Vhc, Ltd.

Joel Mosak

James L Dempski

David A Saathoff

An article transfer mechanism for use with an I.S. glassware forming machine includes a pusher arm having fingers for engaging a number of glassware articles formed by the I.S. machine, the pusher arm being movable between a first position to engage the glassware at the dead plate and a second position at which the glassware is transferred to a take-away conveyor. A stepping motor is provided for moving the pusher arm between the first and second positions according to a velocity profile. A microcontroller and electronic circuitry associated with each section of the I.S. machine determine a new current position of the pusher arm as the arm moves according to the velocity profile. The microcontroller performs calculations at each new current position of the pusher arm according to an equation contained in a memory to determine a new velocity for the pusher ar at the new current position of the arm as a function of the current position, such that each new velocity at each current position defines the velocity profile. The microcontroller performs the calculations 'on-the-fly' as the pusher arm is moving through its 90.degree. sweep between the dead plate to the conveyor. The stored equation operates on user-input variables which permit the I.S. machine operator to alter the velocity profile and performance characteristics of the article transfer mechanism from an associated data entry terminal while the I.S. machine is operating.

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Deerfield, IL, United States of America

Joel Mosak