US4557746A — Electro-pneumatic actuator for glassware forming …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 117 words

An apparatus for providing controlled motion of a mechanism in a glassware forming machine, comprising: a motor; a threaded shaft rotated by said motor; a piston and cylinder assembly, fluidically activated to move the piston in opposite first and second directions, said piston being drivingly coupled to said mechanism; and a control nut in threaded engagement with said threaded shaft, which is longitudinally moved by the rotation of the shaft in the first and second directions, said control nut being non-rotatably mounted relative to said piston and cylinder assembly so as to contiguously engage said piston to limit its motion in the first direction, and to disengage said piston to permit free motion in the second direction.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 117 words

An apparatus for providing controlled motion of a mechanism in a glassware forming machine, comprising: a motor; a threaded shaft rotated by said motor; a piston and cylinder assembly, fluidically activated to move the piston in opposite first and second directions, said piston being drivingly coupled to said mechanism; and a control nut in threaded engagement with said threaded shaft, which is longitudinally moved by the rotation of the shaft in the first and second directions, said control nut being non-rotatably mounted relative to said piston and cylinder assembly so as to contiguously engage said piston to limit its motion in the first direction, and to disengage said piston to permit free motion in the second direction.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 116 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising: an annular flange coaxially aligned with said piston and secured thereto, said flange for abutting one side of said control nut upon motion secured to said supporting structure at a plurality of angular positions with respect thereto, and wherein said first fluidic passage further comprises a third and fourth fluidic passage, said third fluidic passage being fixed relative to said turntable and said fourth fluidic passage being fixed relative to said supporting structure, one of said third or fourth fluidic passages having a substantially arcuate shape along the interface of said turntable and supporting structure to enable operative engagement therebetween along a predetermined range of said angular positions.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 13 words

An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said member supports a pusher cylinder.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 75 words

An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said member further comprises a cylindrical support, said support being arcuately cyclically moved about its axis relative to said base, said second fluidic passage being an annular channel abutting the cylidrical surface of said support, said annular channel in operative connection with a third fluidic passage fixed relative to said base, said first fluidic passage terminating in at least one port on the cylindrical surface of said support.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for converting the linear motor of said piston to arcuate motion of said mechanism.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said converting means comprises: a first helically splined surface secured to said piston for linear motion therewith; a rotatable hub having a second helically splined surface in complementary engagement with said first helically splined surface and for being rotated by the linear motion thereof.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 42 words

An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said converting means comprises: a link fixedly secured to said piston for linear motion therewith; a crank means pivotally secured to said link for being pivoted thereby, said crank means operatively connected to said member.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said motor is responsible to control signals and further comprising: a control means for producing control signals to move the output shaft of said motor according to a predetermined velocity profile.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 181 words

An apparatus for arcuately moving a pusher cylinder to move at least one article from a dead plate onto a moving conveyor comprising: a motor responsive to control signals; a control means for producing said control signals to move the output shaft of said motor according to a predetermined velocity profile; a threaded shaft rotated by said motor; a piston and cylinder assembly, fluidically activated to move the piston in opposite first and second directions, said piston being drivingly coupled to a linear-to-rotary motion converter; a control nut in threaded engagement with said threaded shaft, which is longitudinally moved by the rotation of the shaft in the first and second directions, said control nut being non-rotatably mounted relative to said piston and cylinder assembly so as to contiguously engage said piston to limit its motion in the first direction, and to disengage said piston to permit free motion in the second direction; wherein the pusher cylinder is coupled to the linear-to-rotary motion converter so that the linear motion of the piston assembly results in corresponding arcuate motion of the pusher cylinder.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 181 words

An apparatus for arcuately moving a pusher cylinder to move at least one article from a dead plate onto a moving conveyor comprising: a motor responsive to control signals; a control means for producing said control signals to move the output shaft of said motor according to a predetermined velocity profile; a threaded shaft rotated by said motor; a piston and cylinder assembly, fluidically activated to move the piston in opposite first and second directions, said piston being drivingly coupled to a linear-to-rotary motion converter; a control nut in threaded engagement with said threaded shaft, which is longitudinally moved by the rotation of the shaft in the first and second directions, said control nut being non-rotatably mounted relative to said piston and cylinder assembly so as to contiguously engage said piston to limit its motion in the first direction, and to disengage said piston to permit free motion in the second direction; wherein the pusher cylinder is coupled to the linear-to-rotary motion converter so that the linear motion of the piston assembly results in corresponding arcuate motion of the pusher cylinder.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 56 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the linear-to-rotary motion converter comprises: a helically splined member fixed to said piston to move therewith; a splined hub means in complementary engagement with said splined surface and for being arcuately moved thereby; a mounting plate secured to said hub means, said mounting plate for supporting said pusher cylinder.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 18 words

An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said helically splined member is an integral part of said piston.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 33 words

An apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising: means for sensing a predetermined position of said control nut relative to said threaded shaft, said sensing means being operatively connected to said control means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 116 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising: an annular flange coaxially aligned with said piston and secured thereto, said flange for abutting one side of said control nut upon motion secured to said supporting structure at a plurality of angular positions with respect thereto, and wherein said first fluidic passage further comprises a third and fourth fluidic passage, said third fluidic passage being fixed relative to said turntable and said fourth fluidic passage being fixed relative to said supporting structure, one of said third or fourth fluidic passages having a substantially arcuate shape along the interface of said turntable and supporting structure to enable operative engagement therebetween along a predetermined range of said angular positions.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 135 words

An apparatus for providing controlled motion of a mechanism in a glassware forming machine, comprising: a motor; a threaded shaft rotated by said motor; a piston and cylinder assembly, fluidically activated to move the piston in opposite first and second directions; a control nut in threaded engagement with said threaded shaft, which is longitudinally moved by the rotation of the shaft in the first and second directions, said control nut being non-rotatably mounted relative to said piston and cylinder assembly so as to contiguously engage said piston to limit its motion in the first direction, and to disengage said piston to permit free motion in the second direction, and a motion converter assembly for linking the piston to the mechanism and converting the linear motion of the piston to a desired motion of the mechanism.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 135 words

An apparatus for providing controlled motion of a mechanism in a glassware forming machine, comprising: a motor; a threaded shaft rotated by said motor; a piston and cylinder assembly, fluidically activated to move the piston in opposite first and second directions; a control nut in threaded engagement with said threaded shaft, which is longitudinally moved by the rotation of the shaft in the first and second directions, said control nut being non-rotatably mounted relative to said piston and cylinder assembly so as to contiguously engage said piston to limit its motion in the first direction, and to disengage said piston to permit free motion in the second direction, and a motion converter assembly for linking the piston to the mechanism and converting the linear motion of the piston to a desired motion of the mechanism.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-12-09	1989-06-10	1989-12-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-12-09	1993-06-10	1993-12-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-12-09	1997-06-10	1997-12-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electro-pneumatic actuator for glassware forming machine

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