The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 26, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 24, 1994
Frank J DiFrank, Toledo, OH (US);
John M Slifco, Toledo, OH (US);
Francis R Morrison, Dubois, PA (US);
Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc., Toledo, OH (US);
Abstract
A needle assembly (30) for controlling the flow of molten glass from a feeder bowl (76) through one or more orifices (84) in an orifice plate (86) beneath the feeder bowl. The needle assembly includes a vertical needle (32) for each orifice and each needle is precisely adjustable along its vertical axis by a stepper motor (34). The stepper motor for each needle is positioned remotely from the needle and drives the needle through a potentiometer (72) and a linkage mechanism (36). Each linkage mechanism includes a generally horizontally extending member (38), a vertically extending member (40), and a bevel gear drive (88) to permit the generally horizontally extending ember to drive the vertically extending member. The rotation of the potentiometer is a measure of the travel of the needle, and sends a signal of the position of the needle to an operator at the level of the forming machine floor, who can, when necessary, actuate a stepper motor to adjust the position of the needle without the need to leave the forming machine floor.