Method and apparatus for testing glassware
AssigneeAmerican Glass Research, Inc.
InventorsDavid R. Machak, Ronald A. Puvak, Russell D. Southwick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A glass container to be tested for resistance to thermal schock and impact simulation is first filled with hot water to a point of overflowing. The hot water fill is terminated and the excess permitted to run off. Thereafter the bottle is closed and the external surface is sprayed with cold water to induce a thermal stress upon the container. After the cold water spray a low level internal pressure load is applied to the container following the thermal shock load. The application of the internal pressure extends partial fractures resulting in complete breakage of the container or a break resulting in a decrease of pressure in the container, indicating a failure.
Claims20
Glassware testing apparatus for producing a thermal shock stress on glassware comprising,
- a test station,
- holder means for stationarily supporting a glassware container at said test stand,
- a fluid reservoir,
- a plurality of nozzles positioned in a selected array at said test station around the container,
- conduit means connecting said nozzles with said reservoir for conveying fluid under pressure from said reservoir to said nozzles to direct a spray of fluid from said nozzles over substantially the entire surface of the container,
- temperature differential means for heating a first portion of the fluid in said reservoir to an elevated temperature above a second portion of the fluid in said reservoir,
- first control means for directing a flow of the first portion of the fluid through said conduit means into the container to fill the container with heated fluid to an overflow condition to rapidly increase the temperature of the glassware,
- second control means for directing the second portion of the fluid at a lower temperature than the first portion of the fluid from said reservoir to selected nozzles for spraying fluid upon the container outer surface following heating thereof by the overflow of heated fluid out of the container, and
- said first control means interrupting the flow of fluid at an elevated temperature to the container prior to actuation of said second control means for directing fluid at a lower temperature upon the container to induce a thermal shock stress on the container.
Glassware impact simulation apparatus comprising,
- a test station,
- holder means for stationarily supporting a glassware container at said test station,
- fluid means for first filling the container to an overflow condition with a fluid heated to an elevated temperature, interrupting the flow of heated fluid, and thereafter spraying the exterior surface of the container with fluid at a temperature less than the elevated temperature to induce a thermal stress on the container,
- a source of fluid under pressure,
- conduit means for conveying the fluid under pressure to the container after inducing the thermal stress upon the container, and
- means for sealing the container to prevent escape of the fluid to maintain an internal pressure load on the container to detect breakage of the container as a result of the induced thermal stress.
A method of testing the thermal resistance of a glass container comprising the steps of,
- filling a container with a fluid at a preselected elevated temperature,
- maintaining the container filled with the fluid at the preselected elevated temperature for a preselected time interval,
- interrupting the flow of fluid at the preselected elevated temperature to the container, and
- thereafter spraying the exterior surface of the container with a fluid maintained at a preselected temperature differential below the temperature of the fluid in the container to induce a thermal shock stress on the container.
A method for detecting breakage of a glass container comprising the steps of,
- subjecting a glass container to a thermal gradient within a selected time interval by rapidly filling the container with fluid at an elevated temperature and immediately thereafter spraying the container with fluid at a substantially lower temperature to apply a thermal shock load on the container,
- interrupting spraying the container,
- internally pressurizing the container to apply an internal pressure load upon the container to advance a fracture due to the applied thermal shock load, and
- thereafter detecting a breakage of the container initiated by the thermal shock load.
A method for sensing a fracture of a glass container due to thermal shock stress comprising the steps of,
- sealing the interior of the container,
- subjecting a glass container to a thermal shock load by first filling the glass container with a fluid at an elevated temperature and thereafter spraying the external surface of the glass container with fluid maintained at a preselected temperature differential below the temperature of the fluid in the container,
- internally pressurizing the sealed container to advance fractures in the container originating from the thermal shock load,
- sensing the internal pressure of the container to detect a loss of internal pressure, and
- identifying a fracture in the container by a reduction in the internal pressure of the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.