GLASS FORMING MACHINE COMPRISING A SWABBING DEVICE AND METHOD

Abstract

A glass forming machine, a method for lubricating a baffle and a swabbing device for a glass forming machine is disclosed. The glass forming machine comprises a blank station with a blank mould for forming a parison from a gob of molten glass inside the blank mould. The glass forming machine further comprises a baffle for closing the blank mould. The glass forming machine further comprises a swabbing device which is configured to spray lubricant onto the baffle for lubricating the baffle. This enables a particularly high quality of the formed parisons and the corresponding glass containers.

Claims

1. A glass forming machine comprising a blank station with a blank mould for forming a parison from a gob of molten glass inside the blank mould and a baffle for closing the blank mould, wherein the glass forming machine further comprises a swabbing device which is configured to spray lubricant onto the baffle for lubricating the baffle.

2. The glass forming machine according to claim 1, wherein the swabbing device is further configured to spray lubricant onto the blank mould for lubricating the blank mould.

3. The glass forming machine according to claim 2, wherein the swabbing device comprises a rod-shaped extension with a first nozzle, the rod-shaped extension being configured for plunging into the blank mould for spraying lubricant onto an inner wall of the blank mould.

4. The glass forming machine according to claim 1, wherein the glass forming machine comprises a neck ring and the swabbing device is further configured to spray lubricant onto the neck ring for lubricating the neck ring.

5. The glass forming machine according to claim 1, wherein the swabbing device comprises a spray bracket with at least one nozzle and/or with a rod-shaped extension having a nozzle.

6. The glass forming machine according to claim 5, wherein the glass forming machine is configured such that the baffle can be moved to an upper position vertically above the blank mould, wherein the swabbing device comprises on a back face of the spray bracket a second nozzle to spray lubricant onto the baffle when the baffle is in the upper position, wherein, in particular, the swabbing device comprises on a front-face side of the spray bracket a first nozzle to spray lubricant onto the blank mould and/or onto a neck ring of the blank station.

7. The glass forming machine according to claim 6, wherein the glass forming machine comprises a control device to control the swabbing device in order to control the lubrication of the baffle, wherein the control device is configured to control a drive of the baffle in order to move the baffle to the upper position.

8. The glass forming machine according to claim 5, wherein the glass forming machine is configured such that the baffle can be moved to a parking position beside the blank mould, wherein the swabbing device comprises on a side face of the spray bracket a second nozzle to spray lubricant onto the baffle when the baffle is in the parking position, wherein, in particular, the swabbing device comprises on a front-face side of the spray bracket a first nozzle to spray lubricant onto the blank mould and/or onto a neck ring of the blank station.

9. The glass forming machine according to claim 1, wherein the swabbing device is provided as a swab robot configured for multi-axle translational and/or rotational movement of at least one nozzle.

10. The glass forming machine according to claim 1, wherein the glass forming machine further comprises a blow station for forming the parison into a container and/or an invert mechanism which can move a neck ring from the blank station to the blow station.

11. The glass forming machine according to claim 1, wherein the blank mould of the blank station consists of two blank mould halves, a neck ring consists of two neck ring halves, and/or a blow mould of a blow station consists of two blow mould halves.

12. A method for lubricating a baffle of a glass forming machine, wherein the glass forming machine comprises a blank station with a blank mould for forming a parison from a gob of molten glass inside the blank mould and the baffle, wherein the method comprises spraying lubricant onto the baffle.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: lubricant is sprayed onto a neck ring of the glass forming machine by a first nozzle arranged on a rod-shaped extension, while the first nozzle is arranged inside the blank mould; and lubricant is sprayed onto the baffle by a second nozzle while the first nozzle is arranged inside the blank mould.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein: lubricant is sprayed onto the baffle by a second nozzle while the baffle is in a parking position beside the blank mould, wherein, in particular, a spray bracket of a swabbing device on which a first nozzle is mounted is moved such that the first nozzle plunges into the blank mould; and lubricant is sprayed onto the blank mould and/or onto a neck ring of the glass forming machine by the first nozzle.

15. A swabbing device for a glass forming machine, the glass forming machine comprising a blank station with a blank mould for forming a parison from a gob of molten glass inside the blank mould and a baffle for closing the blank mould, wherein the swabbing device is configured to spray lubricant onto the baffle for lubricating the baffle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The invention is illustrated with the aid of the following examples, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0045] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a blank station at the beginning of the production of a parison;

[0046] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the blank station during the production of a parison;

[0047] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the blank station at the end of the production of a parison;

[0048] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a blow station at the beginning of the production of a glass bottle;

[0049] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the blow station at the end of the production of the glass bottle;

[0050] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a blank station with a baffle before lubrication of the baffle;

[0051] FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a first variant for lubricating the baffle;

[0052] FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of a blank station during lubrication of the blank mould;

[0053] FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of a second variant for lubricating the baffle; and

[0054] FIG. 10 is a modified version of the variant shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate the production of a glass bottle. FIGS. 6 to 9 illustrate the swabbing or lubrication of parts of the blank station.

[0056] FIG. 1 refers to a blank station of a glass forming machine. FIG. 1 shows one blank mould 1 of the blank station. The blank mould 1 consists of two blank mould halves 2 and 3. The blank mould halves 2 and 3 are in a closed position. The two blank mould halves 2 and 3 are closed up on a neck ring 5 at the lower end of the blank mould 1. The blank mould 1 has an upper opening 11 on its upper side. As shown in FIG. 1, a gob of molten glass 9 can be brought into the blank mould 1 from above through the upper opening 11 by gravity.

[0057] There is an annular recess 6 formed by the two halves 2, 3 when the two halves 2 and 3 are in their closed position. The neck ring 5 comprises an upper annular projection 7. The upper annular projection 7 extends into the annular recess 6 when the two halves 2, 3 are in their closed position. In the closed position of the two halves 2, 3, these are then fixed by positive locking with the neck ring 5.

[0058] The inner wall of the neck ring 5 can have a bulge 8. A parison 14 can be held by this bulge 8, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0059] The blank station includes a plunger 10. According to FIG. 1, the plunger 10 is in an initial position. The plunger 10 reaches through the neck ring 5. The plunger 10 tapers in the direction of the mould 1. When the plunger 10 is in the initial position the plunger 10 ends close to the bottom of the mould 1 as well as above the bottom of the mould 1 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0060] The neck ring 5 can include a flange 12 on which the mould 1 can rest. Further, the neck ring 5 can include a lower annular projection 13 in order to be able to connect the neck ring 5 positively with an arm of an invert mechanism.

[0061] As soon as the gob of molten glass 9 is completely in the mould 1, the upper opening 11 of the mould 1 is closed by a baffle 33 as shown in FIG. 2. After the upper opening 11 has been closed, the plunger 10 is moved upwards, i.e. further into the mould 1. This upward movement of the plunger 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The gob of molten glass 9 thus becomes a parison 14 inside the blank mould 1. The parison 14 is shown in FIG. 3.

[0062] Once the parison 14 has been formed, the mould 1 is opened. The baffle 33 and the two halves 2 and 3 of the mould 1 are removed from the parison 14. The parison 14 remains on the neck ring 5. In particular, the parison 14 is held by the bulge 8 of the neck ring 5. For example, the baffle 33 is removed from or pulled out of the parison 14 first. After that the two halves can be moved away into the open position.

[0063] Then, an invert mechanism may transfer the neck ring together with the parison to the blow station A gripper of the invert mechanism may then grip for example the lower projection 13 of the neck ring 5. The gripper may be attached to an L-shaped arm of the invert mechanism. The L-shaped arm can be rotated about one axis, e.g. by means of a motor. After the gripper has gripped the neck ring 5, the L-shaped arm may be rotated by 180 degrees around the axis. When the neck ring 5 is rotated by 180 degrees, the parison is transported from the blank station to the blow station and is rotated by 180 degrees. The parison 4 may thus be brought to a base 19 of a blow station 20 which is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The parison 14 is then located above this base 19. However, in contrast to FIG. 4, the blow mould halves 21 and 22 of the blow mould may be in an opened position when the parison 4 is brought into the blow station 20.

[0064] After the parison 14 has been brought to the base 19, the two halves 21 and 22 may be moved to the parison 14 into the shown closed position. Then, the parison 14 is inside the blow mould 21, 22 as shown in FIG. 4. When the parison 14 is inside the blow mould 21, 22, the neck ring 5 may be removed. To do this without damaging the parison 14, the neck ring 5 also consists of two halves. The two halves of the neck ring 5 can therefore be removed from each other to remove the neck ring 5 from the parison 14.

[0065] The two halves 21 and 22 comprise a double wall. A gap 23 remains between the two walls of the double wall. The inner wall of the double wall is perforated or otherwise air-permeable. The base 19 comprises ducts 24 through which air can be sucked out of each gap 23.

[0066] A blow head 25 is then placed on the two halves 21 and 22 of the blow mould. Air is then pumped through the blow head 25, inflating the parison into a bottle 26, as shown in FIG. 5. Inflating can be supported by sucking air through the ducts 24. After the bottle 26 has been inflated, the blow head as well as the two halves 21 and 22 of the blow mould are removed. The bottle 26 can then be gripped by a take-out and placed on a conveyor belt, for example.

[0067] FIG. 6 shows the blank mould with the two halves 2, 3 in an open position. The neck ring 5 is positioned below the blank mould. The baffle 33 is in a parking position where it is positioned when it is not used. A part of a swabbing device is shown, namely a spray bracket 17 having a rod-shaped extension 29. The face of the spray bracket 17 on which the extension 29 is attached is defined as the front face of the spray bracket 17. The spray bracket 17 may be rotated around one or more axes and/or translated along one or more axes in by a moving apparatus of the swabbing device. Thus, the swabbing device is configured as a swab robot.

[0068] There is a first nozzle at the free end of the extension 29. Thus, the first nozzle is located on the front-face side of the spray bracket 17. The first nozzle serves for lubricating the blank mould and/or the neck ring 5, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0069] In one variant shown in FIG. 7, the baffle 33 is lubricated in the parking position which is also referred to as up position. For this purpose, the spray bracket 17 has a second nozzle 15 on the side face. The second nozzle may be arranged on another extension (not shown) on the respective face of the spray bracket 17 or flush with the housing of the spray bracket 17. A triangle at the nozzle 15 shows the spraying of the lubricant.

[0070] After the baffle 33 has been lubricated, the blank mould and the neck ring may be lubricated. Lubrication of the blank mould is shown in FIG. 8. The spray bracket 17 moves downwards, while the first nozzle 16 sprays lubricant in axial and radial directions. After the blank mould has been lubricated, the blank mould halves 2 and 3 are opened and the neck ring 5 may be lubricated. The upper surface of the neck ring as well as the circumferential inner surface of the neck ring may be lubricated in this way. For lubricating the upper surface, the distance between the first nozzle 16 and the neck ring is large enough so that the predetermined spray angle of the first nozzle 16 sprays lubricant onto the desired region.

[0071] FIG. 9 shows a second variant in which the baffle 33 is lubricated in an upper position which is also referred to as up position. The upper position is vertically above the blank mould. For this purpose, in contrast to FIG. 7, the spray bracket 17 has a second nozzle 15 on the back face. Although both processes are shown simultaneously in FIG. 9, lubrication of the baffle 33 is typically performed after lubrication of the neck ring 5. Lubrication of the blank mould, as shown in FIG. 8, may be performed before lubrication of the neck ring 5.

[0072] The variant shown in FIG. 10 differs from the variant shown in FIG. 7 in that also the second nozzle 15 is attached to the spray bracket 17 by means of an extension 29. Such an extension 29 can be used in any embodiment of the invention. This can facilitate reaching the desired spray position.

[0073] For lubrication, in general, a lubricant such as oil may be pumped through the extension 29 which may be realized as a tube. In this way, the respective item may be sprayed with the lubricant. This creates a spray mist that reaches the surface to be lubricated. Alternatively or additionally, the lubricant can be deflected at the end of the extension 29. In particular, the swabbing device is configured for an independent spray timing of the different nozzles.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0074] Blank mould 1

[0075] Blank mould halves 2, 3

[0076] Neck ring 5

[0077] Annular recess 6

[0078] Upper annular projection 7

[0079] Bulge 8

[0080] Gob of molten glass 9

[0081] Plunger 10

[0082] Upper opening 11

[0083] Flange 12

[0084] Annular projection 13

[0085] Parison 14

[0086] Second nozzle 15

[0087] First nozzle 16

[0088] Spray bracket 17

[0089] Base 19

[0090] Blow station 20

[0091] Blow mould halves 21, 22

[0092] Gap 23

[0093] Duct 24

[0094] Blow head 25

[0095] Bottle 26

[0096] Extension 29

[0097] Baffle 33