Electronic control system in a glassware forming machine

An improved electronic control system in a glassware forming machine, the machine having a plurality of individual glassware forming sections each having a plurality of glassware forming mechanisms, means for feeding and sequentially distributing gobs of molten glass to each of the individual sections in an ordered sequence over one machine cycle consisting of a fixed number of clock pulses, means to form the gobs into glassware articles by cycling the forming mechanisms in a predetermined sequence of forming steps, an electronic control system associated with each individual section and responsive to each clock pulse for providing a load signal (LS) and a plurality of forming signals to actuate the forming mechanisms during the machine cycle, a circuit for providing a gob load signal (GLS) in response to a load signal (LS) from any one of the electronic control systems, means responsive to the absence of a gob load signal (GLS) for deflecting a gob to prevent it from being distributed to an individual section next in sequence to be fed, each electronic control system comprising:

• operating means for setting an operating signal (CSR.0.) each time the electronic control system provides a plurality of forming signals to the forming mechanisms and then resetting said operating signal (CSR.0.);
• means responsive to said operating means for providing a monitoring signal (OD) at a first binary state when a first one of said operating signals (CSR.0.) is reset and changing to the second binary state if no reset of an operating signal (CSR.0.) occurs within a predetermined stall-period of time after said first operating signal;
• and
• means responsive to said monitoring means for enabling the load signal (LS) and the forming signals when said monitoring signal (OD) is at the first binary state and for inhibiting the load signal (LS) and the forming signal when said monitoring signal (OD) is at the second binary state so that the gobs of molten glass will not be distributed to the individual section next in sequence and the forming mechanisms will return to a safe condition.

A method of controlling a machine for forming articles of glassware, wherein the machine has a plurality of individual glassware forming mechanisms, with means for feeding and sequentially distributing gobs of molten glass to each of the individual sections in an ordered sequence over one machine cycle consisting of a fixed number of clock pulses to form the gobs into glassware articles by cycling the forming mechanisms in a predetermined sequence of forming steps, and an electronic control system associated with each individual section having a computer containing a program responsive to each clock pulse for generating a plurality of outputs including a gob loading output to provide a load signal (LS) and forming outputs to provide a plurality of forming signals to actuate the forming mechanisms during the machine cycle, with a circuit for providing a gob load signal (GLS) in response to a load signal (LS) from any one of the control systems, and means responsive to the absence of a gob load signal (GLS) for deflecting a gob to prevent it from being distributed to an individual section, the improvement in the method comprising the steps of:

• initiating an operating signal (CSR.0.) by the computer each time the control system provides a plurality of forming signals to the forming mechanisms;
• resetting the operating signal (CRS.0.) by the computer when in operation;
• providing a monitor signal (OD) at a first binary state when a first one of the operating signals (CSR.0.) is reset;
• changing the monitor signal (OD) to the second binary state if no reset of an operating signal (CSR.0.) occurs within a predetermined stall-period of time after the first operating signal;
• enabling the load signal (LS) and the forming signals when the monitoring signal (OD) is at the first binary state;
• and
• inhibiting the load signal (LS) and the forming signals when the monitoring signal (OD) is at the second binary state.