Process and device for shaping a gob

A process for forming a piece of glass into a hollow glass article by means of a plunger which can be hydraulically driven from a glass-loading position through at least one preset position to a final glass-pressing position, the process comprising the steps of:

• moving the plunger from its position when the piece of glass is loaded;
• position-regulating movement of the plunger independent of any predetermined time duration as the plunger moves from its position when the piece of glass is loaded until the plunger reaches the preset position by (i) monitoring the actual position of the plunger during movement of the plunger, and (ii) comparing the actual position of the plunger with a plurality of stored position values;
• regulating the speed of movement of the plunger at a presettable speed by changing the actual speed of movement of the plunger when the actual speed of the plunger is different from the preset speed of the plunger;
• and
• changing the presettable speed of movement of the plunger including stopping movement of the plunger independent of any predetermined time duration only when the plunger reaches a preset position or the final glass-pressing position.

A device for forming a piece of glass into a hollow glass article, said device comprising:

• a mold for receiving the piece of glass;
• a plunger;
• hydraulic means for driving said plunger into the piece of glass, said plunger being movable relative to said mold at least from a glass-loading position when the piece of glass is loaded into said mold through at least one preset position to a final glass-pressing position when said plunger presses the piece of glass;
• means for position-regulating movement of said plunger independent of any predetermined time duration as the plunger moves from said glass-loading position to said final glass-pressing position by (i) monitoring the actual position of said plunger during movement of the plunger, and (ii) comparing the actual position of said plunger with a plurality of stored predetermined position values;
• means for regulating the speed of movement of the plunger at a presettable speed by changing the actual speed of movement of the plunger when the actual speed of the plunger is different from the preset speed of the plunger;
• and
• means for changing the presettable speed of movement of the plunger including stopping movement of the plunger independent of any predetermined time duration only when the plunger reaches a preset position or the final glass-pressing position.