Apparatus for the manufacture of ampules

Claim 1

IN AN AMPULE MAKING MACHINE HAVING A CHUCK ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE GLASS TUBE IN A VERTICAL POSITION WITH THE LOWER END OF THE TUBE PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY BELOW SAID CHUCK, SMELTING OFF MEANS, BOTTOM FORMING MEANS ADJACENT SAID SMELTING OFF MEANS, AND MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CHUCK ALONG A FIZED HORIZONTAL PATH PAST SAID SMELTING OFF MEANS AND SAID BOTTOM FORMING MEANS TO SUCCESSIVELY ADVANCE THE LOWER END OF A TUBE SUPPORTED IN SAID CHUCK INTO OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SMELTING OFF MEANS AND SAID BOTTOM FORMING MEANS; THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN SAID BOTTOM FORMING MEANS COMPRISES A BOTTOM SHAPING MEMBER HVING ANUPWARDLY OPENING RECESS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE SMELTED OFF END OF A TUBE IN SEATED RELATIONSHIP THEREIN, SUPPORT MEANS ON SAID FORMING MEANS SUPPORTING SAID SHAPING MEMBER FOR HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT TO AND FROM A NORMAL REST POSITION LOCATED ADJACENT SAID SMELTING OFF MEANS, MEANS EFFECTING VERTICAL MOVEMENT TO SAID SHAPING MEMBER DURING SAID HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT, SAID SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING ARM MEANS POSITONED TO BE ENGAGED AND MOVED BY SAID CHUCK FOR MOVING SAID SHAPING MEMBER HORIZONTALLY FROM SAID REST POSITION WITH SAID CHUCK DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID CHUCK ALONG A PORTION OF SAID HORIZONTAL PATH, SAID CHUCK ENGAGING MEANS BEING OPERABLE TO MAINTAIN SAID RECESS IN VERTICAL REGISTRY WITH THE SMELTED OFF END OF A TUBE CARRIED BY SAID CHUCK FROM SAID SMELTING OFF MEANS ALONG SAID PORTION OF SAID PATH, SAID MEANS EFFECTING VERTICAL MOVEMENT TO SAID SHAPING MEMBER INCLUDING CAM MEANS POSITIONED RELATIVE TO SAID PORTION OF SAID PATH TO ENGAGE CAM FOLLOWER MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS DURING HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SHAPING MEMBER WITH SAID CHUCK FOR ELEVATING SAID SHAPING MEMBER TO SEAT THE SMELTED OFF END OF THE CHUCK SUPPORTED TUBE WITHIN SAID RECESS AND FOR LOWERING SAID SHAPING MEMBER OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TUBE BEFORE SAID CHUCK ARRIVES AT THE END OF SAID PORTION OF SAID PATH REMOTE FROM SAID SMELTING OFF MEANS, AND MEANS FOR RETURNING SAID SHAPING MEMBER TO ITS REST POSITION UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID CHUCK BEYOND SAID REMOTE END OF SAID PORTION OF SAID PATH.