Temperature control for the forming units of a machine of the press and blow type

Apparatus for forming articles from charges of deformable hot material comprising a forming unit including cooperating implements for forming successive charges of the hot material into shaped articles and thereby absorbing some of the heat from the charges, means for subjecting the forming unit to temperature controlling fluid, and means for automatically controlling the supply of that fluid by temperature-sensing means directed at said forming unit subsequent to each forming operation so that it will be at the proper controlled temperature for forming the successive charges;

• said means for subjecting the forming unit to temperature-controlling fluid supplying it continuously;
• and said means for automatically controlling the supply of that fluid varying it in accordance with temperature of the unit sensed by said temperature-sensing means;
• said means for subjecting the forming unit to temperature-controlling fluid including a plurality of independent fluid passages for said unit;
• said means for automatically controlling the supply of temperature-controlling fluid comprising independent means for controlling the supply to the passages;
• a rotatable turret which carries a plurality of said forming units;
• said temperature-sensing means being located around the turret to sense the forming unit temperature after the article is formed therein;
• a fluid supply unit mounted in cooperative relationship with said turret, said independent means for controlling the supply of fluid to the passages of the forming unit including separate supply lines connected thereto, said fluid supply unit comprising manifolds which rotate with said turret and are connected to each of said supply lines, and a source of supply connected to said manifolds to permit relative rotation thereof.

Apparatus for forming articles of deformable hot material comprising a continuously moved support for supporting a plurality of successively spaced forming units so that they will receive and form the charges during the continuous movement of the support and each of which includes an implement for engaging and forming successive charges of the hot material and thereby absorbing some of the heat by heat transfer from the charges, means for subjecting the implement continuously to temperature-controlling fluid, said means including a passage for the fluid cooperating with the implement to contact it continuously with the fluid and an adjustable loading regulator supported independently of said continuously moved support for continuously controlling the rate of flow of fluid through said passage, a source of supply of fluid to the passages through the regulators of the respective implements which is fixed relative to the continuously moved support but is connected to said passages continuously by means permitting the continuous movement of said support and the forming units carried thereby;

• temperature-sensing means located along the path of continuous movement of said forming units on said continuously moved support and supported in a fixed position relative to the movement thereof so as to be directed at the implement of each unit after each forming operation to determine the heat transfer condition and resulting temperature thereof after each forming operation and to provide an electrical signal indicating the actual temperature of the implement;
• a controller supported independently of said continuously moved support and electrically connected to said temperature-sensing means for receiving the temperature-indicating electrical signal therefrom as an input signal and providing an output signal determined thereby to said loading regulator for that implement to which it is electrically connected for controlling said loading regulator continuously so that it controls the rate of fluid flowing continuously through its passage into contact with said implement for controlling its heat transfer and resulting temperature, in accordance with the temperature of the implement sensed by said temperature-sensing means as that implement passes by said temperature-sensing means.