Method and apparatus for blowing and removing glass containers

Abstract

Vertically aligned first ( 30 ) and second ( 32 ) combined blowhead and takeout mechanisms are provided to sequentially blow glass parisons (P) into containers (C) in a mold set ( 22 ) and to transfer blown containers to a deadplate ( 40 ) of a glass containing forming machine ( 20 ). Each of the combined mechanisms is pivotally suspended about an axis A from a carrier arm ( 36 ) that is pivotally attached to an end of an oscillating arm ( 38 ), an opposed end of which is pivoted about an axis (B). The axis (B) of each combined blowhead and takeout mechanism is periodically raised and lowered to permit the other combined blowhead and takeout mechanism to oscillate therebeneath, to thereby permit overlapping cycles between the blowhead and takeout mechanisms. Each blowhead and takeout mechanism is provided with a chuck or tong assembly ( 54 ) to engage or release each container by its finish (F). Each tong assembly has a plurality of tong elements ( 74 ) that are simultaneously moved radially in or out by oscillation of a cam ( 50 ) that has a non-circular slot ( 78 ) in which a pin ( 76 ) carried by each tong element rides.

1 - 8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . A process for removing a vertically upright blown glass container having a finish from a blow mold of a glass container forming machine, the finish being positioned above the blow mold, the blow mold being made up of separagle mold halves that are closed with respect to one another during molding of the glass container and are openable with respect to one another during molding of glass container and are openable with respect to one another after the molding of the glass container to permit a blown glass container to be removed from the blow mold, the process comprising: 
 providing a chuck, the chuck having a plurality of circumferentially disposed chuck elements, the chuck elements being simultaneously movable solely in a horizontal plane between radially outermost first positions and radially innermost second positions;    positioning the chuck to surround the finish of the glass container in the blow mold with the mold halves closed and the chuck elements in their first positions;    simultaneously moving the chuck elements to their second positions while the mold halves are closed to engage the finish of the glass container in the blow mold; and    then opening the mold halves of he blow mold and moving the chuck relative to the blow mold while the chuck elements are in their second positions to remove the glass container from the blow mold.