Patent · US Expired

Support and actuating mechanism for mold support assembly used for heated glass sheet forming

US5900034A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
28References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 20, 1997
Grant dateMay 4, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 20, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC03B2225/02
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A support and actuating mechanism (30) includes an actuator (244) mounted adjacent a vertical post (242) of a framework (236) and also includes a plurality of connectors (246) extending from the actuator to a mold support assembly (28) located within a heated chamber (22) of a housing (20) to perform forming of heated glass sheets. Each connector (246) includes a vertical connector rod (248) that extends upwardly from the actuator, an upper pivot link (254) connected to the vertical connector rod (248) and to a horizontal connector rod (258), a sector wheel (264) connected to the horizontal connector rod (258), and a flexible member (268) that extends from the sector wheel (264) to a mold support rod (270) that supports the mold support assembly (28) to provide vertical movement thereof under the operation of the actuator. The sector wheels (264) are preferably constructed as sprockets and the flexible members (268) are chains received by the sprockets. The actuator (244) includes a counterbalance (272) that includes a gas cylinder (274) and a pressurized gas reservoir (280).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.