GB2324298A - Mould support assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

In a glassware forming machine, mould support arms 2 support mould halves 4 which engage one another along a central plane to provide one or more mould cavities. At least one mould half 4 is mounted for limited movement against spring pressure only in a direction perpendicular to the central plane.

Description

MOULD SUPPORT The present invention is concerned with mould supports for use in glassware forming machines.

In the well-known I.S. (individual section) glassware forming machine, a plurality of sections are arranged side by side and operate out of phase with each other to produce a continuous series of glass containers. Each section comprises a parison mould assembly and a blow mould assembly for the formation of such containers, and it is customary for each mould assembly to comprise one, two, three or even four sets of mould parts to provide one, two, three or four mould cavities in each section.

Each mould assembly comprises a mould mechanism which comprises two mould support arms arranged to support the appropriate number of mould halves and to move towards and away from each other to move the mould halves into contact with each other along a centre line to provide the appropriate number of mould cavities.

When more than one mould cavity is provided (in a double, triple or quadruple gob machine), problems arise in obtaining consistent satisfactory closure of the mould halves to provide the mould cavity. If the mould halves are not properly closed, there is the possibility of a seam of flash being formed on a container shaped in the mould cavity. As mould halves may vary in size because of manufacturing tolerances, wear or temperature differences, various devices have been proposed in an attempt to obtain a uniform closing pressure on the mould halves irrespective of such variation. Such devices have usually comprised an arrangement of balancing members as for example shown in EP 0 349 899, EP 0 323 034, and EP 0 255 329, and tend to be expensive in construction. Even so, in the attempt to obtain consistent closing of the mould halves, it is sometimes found that the mould halves twist and do not close along a consistent central plane, which can lead to serious problems.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mould support assembly which provides for consistent closure of mould halves supported therein.

The present invention provides a mould support assembly for use in supporting mould members in a glassware forming machine comprising: two mould support arms adapted to support one or more mould halves and arranged to move towards and away from each other between advanced and retracted positions so that when the support arms are in their advanced positions, mould halves supported by the support arms will engage one another along a central plane to provide one or more mould cavities each mould support arm supporting at least one mould support adapted to support a mould half, which is mounted on the mould support arm for limited movement relative to the support arm only in a direction perpendicular to the central plane against pressure exerted by spring means.

There now follows a description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a mould support assembly embodying the invention, and a modified mould support assembly.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a mould support arm of a mould support assembly embodying the invention; Figure 2 shows a front view of the mould support arm of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an end view of the mould support arm; Figure 4 shows a view in section along the line IV-IV of Figure 1; and Figure 5 shows a diagrammatic plan view of a modified mould support assembly.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a mould support arm 2 of a mould support assembly. The mould support assembly comprises two mould support arms which are mounted at a station in a glassware forming machine of the I.S. type for linear movement towards and away from each other between advanced and retracted portions. When in use the mould support arms 2 support mould halves 4, and when in their advanced positions the mould halves 4 on one mould support arm can engage the mould halves 4 on the other mould support arm along a central plane which is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the mould support arms 2, to provide a number of mould cavities. A pin 3 attaches the support arm 2 to conventional mould opening and closing mechanisms.

The mould support arm 2 is provided with three mould supports 6 for mould halves 4 - that is to say it is for a triple gob machine - obviously similar mould support arms can be provided for single, double or quadruple gob operations.

Each mould support 6 is generally in the form of a plate comprising rounded ridge 8 at its upper end and a key hole slot 10 in a lower position. Mould halves 4 for use with the mould support 6 are provided with a lip which can fit over the ridge 8 and a headed pin which can fit in the slot 10, and it is thus that the mould halves 4 are supported. Locating blocks 9 serve to align the mould halves horizontally on the mould supports 6.

The mould support assembly comprises a plurality, namely four, of spring means by which the mould support 6 is mounted for movement against spring pressure. Two upper pins 12 and two lower pins 13 are secured in holes 14 in the support 6, the upper pins 12 towards an upper end of the support and the lower pins 13 towards a lower end. Each pin 12 has a head 16 and a shank 18. Located on the shank 18 between rear surface 20 of the support 6 and a washer 22 abutting against the head 16 are a plurality of spring washers 24. A guard washer 26 to prevent the ingress of dirt surrounds the spring washers 24. The washer 26 sits into a recess 28 in the rear face of the mould support 6.

The pin 12 extends into a stepped recess in the mould support arm 2 which comprises a first portion 30, of a size freely to accept the head 16 of the pin 12, a middle portion 32 of a size to accept the washer 22 and the spring washers 24, and an outer portion 34 of a size to accept the guard washer 26.

Each pin 13 has a head 36 and a shank 40. Located on the shank 40 are a plurality of spring washers 24. A washer 22 abuts against the head 36, and the spring washers 24 extend between the washer 22 and an end surface 42 of a recess 44 in a transversely extending block 46 of the mould support 6. The recess 44 is of a diameter to accept the washers 24. The block 46 extends slidably into a transverse recess 48 in the mould support arm 2, and the pin 13 extends into a stepped recess in the arm 2 which comprises a first portion 50, of a size freely to accept the head 36, and an outer portion 52, of a size to accept the washer 22 and the spring washer 24 on the pin 13.

Each mould support 6 is provided with vertically extending flanges 70. The mould support arm 2 is provided with two corresponding vertically extending flanges 72 (Figure 1). The three mould supports are located transversely on the support arm 2, the two outermost supports having their outer flanges 70 located behind the flanges 72, while upper clamp pieces 74 and lower clamp pieces 75, secured to the support arm 2 by bolts 76, engage the flanges 70 of the central mould support 6 and the inner flanges 70 of the two outer mould supports 6. The mould supports are thus constrained by the flanges 72 and the clamp pieces 74 and 75 from movement away from the mould support arm, while a small amount of movement towards the arm can be effected. A spring pin 77 is mounted in each of the lower clamp pieces 75 to ensure their vertical orientation.

It can thus be seen that the mould support 6 is located with respect to the mould support arm by the four pins 12, 12, 13, 13, the washers 26 and the block 46. Two securing pins 54, each having a shank 56, which passes slidably through a bore 58 in the support 6 and is secured in the mould support arm 2, and a head 60 which lies in a recess 62 in the mould support 6, secure the support 6 on the arm 2 without preventing limited horizontal movement of the support 6 with respect to the arm.

When the mould support assembly is in use, the two mould support arms are moved together: mould halves supported on the mould supports engage each other along a central plane; further movement of the support arms towards each other cause the mould supports 6 together with the pins 12 and 13 to move relative to the mould support arm 2 against the pressure of the disc spring 24: such movement is comparatively small and is essentially only perpendicular to the mould support arms and to the central plane.

It will be seen that the construction is such that access of dirt to the disc springs is prevented.

While the embodiment is described in relation to mould support arms which are mounted for parallel movement, it will be seen that a similar arrangement may be utilised with arcuately moving mould support arms.

Figure 5 shows, in diagrammatic plan view, a modified mould assembly for use in a triple gob machine which is of particularly cheap construction. Two mould support arms 102 (only one of which is shown) are connected to mould opening and closing mechanisms by pins 103. The mould support arm 102 is provided with three mould supports for mould halves 4 - two outer mould supports 105 and a central mould support 106 located between the outer mould supports 105. The outer mould supports 105 generally resemble the mould supports 6, but are rigidly secured to the mould support arm 102 by clamp pieces 74. The central mould support 106 is identical to the mould support 6 and is thus mounted on the mould support arm 102 for limited movement relative to the arm 102 only in a direction perpendicular to the central plane along which mould halves 4 supported by the mould support arms meet when the two mould support arms 102 are moved towards each other. The central mould half of the opposed mould support arm 102 is similarly mounted for limited movement, and when the support arms 102 move into their advanced position the limited movement takes place against spring pressure in the same manner as the movement of the mould supports 6.

Claims (7)

1 A mould support assembly for use in supporting mould members in a glassware forming machine comprising: two mould support arms adapted to support one or more mould halves and arranged to move towards and away from each other between advanced and retracted positions so that when the support arms are in their advanced positions, mould halves supported by the support arms will engage one another along a central plane to provide one or more mould cavities each mould support arm supporting at least one mould support adapted to support a mould half, which is mounted on the mould support arm for limited movement relative to the support arm only in a direction perpendicular to the central plane against pressure exerted by spring means.

2 A mould support assembly according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of mould supports each of which is mounted on the mould support arm for such limited movement relative to the support arm against spring pressure.

3 A mould support assembly according to claim 1 wherein each mould support arm is adapted to support three mould halves, two outer mould supports being rigidly secured to the mould support arm, and a central mould support located between the outer mould supports being mounted on the mould support arm for such limited movement relative to the support arm against spring pressure.

4 A mould support assembly according to claim 1 in which the mould support arms are mounted for linear movement towards and away from each other.

5 A mould support assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the spring means comprises a plurality of disc springs.

6 A mould support assembly according to claim 5 wherein the spring means comprises spring and pin assembly comprising a pin having a head and a shank, the pin being secured in the mould support and the head of the pin being mounted for movement in a recess in the mould support arms, the disc springs being positioned between the head of the pin and a rear face of the mould support.

7 A mould support assembly according to claim 6 wherein the mould support is supported by four such spring and pin assemblies.