Method and mechanism for opening and closing moulds for a machine for forming glass items

A mold opening and closing method for a glassware forming machine that includes at least one mold divided into two halves that open and close to form articles, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a support structure;
• providing a pair of support arms each being mounted separately facing each other and spaced apart in parallel to the support structure, each support arm having a first end mounted for moving around a first pivot point, in a first vertical shaft which is mounted on the support structure, at the first pivot point, to rotate a first end of the support arms and a second end, to move the arms towards a closing or opening position, said second end of the support arms including a second pivot point for movement around a second vertical shaft;
• and, a third pivot point for movement around a third pivot shaft;
• providing a pair of mold synchronization beams, each of such mold synchronization beams being mounted for movement at said second pivot point of the mold support arms, such mold synchronization beams being mounted for moving with an inward or outward movement for opening and closing the mold;
• providing a pair of connecting rods, each of said connecting rods having a first end articulately connected to the synchronization beams to provide an articulated movement to such synchronization beams;
• and, a second end being connected to the support structure to a fifth pivot point, at a fixed point, such connecting rods and said pair of support arms capable of transmitting an articulated inward or outward movement to said synchronization means, for the closing or opening of the molds;
• providing drive means coupled to the support structure, each of said drive means having an output shaft, said drive means providing a rotational movement to each output shaft causing each output shaft to rotate to the left or right;
• providing a double linkage system which is connected articulately and independently by each support arms and the output shaft of the drive means, wherein, by means of a first rotational movement of the output shaft, the support arms and synchronization means are moved to a mold closing position and, with a second movement, in the opposite direction, each mold support arms, synchronization means and each of the mold halves open;
• generating an independent rotational movement for each output shaft through the drive means to carry out a closing movement of the support arms and synchronization means, and to lock and immobilize a mechanism for opening and closing the mold in the closed position of the support arms and mold halves;
• carrying out a glass article forming process in each of the molds;
• and,
• providing, once the glass article forming process has been finished, a second independent rotational movement to each shaft, said second rotational movement being in the opposite direction to the first rotational movement to unlock and open the mold support mechanism and to carry out an opening movement of the support arms, the synchronization beams and each of the mold halves.