Apparatus and process for molding of glass

• US 5,908,483 A
• Filed: 05/02/1997
• Issued: 06/01/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lynch Systems, Inc. (The Lgl Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lynch Machinery, Inc.
• Inventors: Roe, Russell W., Houston, Stanley E. Jr., Hileman, deceased, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Steven P.
• Application Number:
  US08/850,196
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 65/29.12, 65/29.15, 65/66, 65/72, 65/158, 65/160, 65/161, 65/226, 65/308, 65/318, 65/322, 65/DIG. 13, 65/362
• US Class Current: 65/29.12
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 11/02 in machines with rotary tables
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 11/16 Gearing or controlling mechanisms specially adapted for glass presses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 65/13 Computer control

Abstract

A press head drive cylinder control having a force sensing, force signal providing load cell on the drive cylinder of a glass molding press. The glass molding press having a base, a mold table rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of mold positions on the table for locating from one to a plurality of molds thereon, at least one mold at a mold position, a press head, a press head tower, and a press head drive cylinder supporting the press head and being reciprocally mounted on the press head tower for movement of the press head to and from a mold aligned at a molding station. The press head drive cylinder control responds to force signals from the load cell to control the press head drive cylinder location, movement, and pressing force, during glass molding.

Claims

1. A press head drive cylinder control system for a glass molding press having a base, a mold table rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of mold positions on the mold table for locating from one to a plurality of molds thereon, at least one mold at a mold position, a press head, a press head tower, and a press head drive cylinder supporting the press head and being reciprocally mounted on the press head tower for movement of the press head to and from a mold aligned at a molding station, comprising in combination:

a. a force sensor operatively attached to the press head drive cylinder for sensing the force applied by the press head and responsively producing a force signal;

b. a force controller coupled to the force sensor for receiving and processing the force signal and for producing force control information the force controller comprising a force control module within a programmable logic controller; and

c. means for adjusting the force applied by the press head based on the force control information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is a load cell.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is attached to the press head drive cylinder by a rod alignment coupler and an adapter stud.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for adjusting the force is a hydraulic pump assembly.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:

a. a position sensor attached to the glass molding press for measuring the relative position of the press head and for producing a position signal;

b. a movement controller coupled to the position sensor for receiving and processing the position signal and for producing movement control information; and

c. means for adjusting the movement of the press head based on the movement control information.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for adjusting the movement is a hydraulic pump assembly.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the position sensor is a linear transducer.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further comprises means for switching from controlling the movement of the press head based on the movement control information to controlling the force of the press head based on the force control information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for switching is responsive to the position signal.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for switching is responsive to the force signal.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for switching includes a linear transducer.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for switching includes a load cell.

13. A press head drive cylinder control system for a glass molding press having a base, a mold table rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of mold positions on the mold table for locating from one to a plurality of molds thereon, at least one mold at a mold position, a press head, a press head tower, and a press head drive cylinder supporting the press head and being reciprocally mounted on the press head tower for movement of the press head to and from a mold aligned at a molding station, comprising in combination:

a. a force sensor operatively attached to the press head drive cylinder for sensing the force applied by the press head and responsively producing a force signal;

b. a position sensor attached to the glass molding press for measuring the relative position of the press head and producing a position signal;

c. a controller coupled to the force sensor and the position sensor for receiving and processing the force signal and the position signal and for producing control information; and

d. means for adjusting the force and the position of the press head based on the control information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the force sensor is a load cell.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the force sensor is attached to the press head drive cylinder by a rod alignment coupler and an adapter stud.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the position sensor is a linear transducer.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is a programmable logic controller.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is a force control module within a programmable logic controller.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for adjusting the force and position is a hydraulic pump assembly.

20. In a glass molding press having a base, a mold table rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of mold positions on the mold table for locating from one to a plurality of molds thereon, at least one mold at a mold position, a press head, a press head tower, and a press head drive cylinder supporting the press head and being reciprocally mounted to the press head tower for movement of the press head to and from a mold aligned at a molding station, the improvement comprising:

a press head drive cylinder control, the control including a force sensing, force signal providing load cell operatively coupled to the press head drive cylinder, and means responsive to force signals from the load cell for controlling the press head drive cylinder location, movement, and pressing force, said means responsive to force signals including a force control module within a programmable logic controller.

21. In a glass molding press having a mold table mounted on a base, at least one mold position on the mold table for locating at least one mold thereon, a press head, a press head tower, and a press head drive cylinder supporting the press head and being reciprocally mounted on the press head tower for movement of the press head to and from the at least one mold aligned at the at least one molding position, a method of controlling the press head drive cylinder comprising the steps of:

a. sensing a force applied by the press head to a glass gob;

b. producing a sensing signal corresponding to the sensed force of the press head;

c. processing the sensing signal and producing a force control signal; and

d. using a force control module within a programmable logic controller to control the press head drive cylinder based on the force control signal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of sensing is achieved by a sensor.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the sensor is a load cell.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of processing the sensing signal is achieved by a programmable logic controller.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of processing the sensing signal is achieved by a force control module.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

a. measuring the relative position of the press head;

b. producing a position signal;

c. processing the position signal and producing movement control information; and

d. controlling the movement of the press head based on the movement control information.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of measuring the relative position is achieved by a linear transducer.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of switching from controlling of the press head based on movement to controlling based on force.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of processing the position signal is achieved by a programmable logic controller.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of processing the position signal is achieved by a force control module.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the force control module is within a programmable logic controller.

32. A press head drive cylinder control system for a glass molding press having a base, a mold table rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of mold positions on the mold table for locating from one to a plurality of molds thereon, at least one mold at a mold position, a press head, a press head tower, and a press head drive cylinder supporting the press head and being reciprocally mounted on the press head tower for movement of the press head to and from a mold aligned at a molding station, comprising in combination:

a. a load cell operatively attached to the press head drive cylinder by a rod alignment coupler and an adapter stud for sensing the force applied by the press head and for responsively producing a force signal;

b. a linear transducer attached to the glass molding press for measuring the relative position of the press head and producing a position signal;

c. a force control module in a programmable logic controller coupled to the load cell for receiving and processing the force signal and coupled to the transducer for receiving and processing the position signal, the force control module thereby producing force control information and movement control information;

d. a hydraulic pump assembly for adjusting the movement of the press head based on the movement control information and adjusting the force of the press head based on the force control information; and

e. means for switching control of the press head based on the movement control information to control based on the force control information.

33. A press head drive cylinder control system for a glass molding press having a base, a mold table rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of mold positions on the mold table for locating from one to a plurality of molds thereon, at least one mold at a mold position, a press head, a press head tower, and a press head drive cylinder supporting the press head and being reciprocally mounted on the press head tower for movement of the press head to and from a mold aligned at a molding station, comprising in combination:

a. a force sensor operatively attached to the press head drive cylinder for sensing the force applied by the press head and responsively producing a force signal;

b. a force controller coupled to the force sensor for receiving and processing the force signal and for producing force control information;

c. means for adjusting the force applied by the press head based on the force control information;

d. a position sensor attached to the glass molding press for measuring the relative position of the press head and for producing a position signal;

e. a movement controller coupled to the position sensor for receiving and processing the position signal and for producing movement control information; and

f. means for adjusting the movement of the press head based on the movement control information.

34. In a glass molding press having a mold table mounted on a base, at least one mold position on the mold table for locating at least one mold thereon, a press head, a press head tower, and a press head drive cylinder supporting the press head and being reciprocally mounted on the press head tower for movement of the press head to and from the at least one mold aligned at the at least one molding position, a method of controlling the press head drive cylinder comprising the steps of:

a. measuring the relative position of the press head;

b. producing a position signal;

c. processing the position signal and producing movement control information;

d. controlling the movement of the press head based on the movement control information;

e. sensing a force applied by the press head to a glass gob;

f. producing a sensing signal corresponding to the sensed force of the press head;

g. processing the sensing signal and producing a force control signal; and

h. controlling the press head drive cylinder based on the force control signal.