Abstract:
Vertically aligned first ( 30 ) and second ( 32 ) combined blowhead and takeout mechanisms are provided to sequentially blow glass parisons (P) into containers (C) in a mold set ( 22 ) and to transfer blown containers to a deadplate ( 40 ) of a glass containing forming machine ( 20 ). Each of the combined mechanisms is pivotally suspended about an axis A from a carrier arm ( 36 ) that is pivotally attached to an end of an oscillating arm ( 38 ), an opposed end of which is pivoted about an axis (B). The axis (B) of each combined blowhead and takeout mechanism is periodically raised and lowered to permit the other combined blowhead and takeout mechanism to oscillate therebeneath, to thereby permit overlapping cycles between the blowhead and takeout mechanisms. Each blowhead and takeout mechanism is provided with a chuck or tong assembly ( 54 ) to engage or release each container by its finish (F). Each tong assembly has a plurality of tong elements ( 74 ) that are simultaneously moved radially in or out by oscillation of a cam ( 50 ) that has a non-circular slot ( 78 ) in which a pin ( 76 ) carried by each tong element rides.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for blowing glass containers in molds of a glass container forming machine and for removing blown containers from such molds. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for blowing glass containers in blow molds of an I.S. (individual section) glass container forming machine, and for thereafter removing blown containers from such molds and transferring the blown containers to a deadplate of the machine for cooling and eventual removal for further processing.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,472,639 (Mumford) and 4,427,431 (Mumford et al.), which were assigned to a predecessor of the assignee of this application, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein, generally describe the manufacture of glass containers by a machine type that is known as an I.S. machine. As taught by such references or as is otherwise known, an I.S. machine has a plurality of side-by-side sections, usually six, eight, ten or even twelve sections, and containers are formed in each section in a two-step process. In the first step, one or more, and often three or four, container preforms, which are often called parisons or blanks, are formed by blowing or pressing. The preforms, which are formed in an inverted orientation, that is, with their open ends down, have body portions that are formed in split molds, often called blank molds. Threaded or otherwise suitable configured closure-receiving finish portions of such preforms are formed in separate molds, usually referred to as neck molds or neck rings, which are positioned adjacent to the split blank molds during the molding of parisons therein.  
           [0003]    After the conclusion of the parison molding step, the split molds open and the parisons, which are then gripped by the neck molds, are transferred by inverting them through an arc of 180° to split blow molds for blowing of the parisons into containers. The inverting step is performed by turning an invert shaft, to which neck mold-carrying arms are slideably affixed, and results in the parisons being upright during blow molding, that is with their open ends up. The transferring of glass container parisons or blanks from blank molds to blow molds of a I.S. machine, as generally described above, is generally described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,893,942 (Nickey et al.) and 6,098,427 (Kirkman), the disclosure of each of which is also incorporated by reference herein.  
           [0004]    Conventionally, as is explained, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,709 (Irwin), which was assigned to a predecessor of the assignee of this application, the disclosure of which is also incorporated by reference herein, containers are blown in blow molds of an I.S. machine by a blowhead that is moved into blowing engagement with the parisons in the blow molds at a given I.S. machine section, and is then moved out of engagement with blown containers at such blow molds. The blown containers are then removed from the blow molds, after the split molds are opened, by a takeout mechanism that is equipped with a plurality of tongs, one set of tongs for each blow mold at the section of the I.S. machine with which the takeout mechanism is associated. Commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,448 B1 (Nicholas), the disclosure of which is also incorporated by reference herein, describes a takeout mechanism as generally described above for removing blown containers from molds of an I.S. machine section. U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,419 (Rodriquez-Wong et al.) describes an I.S. machine in which the functions of a blowhead and a takeout mechanism are combined in a single mechanism. However, the mechanism of the &#39;419 reference teaches the use of conventional pivoting tongs (elements  72 ,  73 ) to engage each container below a bead, called a transfer bead, that is positioned below the threaded or otherwise configured finish of a container, and this requires that the split blow mold be opened before the blown containers can be grasped for removal by the tongs. The requirement that blow molds be opened before the blown container can be grasped by tongs is a machine timing disadvantage for reasons explained in the aforesaid &#39;488 B1 patent.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    According to the present invention there is provided a combined blowhead/takeout mechanism for an I.S. glass container forming machine, and a method for blowing glass containers in blow molds of such a glass container forming machine and removing blown containers from such molds. The apparatus includes a container finish engaging chuck for each of the containers that are simultaneously formed at a section of the I.S. machine, and each chuck includes a plurality, preferably three, circumferentially spaced-apart elements that move in and out, in unison, to engage a container by its finish. In this way, the container may be engaged by the chuck while the split molds in which the container is being blown remain closed, to thereby permit the container to be removed for transfer to a deadplate of I.S. machine immediately upon the opening of the split molds of the blow molding in which the container was formed. This eliminates the lost cycle time of certain prior arts takeout devices, such as that of the aforesaid &#39;419 patent, which require that the split mold be opened before a container with a transfer bead can be engaged by the takeout device.  
           [0006]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pair of combined blowhead/takeout mechanisms is provided at each section of an I.S. machine. The combined mechanisms are timed to operate alternatively so that one combined mechanism can be positioned to blow containers in the blow molds of the machine while the other combined mechanism is positioned, after depositing blown containers on the machine deadplate, to immediately return to the blow molds to begin a repeat of the blow molding cycle. This eliminates lost cycle time that can arise in an I.S. machine with only a single blowhead at each machine section, as the blowing cycle can not begin until the blowhead returns from having deposited blown containers on the machine&#39;s deadplate. To avoid collision of the separate combined mechanisms during operation, the pivot axis of the pivoting arm of each combined mechanism is moveable in a vertical plane, so that the incoming combined mechanism can be positioned at an elevation above that reached by the outgoing combined mechanism during its pivoting motion to transfer blown containers from the blow molds to the machine deadplate. The use of a pair of combined blowhead/takeout mechanisms in this manner improves forming cycle time because it ensures that a combined blowhead/takeout mechanism will be positioned at the blow molds when the molds close around parisons that were transferred to the molds without the need to wait for the return of a blowhead from the machine deadplate after depositing previously blown containers thereon.  
           [0007]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for blowing containers from parisons of formable glass in blow molds of a glass container forming machine and for transferring blown containers from the blow molds to a different position for further processing. More particularly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus of the foregoing character in which the parisons are blown in blow molds of a glass container forming machine of the I.S. type, and are then transferred to a deadplate of the I.S. machine for cooling and eventual further processing.  
           [0008]    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 invention and to the appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    FIGS.  1 - 6  are schematic elevational views showing apparatus according to the present invention at different positions during the operating cycle of such apparatus.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 7 is an elevation view at an enlarged scale, of a portion of the apparatus of FIGS.  1 - 6 ;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line  8 - 8  of FIG. 7;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line  9 - 9  of FIG. 7;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on line  10 - 10  of FIG. 7;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 11A, 11B, collectively, constitute upper and lower views, respectively, and at an enlarged scale, taken on line  11 - 11  of FIGS. 7;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on line  12 - 12  of FIGS. 7;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 13 is an exploded, perspective view of a portion of the apparatus of FIGS.  7 - 12 ; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 14 is an exploded, perspective view at an enlarged scale, of another portion of the apparatus of FIGS.  1 - 6 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]    As is shown schematically in FIGS.  1 - 6 , an I.S. machine section  20 , shown fragmentarily, is provided with a set of blow molds  22  in which containers C are blown from blanks or parisons P of a glass composition at a suitable high temperature to be formable by blowing. FIGS.  1 - 6  show three containers being formed in each set of blow molds, but it is to be understood that the invention is suited for use in I.S. machines that are designed to simultaneously produce as many as four containers at each machine section (a “quad” machine), or even as few as one container at each such section. In any case, as is understood in the art, each set of blow molds  22  is made up of an opposed set of split molds that periodically open and close with respect to each other by counteroscillating or counterrectilinear motions to define, when closed, a cavity for each container C to be formed therein.  
         [0019]    The parisons P to be formed into the containers C in the mold set  22  are transferred thereto from a blank molding side of the machine section by neck molds  24 , as shown specifically in FIG. 5. The neck molds  24  are carried by an invert or neck mold arm assembly  26  that is connected to an oscillatable invert or neck mold shaft  28 , often referred to as a rock shaft, that oscillates in a 180° arc between the position shown on FIG. 1 and the position shown in FIG. 5. Upon the transfer of the parisons P to the mold set  22 , the invert arm assembly  26 , with the neck molds  24  carried thereby, reverts from the FIG. 1 position to the FIG. 5 position to begin a repeat of the glass container manufacturing process in the mold set  22 , following the removal of the previous blown containers C therefrom.  
         [0020]    The I.S. machine section  20  is provided with a side-by-side pair of combined blowhead/takeout mechanisms  30 ,  32 , each of which carries a plurality of individual blowheads  34 , one such blowhead  34  for each container C being formed in the mold set  22 . The blowhead mechanism  30  is shown in detail in FIGS.  7 - 13  at the position shown in FIGS.  6 , but it is to be understood that the blowhead  32  is of the same construction as the blowhead  30 . In any case, each of the blowhead mechanisms  30 ,  32  is made up of a carrier arm  36 , from which the blowheads  34  are suspended, and an oscillating arm  38 , from which the carrier arm  36  is suspended for pivoting motion from the oscillating arm  38  about an axis A. Each carrier arm  36  is pivoted from the oscillating arm  38  of the blow head mechanism  30  or  32  of which it is an element by a parallel linkage or other equivalent structure in a known manner, to ensure that it does not change the angular position of the blowheads  34  that are carried by the carrier arm  36  as the oscillating arm  38  oscillates, for example, from the position of the blowhead mechanism  30  in FIG. 1 to its position in FIG. 6.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 depicts the position of the blowhead mechanism  32  immediately above a deadplate  40  of the I.S. machine section  20  to be able to deposit blown containers C thereon. In this condition of the apparatus, the blowhead mechanism  30  is positioned in vertical alignment with a tower  42  to which the blowhead mechanism  30  is secured for pivoting motion about an axis B. Likewise, the blowhead mechanism  32  is secured for pivoting motion about an axis B to a second tower (not shown), which is immediately behind and a mirror image of the tower  42 . In that regard the pivot axis B for each of the blowhead mechanisms  30 ,  32  is vertically moveable, by structure that will be hereinafter described in greater detail, between a lower position, for example, that of the blowhead mechanism  32  in FIG. 1, to the higher position of the blowhead mechanism  32  in FIG. 4, to permit the blowhead mechanisms  30 ,  32  to oscillate between the positions shown in FIG. 1 and the positions shown in FIG. 4 without interfering contact between the blowhead mechanisms  30 ,  32 , which are aligned in the same vertical plane. In this manner, the blowheads  34  of the blowhead mechanism  32  will be positioned to immediately engage parisons P in the molds  22  while the blowhead mechanism  30  is enroute to deposit containers C on the deadplate  40 , as can be seen from a comparison, for example, of FIGS. 4 and 6. This permits a substantial calculated reduction in cycle time between the removal of the set of containers C from the mold set  22  and the removal of the next set of containers C from the mold set  22 , compared to an installation using only a single blowhead/takeout mechanism, of approximately 13%, and it does so without reducing the time available for the cooling of the containers C on the deadplate  40  before it is necessary to remove partly-cooled containers C from the deadplate  40  to accommodate the transfer of freshly formed containers C to the deadplate  40 . Alternatively, cycle improvement can be somewhat reduced by moving the blowheads  30 ,  32  more slowly to reduce inertial forces on the blown containers C. In any case, the reduction in cycle time can be enhanced by approximately 4%, that is, to a total of approximately 17%, if each pair of combined blowheads/takeout mechanisms is adapted to engage blown containers C by finishes before the split molds of the mold set  22  are separated, without the need to delay the engagement of containers C until the split molds are open, which is required when transferring blown containers from the mold set  22  by engagement of a transfer bead by tongs of a conventional takeout mechanism. This phenomenon is described in the aforesaid &#39;488 B1 patent. Further, the use of blowheads to transfer blown containers C to the deadplate  40  permits partial cooling of the containers C by blowing air going to the blowhead  30  or  32  during the transfer step.  
         [0022]    As shown in FIG. 7, the blowhead mechanism  30  has a generally trapezoidial-shaped frame  44  that carries the blowheads  34 , each of which is quickly disengageable from the frame  44  by way of a disconnect  35  (FIG. 11B). The frame  44  is provided with a split annular member  46  that extends therethrough, above and parallel to the orientation of the containers C that are carried by the blowhead  30 . A reversing, double acting pneumatic cylinder  48  is positioned between the ends of the annular member  46 , and the cylinder  48  drives a split rack  50  (FIG. 8) that extends from opposed ends through the annular member  46 . The split rack  50 , which reciprocates but does not rotate, engages, in a right-angle drive, a screw  52  associated with each of the blowheads  34  to simultaneously open or close a container finish-engaging tong or chuck assembly  54  (FIGS. 9, 10) that is associated with each of the blowheads  34 .  
         [0023]    As shown in FIGS. 7, 11A, the frame  44  is made up of a generally triangularly-shaped upper member  56  bolted or otherwise adjustably secured to a lower member  58  with an alignment plate  57  positioned therebetween to ensure proper alignment between the upper member  56  and the lower member  58 , which have aligned openings therein. The upper member  56  is affixed to the oscillating arm  38  for oscillation with the oscillating arm  38  between the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and the position shown in FIGS.  6 , and the lower member  58  carries the elements associated with each of the blowheads  34 . As shown in FIG. 12, cooling air for the cooling of each of the blowheads  34  is circulated through a passage  60  in the lower member  58 , and blow air for blowing parisons P into containers C, in the position of the blowhead mechanism  30  shown in FIGS. 3, 4, is introduced through a passage  62  in the lower member  58 . The air for the operation of the cylinder  48 , which is shown as a pair of like cylinders disposed tail end to tail end, is introduced through inlet lines  64 , which receive air from passages  64   a ,  64   b  in the lower member  58 . Blowing air from the passage  62  blows downwardly into a parison P that is being blown into a container C through a transfer tube  66 , an upper end which is resiliently biased downwardly by a compression spring  68 , an O-ring  70  being provided to permit sealed, sliding motion between an enlarged upper end of the transfer tube  66  and a passage in the lower member  58  in which the upper end of the transfer tube  66  is positioned. A lower end of the transfer tube  66  seats against and discharges into an upper end of a blow air inlet tube  72  (FIG. 11B) that extends into a parison P or a container C, as the case may be, that is engaged by the blowhead  34  with which the air inlet tube  72  is associated.  
         [0024]    Each tong assembly  54  carries a circumferentially-spaced plurality, shown as three, tong elements  74  that simultaneously are powered to move radially either inwardly to grasp a finish F (FIG. 11B) of a container C or outwardly to release the finish F of the container C. While the container C is shown as having a finish F for the application of a crown closure to the container C, it is also contemplated that the finish F engaging surface of the tong elements  74  may be configured to handle containers C with threaded finishes F. In that regard, each of the tong elements  74  is retained within a tong holder  75  and has an upperwardly extending pin  76  that is received in an annular cam follower  77 , which rides in a noncircular slot  78  of a lobe of an oscillating cam  80 . Oscillation of the cam  80 , by the extension and retraction of the split rack  50 , is effective to simultaneously move the tong elements  74  of each of tong assembly  54  into or out of engagement with a finish (F) of a container (C). The assembly that includes the tong elements  74  and the tong body  76  is slideable within an annular tong housing  79 , and rearward travel of such assembly is limited by a pin  81 , whose position along its longitudinal central axis is adjustable.  
         [0025]    The screw  52  of each blowhead  34  is secured to an annular member  82  that surrounds the transfer tube  66 , bushings  84  being provided within a recess  86  in the blowhead mechanism  30  at opposed ends of the transfer tube  82  to permit it to oscillate, with the screw  52  and the transfer tube  66 , around the longitudinal central axis of the transfer tube  66 . A lowermost end of the transfer tube  66  is provided with an externally threaded plug  86 , and the cam  80 , which has an upstanding annular portion  80   a  that is rotatable in a bushing  88 , is threadably secured to an exterior of the plug  86  to be rotatable therewith. The cam  80  is also threadably secured to an extension of an upper portion  72   a  of the air inlet tube  72  to be rotatable therewith; thus, reciprocation of the split rack  50  is effective to oscillate the screw  52 , and, thereby, to oscillate the cam  80  to move the tong elements  74  inwardly and outwardly, as desired. However, an annular brake assembly  90  is provided surrounding a portion of upstanding portion  80   a  of the cam  80  to prevent oscillating motion of the cam  80  when desired.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 14 illustrates apparatus, which has previously been identified as the lower A 2 , for raising and lowering the axis of the blowhead mechanisms  30 ,  32 . FIG. 14 illustrates such apparatus specifically in reference to the blowhead mechanism  30 , and the tower  42  to which it is pivotably secured, but it is to be understood that apparatus for raising and lowering the blowhead mechanism  32  is the same in design and construction as that for the blowhead mechanism  30 . The oscillation of the arm  38  about the axis B is powered by a rack  92 , whose rectilinear motion is powered by a reversible motor  94 , preferably an a.c. servo motor for optimum controllability. Oscillation of the motor  94  results in oscillation of a gear assembly  95 , which slides upwardly and downwardly on a ball spline  99  that extends to the gear assembly  95  from the motor  94 . The rack  92  drives a spur gear  96  that is affixed to a shaft  98 , through which the axis B extends and to which the arm  38  is connected for turning with the shaft  98 .  
         [0027]    The shaft  98  is rotatably mounted in a bracket  100 , and the elevation of the bracket  100 , and thereby that of the shaft  98  and the oscillating arm  38 , is adjustable based on a rotary motor  102 , preferably an a.c. servo motor, which engages a screw  103  that elevates or lowers a bracket  104  from which the bracket  100  is supported by vertical support  106 ,  108 , the support  108  being annular and surrounding a lowermost portion of the rack  92 . Thus, the oscillation of the shaft  98 , and thereby of the oscillating arm  38 , is powered by the motor  94 , independently of the raising and lowering of the shaft  98 , and thereby the oscillating arm  38 , which is powered by the motor  102 , subject to an electronic or other control system, which may be of conventional construction, that is used to control the operation of the motor  94  and the motor  102  in a timed sequence relative to one another.  
         [0028]    Although the best mode contemplated by the inventors for carrying out the present invention as of the filing date hereof has been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that suitable modifications, variations, and equivalents may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, such scope being limited solely by the terms of the following claims and the legal equivalents thereof.