Method and device for supplying lubricant to an I.S. glassware forming machine

A method for supplying lubricant to a plurality of lubricating points of an I.S. glassware forming machine, comprising:

• providing a lubrication system having multiple lubrication circuits, and further having a plurality of lubricant metering devices which output the lubricant to the lubricating points, each of said lubricant metering devices being allocated to one of said multiple lubrication circuits;
• wherein the lubricant metering devices of a respective lubrication circuit simultaneously output a predetermined amount of lubricant cyclically in which successive outputs of said predetermined amount of lubricant are provided, there being a time interval between said successive outputs specific to each respective lubrication circuit, which time interval can be increased to decrease a frequency of the cycle and thereby provide less lubricant, and decreased to increase the frequency of the cycle and thereby provide more lubricant;
• allocating said lubricant metering devices to said lubrication circuits in dependence upon temperatures measured in direct proximity to at least a series of lubricating points, said allocation being carried out such that the temperatures of the lubricating points of a respective lubrication circuit are within a predetermined temperature range;
• and
• controlling the amount of lubricant provided at the lubricating points, said controlling step including determining the length of the time interval allocated to a respective lubrication circuit, in dependence upon temperatures that have been measured in direct proximity to lubricating points of the respective lubrication circuit, by using a set of the evaporation characteristics of the lubricant.