GB1598784A

GB1598784A - Gob feeders for supplying molten glass from forehearths to gob distributors in glassware manufacture

Info

Publication number: GB1598784A
Application number: GB22543/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Emhart Industries Inc
Current assignee: Emhart Industries Inc
Priority date: 1978-05-25
Filing date: 1978-05-25
Publication date: 1981-09-23
Also published as: FR2426655A1; SE429546B; AU511026B2; SE7904489L; BE876485A; IT1118712B; JPS54153815A; DE2920279A1; IT7968116A0; AU4664579A; JPS5617293B2

Description

(54) GOB FEEDERS FOR SUPPLYING MOLTEN GLASS FROM FOREHEARTHS TO GOB DISTRIBUTORS IN GLASSWARE MANUFACTURE (71) We, EMHART INDUSTRIES, INC., a Corporation organised under the laws of the State of Connecticut, United States of America, of 426 Colt Highway, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to gob feeders for supplying molten glass from forehearths to gob distributors in glassware manufacture.

A known gob feeder comprises a spout bowl intended to be attached to the downstream end of a forehearth so as to receive the flow of molten glass after the latter has been conditioned in the forehearth. The spout bowl has a aperture in its base accommodating an orifice ring and a single, vertical refractory tube the lower edge of which is spaced above the aperture. Reciprocable plungers within the tube shape the molten glass into an irregular flow which, in use, issues from orifices in the orifice ring and is cut to form gobs of molten glass which are then distributed by a gob distributor to the troughs of a glassware forming machine.

Glassware forming machines are being designed to produce glassware at increasing speeds. For example, the multi-section machine disclosed in British Patent Specification No. 1,491,859 is able to produce glassware at a higher speed than that possible with the older Hartford I.S. machine disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 1,911,119. Conventional gob feeders are not always able to produce gobs of molten glass at a speed which matches these higher production rates.

The obvious solution of using two forehearths, each supplying a corresponding gob feeder with the two feeders supplying a common multi-section machine, is not practicable because the two forehearths expand by differing amounts, causing alignment problems at the gob distributor.

According to the invention a gob feeder for supplying molten glass from a forehearth to a gob distributor comprises a spout bowl with a base, the base of the spout bowl being formed with two apertures, two substantially upright tubes which extend downwardly into the bowl in respective alignment with the two apertures, a plurality of vertically reciprocable plungers in each tube, means for retaining the tubes with the lower peripheries thereof spaced a desired amount above the base of the spout bowl, means for reciprocating the plungers within the tubes, two orifice rings attached to the base of the spout bowl in respective alignment with the two apertures, each orifice ring having a plurality of glass-issuing orifices, with each plunger being aligned vertically with a corresponding one of the orifices, and cutting means disposed below the orifices and operated in timed relationship with reciprocation of the plungers such that in use molten glass flows from the spout bowl under the lower peripheries of the tubes, and is shaped by the plungers into a shaped flow of glass which issues from the orifices before being cut into discrete gobs of molten glass by the cutting means.

By providing two tubes, two orifice rings and two sets of associated plungers in the spout bowl, the production rate of the gob feeder can be doubled compared with a feeder having the conventional arrangement of one tube, one orifice ring and one set of plungers.

The two tubes may be spaced apart in a direction which, when the feeder is fitted to the forehearth, is aligned with the central longitudinal axis of the forehearth. Alternatively, the two tubes may be spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis.

A gob feeder according to the invention may be used with a single gob distributor comprising two sets of scoops which are driven by a common cam and which respectively serve the two apertures. One set of scoops conveniently directs gobs to the sections of one half of a multi-section glassware forming machine, whilst the other set of scoops directs gobs to the sections of the other half of the machine, the sections of one half being staggered with respect to the sections of the other half by an amount equal to the spacing between the centres of the apertures.

Alternatively, a gob feeder according to the invention may be used with two gob distributors respectively serving the two halves of a multi-section glassware forming machine.

The drives to the two sets of plungers may be independent but sychronised, or alternatively a common drive to both sets of plungers could be provided.

A gob feeder according to the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the gob feeder shown attached to the downstream end of a forehearth, Figure 2 is a side view showing the gob feeder in longitudinal section, and showing a gob distributor and the downstream end of the forehearth in side elevation, Figure 3 is a diagram showing how the single gob distributor shown in Figure 2 distributes the gobs from the gob feeder to the individual sections of a twelve section glassware forming machine, Figure 4 is a diagram similar to that of Figure 3, but showing how two gob distributors distribute the gobs from the gob feeder to the individual sections of a twelve section glassware forming machine, and Figure 5 is a further diagram showing how a single gob distributor may be used to distribute the gobs from a modified construction of gob feeder to the individual sections of a twelve section glassware forming machine.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the gob feeder 21 is attached to the downstream end 22 of the forehearth 23. The forehearth 23 has a U-shaped channel (of conventional form) within which flows molten glass supplied by a furnace, not shown. After being conditioned within the forehearth 23, the molten glass flows out of the downstream end 22 into a refractory spout bowl 24 having in its base two apertures 25 and 26 spaced apart in a direction aligned with the central longitudinal axis XX of the forehearth 23.

Two vertically disposed tubes 27 and 28 extend downwardly into the spout bowl 24 in respective alignment with the apertures 25 and 26. Each tube 27 or 28 accommodates a corresponding series 29 or 30 of three plungers. The three plungers of each set 29 or 30 are respectively aligned above the three orifices defined in a corresponding orifice ring 32 or 33 attached to the base of the spout bowl 24. The rings 32 and 33 are aligned beneath the apertures 25 and 26, respectively.

The spout bowl 24 is surrounded (other than at its receiving end open to the forehearth) by a spout casing 31 and an intervening packing of insulating powder 34. A burner block 35 is located above the spout bowl 24 which is covered by a cover 36. In Figure 1, the block 35 and cover 36 are omitted.

Means are provided for raising each tube 27 or 28 and holding the tube 27 or 28 in a raised position so that the lower edge thereof is spaced above the base of the spout bowl 24 in order to allow molten glass within the spout bowl 24 to flow under the lower edge of each tube 27 or 28. Drive means are also provided to reciprocate the plungers 29 and 30 vertically and in synchronism, this reciprocating action having the effect of periodically obstructing the flow of molten glass flowing through the orifice rings 32 and 33.

In consequence, gobs of molten glass are forced from the orifice rings 32 and 33, six such gobs being produced simultaneously through the six orifices in the two rings. The gobs issuing from the orifice rings in the base of the spout bowl 24 are separated into individual gobs of molten glass by cutting means 37 which are disposed below the orifice rings 32 and 33. The cutting means include in-line shearing cutters which execute cutting strokes beneath the orifice rings in timed relationship with reciprocating movement of the plungers 29 and 30. The six gobs then leave the gob feeder and fall simultaneously into a gob distributor indicated generally at 38. The drive means for the plungers 29 and 30 may be independent but synchronised, or may alternatively be constituted by a common drive for both sets of plungers.

The gob distributor 38 has a first funnel 39 aligned beneath the orifice ring 32 and second funnel 40 aligned beneath the orifice ring 33. The funnel 39 serves a first set 42 of three scoops and the funnel 40 serves a second set 43 of three scoops. The scoops 42 and 43 direct the gobs of molten glass to troughs leading to the individual sections of a triple gob multi-section glassware forming machine. To achieve this, the sets of scoops 42 and 43 pivot about respective vertical axes Y-Y and Z-Z. Pivoting motion is applied to the scoops 42 and 43 by respective pinions driven by a common rack which rotates the scoops through equal angles on respective sides of the centre line of the machine. The rack is driven by a cam enclosed in a housing 44.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view showing how the gob distributor 38 of Figure 2 distributes gobs of molten glass to the twelve sections 1 to 12 of a triple gob glassware forming machine. Each section of the glassware forming machine may be similar to the machine section disclosed in British Patent Specification No. 1,491,859, except that the machine sections 1 to 12 are designed for triple gob operation. The vertical pivot axes Y and Z of the scoops 42 and 43 are shown in end view in Figure 3. The three scoops 42 deliver gobs to the sections 1 to 6 of the machine whilst the scoops 43 deliver gobs to the remaining sections 7 to 12.

Hence, neither of the sets of scoops 42 or 43 passes over the centre line X-X. Since the sets of scoops 42 and 43 are driven by a common cam, their angular displacements must match. This is indicated in Figure 3 where the angles 0 to 6 (defining the directions of the blank stations of the sections 6 to 1) are duplicated for the sections 7 to 12.

To enable gob delivery times to be the same for corresponding sections, the sections 7 to 12 are displaced from the sections 1 to 6 by a dimension A equal to the spacing between the axes Y and Z. A typical firing (i.e. gob loading) order for the machine would be 1, 12; 3, 10; 5, 8; 6, 7; 4, 9; 2, 11: This notation means that sections 1 and 12 operate in synchronism, sections 3 and 10 operate in synchronism and so on.

Figure 4 shows an alternative arrangement in which the single gob distributor 38 is replaced by two separate gob distributors the respective pivot axes of which are indicated at K and L. The first gob distributor, pivotable about axis K, directs triple gobs to machine sections 1 to 6 whilst the second gob distributor, pivotable about axis L, directs triple gobs to machine sections 7 to 12. In this arrangement the gob delivery times would be unequal and the angular displacements of the sections 1 to 6 do not match the angular displacements of the sections 7 to 12. Nevertheless, by phasing the operation of the reciprocable plungers in the tubes 27 and 28 of the gob feeder, the machine sections can be synchronised in the following order: 1, 7; 3, 9; 5, 11; 6, 12; 4, 10; 2, 8.

Figure 5 shows a yet further alternative arrangement including a modified gob feeder in which the tubes 27 and 28 are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the centre line XX of the forehearth. Because of the symmetry of the arrangement about the centre line XX, a single gob distributor is used, one set of scoops being pivotable about the vertical axis M and the other set of scoops being pivotable about the vertical axis N, these axes M and N being respectively aligned with the two tubes in the spout bowl of the gob feeder. Since the two sets of scoops are driven by a common cam the angles through which they move to seve the aligned sections I to 12 match. The firing order of the sections 1 to 12 may be the same as that described for Figure 3.

A gob feeder according to the invention enables gobs to be produced at the high rate necessary for certain glassware forming machines. For example a twelve section triple gob machine operating at thirty.cycles per minute could produce 1080 glass containers per minute. To feed such a machine would not be possible with conventional feeders but is possible with the described duplex arrangement utilising two refractory tubes within the spout bowl of the feeder.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A gob feeder for supplying molten glass from a forehearth to a gob distributor, comprising a spout bowl with a base, the base of the spout bowl being formed with two apertures, two substantially upright tubes which extend downwardly into the bowl in respective alignment with the two apertures, a plurality of vertically reciprocable plungers in each tube, means for retaining the tubes with the lower peripheries thereof spaced a desired amount above the base of the spout bowl, means for reciprocating the plungers within the tubes, two orifice rings attached to the base of the spout bowl in respective alignment with the two apertures, each orifice ring having a plurality of glassissuing orifices, with each plunger being aligned vertically with a corresponding one of the orifices, and cutting means disposed below the orifices and operated in timed relationship with reciprocation of the plungers such that in use molten glass flows from the spout.bowl under the lower peripheries of the tubes, and is shaped by the plungers into a shaped flow of glass which issues from the orifices before being cut into discrete gobs of molten glass by the cutting means.

2. A gob feeder according to Claim 1, wherein the two tubes are spaced apart in a direction which, when the feeder is fitted to the forehearth, is aligned with the central longitudinal axis of the forehearth.

3. A gob feeder according to Claim 1, wherein the the tubes are spaced apart in a direction which, when the feeder is fitted to the forehearth, is perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the forehearth.

4. A gob feeder according to any one of the preceding claims and in combination with a single gob distributor comprising two sets of scoops which are driven by a common cam and which respectively serve the two apertures.

5. A gob feeder and gob distributor according to Claim 4, wherein one set of scoops directs gobs to the sections of one half of a multi-section glassware forming machine whilst the other set of scoops directs gobs to the sections of the other half of the machine, the sections of one half being

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

2 distributes gobs of molten glass to the twelve sections 1 to 12 of a triple gob glassware forming machine. Each section of the glassware forming machine may be similar to the machine section disclosed in British Patent Specification No. 1,491,859, except that the machine sections 1 to 12 are designed for triple gob operation. The vertical pivot axes Y and Z of the scoops 42 and 43 are shown in end view in Figure 3. The three scoops 42 deliver gobs to the sections 1 to 6 of the machine whilst the scoops 43 deliver gobs to the remaining sections 7 to 12.

Hence, neither of the sets of scoops 42 or 43 passes over the centre line X-X. Since the sets of scoops 42 and 43 are driven by a common cam, their angular displacements must match. This is indicated in Figure 3 where the angles 0 to 6 (defining the directions of the blank stations of the sections 6 to 1) are duplicated for the sections 7 to 12.

To enable gob delivery times to be the same for corresponding sections, the sections 7 to 12 are displaced from the sections 1 to 6 by a dimension A equal to the spacing between the axes Y and Z. A typical firing (i.e. gob loading) order for the machine would be 1, 12; 3, 10; 5, 8; 6, 7; 4, 9; 2, 11: This notation means that sections 1 and 12 operate in synchronism, sections 3 and 10 operate in synchronism and so on.

Figure 4 shows an alternative arrangement in which the single gob distributor 38 is replaced by two separate gob distributors the respective pivot axes of which are indicated at K and L. The first gob distributor, pivotable about axis K, directs triple gobs to machine sections 1 to 6 whilst the second gob distributor, pivotable about axis L, directs triple gobs to machine sections 7 to 12. In this arrangement the gob delivery times would be unequal and the angular displacements of the sections 1 to 6 do not match the angular displacements of the sections 7 to 12. Nevertheless, by phasing the operation of the reciprocable plungers in the tubes 27 and 28 of the gob feeder, the machine sections can be synchronised in the following order: 1, 7; 3, 9; 5, 11; 6, 12; 4, 10; 2, 8.

Figure 5 shows a yet further alternative arrangement including a modified gob feeder in which the tubes 27 and 28 are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the centre line XX of the forehearth. Because of the symmetry of the arrangement about the centre line XX, a single gob distributor is used, one set of scoops being pivotable about the vertical axis M and the other set of scoops being pivotable about the vertical axis N, these axes M and N being respectively aligned with the two tubes in the spout bowl of the gob feeder. Since the two sets of scoops are driven by a common cam the angles through which they move to seve the aligned sections I to 12 match. The firing order of the sections 1 to 12 may be the same as that described for Figure 3.

A gob feeder according to the invention enables gobs to be produced at the high rate necessary for certain glassware forming machines. For example a twelve section triple gob machine operating at thirty.cycles per minute could produce 1080 glass containers per minute. To feed such a machine would not be possible with conventional feeders but is possible with the described duplex arrangement utilising two refractory tubes within the spout bowl of the feeder.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A gob feeder for supplying molten glass from a forehearth to a gob distributor, comprising a spout bowl with a base, the base of the spout bowl being formed with two apertures, two substantially upright tubes which extend downwardly into the bowl in respective alignment with the two apertures, a plurality of vertically reciprocable plungers in each tube, means for retaining the tubes with the lower peripheries thereof spaced a desired amount above the base of the spout bowl, means for reciprocating the plungers within the tubes, two orifice rings attached to the base of the spout bowl in respective alignment with the two apertures, each orifice ring having a plurality of glassissuing orifices, with each plunger being aligned vertically with a corresponding one of the orifices, and cutting means disposed below the orifices and operated in timed relationship with reciprocation of the plungers such that in use molten glass flows from the spout.bowl under the lower peripheries of the tubes, and is shaped by the plungers into a shaped flow of glass which issues from the orifices before being cut into discrete gobs of molten glass by the cutting means.
2. A gob feeder according to Claim 1, wherein the two tubes are spaced apart in a direction which, when the feeder is fitted to the forehearth, is aligned with the central longitudinal axis of the forehearth.
3. A gob feeder according to Claim 1, wherein the the tubes are spaced apart in a direction which, when the feeder is fitted to the forehearth, is perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the forehearth.
4. A gob feeder according to any one of the preceding claims and in combination with a single gob distributor comprising two sets of scoops which are driven by a common cam and which respectively serve the two apertures.
5. A gob feeder and gob distributor according to Claim 4, wherein one set of scoops directs gobs to the sections of one half of a multi-section glassware forming machine whilst the other set of scoops directs gobs to the sections of the other half of the machine, the sections of one half being

displaced with respect to the sections of the other half by an amount equal to the spacing between the centres of the apertures.
6. A gob feeder according to Claim 2, wherein the gob feeder is used with two distributors respectively serving the two halves of a multi-section glassware forming machine.
7. A gob feeder according to any one of Claims I to 3 and in combination with a gob distributor and a multi-section glassware forming machine, the distributor having two sets of scoops, one set of scoops receiving gobs of molten glass from one orifice ring and feeding one set of said sections and the other set of scoops receiving gobs from the other orifice ring and feeding another set of said sections.
8. A gob feeder and gob distributor constructed and arranged substantially as herein particularly described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, or Figures 1 to 3 as modified by Figure 4 or Figure 5, of the accompanying drawings.