Glass container takeout mechanism

Abstract: A takeout mechanism for simultaneously removing a plurality of glass containers from molds at a section of a glass container forming machine of the individual section type, and preferably three such glass containers in each cycle. The takeout mechanism includes a plurality of tong assemblies (14), one such tong assembly for each container to be removed on each operating cycle of the takeout mechanism, and a cylinder housing (12) to which each of the takeout assemblies (14) is secured for moving the takeout assemblies in unison to transfer the glass containers from the molds to a deadplate of the machine for cooling and further processing. Each tong assembly (14) comprises a vertically extending fixed member (22), a linkage system (20) carried by the fixed member for opening and closing an opposed pair of generally L-shaped tongs (16), and an opposed pair of tongs (16) pivotably connected to the linkage system (20). A nut and bolt assembly (24) is provided to connect the tongs to the linkage system to permit adjustment of the elevation of the tongs (16), and a threaded member (28) passes through one of the opposed pair of tongs (16) to engage the fixed member (22) to permit adjustment of the position of the opposed pair of tongs in a horizontal plane relative to the position of the fixed member.

Description: Field of the Invention This invention relates to a takeout mechanism for removing glass containers from molds of a forming machine according to the preamble of claim 1. More particularly, the takeout mechanism serves for removing glass containers from the second stage or the blow molds of a multiple cavity glass container forming machine of the individual section (I. S.) type. Background of the Invention US-A-4,494,973 (Perry) describes a known prior art takeout mechanism for a multiple cavity glass container forming machine of the I. S. type. A takeout mechanism of this type includes a plurality of spaced apart takeout elements, usually called tongs, arranged in a straight line and carried by common structure, for simultaneously grasping a multiplicity of freshly formed glass containers at their final molding positions at a section of an I. S. machine and transferring the containers to a dead plate for cooling and further processing. In the teachings of the '973 patent, each of the containers is grasped by the takeout tongs below the level of a bead, which is often called a transfer bead, that is positioned just below the threaded or otherwise configured closure receiving portion on the neck of the container, which is often referred to as the finish of the container. In the practice of the invention of the '973 patent, the mold halves defining the mold cavity in which the container was blown were caused to part before the container was engaged by the tongs, and this made it possible for the container to tilt if needed to accommodate any slight misalignment between the container and the takeout tongs intended to grasp such container. US-A-4,379,581 (Perry) contains a description of prior art which the preamble to claim 1 starts from. Modern glass container forming practice has eliminated the need for including a transfer bead in each container being formed by designing tongs with complementary internally threaded container engaging elements, so as to be able to engage a container by its externally threaded finish rather than below its transfer bead. This technique, however, makes precise vertical positioning of the tong elements much more important than it was when the tong elements were used to grasp a container below its transfer bead. Further, to speed up the container forming process, it is now preferred to have the takeout tong elements grasp the container before the mold halves have parted. This makes precise positioning of the tongs relative to the container in a horizontal plane more important than it was when the tongs were used to remove containers that were free to tilt to accommodate misalignment with the tongs, and the need to prevent such misalignment is especially important in I. S. machines equipped to simultaneously form three (triple gob) or four (quad) containers at each machine section, since the requisite degree of alignment in such a situation cannot always be achieved simply by adjusting the positions of the tongs in unison. Brief Description of the Invention Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved takeout mechanism for removing glass containers from a section of an I. S. glass container forming machine. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a takeout mechanism for a multiple cavity I. S. machine that is capable of having the vertical position of each of its individual takeout elements or tongs adjusted independently of the vertical positions of the other takeout elements to be able to grasp a container to be removed at a precise elevation on its finish. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a takeout mechanism of the foregoing character that is capable of having the horizontal position of each of its individual takeout elements adjustable independently of the horizontal position of the other takeout elements to be able to grasp a container to be removed at a precise horizontal position, and thereby eliminate the need for the container to tilt from its molding position before its removal. The invention is defined in claim 1. According to the present invention, there is provided an improved takeout mechanism for removing blown containers from the blow molds at a section on a glass container forming machine of the I. S. type. In a preferred takeout mechanism of the present invention, which has particular utility for triple gob and quad I. S. machines, the portion of each tong head is adjustable in a vertical direction relative to each other tong head, and to the support structure from which the tong heads are suspended, so that each tong head will be positioned to grasp the finish of a container precisely at a proper elevation. Further, the position of each tong head is adjustable in a horizontal direction relative to each other tong head so that each tong head will be precisely positioned to grasp the container even if the container is not at liberty to tilt because the mold halves defining the cavity in which it was blown have not parted sufficiently at the time of grasping to permit the container to tilt to accommodate any misalignment in a horizontal plane between the tong head and the container. For a further understanding of the present invention and the objects thereof, attention is directed to the drawing and the following brief description thereof, to the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and to the appended claims. Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. I is a fragmentary, perspective view of a takeout mechanism for a triple job glass container forming machine of the I. S. type according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 2 is an end view of the takeout mechanism of Fig. 1. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment A takeout mechanism according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is identified generally by reference numeral 10 in the drawing, and the takeout mechanism 10 includes a cylinder housing 12 that serves as a carrier for one or more tong assemblies 14, shown as three such tong assemblies 14, which is the required number for a triple gob I. S. machine, that is, a machine that forms three containers at a time at each of its machine sections. Each of the tong assemblies 14 has a tong head that is made up an opposed pair of tongs 16, which simultaneously pivot about an axis 18 that is spaced from the distal ends of the tongs 16 to open and close the tongs 16, the opening and closing of each pair of tongs 16 being actuated by a pneumatic cylinder (not shown) that is housed in the cylinder housing 12. The pneumatic cylinder operates through a linkage system 20, which may be in the form of an anti-winking linkage of the type described in US-A-4,379,581 to open and close the tongs 16 with respect to one another. Each tong assembly 14 in a row is used to simultaneously close on the upper region of a blown container in blow molds at a section of an I. S. machine. Then such containers as blown in the molds of that section are transferred in unison to a deadplate of the I. S. machine for cooling and processing, as is known in the art. The alternate extension and retraction of a cylinder (not shown) carried by each tong assembly 14, operating through the linkage 20, is effective to separate the tongs 16 of such tong assembly 14 to release such blown containers at the deadplate, and to reunite such tongs 16 at the blow molds when the takeout mechanism 10 is ready to begin a repeat of the process, respectively. Each tong assembly 14 includes a yoke-shaped fixed member 22, which is fixedly suspended from the cylinder housing 12 and has the axis 18 passing therethrough, and each of the tongs 16 carried by the tong assembly 14 is suspended from the linkage system 20 carried by such tong assembly 14 at an elevation that is adjustable. The adjustment of the elevation of the tongs 16 is accomplished through the use of a bolt and nut assembly 24 that is received in a slot 26 of each of the tongs 16, which are generally L-shaped in configuration. Thus, the elevation of the tongs 16 at the time of engagement of a blown container may be very precisely positioned relative to the elevation of the fixedly suspended member 22, and relative to the elevation of the tongs 16 of the other tong assemblies 14, so as to be able to grasp the blown container it is intended to engage by its threaded or otherwise configured finish, as opposed to grasping the container at an elevation below a transfer bead underlying the finish as in the case of prior art takeout mechanisms, which does not require a comparable degree of accuracy in the positioning of the elevation of the tongs 16. The position of each set of tongs 16 of each of the tong assemblies 14 is adjustable in a horizontal plane independently of the position of each set of tongs 16 of each of the other tong assemblies 14 so as to be able to accurately grasp a container at a blow mold of an I. S. machine section without the need for any tilting of the container to compensate for any misalignment of the tongs 16 with respect to the container to be grasped thereby. This adjustment is accomplished by the use of a threaded member 28 that passes through a threaded opening in one of the tongs 16 of each pair of tongs 16 to engage a distal end extension 22a of the fixed member 22. By advancing or retracting the threaded member 28 relative to the extension 22a, the angular position of the tongs 16 of each tong assembly 14 will be adjusted about the axis 18, and because the arc of movement of the pair of tongs 16 will be relatively small, and the radius of its movement about the axis 18 will be relatively long, the adjustment of the position of the tongs 16 of each pair of tongs 16 by the use of threaded member 28 will, for all practical purposes, occur in a horizontal plane.

Claims: A takeout mechanism for removing a plurality of glass containers from molds at a section of a glass container forming machine of the individual section type, said takeout mechanism comprising: a carrier (12) to be moved toward and away from said glass containers in and against a takeout direction, a plurality of tong assemblies (14), one of said tong assemblies for each of the glass containers to be removed, each of said tong assemblies (14) comprising: a suspended member (22) extending in said takeout direction, fixed to said carrier (12) and carrying an axis (18), linkage means (20) carried by said suspended member (22) and pivotably mounted on said axis (18) for opening and closing an opposed pair of tongs (16), said opposed pair of tongs (16) carried by and operable through said linkage means (20), characterized by elevation adjusting means (24, 26) for adjustably securing said opposed tongs (16) to said linkage means (20) to permit adjusting the spacing in said takeout direction between said opposed pair of tongs (16) and said suspended carrier member (22), and transverse adjustment means (28, 22a) for adjusting said pair of tongs (16) in a plane extending transversely to said takeout direction. The takeout mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said transverse adjustment means (28, 22a) comprises threaded means (28) carried by at least one of said opposed pair of tongs (16) and limit stop means (22a) adapted to be engaged by said threaded means (22) for adjusting the angular position of said opposed tongs (16), in unison, about said axis (18). The takeout mechanism according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said suspended member (22) extends vertically and said elevation adjusting means (24, 26) permits adjustment in vertical direction. The takeout mechanism according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said threaded means (28) is adapted to adjust the position of said opposed pair of tongs (16) in a horizontal plane. The takeout mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein said plurality of tong assemblies (14) comprises at least three tong assemblies. The takeout mechanism according to any of claims 3 to 5 wherein said each of the tongs (16) comprises a generally L-shaped member, wherein each of said L-shaped members has a vertically extending leg with a vertically extending slot (26) in said vertically extending leg; and wherein said elevation adjusting means (24, 26) comprises a bolt and nut assembly (24) passing transversely through said vertically extending slot (26) of said vertically extending leg of said L-shaped member. The takeout mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 6 wherein said suspended member (22) has a spaced apart pair of legs, and axis (18) extends through each of said opposed pair of legs of said suspended member (22). The takeout mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein said carrier (12)connected to said plurality of tong assemblies (14) is a cylinder housing for a number of tong assemblies (14) corresponding to the number of glass containers produced by a multiple cavity glass container machine of the individual section type. The takeout mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 8 wherein said tongs (16) comprise gripping ends which are formed with container engaging elements shaped complementary to the threads at the neck of the glass containers to be removed from the mold of the glass container forming machine.

Inventors: NICHOLAS JAMES J, NICHOLAS, JAMES J.
Applicants: OWENS BROCKWAY GLASS CONTAINER, OWENS-BROCKWAY GLASS CONTAINER INC.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: C03B9
IPC codes: C03B9