Owens-illinois, Inc.

Owens-illinois Glass Container Inc.

Toledo Transducers, Inc.

Robert D Kohler

James A Ringlien

John W Juvinall

Robert J Bieringer

Leonard D Steffan

John H Dunlap

Robert C Hedler

Apparatus for detecting vertical checks in the finish of a translucent container that includes a light source for directing light energy onto the container finish from externally of the container finish laterally of the container axis over an angular portion less than the entire circumference of the container finish. An area array camera is positioned externally of the container at an angle to the container axis so as to receive an image of the illuminated portion of the container finish. The camera is oriented with respect to the light source such that a vertical check in the container finish reflects light energy from the source to the camera to create a bright a image of the check against a normally dark background. Vertical checks in the container finish are detected as a function of such reflected light energy.

Inspection of container finish

A method and apparatus for measuring the outer diameters, ovality and eccentricity of the finish of a container is disclosed. The invention can be practiced in either a one-camera or a two-camera embodiment. The one-camera embodiment comprises means for illuminating the finish with a collimated beam of light to produce a transmitted beam containing a shadow of the finish and means for focusing the transmitted beam containing the shadow of the finish to produce the image thereof. The apparatus further comprises a line-scan camera for periodically scanning sequential segments of the image from one periphery to the other periphery as the container rotates for providing a plurality of pixel signals for each scan, and a data circuit responsive to the magnitudes of the pixel signals in each of the scans for counting the number of signals in the peripheries of the image to provide a left periphery count and a right periphery count for each scan. The apparatus further comprises a computer responsive to the periphery counts for calculating the outer diameter of the finish and for providing a reject signal if the outer diameter is not between a predetermined maximum and minimum value.

Method and apparatus for gauging containers

Apparatus for controlling the aperture size of a valve in a fluid exhaust line from an individual section of glass forming machine is disclosed. The apparatus controls the aperture size of the valve in response to first and second control signals and comprises a driver connected to the valve for decreasing the aperture of the valve from a preset size to a restricted size by a series of discrete steps and then for increasing the aperture of the valve from the restricted size back to the preset size by a series of discrete steps. The driver is responsive to a directional signal and a series of electrical pulses each actuating a corresponding discrete step to decrease the size of the aperture when the directional signal is applied thereto and to increase the size of the aperture when the directional signal is removed therefrom. The apparatus also comprises a control having a first input responsive to the first control signal which when applied causes the control to provide a directional signal and a predetermined number of electrical pulses to the driver for actuating a predetermined number of discrete steps required to decrease the aperture of the valve from the preset size to the restricted size and a second input responsive to the second control signal which when applied causes the control to remove the directional signal from the driver and provide the predetermined number of electrical pulses to the driver to increase the aperture of the valve back to its preset size.

Apparatus for controlling a valve

A method and apparatus for inspecting glass tubes for fire checks and other defects is disclosed. Each tube is positioned on transport equipment and moved through an inspection area as it is rotated about its longitudinal axis by a spinner mechanism. A broad source of diffused light illuminates each tube in the inspection area. A camera is positioned above the moving line of tubes and includes an array of photosensitive diodes arranged parallel to the longitudinal axes of the tubes. A check in a tube will reflect a higher intensity light to the camera than a non-defective portion of the tube. By averaging the signals from the first few diodes for each longitudinal scan of the camera, a reference voltage level can be electronically determined for each scan. Any signal generated by a diode element of the camera which is greater than the sum of the reference signal and a predetermined signal indicates the presence of a defect in the tube.

Method and apparatus for detecting checks in glass tubes

An improved cycle monitor is disclosed for measuring the peak force exerted by a machine in each of a series of operating cycles. The force exerted by the machine is measured and applied to a peak detector which stores a signal proportional to the highest force exerted by the machine. The peak detector is automatically reset at the beginning of each cycle and the peak detector output is transferred to and stored in a suitable utilizing device, such as a display and alarm circuit, after the highest pressure occurs in each cycle.

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Temperance, MI, United States of America

Robert D Kohler