Belt-driven glass gob distribution with broken belt detection

摘要

A molten glass gob distributor (10) for a glass article manufacturing system that includes a gob discharge (20 to 26), and at least one scoop (12 to 18) for receiving gobs from such discharge and distributing the gobs among a plurality of troughs or chutes (36 to 42) leading to associated molds (44a to 44d) in a multiple-cavity IS machine (44). The scoop is coupled by a cogged drive belt (66) to an electric motor (70) for oscillating the scoop through a cyclic path adjacent to the troughs or chutes. Rupture at the drive belt is detected by coupling first and second electronic sensors (74, 72) to the motor and the scoop so as to provide respective first and second electrical signals as functions of motion at the motor and scoop. Rupture at the drive belt is indicated as a function of a difference between the first and second signals, indicating loss of synchronization between the drive motor and the associated scoop.