To best understand component drawings, how different closures may fit with the glass you are selecting, and how to identify defects in your glass, it is helpful to know the following terms.
Finish #
Above the neck parting line, the finish is shaped to fit the closure. The sealing mechanism, like the thread for a screw closure, is in the finish. The finish also includes the land, or sealing surface, as well as the collar. The finish is referred to separately from each other section of the bottle because it is molded separately (either first or last).
- Land: The sealing surface of the component
- Collar, Bead, or Neck Ring: For transferring the parison of molten glass into the mold.
- Sealing Mechanism: Glass can be sealed with closure from the top of the land (thread, lug), side of the finish (snap cap), or inside (cork).
Molding Marks #
Where the mold joins around the glass component, there will be seams, or parting lines. These include:
- Neck Parting Line: Between the finish and the shoulder, there is a seam. This parting line shows where the finish and body mold join.
- Mold Parting Line: The parting line on the bottom plate, where the blow mold meets the bottom of the container.
- Mold Seam: The seam along the side of the component, where the two halves of the mold join.
Bottom #
The bottom of the component is what holds the bottle or jar standing up. This includes the push-up, base, and heel.
- Base: The base must be even to hold the component upright. As glass is cooled, decorated, filled and handled, the base is the resting surface. Because of this, you will typically see the base as having a textured finish. The textured finish helps to mask scratching that occurs during the component’s life.
- Heel: Where the body turns to base. The heel is usually a high abuse area.
- Push-up: To allow a flat base on the outer edge and provide steadiness, the bottom of glass components are concave.
Other Parts #
- Neck: The neck of a glass component is where the diameter of the bottle shrinks to meet the finish. This part falls below the finish, and above the shoulder.
- Shoulder: The shoulder merges the body of the bottle with the neck.
- Body: Below the shoulder, above the bottom.
- Decoration Lug or Registration Mark: A raised (or recessed) mark on heel or body of bottle that allows automatic decoration equipment to consistently lay decoration in the same place, without manual alignment.
