Glass forming machine blank mold cooling method and apparatus

摘要

A hollow parison (P) of a glass container is formed from a gob of molten glass, the parison having a body portion (B) with a closed end and an open end. The body portion of the parison is formed in an annular blank mold (14). The parison also has a finish portion (F) at the open end of the body portion of the parison, the finish portion being formed by an annular neck mold (16) which is positioned against an end of the blank mold during the forming of the parison. An annular cage (26) surrounds a substantial axially extending portion of the blank mold. The annular cage receives cooling air and directs cooling air against cooling fins (24) on the exterior of the blank mold to cool the body portion of the parison while it is in the blank mold. Spent cooling fluid from the annular cage flows therefrom through an opening aligned with the open end of the body portion of the parison. The annular cage is axially slideable along the longitudinal central axis of the blank mold with respect to the blank mold and is biased away from the annular neck mold by a compression spring (32) that is trapped between an annular pressure plate (34) and a portion of the annular cage. Cooling air exiting from the opening in the annular cage is caused to flow past the annular neck mold to assist in cooling the finish portion of the parison by an annular skirt (36) that is positioned below the annular pressure plate toward the annular neck mold. <IMAGE>