Vhc, Ltd.

Anthony R Clark

Chuck Bruce

David Johnson

Rick Calvin

Will Salley

A timing and control system for a glassware forming machine includes a ship computer system resident within a control room and a hot end console on the shop floor adjacent a multi-section glassware forming machine. The shop computer system executes a number of subroutines which permit configuration of the shop and of each IS machine section, such as routines for identifying on and off angles for the several mechanical devices associated with the sections. The hot end display includes a touch screen which permits the floor operator to implement certain changes in the timing and sequence of operation of the machine mechanical devices. The shop computer system implements subroutines which test for and detect potential conflicts or collisions between machine devices due to changes in the event times for the devices. The conflict testing occurs when the operator inputs the timing change information, issuing warning messages and disallowing the configuration change in the event of a conflict. Timing and sequence functions of the system are implemented using a link table associated with the on and off angles of two sub-events for each mechanical device. Linkable records are linked to storage locations in the link tables corresponding to 0.1 degree increments in the shop or machine cycle. Menu driven software facilitates user interface with the timing and control functions of the system, as well as system status reporting functions.

Electronic controller for a glassware forming machine

An electronic timing control system for a glassware-forming machine includes a mini-computer master controller which controls the timing and sequence of operation of each of the individual section glassware-forming machine components. The master controller includes a plurality of control modules for section timing, conveyor motion, etc., each module of which outputs information to a corresponding serial multiplex I/O module. Each of the I/O modules connected to the master controller feeds data to a common data cable, according to a multiplexing scheme administered by the master controller. Data from the data cable is fed to each of the sections of the I.S. glassware forming machine, and particularly to a plurality of serially connected serial multiplexer modules. Each of the serial multiplexer modules corresponds to a section functional component operable to receive and form molten glass gobs into glassware articles. Each serial multiplexer module has a unique address. Information conveyed by the data cable includes a specific address for the module to which the data being transmitted is to be provided. Thus, although control data from the master controller is provided serially to all of the multiplexer I/O modules, only that module corresponding to an address transmitted by the controller is permitted to receive the data.

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Farmland, IN, United States of America

Anthony R Clark