Forming glass containers from tubular parisons
A method and apparatus for forming a glass parison are disclosed. The method of forming a glass container in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure includes flowing molten glass to a glass feeder spout located immediately upstream of die rollers; feeding molten glass through an annular space established between an orifice ring of the glass feeder spout and a plunger of the glass feeder spout; blowing gas through the plunger into the molten glass to form a continuous tube of molten glass; and die rolling the continuous tube into a continuous string of glass containers.
1. A method of forming a glass container, comprising:
flowing molten glass to a glass feeder spout located immediately upstream of die rollers;
feeding molten glass through an annular space established between an orifice ring of the glass feeder spout and a plunger of the glass feeder spout;
blowing gas through the plunger into the molten glass to form a continuous tube of the molten glass; and
die rolling the continuous tube into a continuous string of glass containers;
wherein each glass container of the continuous string of glass containers includes at least one open end.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die rollers include polyhedrons carrying one cavity on each face.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die rollers include polyhedrons carrying more than one cavity on each face.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die rollers include two die rollers.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die rollers include at least two sets of die rollers.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein feeding the molten glass through the annular space includes using the plunger to propel the molten glass.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plunger includes a blow conduit.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein die rolling the continuous tube includes forming a seal on a bottom of each glass container.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying vacuum through the die rollers to assist with shaping the containers; and
cooling the die rollers by rolling them through a liquid bath.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the vacuum is applied to at least one of the at least two die rollers through a stationary vacuum manifold such that the vacuum is applied to a first respective cavity of a first respective face of the at least one of the die rollers at a different time than the vacuum is applied to a second respective cavity of a second respective face of the at least one of the die rollers.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the applying vacuum step includes applying the vacuum via vacuum hoses, each respective vacuum hose coupled to a respective opening in the die rollers, the respective opening corresponding to a respective cavity on a respective face of each die of the die rollers.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
severing the continuous string of glass containers into individual glass containers.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the orifice ring includes a heating mechanism.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
cooling the die rollers by directing a heat exchange medium toward the die rollers via a discharge device.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the discharge device is a spray nozzle.
16. The method of claim 13 , where in the discharge device is a pipe, whereby the heat exchange medium exits the pipe as a waterfall.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die rollers are located below the glass feeder spout to receive the continuous tube as it flows downwardly from the glass feeder spout.