Patent ID: 7296442

Claim:
A system for directing cooling air onto a neck ring in a glassware molding machine that includes at least one stationary blank mold station having at least one plunger cylinder with an axis, said system including: at least one neck ring arm selectively aligned with the blank mold station; at least one neck ring carried by a neck ring arm and movable into a forming position at said blank mold station coaxially with said axis, said system including: at least one air plenum stationarily disposed at said blank mold station, said air plenum having an internal cavity for receiving cooling air flowing laterally inwardly toward said axis and having at least one outlet opening adjacent to said axis, a plunger wear plate stationarily disposed overlying at least a portion of said air plenum, and having an array of axially oriented openings for receiving air directed from said air plenum, a plurality of openings in said neck ring arm for receiving air from said openings in said plunger wear plate across a gap between said neck ring arm and said plunger wear plate when said neck ring arm overlies said plunger wear plate, and a plurality of air passages in said neck ring for receiving air from said neck ring arm openings.