Cooling arrangement for a glass forming apparatus

A cooling arrangement for a forming tool of a machine for forming molten glass or other thermoplastic materials, wherein the forming tool is coolable by a pressure fluid and turnable about a first pivoting axle, includes at least one stationary supply conduit having an outlet opening, a pressure distributing device for the forming tool turnable relative to said supply conduit about the first pivoting axle, and a connecting conduit arranged to connect each supply conduit with the pressure fluid distributing device and having an articulated conduit component turnable about a second pivoting axle which is fixed relative to the pressure fluid distributing device and is parallel to the first pivoting axle, the articulated conduit component having an inlet opening which is in a constant communication with the outlet opening of the supply conduit, the articulated conduit component being displaceable relative to the supply conduit in a displacement plane normal to the pivoting axles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a cooling arrangement for cooling by a 
pressure fluid, particularly air, of a forming tool of machine for forming 
molten glass or other thermoplastic materials. 
Cooling arrangements of the above-mentioned general type are known in the 
art. One of such cooling arrangements is disclosed for example, in the 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,434 and is constructed so that each connecting conduit 
has, in addition to an articulated conduit component at least one further 
articulated conduit component, which are turnable relative to one another 
about a turning axis parallel to a first pivoting axle. In the machines of 
some types with this known cooling arrangement there are difficulties for 
example from cooled glass residues in kinematically critical regions of 
the movement path of the articulated conduit components. Furthermore, the 
known cooling arrangements cannot be used in machines with a relatively 
low availability of free structural height. Because of the relatively 
great structural height of the connecting conduit relatively high forming 
tools cannot be used in these machines. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cooling 
arrangement of the above-mentioned general type which avoids the 
disadvantages of the prior art. 
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a 
cooling arrangement of the above-mentioned general type, which improves 
the connecting conduit kinematically and reduces trouble incidents and 
space consumption with respect to the structural dimensions and the 
movement space. Also relatively high forming tools shall be usable in the 
machine. 
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent 
hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, 
in a cooling arrangement in which an articulated conduit component is 
displaceable relative to a supply conduit in a displacement plane which is 
normal to first and second pivot axles of a forming tool and the 
articulated conduit component. 
When the cooling arrangement is designed in accordance with the present 
invention, the displacement movement of the articulated conduit component 
combined with the turning provides for kinematically advantageous and 
operationally safe construction. The displacement plane can be sealed with 
low expenses for the pressure fluid in an advantageous manner. The 
connecting conduit has a small structural height and weight, and requires 
a relatively small movement space in the machine. Because of the small 
structural height of the connecting conduit, a forming tool of relatively 
great height i.e. axial dimension can be used particularly in a finish 
forming station of the machine. When for other articles the forming tools 
of lower height are used, the height adjustment between each pressure 
fluid distributing device and the articulated conduit component can be 
performed in a simple manner by interposition of a tubular extension piece 
of a respective length as disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 
4,361,434. 
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the 
articulated conduit component is displaceable on a further articualted 
conduit component in the displacement plane, and the further articulated 
conduit component is turnable about a third pivoting axle which is fixed 
relative to the supply conduit and extends parallel to the first and 
second pivoting axles. This construction provides with an operationally 
safe and simple possibility to turn the articulated conduit component 
about the third pivoting axle. The second pivoting axle and also the third 
pivoting axle can be arranged relative to the first pivoting axle in each 
case so that they provide for each type of a machine equipped with this 
cooling arrangement for optimal kinematic conditions for the articulated 
conduit component. 
Still another feature of the present invention is that the further 
articulated conduit component is turnably supported with a bearing ring 
extending concentrically to the third pivoting axle in a bearing bush 
surrounding the outlet opening of the supply conduit, and the bearing ring 
surrounds a communicating conduit which connects the outlet opening of the 
supply conduit with the inlet opening of the articulated conduit 
component. This construction provides for a structurally simple and rigid 
turning support of the articulated conduit component about the third 
pivoting axle. 
Yet another feature of the present invention is that an outer flange of the 
bearing ring is held in the bearing bush by a longitudinally split holding 
ring mounted on the bearing bush. This construction guarantees the turning 
support of the articulated conduit components. 
A further feature of the present invention is that a grooved block is 
mounted on the further articulated conduit component at each side of the 
bearing ring in a plane extending through the third pivoting axle, and a 
guiding strip of the articulated conduit component is displaceably guided 
in at least one lateral groove extending parallel to the above-mentioned 
plane in each grooved block. With this construction the articulated 
conduit component is displaceably connected in a simple and operationally 
safe manner with the further articulated conduit component. The grooved 
blocks provide for a displacement guidance with a great area and in a wear 
free manner. 
Still a further feature of the present invention is that with the use of a 
gaseous pressure fluid a seal is provided between the articulated conduit 
components and/or between the further articulated conduit component and 
the bearing bush wherein the seal can be formed as a gap seal or a slide 
seal. These seals are simple and operationally reliable, and lead 
particularly in the event of only relatively small blowing pressure of the 
pressure fluid to only insignificant fluid leakage loss. Such seals are 
especially operationally reliable and strong in condition of high 
operational temperatures of these machines. 
In accordance with still a further feature of the present invention the 
outlet opening of the supply conduit lies in the displacement plane, and 
the articulated conduit component is turnable about a third pivoting axle 
which is fixed relative to the supply conduit and extends parallel to the 
first and second turning axles. This provides for a minimal structural 
height of the connecting conduit and is suitable particularly for the 
utilization in machine stations in which only a small free structural 
height is available. 
Yet a further feature of the present invention is that the articulated 
conduit component is provided at its side opposite to the displacement 
plane with a guiding path which is arranged in a plane extending through 
the second and third pivoting axles and normal to these axles, and a 
sliding block is guided in the guiding path and supported turnably about 
its longitudinally axis which is coaxial with the thrird pivoting axle. 
These features guarantee with simple means the turning of the articulated 
conduit part about the third pivoting axle. 
The sliding block can be movable in direction of its longitudinal axis and 
prestressed by a spring against the articulated conduit component. By the 
prestress in accordance with these features, the articulated conduit 
component can be pressed with a force of a selectable value against a 
counter surface on the machine. Thereby during the operation of the 
machine tilting of the articulated conduit component about a horizontal 
axis and underdesirably high fluid leakage loss is avoided. 
An additional feature of the present invention is that with the use of a 
gaseous pressure fluid the articulated conduit component is sealed 
relative to the supply conduit by a gap seal or slide seal. These seals 
provide for the highly advantageous result mentioned hereinabove. 
Still an additional feature of the present invention is that the third 
pivoting axle is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the outlet opening 
of the supply conduit. This provides in a favorable manner for a constant 
communication of the inlet opening of the articulated conduit component 
with the outlet opening of the supply conduit. 
Finally, the inlet opening of the articulated conduit component is formed 
so that it extends in direction of the displacement of the articulated 
conduit component. Therefore the outlet opening of the supply conduit can 
be retained relatively small.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the drawing in detail, and first to FIG. 1 thereof, it may 
be seen that reference numeral 1 identifies a pre-forming station of a 
section 2 of a so-called I.S. glass forming machine. Glass gobs supplied 
from a gob feeder, which is omitted from the drawing in order not to 
unnecessarily encumber the same, in their molten or viscous state, are 
formed in the section 2 into hollow glass articles in a pressing and 
blowing operation. 
The section 2 has a machine frame 3. An upright hinge column 4 is rigidly 
connected with the machine frame 3. Pre-forming tong-shaped halves 5 and 6 
are pivotally mounted on the hinge column 4. The pre-forming tong-shaped 
half 5 is shown in FIG. 1 in its open position, whereas the preforming 
tong-shaped half 6 is shown in FIG. 1 in its closed position. The hinge 
column 4 has a first pivoting axle 7 which defines its longitudinal axis. 
A rearward arm 8 is mounted on the preforming tong-shaped half 6 and is 
connected by means of a bolt 9 with a lug 10. In a similar manner, a 
rearward arm 11 extends from the pre-forming tong-shaped half 5 and is 
connected by means of a bolt 12 with a lug 13. Each lug 10, 13 is 
pivotally connected with a respective crank pin 14 of a crank 16 mounted 
on a driving shaft 15. The driving shafts 15 are driven in a known manner 
for synchronously turning in opposite directions and move the pre-forming 
tong-shaped halves 5 and 6 in a manufacturing cycle between the end 
positions shown in FIG. 1. 
Each of the halves 5 and 6 has a lateral recess 17, and a tilting member 19 
is tiltably mounted in the recess 17 by means of a tilting bolt 18. A 
forming tool 21 constructed as a double mold is suspendable in each 
tilting member 19 and includes two pre-forming mold halves 20 arranged in 
the preforming tong-shaped half 5 in FIG. 1. The forming tool 21 also has 
two separate neck rings 22 and 23 which are tiltable in a known manner 
independently of the pre-forming tong-shaped halves 5 and 6 on an invert 
arm 24 of the section 2 about a longitudinal axis 25 of the invert arm 24. 
In the closed position of the pre-forming tong-shaped halves 5 and 6 the 
pre-forming mold halves 20 of both pre-forming tong-shaped halves 5 and 6 
overlap the upper region of the closed neck rings 22 and 23 and form 
closed preforming molds. A glass gob is introduced through an upper 
opening 26 of the closed pre-forming mold halves 20 in a known manner into 
the closed pre-forming mold and is pre-formed by a pressing plunger 27 
moving from below through the neck rings 22 and 23 into a parison. 
A pressure fluid distributing device 28 is mounted on each preforming 
tong-shaped half 5 and 6 and each has two semi-circular arrangements of 
upwardly directed outlet openings 29 for a pressure fluid which in this 
case is a pressure air (compare also FIG. 3). The pre-forming mold halves 
20 are placed with their annular surfaces 30 on the outlet openings 29, as 
can be seen from FIG. 3, so that the outlet openings 29 are in alignment 
with inlet openings 31 of conduits 32 of the pre-forming mold halves. Each 
conduit 32 of the pre-forming mold half 20 lies in a plane extending 
through a longitudinal axis 33 of the pre-forming mold and has an upper 
outlet opening 34. 
The machine frame 3 has a head plate 35 which limits from above a cooling 
air box and is provided for each pressure fluid distributing device 28 
with a cutout 36. An insert 37 with a valve flap 39 arranged tiltable in a 
supply conduit 38 (FIG. 4) is inserted in each cutout 36 and fixed by 
screws 40 on the head plate 35. Each insert 37 carries a projection 42 
mounted on it by screws 41 and surrounding a further part of the supply 
conduit 38 for the cooling air. A bearing bush 44 is inserted in an upper 
receiving opening 43 of the projection 42 and surrounds an upper circular 
part of the supply conduit 38 with a longitudinal axis which defines a 
third pivoting axle 45. Both third pivoting axles 45 extend parallel to 
the first pivoting axles 7. 
A driving bolt 46 is mounted on each pressure fluid distributing device 28 
with a lateral distance from the tilting pin 18. The longitudinal axis of 
each driving pin 46 defines a second pivoting axle 47 which extends 
parallel to the first pivoting axle 7 and to the third pivoting axle 45. 
As can be seen from FIG. 3, each driving pin 46 extends downwardly beyond 
the lower limit of the pressure fluid distributing device 28 and engages 
with a respective articulated conduit component 48. The driving pin 46 and 
thereby the second pivoting axle 47 turn during the opening and closing of 
the pre-forming tong-shaped halves 5 and 6 over circular curves about the 
first pivoting axle 7. The driving pins 46 entrain in this turning 
movement the articulated conduit components 48, so that the articulated 
conduit components 48 are moved in a displacement plane which is normal to 
the pivoting axles 7, 45, 47. 
Each articulated conduit component 48 is displaceably guided by grooved 
blocks 49 and 50 shown in FIG. 3 relative to the supply channel 38 in the 
displacement plane. The grooved blocks 49 and 50 are mounted by screws 51 
shown in FIG. 4 on a further articulated conduit component 52 which is 
supported turnably about the third pivoting axle 45. The further 
articulated conduit component 52 has a downwardly extending bearing ring 
53 shown in FIG. 4 and surrounding a connecting conduit 54 constantly 
communicating with the supply conduit 38. A lower outer flange 55 is held 
by annular halves 56 and 57 of a longitudinally split holding ring 58 in a 
complementary annular groove of the bearing bush 44 shown in FIG. 4. The 
arrangement is constructed so that during a turning movement of the 
pre-forming tong-shaped halves 5 and 6 the articulated conduit components 
48 on the one hand, are turnably entrained by the driving pins 46 about 
the second pivoting axle 47, and on the other hand, are longitudinally 
guided by the grooved blocks 49 and 50 so that a longitudinal axis of each 
articulated conduit component 48 always intersects the associated third 
pivoting axle 45. The articulated conduit parts 48 perform a combined 
turning and displacement movement in the above-mentioned displacement 
plane. 
FIG. 2 provides for a better showing of the articulated conduit components 
48 and their movement space in the section 2. The upper half of FIG. 2 
shows the articulated conduit component 48 in its turning displacing 
position with the fully opened pre-forming tong-shaped half 5 of FIG. 1. 
In contrast, the lower half of FIG. 2 shows the articulated conduit 
component 48 in its another turning displacing position with the closed 
pre-forming tong-shaped half 6 of FIG. 1. The lower half of FIG. 2 
moreover shows that the second pivoting axle 47 moves between the fully 
closed and fully opened position of the pre-forming tong-shaped half 6 
over a circular arc 59 about the first pivoting axle 7. In addition to 
this turning movement the articulated conduit component 48 performs 
between the abovementioned end portions a displacement movement in 
direction of its longitudinal axis 60, guided by the grooved block 49 and 
50 of FIG. 4. The articulated conduit component 48 slides with its lower 
surface 61 on an upper surface 62 of the further articulated conduit 
component 52. A small gap is provided between the surfaces 61 and 62. The 
pressure fluid loss through this gap is neglectibly small, particularly 
with a relatively low blowing pressure of the pressure fluid. 
FIG. 2 shows an outlet opening 63 of the articulated conduit component 48 
of an almost completely circular ring shape. The circular ring shape is 
interrupted only by a radial web 64 which connects a housing wall 65 of 
the articulated conduit part 48 with a hollow cylinder 65 of the 
articulated conduit component 48, the hollow cylinder being concentric to 
the second pivoting axle 47. A bearing bush 67 for receiving the lower end 
of the driving pin 46 of FIG. 3 is inserted in the upper end of the hollow 
cylinder 66. The outlet opening 63 is outwardly limited by an angular ring 
69 inserted in an opening 68 of the housing wall 65 as shown in FIG. 4. 
FIG. 2 further shows a connecting nipple 70 for the supply of a control 
pressure air, arranged on the projection 42. The control pressure air is 
supplied via a not shown conduit system in the projection 42 to a cylinder 
71 and actuates a piston 73 which is connected with a toothed rack 72. A 
pinion 74 provided on a shaft 75 of the valve flap 39 engages with the 
toothed rack 72. Thereby the valve flap 39 can be remotely controlled 
between a position in which it substantially closes the supply conduit 38 
and a position in which it fully opens the supply conduit 38. 
In FIG. 3 the flow path of the cooling air is shown with solid arrows, and 
movement directions are shown by contour arrows. The cooling air flows 
from the connecting conduit 54 through an inlet opening 76 extending in a 
direction of the second pivoting axle 47 in the lower surface 61 of the 
articulated conduit component 48 to an inner chamber 77 of the articulated 
conduit component 48 and from there to the outlet opening 63. 
The pressure fluid distributing device 28 has a circular ring-shaped inlet 
opening 78 extending concentrically to the second pivoting axle 47 and 
receiving the cooling air from the outlet opening 63. The inlet opening 78 
is limited by a tubular extension piece 80 which in assembled condition 
abuts with a lower ring-shaped end surface against an upper counter 
surface of the angular ring 69 of the articulated conduit component 48 and 
forms with the same a sliding seal. A pressure spring 79 presses the 
extension piece 80 downwardly to a tight contact with the angular ring 69. 
The cooling air flows from the inlet opening 78 in direction of the solid 
arrow through a chamber system of the pressure fluid distributing device 
28 until it exits upwardly through the outlet opening 29 and reaches the 
conduits 32 of the pre-forming mold halves 20, of which only one is shown 
in FIG. 3. 
The tubular extension piece 80 is axially displaceably guided with its 
narrowing upper part in a receiving opening 81 of the pressure fluid 
distributing device 28. It has webs 80' which lead radially inwardly to a 
cup 79'. The cup 79' abuts above against the pressure spring 79 and, as 
long as the articulated conduit component 48 is not mounted, abuts below 
against a holding collar 46' of the driving pin 40. When during exchange 
of the produced hollow glass objects the length of the pre-forming mold 
halves 20 changes, the basic structure of the cooling device from the 
insert 37 to the articulated conduit component 48 can be retained 
completely unchanged. The height adjustment to the new length of the 
pre-forming mold halves 20 takes place by the change of the tubular 
extension piece 80 with a similar extension piece corresponding to the 
respective length. 
In FIG. 4 the ring halves 56 and 57, the bearing bush 44 and the projection 
42 are tensioned by screws 82 in an axial direction relative to one 
another. The screw 82 shown in FIG. 4 is offset by 45.degree.. The 
adjustment between the ring halves 56 and 57 on the one hand, and the 
bearing bush 44 is provided relative to the lower of the flanges 55 of the 
bearing ring 53 so that between these parts a relatively small play 
remains which provides a free relative turning of the bearing ring 53 
about the third pivoting axle 45. This play leads to only insignificant 
pressure fluid leakage loss. 
The lower surface 61 of the articulated conduit component 48 is defined by 
wearing strips 83 and 84 shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 and mounted on a lower 
side 85 of the articulated conduit component 48 by screws 86 and 87. The 
screws 86 extend in a not shown manner to an upper side 88 of the 
articulated conduit component 48. FIG. 5 shows that each wearing strip 83, 
84 is positioned by two adjusting pins 89 relative to the articulated 
conduit component 48. 
The wearing strips 83 and 84 form in the movement region of the grooved 
blocks 49 and 50 guiding strips 90 and 91 as well as 92 and 93. The 
guiding strips engage in lateral grooves 94-97 of the grooved blocks 49 
and 50 for longitudinal guidance of the articulated conduit component 48 
in direction of the longitudinal axis 60. 
FIG. 6 shows a substantially T-shaped cross-sectional surface of the 
grooved block 50 which also has the grooved block 49. The connecting 
nipple 70 for supplying the control air is offset by 45.degree.. The valve 
flap 39 in FIG. 6 is located in its position in which it closes the supply 
conduit 38 and in which the piston 73 abuts with tensioning by a pressure 
spring 98 in its upper end position against the lower side of the 
projection 42. When the control pressure air is supplied through the 
connecting nipple 70 to the cylinder 71, the valve flap 39 turns with 
increasing opening of the supply conduit 38. 
FIG. 7 shows the exact construction of the ring halves 56 and 57 of the 
holding ring 58, as well as the position of the screws 41 and 82. FIG. 8 
shows the exact construction of the wearing strips 83 and 84. 
The cooling device in accordance with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-8 is 
used for the pre-forming station 1 of the section 2 of the I.S. glass 
forming machine. This embodiment however, is not limited to this 
application, but in the event of sufficient space condition can be used 
also in the finish forming station of such a section and basically also in 
other suitable machines for treating molten glass or other thermoplastic 
materials. 
In the embodiment shown in the subsequent Figures the parts which are 
similar to the parts shown in the preceding Figures are identified with 
the same reference numerals. 
FIG. 9 shows a finish forming station 105 of the section 2 of the I.S. 
glass forming machine in accordance with the preceding Figures. Two finish 
forming tong-shaped halves 107 of which only the upper half is shown in 
FIG. 9 are turnably supported on a hinge column 106. Each finish forming 
tong-shaped half 107 is connected by a pin 108 with a lug 109 pivotably 
connected with a crank pin 110 of a crank 111. The crank 111 is turnably 
drivable by a driving shaft 112 supported in the machine frame 3. Both 
driving shafts 112 and the hinge column 106 are connected with one another 
by a traverse 113 which is located at a vertical distance 114 shown in 
FIG. 11 from the hea plate 35 of the machine frame 3. 
Each finish forming tong-shaped half 107 has a lateral recess 115. A 
tilting bolt 116 of the tilting member 117 mounted on the finish forming 
tong-shaped half 107 is turnably supported in the lateral recess 115. Two 
finish forming mold halves 118 are suspended in each tilting member 117, 
of which only one finish forming half is shown in FIG. 9. The shown 
section 2 operates as a double-mold and produces in each working circle 
simultaneously two hollow glass objects. 
A pressure fluid distributing device 119 is mounted on the lower side of 
each tilting member 117. They are constructed and operate similarly to the 
pressure fluid distributing device 28 of the pre-forming station 1. Each 
pressure fluid distributing device 119 has an inlet opening 120 for a 
cooling air, which is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the tilting 
pin 116, the longitudinal axis being defined by the second pivoting axle 
47. Starting from the inlet opening 120 the cooling air is subdivided in 
the interior of each pressure fluid distributing device 119 into partial 
streams which are finally discharged from curved slots 122 provided in the 
pressure fluid distributing device 119. The curved slots 122 are 
concentric to a longitudinal axis 121 of the respective finish forming 
mold half 118. The cooling air travels from the slots 122 into conduits 
123 seated thereon. The conduits 123 lie in a plane extending through the 
longitudinal axis 121 and, as shown in FIG. 9, are open at the upper side 
of the finish forming mold halves 118. 
The head plate 35 is provided with a bore defining a supply conduit 38 at 
each side of the hinge column 106 and substantially under the traverse 
113. An articulated conduit component 124 is in constant communication 
between each supply conduit 38 and the inlet opening 120 of the associated 
pressure fluid distributing device 119. Thus, the cooling air can 
constantly travel, regardless of the turning position of the finish 
forming tong-shaped halves 107 from a not shown cooling air box of the 
machine frame 3 into the conduit 123 of the finish forming mold halves 
118. FIG. 9 shows the upper part in a fully opened and the lower part in a 
fully closed turning position of the pressure fluid distributing device 
119. In the lower half of FIG. 9 the articulated conduit component 124 is 
shown in solid lines for the above-mentioned closed position and in 
dash-dot lines for the above-mentioned opened turning position of the 
associated pressure fluid distributing device 119. It can be seen that the 
articulated conduit component 124 on the one hand performs turning about 
the second pivoting axle 47 and on the other hand displacement in 
direction of its longitudinal axis 125. This longitudinal axis always 
intersects the third pivoting axle 45 defined by the longitudinal axis of 
the supply conduit 38. 
The articulated conduit component 124 has at its lower side a 
longitudinally extending inlet opening 126 which is in constant 
communication with the supply conduit 38 and has a width substantially 
corresponding to the diameter of the supply conduit 38. The cooling air 
travels from the inlet opening 126 through an inner chamber 127 of the 
articulated conduit component 124 to its outlet opening 128 which is 
coaxial with the second pivoting axle 47 and interrupted by a radial web 
129 of a housing wall 130 of the articulated conduit component 124. The 
web 129 supports a hollow cylinder 131 of the articulated conduit 
component 124, the hollow cylinder being coaxial with the second pivoting 
axle 47. 
As can also be seen from FIG. 9, the articulated conduit component 124 
during its turning and displacing movement between both end positions 
presented below in FIG. 9, moves with the longitudinal axis of its outlet 
opening 128 which is identical with the second pivoting axle 47 over a 
circular arc 132 about the first pivoting axle 7. 
FIG. 10 shows the upper half of the plan view of one articulated conduit 
component 124 and the lower half of the section along the line 10-10in 
FIG. 11 through the other articulated conduit component 124. In accordance 
with the upper half of FIG. 10, a bearing bush 133 is inserted in each 
hollow cylinder 131 which is supported in accordance with FIG. 12 on a 
downwardly extending end of the tilting pin 116 and is turnably driven by 
the latter. 
In accordance with FIG. 10, two guiding strips 134 and 135 are mounted by 
countersunk screws 136 on the upper side of each articulated conduit 
component 124 parallel to the longitudinal axis 125. The guiding strips 
134 and 135 are located at a distance from one another which defines a 
guiding path 137 of a uniform width. Its longitudinal axis extends in a 
vertical plane through the longitudinal axis 125 and constantly intersects 
the third turning axle 45. This is attained by a guiding device 138 
described in connection with FIGS. 11 and 12. The guiding strips 134 and 
135 are composed of hardened and ground steel C-75. 
The traverse 113 in FIG. 9 is mounted on columns 139, 140 and 141 shown in 
section in FIG. 10 and connected with one another by a common foot plate 
142 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The foot plate 142 is fixed on the head 
plate 35 of the section 2. 
A sliding plate 143 for each articulated conduit part 124 is fixed by 
countersunk screws 144 on an upper side of the foot plate 142. The sliding 
plate 143 is composed of hardened and ground steel C-75 and extends in 
FIG. 10 (compare with FIG. 12) to the right outwardly beyond the foot 
plate 142. Each sliding plate 143 is provided with a bore 145 which is in 
alignment with a similar bore 146 in the foot plate 142. Both bores 145 
and 146 are coaxial with the third pivoting axle 45 and form the upper end 
of the supply conduit 38 for the cooling air which flows through the 
cooling device in direction of the arrows in FIG. 12. 
As shown in FIG. 10 and in detail in FIG. 12, a horizontal axle 147 is 
turnably supported in the foot plate 142 and carries a valve flap 148 
substantially corresponding to the cross-sectional area of the bore 146. 
The actuation of the valve flap 148 can be performed, for example, in 
correspondence with the actuation of the valve flap 39 in the pre-forming 
station 1. The cooling air is supplied to the bore 146 in accordance with 
FIG. 12 through a cutout 149 in the head plate 35. 
As can be seen from FIGS. 10 and 12, a wearing plate 150 surrounding the 
inlet opening 126 is mounted by countersunk screws 151 at the lower side 
of each articulated conduit part 124. The wearing plate 150 is composed 
also of hardened and ground steel C-75. A sliding seal 152 is formed 
between the sliding plate and the wearing plate 150. Cooling air, however, 
cannot escape through the sliding seal 152 since the guiding device 138 
which will be described hereinbelow serves simultaneously for pressing the 
wearing plate 150 against the sliding plate 143 with a selectable force. 
The bore 145 defines an outlet opening 153 of the supply conduit 38. 
FIG. 11 shows details of the guiding device 138. A guiding projection 154 
of a sliding block 155 extends into the guiding path 137 from above and 
abuts at each side of the guiding projection 154 with a sliding surface 
156 against a respective one of the guiding strips 134 and 135. The 
sliding block 155 which has above the guiding projection 154 a circular 
cross-section is displaceable in a vertical bore 157 in the traverse 113 
both in direction of its longitudinal axis upwardly and downwardly, and is 
also supported turnable about its longitudinal axis which is coaxial with 
the third pivoting axle 45. A holding bush 158 is inserted in the upper 
end of the opening 157 and fixed by screws 159 on the traverse 113. An 
upwardly extending shaft 160 of the sliding block 155 extends through the 
holding bush 158 outwardly and is guided in a bore 161 of the holding bush 
158 in a radial direction. A spring which is formed as a pressure spring 
surrounds the shaft 160 and is located between the sliding block 155 and 
the holding bush 158. The spring 162 presses on the one hand the sliding 
surfaces 156 against the guiding strips 134 and 135 and on the other hand 
the articulated conduit component 124 with its locking plate 150 against 
the sliding plate 143. Thereby a sufficient sealing in the region of the 
sliding seal 152 on the one hand and a tilting-safe guidance of the 
articulated conduit component 124 on the other hand, is obtained during a 
combined displacement and turning movements. The inlet opening 126 remains 
in each operational phase in communication with the outlet opening 153. 
In accordance with FIG. 12, each tilting bolt 116 is elongated downwardly 
so that it extends trough the bearing bush 133. The tilting bolt 116 
extends through a collar 163 mounted on the tilting member 117. A ring 
shaped intermediate piece 164 is arranged between the collar 163 and the 
pressure fluid distributing device 119. It is mounted together with the 
pressure fluid distributing device 119 on the collar 163. The intermediate 
piece 164 is selected in its axial length so that the pressure fluid 
distributing device 119 has a height required for the respective utilized 
finish forming mold halves 118. The distance between the pressure fluid 
distributing device 119 and the outlet opening 128 of the articulated 
conduit part 124 is overlapped by a tubular extension piece 165 of a 
selectable axial length. The extension piece 165 can turn both relative to 
the pressure fluid distributing device 119 and also relative to the 
articulated conduit component 124. The extension piece 165 is also 
displaceable in an axial direction to these two parts so that in the axial 
direction a tolerance compensation is provided and therefore sufficient 
tightness for the cooling air can be guaranteed. 
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or 
more together, may also find a useful application in other types of 
construction differing from the types described above. 
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a 
cooling device for a forming tool for shaping glass or other thermoplastic 
materials, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since 
various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing 
in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of 
the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, 
readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, 
from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential 
characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.