US 4,357,157 A · Electronic gob distributor for glassware forming machines and the like

Abstract

An electronic glass gob distributor for machines which form glassware, thermoplastic or similar articles, comprising one or more glass gob distributing channels each supported on its rotatable shaft, a step motor for actuating each rotatable shaft to move the associated distributor channel toward respective forming stations, a pulse signal generator for each step motor, a pulse amplifier for each glass gob distributor channel to amplify and feed the pulse controlling signals to the respective step motor, and a microcomputer programmer for controlled sequence of the generated pulse signals eminating from a data processing unit connected to an operator's control panel, with suitable conductors from the data processing unit to gob feed sensors and to distribution channel position sensors, with additional conductors to solenoids operating a pneumatic valve adapted to actuate a fluid operated linear motor for moving rejecting channels into gob receiving position to prevent feeding of a gob into the glassware forming position when said gob is not desired for some specific reason, the operator's control panel including three stations, namely: visual information indicators, a digital switch section and a multiple switch section with emergency, start, read, reset, confirm, position and connect buttons, all of the elements of the control panel being connected to the microcomputer through an interface unit of multiple units.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An electronic gob distributor, for glassware forming machines and machines for forming thermoplastic articles and the like, which comprises in combination:

means delivering gobs severed by cutting action from a continuous source;
at least one vertical and axially curved distributing channel mounted to a vertical rotatable shaft, the top end of the channel being open for gob reception from said means and maintained in the same axial position independent of the shaft rotation;
means for synchronized movement of the lower end of the channel into a plurality of positions and each of which conveys the gobs to one of a plurality of forming stations of the machine;
a step motor coupled to the rotary shaft of each distributing channel for said rotation of said shaft to position the lower end of the channel in alignment with a forming station;
a step motor controller which actuates a pulse source;
a pulse amplifier for each channel to amplify the pulses of the controller and feed them to the respective step motor;
and a computer means programmed to sequence the controller for said synchronized movement of the lower end of the channel into said plurality of positions with respect to said plurality of forming stations.

4 more elements

An electronic control system for a glass gob distributor of a forming machine of glass articles, thermoplastics and the like, in combination with a glass gob distribuutor of the type which comprises, means delivering a gob severed by cutting means from a continuous source, at least one vertical and axially curved distributing channel mounted on its upper end to a vertical rotatable shaft, the upper end of the channel being open for gob reception from said cutting means and maintained in the same axial position of the gob reception, independent of the rotation of the shaft, means for synchronized movement of the lower end of the channel between a plurality of conduits which convey the gob to a corresponding forming station of the machine;

the electronic control system comprising:
at least one step motor coupled to the rotary shaft of each distributing channel for rotation of said shaft and to position the lower end of the channel in a coincident relation with the corresponding conduit;
an information processor to receive and process information on the operation parameters;
an information source to introduce the information to the processor;
a signal conditioning circuit to condition the signals from the information source between the information source and the processor;
a signal amplifier for each one of the distributing channels to send operation signals to the step motor;
a gob feed sensor to send the signal to the information processor at the moment a gob is being fed into a channel;
and a gob rejection system which diverts the gob toward a recollector in order to avoid feeding the gob into one of the selected forming stations of the machine in response to a signal from the information processor.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electronic gob distributor for glassware forming machines and the like

Life of this patent

Electronic gob distributor for glassware forming machines and the like

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19