04/744263

02/02/1971

06/17/1968

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C.S.S. Machine & Tool Co., Inc. (Philadelphia, PA)

91/462

92/108, 92/13, 92/119, 198/468.010

C03B9/453; F15B15/14; F15B15/22; C03B9/00; F15B15/00; F01B31/00; F15B11/08

91/418,462 92/13,108,107,109,119 91/467,54 198/24(Cursory) 137/270 198/24 (Cursory)/ 137/270 285/136

2964020	Device for piston stroke adjustment	December 1960	De Fibaugh
2976852	Valve-in-head pneumatic cylinder	March 1961	Goldring
3136227	Brake operating mechanism	June 1964	Williams
3249200	Apparatus for moving newly formed glassware onto a conveyor	May 1966	Rowe
3249201	Apparatus for moving newly formed glassware articles of unstable configuration onto a conveyor	May 1966	Rydlewicz
3400802	Apparatus for moving newly formed glassware articles onto a continuously moving conveyor	September 1966	Rowe

Schwadron, Martin P.

Cohen, Irwin C.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No. 703,609, filed Feb. 7, 1968, and now abandoned.

I claim

1. A transfer mechanism for association with glassware forming apparatus for transferring glassware from a dead plate to a moving conveyor which is moving in either one of two directions, said transfer mechanism comprising:

2. a combination housing and cylinder having a hollow cylinder body and forward and rear end walls;

3. a reciprocative tubular piston having a piston head at the rearward end and within said cylinder, the fore end of said piston extending through the forward end wall of said housing;

4. a support and guide post for said piston within said cylinder disposed on the longitudinal axis thereof and having one end fixed supported in said rear end wall, said support post being received within the tubular piston;

5. bearing means interposed between said post and said tubular piston; and

6. first and second duct means in said forward and rear walls, respectively;

7. means for mounting said block on an oscillatory drive shaft in one or the other of two positions according to whether said transfer mechanism is to be used for right-hand or left-hand transfer;

8.

9. built-in fluid ducts adapted to communicate with fluid-supply lines which are fixed in position relative to said mounting block, said built-in fluid ducts including first and second ducts each having a reversing valve therein adjustable to one or the other of two operating positions according to whether the mounting block is to be used in one or the other of said positions to accommodate to right-hand or left-hand transfer respectively, and;

10. said first and second ducts in said mounting block extend through said block and terminate at each end in openings adapted to register with fluid supply lines;

11. each of said reversing valves has a right-angle passage therein; and

12. each reversing valve is adjustable through 180° to cut off communication to one or the other end opening.

13. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that adjustable stop means are provided for said piston for controlling its extension stroke, thereby to accommodate said transfer mechanism to different sizes and shapes of glassware on the dead plate.

14. Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized in that

15. pusher means are carried by said piston at the forward end thereof;

16. said pusher means comprise at least three members; and

17. adjusting means are provided for adjusting each of said three pusher members in a different direction relative to one of the others.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to glassware forming apparatus, and particularly to that portion of the apparatus which relates to transferring the hot newly formed glassware articles from the dead plate on to the moving conveyor leading to the lehr.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Prior art patents relating to glassware forming apparatus and particularly to mechanisms for transferring the hot newly-formed glassware articles from the dead plate to the moving conveyor includes such patents as Dahms 2,556,469; Rowe 3,249,200 and Rydlewicz 3,249,201.

In prior art apparatus of the type shown generally in the patent to Rowe, 3,249,200, a pneumatic motor is used in which the cylinder is extended and retracted and the piston remains stationary. Only a single bearing supports the cylinder and, in view of the relative heavy weight of the cylinder, the single bearing tends to wear out relatively rapidly. Also, the relatively heavy extended cylinder tends to jerk or whip the newly formed glassware articles during transfer from the dead plate to the conveyor, and also tends to damage the turning mechanism. A further disadvantage, from a commercial point of view, is that the pneumatic motors of the Rowe type are not adapted for both right-hand transfer and left-hand transfer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing disadvantages of the prior art fluid motor assemblies, by providing a fluid (pneumatic) motor assembly which is smoother in action, avoids the whipping and jerking of the prior art mechanism, and as a result enjoys a longer wear-free life. In addition, the motor assembly is easily adjusted to either right or left hand transfer. In the fluid motor assembly of the present invention, the piston (not the cylinder) is extended and retracted. Moreover, the piston is supported by two bearings at two different points. And a reversible mounting block, having built-in reversible valving and air ducts, is readily pivoted to either one of two positions to allow the same motor unit to be used for either right-hand or left-hand transfer. For convenience, the reversible mounting block having the built-in reversible valving and necessary air ducts will be referred to herein as the valve body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the fluid motor assembly mounted for a right-hand transfer and showing in solid lines the position of the motor assembly before the piston is extended. Shown in phantom are the finger plates of the extended piston engaging the glassware on the dead plate and depositing the glassware on the moving conveyor;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view generally similar to that of FIG. 1; but showing the fluid motor assembly mounted for a left-hand transfer;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the fluid motor taken along the line III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the fluid motor of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged stretch-out view, in revolved section, as seen looking in and down along the right-angled line V-V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a detail view of one of the ports, as seen looking along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view generally similar to the upper half portion of FIG. 5 but showing a modified form of piston and cylinder having means for adjusting the length of the piston stroke;

FIG. 8 is a view along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate an improved form of pusher finger assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, there is shown diagrammatically in solid lines the fluid motor assembly M mounted for oscillatory movement on the oscillatory shaft 60. The fluid motor M (preferably pneumatic) has an extensible and retractable piston 20 whose direction of movement is assisted by guide rods 26 and 27, one on either side of the piston. Carried at the forward end of piston 20 and guide rods 26, 27 is a pusher plate 40 having projecting laterally therefrom the finger plates 41 and 42. When the piston 20 is extended toward the dead plate P, the finger plates 41 and 42 are adapted almost to engage the hot newly-formed glassware or bottles B, and, when the fluid motor assembly M is moved clockwise through 90° by the 90° rotational movement of shaft 60, the bottles B are moved along an arcuate path, indicated generally by the arrows, and the bottles are thereby transferred to the conveyor C which is moving from left to right as viewed in FIG. 1. Having deposited the bottles B on to the conveyor C, in the position shown in phantom in FIG. 1, and after a short interval to allow the bottles to move clear of the finger plates 41 and 42, the fluid motor operates to retract the piston 20. The fluid motor assembly M is then returned counterclockwise 90°, by rotational movement of shaft 60, to its starting position. The cycle is then repeated in timed relationship with the remainder of the glassware forming apparatus, all of which is well understood by those in the art.

FIG. 2 is generally similar to FIG. 1 but, (assuming the action described above for FIG. 1 is considered to be right-hand action) FIG. 2 illustrates the fluid motor assembly M mounted on shaft 60 for left-hand action wherein the shaft 60 and motor assembly M are rotated 90° counterclockwise to transfer the glassware from the dead plate to the moving conveyor. While not shown, the conveyor C in FIG. 2 is located at the bottom of the drawing below the fluid motor assembly, and the dead plate P (not shown) is located to the left.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the fluid motor assembly M, looking along the line III-III of FIG. 1, showing the motor assembly mounted on oscillatory shaft 60 for right hand action, as in FIG. 1. If the fluid motor assembly is to be used for left-hand action, the mounting block valve body 50 is moved pivotally through 180° about the point P', pivoting on the screws 51 and 52, thus moving the valve body 50 in FIG. 3 to the position shown in phantom. In addition, the push bar 40 and finger plates 41, 42 are relocated to the other side of the piston to the position shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the fluid motor assembly M of FIG. 3. The guide rods 26 and 27 are supported in bronze bearings not shown.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged stretched-out view in revolved section, looking to the left and looking down along the right-angled line V-V of FIG. 3. Stated another way, in the upper part of FIG. 5 we are looking laterally through the piston and cylinder structure above the pivot axis P' as defined by the center axis of the aligned screws 51, 52, and in the lower part of FIG. 5 we are looking downwardly at the valve body or block 50.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the cylinder portion of cylinder and piston assembly 10 includes the flanged cylinder member 12, preferably aluminum, the sleeve 15, preferably chrome plated, and forward and rear end plates 13 and 14 respectively, each of which is provided with a recess forming an shoulder for receiving and supporting the sleeve 15 and cylinder member 12. The end plates are bolted to the cylinder.

Disposed at the center axis of the cylinder is a guide post 30, preferably cylindrical having a reduced diameter end portion 31 which is press-fitted into a hole in the rear end plate 14 and thereby supported. Surrounding the cylindrical guide post 30 is a hollow cylindrical piston rod 20, open at the rear end (the right end in FIG. 5). The forward end of the tubular piston rod is closed and carries a push plate 40 to which are secured, as by the blocks 43 and 44, the push finger plates 41 and 42.

The rear end of the tubular piston rod 20 is provided with an integral flange portion or piston head 22 which carries the O-rings 23 and 24.

An annular bearing 32 in the forward end plate 13 supports the piston 20 as it reciprocates relative to the cylinder. Further support is provided by an annular sleeve bearing 33 which is press-fitted into the interior of the tubular piston at the rear end and is carried by the piston 20 as it extends and retracts. This bearing 33 rides on the center guide post 30, and thus provides support against radial-thrust forces.

The piston head 22 carries a plug 28 having a frustoconical head portion 29 which projects rearwardly beyond the head 22 and is received in a frustoconical hole in a plug 18 in the cylinder end plate 14. Since the plug 28 is carried by the piston head 22, the plug moves with the piston 20 as it extends and retracts and cushions the return stroke of the piston. The annular chamber through which the piston head moves is identified as 16.

A pivotal reversible mounting block having built-in reversible valving and the necessary air ducts, and herein referred to as the valve body 50, is connected pivotally to the cylinder end plates 13, 14 by the screws 51 and 52. The mounting plate or valve body 50 may be placed in either a right-hand position, as is shown in solid line in FIG. 3, or in a left-hand position, as is shown in phantom, according to whether a right-hand or a left-hand unit is called for by the main equipment. The mounting plate or valve body 50 is then secured in the desired position, as by the screw 53.

The mounting block or valve body 50 is provided with a circular hole for receiving the vertical oscillatable shaft 60. The body 50 is mounted on the shaft 60 for oscillatory motion therewith by means of a base plate 70 which is pinned, or keyed, or otherwise fixed to the shaft 60. Both the shaft 60 and base plate 70 are parts of a well known form of glassware forming equipment. The body 50 is placed on the base plate 70 and secured thereto as by the screws 54 and 55. The base plate 70 is provided with through air passage ducts to provide communication between the body 50 and the air-supply collar 80 which is fixed to and supported by the frame of the machine. Suitable bearings 81 are provided for accommodating rotational movement of the shaft 60 relative to the fixed collar 80.

At the instant in the cycle of operation when the fluid motor assembly M is in retracted position facing the dead plate P (which is the position indicated in solid line in FIG. 1) air ducts in the collar 80 are in alignment with through air ducts in the base plate 70 and with the vertical air passages 56 and 57 of the valve body, seen in FIG. 5. The lower halves of vertical passages 56 and 57 communicate, through right-angled passages in the reversing valves 58 and 59, with the lateral ducts 61 and 62, respectively, leading to axial passages through the pivot screws 52 and 51, respectively, and then to vertical ducts 63 and 64 in the cylinder end plates 14 and 13, respectively.

The various components of the glassware forming machine are so operated on a coordinated timed-relationship basis that, with the fluid motor assembly M facing the dead plate P with piston retracted, compressed air is injected into the lower end of duct 57. The flow paths of the compressed air and venting air are indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5. In operation, the upper ends of ducts 56 and 57 are always closed off by the angular position of the reversing valves 58 and 59, respectively, as will be further described in connection with FIG. 6. Briefly, the valves 58 and 59 are rotated 180° when the valve body 50 is pivoted from right-hand to left-hand action, so that the upper halves of these valves 58 and 59 are always cut off from communication with the ducts 61 and 62.

The compressed air passes vertically through the duct 56, laterally through the right-angled duct 61, laterally through the bore in the pivot screw 52, vertically through the duct 63 and is impressed against the head 29 of the plug 28. This causes plug 28 and piston rod 20 to move to the left as viewed in FIG. 5, and as soon as the head 29 of the plug 28 clears the opening, the thrust of the applied compressed air is applied to the annular rear surface of the head 22, thus driving the piston 20 rapidly outward. During this outward movement or extension of the piston rod 20, air is exhausted from the annular chamber 16 by way of the vertical passage 64 in the left end plate 13, the bore of screw 51, the lateral right-angled passage 62, and vents through the duct 57 and associated aligned passages in base plate 70 and collar 80. In this manner the piston rod 20 carrying the push plate 40 and the push finger plates 41 and 42 is moved fully outwardly to the fully extended position shown in phantom in FIG. 5.

When the piston is fully extended toward the dead plates P as shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 5, the fluid motor assembly M (including the base plate 70) is rotated clockwise through 90°, as viewed in FIG. 1, by the 90° rotation of the shaft 60, in well understood manner, the collar 80 remaining fixed. The bottles B or other glassware items are in this manner carried by the finger plates 41 and 42 along an arcuate path indicated generally by the arrows in FIG. 1 and deposited on the moving conveyor C. The rate of movement of the bottles B along the arcuate path corresponds to the rate of movement of the conveyor C.

After the bottles B have reached the positions on the conveyor C shown in phantom in FIG. 1, and after allowing an instant for the bottles to be carried away from the finger plates 41, 42, the piston 20 is retracted to withdraw the pusher plate and finger plates 41, 42. Retraction of the piston 20 and of the pusher and finger plates is effected by injecting compressed air into the duct 57 and venting through the duct 56, the movement of air being in the opposite direction from that shown in FIG. 5. This reversal in direction of air flow is accomplished, as is well understood, by the 90° rotation of the shaft 60 and fluid motor assembly M (including the base plate 70) relative to the air-supply collar 80 which altered the alignment of the air passages so that duct 57 is now aligned with the compressed air supply duct in collar 80 while duct 56 is aligned with the air-venting duct in collar 80. The injected compressed air passes through the ducts 57, 62, bored screw 51, duct 64 and is then applied against the forward annular surface of head 22 of piston 20. The piston is thereby moved rearwardly (to the right as viewed in FIG. 5) thus retracting the piston. During the retraction movement, the air within the tubular piston rod 20 is vented through an axial bleeder passage 130 provided in the guide post 30. The air in the annular chamber 16 exhausts through the aperture in plug 18 (not now occupied by the plug 28) and through the ducts 63, 61 and 56.

If it is desired to install the fluid motor assembly M on a left-hand machine, instead of on a right-hand machine as illustrated in FIG. 1, the procedure to convert from right-hand operation is as follows: The mounting block or valve body 50 is rotated 180° about the axis P', as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3, to put the valve body 50 in the position shown in phantom in FIG. 3. The screw is then tightened at 153 to hold the valve body 50 in position. The valve body is then placed on and screwed to the base plate 170 of the left-hand machine. The reversing valves 58 and 59 are then turned through 180° to provide communication between the lower halves of ducts 56 and 57 and the ducts 61 and 62, and to close off the upper halves of 56 and 57. The pusher plate is removed and reversed. By these few simple steps, the fluid motor assembly is made ready for operation on the left-hand machine.

To further clarify the structure of the reversible valves 58 and 59, FIG. 6 presents a view, in section, looking laterally in along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5 and shows duct 57 extending vertically from the lower surface of the valve body 50 to the upper. Reversing valve 59 is located at the midpoint of the vertical duct 57, the axis of valve 59 being lateral, i.e., at right angles to the axis of duct 57. Valve 59 has a right-angled passage which extends from one side of the valve to its center axis and then laterally rearwardly to the rear end. This right-angled passage provides communication between one-half of duct 57 and duct 62 in the valve body. By rotating reversing valve 59 through 180°, the right-angled passage in the valve 59 is put into communication with one-half or the other half of vertical duct 57, thereby connecting one-half or the other half of duct 57 with the duct 62 in the valve body. The heads of valves 58, 59 are, of course, appropriately marked to indicate the position of the right-angled passage.

As compared with the fluid motors of the prior art in which the piston is held stationary and the cylinder is extended and retracted, the fluid motor assembly of the present application has a number of important advantages. In the first place, the tubular piston is considerably lighter in weight than the cylinder. This results in less whip, less wear and better alignment or registry of the holes of the air ducts of the oscillating assembly with those of the fixed supply collar or bracket. As a result, less air pressure is required. Secondly, the construction of the present application provides a center support post for the tubular piston, together with bearings at both ends. This results in smoother movement and less wear. Having in mind that the assembly oscillates at a cyclic rate of 8 to 15 cycles per minute, it will be appreciated that the reduction in wear per cyclic movement, resulting from the features set forth above, is important to long life. Thirdly, the assembly shown and described is adapted for either left-hand or right hand machines. This is important commercially.

In considering the advantages of the construction illustrated, described and claimed in the present application, it must be remembered that the fluid motor assembly is designed for association with a well known form of glassware forming machine and that there is no room for the piston to move rearward beyond the right end of the cylinder (as viewed in FIG. 5). This limitation prevents counterbalancing, and requires the extending and retracting member, whether it be piston or cylinder, to be supported in cantilever or equivalent fashion.

In order to accommodate to different diameters of glassware, it is desirable that the length of the stroke of the piston be adjustable. Accordingly, means for such adjustment are provided, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. In FIG. 7, except for the adjustment means, the structure shown is similar to that shown in FIG. 5. The lower portion of the unit of FIG. 5 has not been shown in FIG. 7 since it is identical to that shown in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 7, an adjustable stop nut 203 is provided carried on a threaded rod 202 which is inserted into the bore of the guide post 230. Guide post 230 (which corresponds to guide post 30 of FIG. 5) has a reduced end portion 231 which is force-fitted into and supported by the end plate 14 of the cylinder, in a manner similar to that in which the guide post 30 of FIG. 5 is supported. In FIG. 7, the guide post is provided with opposing elongated slots 206 and 207 through which project the opposing ears 204 and 205 of the stop nut 203. Adjustment of the position of the stop nut 203 is accomplished by turning the square head 208 of the threaded rod 202. Since the stop nut 203 is prevented from rotating by the projection of the ears 204 and 205 into the opposing slots 206 and 207 of the center post 230, the nut 203 moves along the threaded rod 202 in one axial direction or the other, according to the direction of rotation of the rod. Following adjustment, the stop nut 203 is locked in position by the cooperation of a lock screw 210 and the circular flange portion 209 of rod 202. The circular flange 209 abuts against the face of the end plate 14, and is adapted to be held fixed against rotation by the head of the lock screw 210, when tightened.

The piston 220 in FIG. 5 is provided with an inwardly projecting annular stop bead 221 so that when the piston 220 is extended (as by the application of air pressure through the air duct 63 in a manner substantially identical to that described in connection with the device of FIG. 5) the forward stroke of the piston 220 is limited by the position of the adjustable stop nut 203. For, as will be seen, when the stop bead 221 hits against the ears 204 and 205 of the stop nut 203, further forward motion of the piston 220 is prevented. In FIG. 7, the annular bearing 233, which corresponds to bearing 33 of FIG. 5, is force fitted into the rearward bore of the piston 220 and moves with the piston. Thus, when the piston 220 has in its forward extended position, the radial passage 235 in the center post 230 is open and during retraction of the piston 220 the air within the tubular piston is vented through the radial passage 235 and out into passage 63 through the opening provided for plug 28 which is now in a forward position, being carried by the piston 220.

In the foregoing description of the 90° push out as illustrated in FIGS. 1--8, the pusher plate 40, block 44 and pusher fingers 41 and 42 have been shown and described in a general way. In FIGS. 9 and 10, I have shown a novel and preferred form of pusher finger assembly which has the advantage of being adjustable in each of three directions.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, the pusher plate 140 is shown to have a vertical dovetail groove 143 in which a dovetail slide block 144 is slidably adjustable to the desired vertical position. This vertical adjustment is indicated in FIG. 9 by the arrow Y. The slide block 144 is provided with a horizontal slot 145 which receives one let 146 of an angle member, the other leg of which is identified as 147. Leg 147 projects forwardly from the pusher plate 140. The slot 145 is wider than the thickness of leg 146 the leg 146 is adjustably held in slot 145 by a set screw 149 which is received within a threaded hole in the slide block 144. When the set screw 149 is tightened its forward end presses against the leg 146 which in turn moves inwardly and presses against a T-shaped insert 150 which is thereby moved inwardly against the surface of the dovetail groove 143. As the set screw 149 continues to be tightened, the slide block 144 is forced outwardly relative to the pusher plate 140. In this manner, the slide block 144 becomes wedged and locked vertically, and simultaneously the leg 146 of the angle member 146--147 is locked against movement in the horizontal direction indicated by the arrow Z.

The forwardly extending leg 147 is provided with an elongated slot 151 into which is inserted the threaded shank of a screw 152 having an enlarged head, larger in diameter than the height of the slot 151. The pusher finger is an angle member 142 provided with a threaded hole for receiving the threaded shank of screw 152. It will be seen that by loosening screw 152, the pusher finger 142 is adjustable in the horizontal direction of the arrow X, and that by tightening the screw 152, the pusher finger 142 may be locked in the desired position.

Thus, by the means shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and described briefly above, adjustment of the position of the pusher finger 142 may be made in any one of the three directions X, Y and Z. This allows the 90° push out equipment to accommodate to different sizes and shapes of glassware.

While the preferred embodiments of this invention have been described in some detail, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the invention as hereinafter claimed.