A method for operating an IS machine for producing glass containers includes: introducing a glass gob into a blank mold, producing a parison from the glass gob in the blank mold, transferring the parison into a finishing mold, actuating a vacuum valve for producing a vacuum in the finishing mold from a first actuating point in time and simultaneously measuring the evolution of the vacuum pressure, actuating a finish-blowing valve for generating a finish-blowing pressure from a second actuating point in time that is later than the first actuating point in time by a predetermined duration, such that compressed air is blown into the finishing mold from the top, and simultaneously measuring the evolution of the finish-blowing pressure and checking whether the evolution of the measured vacuum pressure and/or the evolution of the measured finish-blowing pressure has fulfilled a predetermined condition.

The present invention relates to a particle filter (F) for a glass forming machine operating according to a blow-and-blow process or according to a press-and-blow process, said particle filter (F) is adapted for placing in at least an air channel (14a) serving pressurized air for counter blow (5) of a parison (P) in a blank mold (2) forming station of said glass forming machine, and/or an air channel (14b, 20) serving pressurized air for final blow (11) and/or for finish cooling (21) of a glass container (12) made of said parison (P) in a finish mold (8) station of said glass forming machine, said particle filter (F) comprising a surface filter as a main filter media (MF) and said particle filter (F), if placed in at least said air channel (14a) serving pressurized air for counter blow (5) of said parison (P) in said blank mold (2) forming station of said glass forming machine, and/or said air channel (14b, 20) serving pressurized air for final blow (11) and/or for finish cooling (21) of said glass container made of said parison (P) in said finish mold (8) station of said glass forming machine, avoiding passage of particles above a certain size from a dirty side of said main filter media (MF) to a clean side of said main filter media (MF) and thus, also avoiding final passage of said particles above said certain size into said parison (P) or said glass container (12) blown by said glass forming machine and a plunger unit (PU), a blow head (BH), a blow head support and a glass forming machine adapted for a particle filter (F) according to the present invention.

A bottom machine is provided for a glass processing device to manufacture glass containers from glass tubes. The bottom machine includes one or a plurality of holding units for holding the glass container or glass tube, with the holding units being mounted so as to rotate around an axis of rotation of the bottom machine in order to convey the glass container or glass tube to various processing positions, a pressure source for supplying a gas flow, a duct system communicating with the pressure source for directing the gas flow to the holding units and for feeding the gas flow into the glass tube or into the glass container, with the duct system being designed to be free of gaps.

The present invention relates to a system and a method for transferring glass items from machines for shaping glass items of the type that comprises: a rotary cooling platform for receiving, cooling and conveying items formed immediately prior in molds of said shaping machine to a conveyor belt, the rotary cooling platform having a rotational motion towards the left and towards the right, from a first position for receiving items to a second delivery position facing said conveyor belt; first drive means located under the rotary cooling platform in order to rotate same with said rotational motion from said position for receiving items to said second position for delivering items and from said position for delivering items to said position for receiving items; and a pushing mechanism coupled onto the rotary platform, the pushing mechanism being aligned in the first receiving position with each of the recently shaped items of the molds, the pushing mechanism being translated together with said rotary cooling platform from the first position for receiving items to the second position for delivering items; the pushing mechanism having a to-and-fro motion in the second delivery position for pushing the items along a diagonal path, at constant speed, from the rotary cooling platform positioned in said second position towards the conveyor belt in order to place the items aligned above same.

A muffle for a glass tube forming process includes an inlet end coupled to a bowl, an outlet end having an inner dimension larger than an inner dimension of the inlet end, and a sidewall extending from inlet end to the outlet end. A radial distance from a center axis of the muffle to an inner surface of the sidewall increases from the inlet end to the outlet end and the sidewall is substantially free of abrupt changes in the radial distance that produce instability regions within the muffle. The muffle includes a channel between an outer surface of a portion of the sidewall and an insulating layer disposed about the sidewall, the channel being operable to pass a heat transfer fluid into thermal communication with the sidewall to provide cooling to the muffle. Glass forming systems including the muffle and glass tube forming processes are also disclosed.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a glass container with which a glass container having a distinctively shaped inner space and excellent aesthetic appearance can be manufactured in good yield. The method for manufacturing a glass container includes steps (A) to (E). (A) A step of introducing a gob into a mold through a funnel. (B) A step of blowing air into the mold through the funnel, bringing a plunger disposed on a side opposite the side to which the funnel is fitted in contact with the gob, separating the plunger from the gob, and forming a recess on the surface of the gob. (C) A step of removing the funnel from the mold and fitting a baffle to the mold. (D) A step of blowing air from the plunger, and forming an inner space inside the gob with the recess as a starting point while simultaneously forming an outer shape by pressing the outer side of the gob to a molding surface of the mold to obtain a glass container of the final shape. (E) A step of transferring the glass container of the final shape to a cooling mold and cooling the same.

The present invention relates to a system and a method for transferring glass items from machines for shaping glass items of the type that comprises: a rotary cooling platform for receiving, cooling and conveying items formed immediately prior in molds of said shaping machine to a conveyor belt, the rotary cooling platform having a rotational motion towards the left and towards the right, from a first position for receiving items to a second delivery position facing said conveyor belt; first drive means located under the rotary cooling platform in order to rotate same with said rotational motion from said position for receiving items to said second position for delivering items and from said position for delivering items to said position for receiving items; and a pushing mechanism coupled onto the rotary platform, the pushing mechanism being aligned in the first receiving position with each of the recently shaped items of the molds, the pushing mechanism being translated together with said rotary cooling platform from the first position for receiving items to the second position for delivering items; the pushing mechanism having a to-and-fro motion in the second delivery position for pushing the items along a diagonal path, at constant speed, from the rotary cooling platform positioned in said second position towards the conveyor belt in order to place the items aligned above same.

The invention relates to a method of fabricating a glass container, the method comprising a forming step of forming molten glass in order to obtain a semi-finished container (4) comprising a shell (5) presenting inside and outside faces (7, 8), a cooling step during which the semi-finished container is in a transient state in which the glass forming the outside face is sufficiently viscous for it not to deform under the effect of gravity, while the glass forming the inside face is sufficiently fluid to allow the inside face to deform under the effect of gravity, the method including a shaping operation while the semi-finished container is in the transient state, in which operation the semi-finished container is maintained for a predetermined time in a position that is inclined relative to its upright vertical position in order to modify the shape of the inside face under the effect of gravity.

A muffle for a glass tube forming process includes an inlet end coupled to a bowl, an outlet end having an inner dimension larger than an inner dimension of the inlet end, and a sidewall extending from inlet end to the outlet end. A radial distance from a center axis of the muffle to an inner surface of the sidewall increases from the inlet end to the outlet end and the sidewall is substantially free of abrupt changes in the radial distance that produce instability regions within the muffle. The muffle includes a channel between an outer surface of a portion of the sidewall and an insulating layer disposed about the sidewall, the channel being operable to pass a heat transfer fluid into thermal communication with the sidewall to provide cooling to the muffle. Glass forming systems including the muffle and glass tube forming processes are also disclosed.

A machine is for the manufacture of a hollow glass article that includes at least one thin side wall. The machine includes at least one molten glass parison distributor, a blank mold including a cavity designed to successively receive at least one parison of molten glass, and components that form a blank of the article in the blank mold, transfer the blank into a cavity of the finishing mold, and form the article in the finishing mold. The cavity of the finishing mold includes at least one side part provided with a concave cavity to form, on the side wall of the article, a convex bulge directed towards the exterior of the article. The machine further includes a component that removes the bulge to give the side wall of the article a substantially constant thickness.