Apparatus and method for manufacturing a molded glass stem

摘要

A stem mold includes an improved first (upper) mold assembly and a conventional second (lower) mold assembly. The first mold assembly includes a conventional mold head and a plurality of lead-weights which are attached to one end of the mold head. The first mold assembly is improved by the inclusion of a novel first mold block which has a plurality of fillet recesses therein which communicate through guide openings with a plurality of buffer-pin-wells extending into a cavity in a second surface of the mold block. A novel lead-weight translator is disposed within the cavity in the mold block. The translator has a translator recess formed in one surface and a plurality of lead-weight apertures extending from the recess through the other surface of the translator. A pin holder is disposed within the translator recess. A plurality of pin apertures are formed through the pin holder and aligned with the buffer-pin-wells in the mold block and also with the lead-weight apertures in the translator. A plurality of buffer pins are disposed in the pin apertures and extend into the pin wells. The buffer pins are configured to extend between the lead-weights and the internal portions of the lead-in conductors to retain the external portion of the lead-in conductors within the second mold assembly during the stem manufacturing operation. The buffer pins accommodate lead-in conductors of various internal lengths.