Improved Manufacture of Bottles, Flasks, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 14th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 14th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 15th Sept., 1900
Improved Manufacture of Bottles, Flasks, and the like.
I, CHRISTIAN CHRISTIANSSON, Modeller of Surte. Gothembourg, Kingdom of
Sweden, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of bottles flasks and the like
whereby a hollow, partly finished article, here termed a blank, is first produced
by means of a machine provided with a mould that can be opened, which blank
is subsequently removed from the machine together with the blow-pipe and blown
by hand in another mould. The first mentioned part of the process is carried
out in known manner in two distinct operations, riz: forcing the mass of glass
filled into the mould, by means of an external air-pressure into a contracted
portion of the mould, for forming the head and part of the neck of the bottle,
and the subsequent blowing out of the blank by means of compressed air intro-
duced into it. The advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the part of the
work which is best suited for execution by mechanical means is performed by
the machine while the finishing work, consisting in giving the accurate bottle
shape to the blank already provided with a finished head and partly-finished neck,
is carried out under more direct control of the workman. The machine, moreover,
works so rapidly that it is capable of supplying work to several workmen, the
latter receiving the blanks in rotation. Like some known machines, the machine
has its mould secured to a horizontal shaft supported by a standard provided
with a rigid box or bearing in which the shaft rests, but it is characterised by
a detachable blow-pipe and by the devices for manipulating the mould and the
blow-pipe and for conducting the compressed air in two alternative paths into
the mould, all of which is brought about by the intermittent rotation of the shaft
always in the same direction.
In the accompanying drawing a machine according to this invention is shown
in Figure 1 in front elevation in Figure 2 in side-view, partially in section, and
in Figure 3 in plan view. Figure 4 shows a portion of the machine viewed from
one side. Figure 5 shows the blow-pipe device in longitudinal section. Figure 6
shows a transverse section of the journal-box on the line of Figure 2, and
Figure a transverse section of the shaft also on the line of Figure 2.
Figure 8 shows a section on the line y of Figure 2. Figure 9 represents a
detail
The standard comprises an upright a forming or carrying a box a' at the top,
in which the hollow rotatable shaft a fits in an air-tight manner. At one end of
the said box is secured, or formed a disc or flange a³ forming at the back an

page_text: eccentric band provided at the front with a groove c and a swelling or projec-
tion d (Figures 3 and 4). The shaft a² is made larger at one end, its transition
from the smaller to the larger portion being made conical and fitting against
a corresponding conical surface of the bearing on which its pressure is adjusted
by means of a nut Figure 2. Compressed air from a fan, air-compressor or
the like is conducted through a pipe to the chamber f in the box . From
said chamber a passage g extends along the bearing, opposite or in line with
which passage two passages h and i extending along the shatt, alternately come
into position at the conical surface, as the shaft is rotated half a revolution.
The two passages and i extend to the circumference of the larger disc-shaped
portion of the shatt, one h, being continued by a tube / communicating with
the mould m, n through the bottom o of the latter, the other i being continued
by a pipe which is U-shaped at the bottom and is provided on the one hand
with a cock and on the other hand with a valve which is kept to its seat
by a spring, and capable of being forced inwards away from the end of the
pipe in which its seat is arranged.
One
The mould consists of three parts, riz: the sides mn and the bottom o.
side-piece m is secured to the part 4 Figure 4 and the other n is rotatably
mounted on the part by means of a rod . The bottom o is hinged to the
part m by means of a hinge-pin o¹ provided with an arm to which is pivotted
a rod which engages in the groove e by means of a pin projection or roller,
and guided by a guide or lug attached to the part a. A spring y coiled around
the rod bears against the projection p and acts on the collar of the rod.
It serves to give motion to the rod when the latter has to pass the approximately
radial portion of groove or slot c. Un the rod is secured a short arm which
in the rotation of shaft a² engages the projection d. The rod serves for opening
and closing the bottom-piece o and the parts and d together with a spring s
arranged between the parts r and a serve for the opening and closing of the
movable side of the mould.
The blow-pipe is located in the free space in front of the disc a', between
the mould and the curved end of the pipe k. The blow-pipe consists of three
pipes,, inserted one in the other, the intermediate one 2 of which is
prolonged by means of a socket t the extreme end of which can be grasped by
two cheeks e secured to bell-crank levers 2 the supports of which project
from the intermediate pipe b³. The bell-crank levers are connected with the
outer pipe 3 by means of links . Within the socket the pipe b has an
enlarged portion by means of which when pushed upwards it can rest in
contact with the contracted portion of the socket t, thus forming a valve in the
latter. The pipe b₁ through which the compressed air is introduced, has near
the enlarged portion & perforations in the side and above the enlargement
a narrower solid extension 6. When the pipe is pushed upwards and the
cheeks are closed, the latter together with the socket and pipe form the
mould for the head, mouth and part of the neck of the bottle, as shown in
Figure 2. The blow-pipe when pushed into contact with the mould fits against
the edge of the latter, which edge can embrace the closed cheeks. In the
withdrawn position of pipe the air discharging through the perforations b³
can pass around the enlargement 6 and through the socket into the mould
which is made to fit the parts and c¹ as shown in Figure 2. When withdrawn
the pipe presses down and opens the valve 2. The blow-pipe, viz: the parts
shown in Figure 5 is supported on arms a² d³ projecting from the pipe and
shaped at their outer ends as hooks or forks formed by the aid of bent springs d
so as to admit of a ready insertion or removal of the grooved collars 67 68 located
on the pipes 62 and b¹ of the blow-pipe. The arm is stationary but the arm (3
is movable on the pipe k, being connected to the eccentric-rod d of the eccentric b.
On the collar bears a spring y surrounding the tube 62 and tending to push
the pipe upwards so as to close the cheeks c¹. z denotes a packing sleeve
between the pipes and 62. The mould bottom is provided with a valve ot

page_text: for admitting air to the mould but preventing the escape of glass from the
latter. The mode of operation is as follows:-
The pipe and mould are placed in a horizontal position as shown by dotted
lines in Figure 1, and the blow-pipe is placed in position in the machine. The
shaft a² is subsequently revolved a quarter of a turn so as to give the mould an
upright position, as shown by full fines in Figure 1. The half of the mould
now closes on the half m, owing to the action of the projection d on the arm r,
and the bottom o is opened by means of the rod and groove or slot c. In
this position of the mould the eccentric band rod a keep the pipe 6 forced
upwards in the socket so that the latter is closed at the bottom Figure 2. The
molten glass is now placed in the mould. The shaft 2 is then rotated in the
same direction as before, see the arrow in Figure 1, causing the bottom o to be
suddenly closed. When the air-passage h comes into line with the passage g,
air is forced into the mould above the glass, causing the latter to be forced down
into the downwardly-pointing, contracted portion of the mould, to form the head
and neck of the bottle. The passage h will move past the vertical centre line
of shaft 2 a little later than the mould. When in its continued rotation the
mould approaches its lowest position the rod will retract the pipe band press
down the valve and when the passage i arrives opposite the passage g air
will be forced into the molten glass which is thus caused to fill the mould. The
recess made by the part in this operation forms the beginning of the inner
cavity. When the blowing is completed the shaft is further revolved to its
original position and the mould at the same time opens. The blow-pipe and the
partly finished bottle or blank attached to it are now taken out of the machine
and the bottle is blown into its finished state in the usual manner in a finishing-
mould. The opening of the cheeks c¹ for releasing the bottle is done by grasping
the blow-pipe with the right hand between the parts band and taking hold
of the pipe with the left hand and drawing it toward the operator. The
machine is preferably provided with a second set of blow-pipes which are alter-
nately inserted in the machine as the work progresses. The supply of air can
be regulated by means of the cock ¹. By means of a pin g' and corresponding
holes in the shaft a³ the latter is retained in the two positions shown in
Figure 1. The disengagement is effected by means of a treadle attachment ³
to which the pin is connected. Alternatively a special arm may be provided,
projecting from at, for instance in front of the pipe k, for carrying the sup-
ports so as to allow the pipe k to be disengaged independently of said
supports. This arrangement does not interfere with connecting the rod d* to the
arm d which may be forked to leave room for the pipe k.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In the manufacture of bottles, flasks and the like, the method of forming
a blank in a divided mould, and applying air under pressure to the molten mass
in the closed mould, by means of a blow-pipe device in connection with the mould
serving for the formation of the neck or head, moving the ingot by means of
the blow-pipe from the machine and placing the same in a finishing mould and
then finishing the blowing of the bottle, flask or the like in the ordinary way,
substantially as described.
2. A machine, provided with rotatable mould for the manufacture of bottles,
flasks and the like, characterised by the arrangement of passages as hand in
a hollow shaft, supporting the mould, said passages in the rotation of the shaft
alternately being brought opposite an air-supply passage in the shaft-bearing, a
pipe k, forming an extension of one passage and projecting from the shaft
between the extreme curved end of which and the mould a blow-pipe device
can be mounted in supports projecting from the pipe (or from any other suitable
part) the other passage communicating with the mould through a tube, connected

page_text: with the bottom of the mould, all for the purpose of causing compressed air, as
the shaft is rotated to be automatically introduced into the mould alternately
through the bottom of the mould and through the blow-pipe.
3. in a machine of the kind described the arrangement whereby the meeting
of the air supply passage in the shaft-bearing and the other two passages in the
shaft will alternately take place on a conical surface on the shaft, which surface
fits against a correspondingly shaped part of the bearing, substantially as
described.
4. In a machine of the kind described the arrangement that the inner pipe
of a blow-pipe formed of several telescopic pipes is made to slide in relation to
the outer pipe 62, and tormis a valve at the end of the latter provided with a
socket extension, there being moreover attached to the blow-pipe a pair of cheeks
as adapted to embrace the end of the socket which cheeks together with
the socket and valve form the mould, in which the head of the bottle is shaped
substantially as described.
5. In a machine of the kind described the arrangement of an eccentric as b
on the stationary shart-box, the rod of which eccentric is connected to the blow-
pipe support as embracing the inner pipe and arranged to slide on the air-
pipe k, for the purpose of effecting a movement of the inner pipe for the alternate
closing of the valve in the socket and opening a valve in the air-pipe according
as the molten glass is to be acted on externally or internally by the air-pressure
in the mould, substantially as described.
18
6. In a machine of the kind described the arrangement of bell-crank levers
as attached to the intermediate pipe of the blow-pipe device and supporting
cheeks as c¹, and connected by means of links with the outer pipe which
arranged to slide on the intermediate pipe and is actuated by a spring y, in
order that the cheeks may be opened and closed by the movement of the outer
pipe, substantially as described.
7. In a machine of the kind described the arrangement of an arm as o² on
the axle of the hinged bottom of the mould, to which arm is connected a rod
movable at an angle to the shaft, said rod engaging with a groove in a disc
located on the shaft-box for the purpose of effecting the opening and closing of
the bottom in certain positions of the hollow shaft, when the latter is rotated,
substantially as described.
8. In a machine of the kind described the arrangement tliat one half of the
divided mould, which half is rotatable on a rod or pivot, is closed by a spring
but is opened at a certain point in the rotary movement of the hollow shaft by
means of an arm projecting from the shaft and actuated by a projection on the
shaft-box, substantially as described.
9. In a machine of the kind described the arrangement of a valve as of arranged
in the bottom of the mould and adapted to open inwards in the mould so as to
allow the compressed air to enter the latter but to prevent escape of molten
glass by the same aperture substantially as described.
10. A machine of the kind described, comprising a hollow shaft the end of
which protruding from its box has the shape of a disc on which the mould is
mounted so as to be located in front of said disc and from which disc issue radially
on the one hand an air-pipe as k provided with the forwardly-directed supports
for the blow-pipe so as to allow of the application of the latter on the mould
in the free space in front of the dise and on the other hand a tube as placing
the mould in communication with the air-supply passage, whilst close behind
this dise is located a disc as a³, provided with a groove and projection for effecting
the opening and closing of the bottom of the mould and the opening of the
movable half of the mould, while behind said disc is an eccentric for controlling
the air-valve of the air-pipe previously mentioned and of the blow-pipe, sub-
stantially as described.
11. In a machine of the kind described the arrangement of a catch or pin
mounted on the shaft-box and holes in the hollow shaft, in which the former

page_text: can enter for fixing the position of the shaft, and a treadle-device connected
with said pin for disengaging the shaft, substantially as described.
12. The complete machine for use in the manufacture of bottles flasks and the
like substantially as described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of December 1899.
BOULT WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.