ring guide for aligning neck ring sections in a glassware forming machine has a center body and a pair of spaced parallel runners coupled to the center body for receipt in guide slots in the neck ring sections. Keepers on the outboard sides of the runners retain the runners in the guide slots. Instead of keepers, the runners may be retained in the guide slots by roll pins on the neck ring sections engaged in retainer slots in the runners.

Description:
This invention relates to apparatus for making glass containers, having opposed neck ring sections to form the finish portion of a glass container and a neck ring guide for guiding the opening and closing of the neck ring sections. 
   BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Glassware making machines typically employ invert arms for transferring the neck ring sections between a blank station to a blow station, and a neck ring guide to keep the opposed neck ring sections aligned during their opening and closing movements. 
   A neck ring guide in current use has a circular flange that engages an internal circular groove in each of the neck ring sections. However, when the neck ring sections open far enough to clear the parison finish and permit it to be removed, the neck ring sections become partially disengaged from the neck ring guide. This partial disengagement can allow the neck ring sections to be thrown out of position by the forces produced when the invert arms transfer the neck ring sections back to the blank side of the machine. Also, upon subsequent closing of the neck ring sections, there is excessive friction between the neck ring sections and the neck ring guide. 
   In accordance with the present invention, the neck ring guide has a pair of parallel runners slidably disposed in external slots formed in the opposed neck ring sections. The runners may be either integrally formed with or replacably mounted on a center body of the neck ring guide. The runners may have outboard keepers for retaining the runners in the neck ring slots, which may be formed integrally with or replacably mounted on the runners. The runners more preferably have longitudinal slots for receiving roll pins on the neck ring sections to retain the runners in the neck ring slots. 
   The outboard runner design provides wide stable engagement with the neck ring sections, so that the neck ring sections are closely guided at all times during opening and closing movement. Being formed in the outer sides of the neck ring sections, the slots are conveniently located for surface coating options and for machining purposes. 
   One object of this invention is to provide a glassware making machine provided with neck ring sections and a neck ring guide, having one or more of the foregoing features and capabilities. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a fragmentary perspective view showing the invert arms of a glassware forming machine provided with two neck ring assemblies for forming the finish portions of two glass containers. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of one of the neck ring assemblies in  FIG. 1 , showing the neck ring sections separated from the neck ring guide. 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the neck ring assembly shown in  FIG. 2 , with the neck ring sections open. 
       FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of the neck ring assembly shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view in perspective of the neck ring guide shown in the preceding figures, with keepers for retaining the runners in the neck ring slots shown detached from the runners. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of one of the neck ring sections. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the neck ring section shown in  FIG. 6 , as seen from a different angle. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a modified neck ring guide, in which the runners are bolted to the center body of the neck ring guide and a keeper is formed integrally with each runner. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing portions of a neck ring section and the neck ring guide, in which the keepers are attached to the neck ring section instead of to the runners. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a modification in which roll pins, instead of keepers, are provided to retain the runners in the neck ring slots. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 10 , but showing the neck ring sections in an open position. 
       FIG. 12  is an exploded perspective view of the neck ring sections, neck ring guide and roll pins of the modification of  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the modification of  FIG. 10 , with parts in broken lines and the neck ring sections in open position. 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a neck ring guide of modified construction. 
       FIG. 15  is an exploded perspective view of the neck ring guide in  FIG. 14 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and especially to  FIGS. 1-8 , there is shown a pair of parallel invert arm sections  20  and  22  which are adapted to swing in unison from a blank station, where the neck portion of a glass parison is formed, to a blow station for the final forming step. The invert arm sections  20  and  22  carry two neck ring assemblies  24  and  26 , which are identical in construction. Each neck ring assembly forms the finish portion of a parison to final shape. 
   Each neck ring assembly  24 ,  26  has a generally circular neck ring  28  composed of two neck ring sections  30  and  32 . The neck ring section  30  is secured to the invert arm section  20  and the neck ring section  32  is secured to the invert arm section  22 . 
   The neck ring sections  30  and  32  of each neck ring assembly are generally arcuate and opposed to one another. When the invert arm sections  20  and  22  are moved toward one another, the neck ring sections  30  and  32  close as in  FIG. 1  to form a ring in which the parison finish is formed to final shape. When the invert arm sections  20  and  22  are moved away from one another, the neck ring sections  30  and  32  open as in  FIG. 3  to permit the parison to be removed. 
   The neck ring section  30  of each neck ring assembly  24 ,  26  has external parallel slots  34  and  36  on opposite sides, and the neck ring section  32  has external parallel slots  38  and  40  on opposite sides, with the guide slots  34  and  38  in alignment and the slots  36  and  40  in alignment. 
   Each neck ring assembly  30 ,  32  includes a neck ring guide  42 . The neck ring guide  42  has a center body  44  and a pair of outboard parallel runners  46  and  48  on opposite sides of the center body. The runner  46  is slidably received in the aligned guide slots  34  and  38  of the neck ring sections  30  and  32  and the runner  48  is slidably received in the aligned guide slots  36  and  40  of the neck ring sections. The runners may be integral with the center body as shown, or may be formed separately from the center body. The runners, especially if formed separately from the center body, may be made of a hardened material and finish ground to improve surface finish and lower friction. When the neck ring sections  30  and  32  open and close, such opening and closing movements are guided by the runners  46  and  48 . 
   Keepers  50  in the form of elongated bars extend along the length of the runners on the outboard sides thereof. The keepers retain the runners  46  and  48  in the guide slots of the neck ring sections. The keepers  50  run along the sides  52  and  54  of the neck ring sections  30  and  32 . Preferably, there is a slight clearance between the keepers  50  and the sides  52  and  54  of the neck ring sections as shown in  FIG. 4  to allow the ring guide  42  to float slightly when the neck ring sections  30  and  32  are moved away from one another to the open position. The keepers are removably secured to the runners by fasteners  56  but may, if desired, be formed integrally with the runners. 
   When the neck ring sections open and close, the keepers contain side-to-side movement of the neck ring sections and the outboard runner design keeps the neck ring sections from rotating. 
     FIG. 8  shows a modified neck ring guide  57  in which parallel runners  58  and  59  are formed separately from and secured to opposite sides of a center body  60  by fasteners  61 . A keeper  62  is formed integrally with each runner. Each runner and keeper combination constitutes a hardened reusable piece that may be bolted to a replaceable center body. The neck ring guide  57  may be substituted for the neck ring guide  42  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-7 . 
     FIG. 9  shows a modification of the invention in which the neck ring assembly is the same as previously described, except that the keepers for retaining the runners in the slots of the neck ring sections are secured to the neck ring sections rather than to the runners of the neck ring guide.  FIG. 9  shows a keeper  63  secured to one side  52  of the neck ring section  30  to retain the runner  46  in the guide slot  34 , and a keeper  64  secured to the opposite side  54  of the neck ring section  30  to retain the runner  48  in the guide slot  36 . The keepers  63  and  64  may be formed integrally with the neck ring section or they may be replaceably mounted thereon by fasteners  65  as shown. Preferably, there is a slight clearance between the keepers  63  and  64  and the sides of the guide ring  42  to allow it to float slightly when the neck ring sections open and close. It will be understood that keepers, similar to the keepers  63  and  64 , will also be secured to the neck ring section  32  in the same manner and for the same purpose. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 10-13 , a further modification of the invention is shown in which invert arm sections (not shown) carry a neck ring assembly  70 . The neck ring assembly  70  has a generally circular neck ring  72  composed of two neck ring sections  74  and  76 . The neck ring section  74  is secured to one of the invert arm sections (not shown) and the neck ring section  76  is secured to the other of the invert arm sections (not shown). Each of the neck ring sections has a top portion  78  secured to a base portion  80  by fasteners  82 . 
   As in the first embodiment, the neck ring sections  74  and  76  are generally arcuate and opposed to one another. When the invert arms  66  and  68  are moved toward one another as in  FIG. 10 , the neck ring sections  74  and  76  close to form a ring in which the parison finish is formed to final shape. When the invert arms are moved away from one another as in  FIG. 11 , the neck ring sections  74  and  76  open to permit the parison to be removed. 
   The base portion  80  of the neck ring section  74  has external parallel guide slots  84  and  86  on opposite sides, and the base portion  80  of the neck ring section  76  has external parallel guide slots  88  and  90  on opposite sides, with the slots  84  and  88  in alignment and the slots  86  and  90  in alignment. 
   The neck ring assembly  70  includes a neck ring guide  92 . The neck ring guide has a center body  94  and a pair of outboard parallel runners  96  and  98  on opposite sides of the center body. The runner  96  is slidably received in the aligned guide slots  84  and  88  of the neck ring sections  74  and  76  and the runner  98  is slidably received in the aligned guide slots  86  and  90  of the neck ring sections to guide the opening and closing movements of the neck ring sections. 
   To retain the runners in the guide slots of the neck ring sections  74  and  76 , retainer elements in the form of roll pins  100 ,  102 ,  104  and  106  are provided. The roll pin  100  is disposed in a hole  108  in the neck ring section  74  and extends into a retainer slot  110  in the runner  96 . The roll pin  102  is disposed in a hole (not shown) in the neck ring section  74  and extends into a retainer slot  114  in the runner  98 . The roll pin  104  is disposed in a hole  116  in the neck ring section  76  and extends into a retainer slot  118  in the runner  96 . The roll pin  106  is disposed in a hole (not shown) in the neck ring section  76  and extends into a retainer slot  122  in the runner  98 . The slots  110  and  118  in the runner  96  are elongated and aligned with one another. The slots  114  and  122  in the runner  98  are elongated and aligned with one another. Preferably, there is a slight clearance between the roll pins and the side walls of the slots into which they extend to allow the neck ring guide to float slightly when the neck ring sections open and close. To install the roll pins  100 ,  102 ,  104  and  106  in the holes in the neck ring sections, the roll pins may be inserted through passages  124  in the top portions  78  of the neck ring sections. 
   When the neck ring sections  74  and  76  open and close, such opening and closing movements are guided by the runners  96  and  98 . The runners are retained in the guide slots  84 ,  88 ,  86  and  90  of the neck ring sections  74  and  76  by the roll pins  100 ,  102 ,  104  and  106 . 
     FIGS. 14 and 15  show a neck ring guide  130  which is a modification of the neck ring guide  92  in  FIGS. 11-13 . The neck ring guide  130  has a replaceable cavity hub  132  and a separate reusable guide plate  134  on which integral runners  136  are formed. The guide plate  134  is replaceably secured to the hub  132  by removable fasteners in the form of bolts  138  which extend through slots  140  in the hub and thread into holes  142  in the guide plate. The bolts  138  have heads  144  which clamp down on shoulders  146  in the slots  140  to secure the hub  132  and guide plate  134  together. This two-piece construction permits the guide plate  134  to be separately formed from a hardened material and finish ground to improve surface finish and lower friction, thereby extending the life of the guide plate. The separately formed hub can be replaced when necessary or desired. 
   This disclosure herein is intended to be exemplary, and not limiting. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims appended hereto.