Gob distributor for a machine for forming glass articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11401189-B2
Application number	US-201716495477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2017
Priority date	Mar 23, 2017
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A gob distributor for a glassware forming machine includes: a housing; an arcuate or straight scoop located above the housing, having an upper end aligned at all times with an orifice of a feeder, and which radially moves so that its lower end coincides with the upper ends of straight fixed channels of a forming machine; an independent support structure connected by each scoop; at least one first shaft vertically placed within the housing to rotate on its own axis, including a first gear section; at least one second shaft horizontally or vertically placed within the housing to rotate on its own axis, including a second gear section, each first gear section and each second gear section are coupled together to form a housing gear; and at least one motor coupled at each end of each second shaft to simultaneously move the supporting structures and scoops, radially.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gob distributor for a glassware forming machine, comprising:
a housing;
at least one arcuate or straight scoop located above the housing, wherein each scoop has an upper end aligned at all times with at least one orifice of a feeder, wherein each scoop moves radially so that a lower end of each scoop coincides, in a predetermined order, with upper ends of straight or curved fixed channels of the forming machine, to conduct gobs towards article forming molds;
at least one independent supporting structure, where one independent supporting structure is connected to each scoop;
at least one first shaft vertically placed within the housing, wherein each first shaft can rotate on each first shaft's own axis, wherein one upper end of each first shaft extends outside the housing to connect to each independent supporting structure; wherein each first shaft comprises a first gear section for motion transmission;
at least one second shaft placed horizontally or vertically within the housing, wherein each second shaft can rotate on each second shaft's own axis, wherein one end of each second shaft extends out of the housing; wherein each second shaft comprises a second gear section for motion transmission; wherein each first gear section of each first shaft and each second gear section of each second shaft are coupled together to form a coupling gear; and,
at least one motor coupled at each end of each second shaft outside the housing so that, by means of a rotational movement of the at least one motor to the left or to the right, transmit a movement to each first shaft, to simultaneously move the support structures and scoops, radially, with a movement to the left or right to selective delivery positions, with a programmed sequence to each section and molds of the forming machine in an exact and precise position,
wherein the coupling of the first gear section for motion transmission of the first shaft and the second gear section for motion transmission of the second shaft form a double-envelope transmission,
wherein the at least one first shaft comprises at least two first shafts vertically placed within the housing which are aligned along a central part of the housing and equidistantly distributed from one another in a position one behind the other; and, wherein the at least one second shaft comprises at least two second shafts in a horizontal position and are distributed in the housing in a parallel position, one above the other; the second shafts being placed on opposite sides of the first shafts, each of said first shafts and each of said second shafts are coupled in pairs in a perpendicular position with each other to move independently each scoop.

2. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one motor comprises at least one servomotor.

3. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first gear section for transmission of movement of the first shaft is a fan-shaped gear sector.

4. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second gear section for transmission of movement of the second shaft is an envelope worm.

5. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one independent supporting structure comprises at least two independent supporting structures, placed in opposite positions from one another relative to a central part of the housing and one underneath the other, in staggered form to retain the scoops.

6. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one independent supporting structure comprises at least two independent supporting structures in “C” form.

7. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the independent supporting structures comprise: a support base connected at the upper end of the first shaft in a vertical position; and an arm inclined projected upwards and forwards relative to a central part of the housing to be coupled at or below a middle part of a first scoop.

8. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the independent supporting structures comprises: a support base connected at a top end of the first shaft placed in a vertical position; a first arm connected to the support base, wherein the first arm is horizontally projected from a central part of the housing outwards; a second arm connected to an outside end of the first arm, which is vertically projected upwards and then inclines forward relative to the central part of the housing, until a higher level above a middle part of a first scoop is reached; and, a third arm connected at an upper end of the second arm, which is horizontally projected inward to couple to a bottom of a second scoop.

9. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the independent supporting structures comprises: a support base connected at a top end of the first shaft placed in a vertical position; a first arm connected to the support base, wherein the first arm is horizontally projected from a central part of the housing outwards; a second arm connected to an outside end of the first arm, which is vertically projected upwards and then inclines forward relative to the central part of the housing, until a higher level above a middle part of a second scoop is reached; and, a third arm connected at an upper end of the second arm, which is horizontally projected inward to couple to a bottom of a third scoop.

10. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the top end of each first shaft comprises axial needle roller bearings located at a top of said housing.

11. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a bottom end of each first shaft comprises axial needle roller bearings located at a bottom of said housing.

12. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises cooling fins, such fins are formed along the housing to increase heat transfer and cool the housing.

13. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second gear section of each second shaft comprises two gear sections equidistantly distributed on the shaft for motion transmission.

14. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second gear section of each second shaft comprises three gear sections equidistantly distributed on the shaft.

15. The gob distributor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gob distributor further comprises:
a movable platform underneath the gob distributor and placed on top of a support structure of the forming machine;
a pivot element fixed to the support structure and coupled to the movable platform; and,
a cylinder-piston mechanism connected between the movable platform and the support structure to move the movable platform with a lateral movement outward or inward relative to the forming machine.

16. A gob distributor for a glassware forming machine, comprising:
a housing;
at least one arcuate or straight scoop located above the housing, wherein each scoop has an upper end aligned at all times with at least one orifice of a feeder, wherein each scoop moves radially so that a lower end of each scoop coincides, in a predetermined order, with upper ends of straight or curved fixed channels of the forming machine, to conduct gobs towards article forming molds;
at least one independent supporting structure, where one independent supporting structure is connected to each scoop;
at least one first shaft vertically placed within the housing, wherein each first shaft can rotate on each first shaft's own axis, wherein one upper end of each first shaft extends outside the housing to connect to each independent supporting structur

Assignees

• Vitro Sab De Cv

Inventors

• Tijerina Ramos Victor

Classifications

• C03B7/14 Primary

  Transferring molten glass or gobs to glass blowing or pressing machines (C03B7/18 - C03B7/22 take precedence) · CPC title

• C03B7/094

  Means for heating, cooling or insulation · CPC title

• C03B7/16 Primary

  using deflector chutes · CPC title

• C03B7/005

  Controlling, regulating or measuring · CPC title

• C03B7/04

  Revolving forehearths · CPC title