System for cooling glass moulds and glass mould cooling process

摘要

A system and method of cooling glassware molds by directing liquid coolant to the blank or blow mold halves (40) of a glassware forming machine through an enclosed pivotal rotary union-type structure (68). A coolant manifold (44) is carried by each pivotal mold arm (34, 36), and communicates with coolant inlet and outlet ports at the lower end of each mold part (40). The manifold (44) is connected by a floating shaft seal and a rotary union assembly and a crank arm to a coolant source (32) and coolant return in the section box (70) of the associated machine section. Each pivotal connection, i.e. between the section box and the crank arm, between the crank arm and the rotary union assembly, and between the rotary union assembly and the floating shaft seal, comprises a bi-directional rotary union for feeding liquid coolant to the manifold and mold parts, and returning coolant from the manifold and mold parts. Dynamic floating seals (132, 159) between the coolant manifold (44) and the mold parts (40), and between the coolant manifold (44) and the rotary union mechanism (68), accommodate relative motion between these components as the mold parts are opened and closed.