HK1044930B - Cooling system for a glassware machine - Google Patents

Description

Cooling system for glassware machine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a cooling system for glassware manufacturing equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for cooling the punches, dies and valves of glassware making equipment using a fluid, such as air.

Background

The punches, dies and valves of glassware making equipment must be cooled during their operation to prevent the production of poor quality glassware. It has now been found that existing cooling systems are less efficient. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved cooling system for use with glassware manufacturing equipment. The present invention addresses this need.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention relates to a system for cooling glassware manufacturing equipment, including: a glass manufacturing apparatus having a punch with a longitudinal axis, a die with a longitudinal axis, and a valve with a longitudinal axis, the die being positioned between the punch and the valve such that the longitudinal axes of the punch, die, and valve are longitudinally aligned with one another; a fluid source; said punch including a cavity in communication with said fluid source, and a punch cooling tube located in said cavity, said punch cooling tube defining spaced grooves for directing fluid in said cavity, said fluid for cooling said punch; the mold including a fluid chamber in communication with the fluid source, the mold defining a plurality of flow channels in communication with the fluid chamber for directing fluid for cooling the mold; and the valve comprises a valve cavity communicated with the fluid source, and a valve cooling pipe positioned in the valve cavity and used for guiding the valve in the valve cavity and cooling the valve.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a system that can efficiently cool glassware manufacturing equipment.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a glassware forming apparatus which incorporates a cooling system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the glassware making apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through the center of the punch, die and valve of the glassware making apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

fig. 4A is another portion of fig. 4.

Detailed Description

Preferred embodiments and best mode of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the cooling system of the present invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral "10".

Referring to fig. 1-4A, the system 10 is installed in a glassware making apparatus 12 that has a punch 14, a die 16, and a valve 18. As schematically shown in fig. 1, the system 10 has a fluid source S. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid source S is a conventional tank containing compressed air. With continued reference to fig. 1, the fluid source S communicates fluid to the punch 14, die 16, and valve 18 via lines or conduits 20, 22, and 24, respectively.

Referring to fig. 4, the punch 14 has a cylindrical housing 30 extending radially about a first longitudinal axis a. The housing 30 has an open end 32 and an opposite closed end 34. The housing 30 has an inner surface 36 and an outer surface 38 between the open end 32 and the closed end 34. The inner surface 36 defines an elongated hollow pocket or cavity 40.

With continued reference to fig. 4, the system 10 includes a punch cooling tube 42 located within the cavity 40. The punch cooling tube 42 has a cylindrical wall 44 extending radially about the longitudinal axis a. The cylindrical wall 44 includes an inner surface 46 and an outer surface 48. The outer surface 48 is adjacent the inner surface 36 of the housing 30. The ram cooling tube 42 has an inlet end 50 located near the open end 32 of the housing 30 and an outlet end 52 located near the closed end 34 of the housing 30. Fluid from the fluid source S is communicated to the inlet port 50 through the fluid line 20 shown in fig. 1. The inner surface 46 defines a continuous fluid passageway 54 between the inlet end 50 and the outlet end 52.

As shown in fig. 4, the outer surface 48 of the punch cooling tube 42 is formed with a plurality of elongated, longitudinally extending grooves 56. The grooves 56 extend radially about the first longitudinal axis a.

When the glassware forming apparatus 12 is in operation, fluid (e.g., air) from the fluid source S enters the inlet end 50 of the punch cooling tube 42 in the direction indicated by arrow 58 in FIG. 4. The fluid flows through the fluid passages 54 and is discharged through the outlet end 52 located adjacent the closed end 34 of the housing 30. The fluid then travels up through the slot 56 to the open end 32 of the housing 30. Fluid is expelled through the opening 60 in the direction indicated by arrow 62 in fig. 4. This flow of fluid through the cavity 40 cools the punch 14.

Referring to fig. 4, the die 16 has a cylindrical outer sleeve 70 extending radially about the first longitudinal axis a. The outer cover 70 has a top 72 with a top surface 74 and a bottom 76. The inner surface 78 and the outer surface 80 of the outer cover 70 extend between the top portion 72 and the bottom portion 76. The inner surface 78 includes a glassware forming groove or portion 82. The outer surface 80 has a fluid chamber 84 therein. Fluid from the fluid source S is communicated to the fluid chamber 84 through fluid line 22 shown in fig. 1.

As shown in fig. 4, the outer sleeve 70 has a plurality of flow channels 86 extending radially about the first longitudinal axis a and spaced adjacent to the glassware-forming portion 82 of the outer sleeve 70. Each flow channel 86 extends from a fluid chamber end 88 to a top surface end 90, the fluid chamber end 88 communicating with the fluid chamber 84, and the top surface end 90 communicating with the top surface 74 of the outer sleeve 70.

With continued reference to fig. 4, each flow channel 86 includes a fluid chamber side portion 92 extending longitudinally from fluid chamber end 88 along a second longitudinal axis B parallel to first longitudinal axis a. Each runner 86 also includes a top side portion 94 extending from the end of the fluid chamber side portion 92 to the top end 90 in the direction of a third longitudinal axis C at a predetermined angle X to the second longitudinal axis B. The predetermined angle X may be in the range 35 to 55, preferably 45.

When the glassware manufacturing apparatus 12 is in operation, fluid (e.g., air) from the fluid source S flows from the fluid chamber 84 through the fluid chamber end 88 and into the fluid chamber side portion 92 of the flow channel 86 in the direction indicated by arrow 96 in fig. 4. The fluid then flows through the top face side portion 94 and is discharged through the top face end 90 in the direction indicated by arrow 98 in fig. 4. As can be appreciated, with the top face side portion 94 arranged in the manner described above relative to the fluid cavity side portion 92, fluid will be expelled from the punch 14. The flow of fluid through the launder 86 cools the mold 16.

Referring to fig. 4 and 4A, the valve 18 includes a cylindrical valve body 100 extending longitudinally and radially about a first longitudinal axis a. The valve body 100 also includes a closed top end 102 and an open bottom end 104. The valve body 100 has an outer surface 106 and an inner surface 108 between the top end 102 and the bottom end 104. The inner surface 108 defines a valve pocket or cavity 110.

With continued reference to fig. 4 and 4A, the valve 100 includes a cylindrical valve cooling tube 112 positioned within a valve cavity 110. The valve cooling tube 112 has a first end 114 proximate the top end 102 of the valve body 100 and a second end 116 (see FIG. 4A). As shown in fig. 4A, the second end 116 is in fluid communication with a fluid source S via a fluid line 24. As shown in fig. 4, the valve cooling tube 112 has an inner surface 118 and an outer surface 120 located between the first end 114 and the second end 116. The inner surface 118 defines a continuous fluid passage 122. The outer surface 120 of the valve cooling tube 112 is proximate to and spaced apart from the inner surface 108 of the valve body 100.

When the glassware manufacturing apparatus 12 is in operation, fluid (e.g., air) from the fluid source S flows through the line 24 in the direction indicated by arrow 124 in FIG. 4A. The fluid then enters the fluid passage 122 through the second end 116 of the valve cooling tube 112 in the direction indicated by arrow 126 in FIG. 4A. The fluid flows in the fluid passage 122 until it is discharged through the first end 114 of the valve cooling tube 112 in the direction indicated by arrow 128 in fig. 4. The fluid then flows down into the space between the outer surface 120 of the valve cooling tube 112 and the inner surface 108 of the valve body 100. The fluid is then discharged through an opening 130 in the valve body 100 in the direction indicated by arrow 132 in fig. 4. This flow of fluid in the valve chamber 110 cools the valve 18.

The foregoing detailed description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that all the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting and that the scope of the invention be determined solely by the claims appended hereto.

Claims (10)

1. A system for cooling glassware manufacturing equipment, which includes:

a glass manufacturing apparatus having a punch with a longitudinal axis, a die with a longitudinal axis, and a valve with a longitudinal axis, the die being positioned between the punch and the valve such that the longitudinal axes of the punch, die, and valve are longitudinally aligned with one another;

a fluid source;

said punch including a cavity in communication with said fluid source, and a punch cooling tube located in said cavity, said punch cooling tube defining spaced grooves for directing fluid in said cavity, said fluid for cooling said punch;

the mold including a fluid chamber in communication with the fluid source, the mold defining a plurality of flow channels in communication with the fluid chamber for directing fluid for cooling the mold; and

the valve includes a valve cavity in communication with the fluid source, and a valve cooling tube in the valve cavity for directing the valve therein to cool the valve.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said punch has a generally cylindrical housing extending radially about a longitudinal axis of said punch, said housing having an open end and a closed end, said housing having an inner surface and an outer surface between said open end and said closed end, said inner surface defining said cavity.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said punch cooling tube has a generally cylindrical wall extending radially about a longitudinal axis of said punch, said cylindrical wall including an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer surface being adjacent an inner surface of said housing, said punch cooling tube having an inlet end adjacent said open end of said housing and an outlet end adjacent said closed end of said housing, said inlet end being in communication with said fluid source, said inner surface defining a continuous fluid passageway for fluid flow between said inlet end and said outlet end, said outer surface including said plurality of grooves for allowing fluid flow along said inner surface of said housing to cool said punch.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of spaced grooves extend radially about a longitudinal axis of the punch.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mold has a cylindrical jacket extending radially about a longitudinal axis of the mold, the jacket having a top portion and a bottom portion with a top surface, an inner surface and an outer surface of the jacket extending between the top portion and the bottom portion, the inner surface including a glassware forming portion, the outer surface having the fluid cavity, each of the flow channels having a channel end and a top surface end, the flow channel extending from the fluid cavity up to the top surface such that fluid flows between the fluid cavity and the top surface to cool the mold adjacent the glassware forming portion.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of said flow channels includes a fluid cavity side portion extending longitudinally from said fluid cavity end along a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to said mold longitudinal axis, each of said flow channels further including a top side portion extending from said fluid cavity side portion to said top side end in a direction along a third longitudinal axis at a predetermined angle to said second longitudinal axis.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined angle is in the range of 35 ° -55 °.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of runners extends radially about a longitudinal axis of the mold.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the valve comprises a generally cylindrical valve body extending radially about the longitudinal valve axis and including closed top and bottom ends, the valve body having an outer surface and an inner surface between the top and bottom ends, the inner surface defining the valve chamber.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said valve cooling tube is generally cylindrical, said valve cooling tube having a first end proximate said top end of said valve body and a second end, said second end being in communication with said fluid source, said valve cooling tube having an inner surface and an outer surface between said first and second ends, said inner surface defining a continuous fluid passage for fluid flow between said first and second ends for cooling said top end, said outer surface of said valve cooling tube being spaced from said inner surface of said valve body for fluid flow between said surfaces.