Abstract: An apparatus for use with an electric furnace for supporting an electrode and insulating such electrode from an electrode jack associated therewith. The subject apparatus comprises a top support member which is adapted to support an electrode, a bottom support member which is adapted to be attached to an electrode jack, and insulation means disposed between the top and bottom support members. In a preferred embodiment the apparatus also includes means for holding the electric wires associated with the electrode.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for controlling the thickness of a blanket of batch floating on a body of molten glass in a glass melting furnace comprising feeding batch to the surface of the blanket of batch, sensing the radiation reflected from a sidewall of the furnace above the blanket of batch and controlling the feed rate of the batch in response to the sensed radiation to maintain the blanket of batch at a predetermined thickness.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for detecting the level of molten glass in a glass melting furnace comprising: positioning two members in the molten glass in the furnace; supplying a source of alternating current to the members; detecting the impedance of a circuit comprising the two members and the electrical connection therebetween through the molten glass; and generating a signal responsive to the detected impedance as an indication of the level of molten glass in the furnace.

Abstract: An apparatus for sensing the level of the glass batch in a glass-melting furnace. The apparatus comprises means for transmitting an ultrasonic signal toward the surface of the batch in the furnace, means for receiving the ultrasonic signal after it has been reflected by the surface of the batch, and means for distrubing a thermal inversion layer in the path of the ultrasonic signal in the gaseous medium between the means for transmitting and the surface of the batch. The means for transmitting, means for receiving and means for disturbing are positioned above the glass batch.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the simultaneous winding of glass strands into more than one package by sensing when a first package has reached a predetermined size, sensing when a second package has reached a predetermined size, determining when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after one of the packages has been sensed and increasing the distance between the packages and the strand guides when either both packages have been sensed or the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for detecting a ground on an electric furnace comprising connecting an electrode, which is located in the furnace, to ground potential and sensing the current flowing from the electrode to ground. The method and apparatus may also include comparing the sensed current with a first and second reference signal and actuating an appropriate alarm when the sensed current is greater than the first reference signal or less than the second reference signal and interrupting the electrical power to the furnace when the sensed current is greater than the first reference signal.

Abstract: A microprocessor-based system for controlling a product roving process employing a pair of substantially identical high speed creel assemblies each of which being adapted to operatively carry a plurality of strand-serving packages having individual fiberous strands of material wound thereon. The individual strands are served out and gathered into groups to be collected as a roving on a collet which is turned by a winding motor. The microprocessor system controls the speed and acceleration of the winding motor and the number of strands which are being wound to form a desired product package. The system provides for a plurality of standby strands which are available to be automatically inserted into the system when a break or "end out" condition occurs in any of the operating strands being wound.

Abstract: Some free water containing glass batch agglomerate formulations when attempted to be dried and heated in a vertical bed prior to being discharged to a glass melter for vitrification convert into large aggregates which cannot be suitably supplied to the melter. The present invention solves this process disabling aggregate formation by treating such agglomerates in a preconditioning chamber(s) prior to supplying them into a vertical bed so as to preclude serious aggregate formation in either the preconditioner or the vertical bed. Such treatment is employed in manufacturing glass with a fossil fuel fired melter or an electrically operated melter.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for preconditioning and preheating pellets of glass batch prior to heating and melting them in a furnace. Components of glass batch are mixed together and combined with water to form agglomerates, e.g., pellets. These agglomerates are supplied to a hopper through which hot combustion gases are passed and they are preheated to an elevated temperature in the hopper prior to entering the melting furnace, thereby resulting in a savings of substantial amounts of energy. Moisture is removed from the agglomerate prior to their being supplied to the hopper; hence, the tendency for the agglomerates to adhere to one another and form aggregates, or clinkers, is substantially controlled. For that purpose, the agglomerates are collected in a preconditioner having receptacles located above the bed of agglomerates in the hopper with the hot gases also passing through the agglomerates in the receptacles after passing through the bed in the hopper.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring tension in linearly extended flexible material. The apparatus comprises: a support means; a first member having one end attached to the support means; means associated with the first member for engaging tensioned material to impart a bend thereto, thereby causing strain in the first member, such strain being produced by first and second moments, with the first and second moments being separate moments; and means associated with the engaging means for sensing the strain caused in the first member by only the first moment and for generating a signal responsive thereto as an indication of the tension in the material.

Abstract: A guide eye is provided for a filament or strand material. An electro optical control mounted on a guide, to detect the presence of a filament or strand material, has its focus on the inner surface of the guide eye closest to the sensor. The filament or strand material moving within the guide eye, causes light to reflect from the sensor light source to the light sensor creating a signal indicating the presence of filament or the strand.

Abstract: Where electrodes mounted in an electric melt furnace are inclined toward each other, the current distribution between the electrodes is the least in density in the region between the electrodes where the displacement is the widest, and increases in the region between the electrodes at the tips where the displacement is the narrowest. The maximum current density can be focused in a particular area, preferably toward the upper regions of the electric melt furnace where the batch is being melted to its liquid state. Additionally, the high density current is removed from the walls, and wear and tear on the refractory is thereby reduced. An alternate embodiment is to group a number of inclined electrodes and to excite each of the separate electrodes within the group from a separate phase of the power supply. This produces current paths between each of the inclined electrodes in the group, and is used after the furnace is cooled down and hot spots must be created to start the furnace up again.

Abstract: A glass melting furnace is divided into a number of heating zones. Each of the heating zones is connected to a common transformer output but is symmetrically tapped to the secondary of the transformer with respect to each of the other zones. In this way, the heating effect in the different zones can be balanced with each other. With a single transformer output, it is possible to introduce heating variances along the length of a flow channel or to produce voltage variations across different zones wherein the electrodes of each respective zone are of different spacing. Heat can be evenly developed along the length of the flow channel or in irregular spaces, such as corners or turns in the flow channel.

Abstract: A fuel injection system employs injectors having energizing coils and means for generating an actuating pulse to the injector. The system includes a correction means for applying a correction to the injector actuaing pulse to correct for the effect of at least one incidental system variable on the effective response of the injector to the actuating pulse. The incidental system variables are: the impedance of the energizng coil, the specific resistance of the wire used in the coil and the voltage supply in the fuel injection system. The correction means may be a constant current source drivng an output transistor biased to operate in a proportional conduction region.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for a spark ignited, internal combustion engine employs sensors which measure engine operating parameters to control the duration of actuating pulses applied to at least one fuel injector. One of the sensors measures engine temperature and the pulse duration is increased at lower engine temperatures to compensate for the lower volatility of the fuel at such lower temperatures. The output of a manifold vacuum sensor is differentiated to derive a signal proportional to the rate of increase of engine load and that is used in combination with the engine temperature sensor to increase the duration of an injector actuating pulse in amounts proportional to the rate of increase of engine load. The amount of increase in duration of the pulse varies inversely with engine temperature.