Abstract: A method of forming a glass container including forming a glass container having a sidewall at least partially enclosing an interior volume, at least a portion of an interior surface of the sidewall having an interior surface layer; and contacting the glass container with a substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium to remove a thin layer of the interior surface layer having a thickness of from about 100 nm to about 1.0 ?m from the interior surface of the sidewall. The interior surface is resistant to delamination. Before contacting the glass container with the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium, the exterior surface of the sidewall comprises strength-limiting surface flaws having a first shape, and after the contacting the exterior surface of the sidewall with the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium, the strength-limiting surface flaws have a second shape.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved cooling of a veil of glass fibers by using a combination of nozzle assemblies. The nozzle assemblies include air caps of differing configurations to control the penetration of the spray into the veil. One suitable spray configuration is a nozzle assembly having punch air cap that creates a narrow exit angle, high velocity flow of droplets to penetrate the veil to cool the fibers at the interior. Another suitable configuration is a nozzle assembly having a flat air cap that creates a wide exit angle, low velocity, dispersed spray pattern to cool the exterior of the veil. Preferably, the flat air cap creates a very fine particle size to increase the cooling efficiency of the spray. By using the cooling ring of the present invention, lower levels of binder to be applied to the fibers and environmental emissions from the plant may be reduced.

Abstract: An optical element is manufactured by means of a mould by a replication technique including a mold that is manufactured from a ductile metal and is given a mold shape which corresponds to a pattern of sub-elements by means of a die having a die surface which corresponds to the optical sub-element and which is imprinted in the mold with a predetermined force in consecutive positions in accordance with the pattern. A workpiece holder fastened to the mold including a stepped chamber which is displaceable relative to the workpiece holder by a positioning device. The die surface imprints the sub-shape in the mold with a predetermined force substantially independent of a position occupied by the die during imprinting. The predetermined force plastically deforms the ductile metal exclusively at the area of the surface contact between the mold and the die.

Abstract: A situation where glass chip produced as a result of breakage of waste glass sheets floats in a cutting chamber when the waste glass sheets produced in glass sheet producing steps are collected is suppressed. Provided is a glass sheet production installation (1), in which a sheetshaped glass ribbon (B) is formed by supplying molten glass (A) into a forming body (2) and causing the molten glass (A) to flow downward on a conveyance path extending in an upper and lower direction from the forming body (2), and the glass ribbon (B) is cut into a predetermined dimension in a cutting chamber (6) provided on the conveyance path so that glass substrates (C) are produced.

Abstract: Methods of reinforcing a fibrous roller cladding material, reinforced roller cladding materials and clad lehr rollers wherein the cladding comprises a reinforced fibrous material are disclosed. The roller cladding material, which comprises a fiber board, is reinforced by a method comprising firstly contacting the cladding material with a fluid medium comprising a reinforcing agent whereby fluid is absorbed by the cladding material, and secondly, drying the cladding until the surface of the cladding is dry to the touch, characterized in that the reinforcing agent comprises a compound of phosphorus or a compound of boron. Roller cladding materials reinforced according to the methods disclosed have an improved resistance to cullet damage. The reinforced roller cladding material may be used as the cladding of a clad lehr roller, of the type used for example to convey flat glass in sheet or ribbon form.

Abstract: A filament forming apparatus has a bushing that includes a high palladium content screen along with structural components and non-structural components. The structural components are formed of a first material having a high creep strength and the ability to withstand corrosive effects of molten mineral materials. The non-structural components are formed of at least a second material that is different from the first material.

Abstract: In a glassware molding machine, the half-molds of a mold are moved between an open position and a closed position and cooled by an actuating and cooling assembly having a fixed supporting structure and, for each half-mold, a respective supporting and actuating arm fitted to the relative half-mold and hinged to the fixed supporting structure to rotate about a fixed hinge axis; each supporting arm internally defining a chamber communicating with a ring of cooling conduits formed through the half-molds, and the chamber having an inlet formed through an outer lateral wall of the supporting arm to receive cooling air from a compressed-air tank of the machine.

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for cutting at least one continuously conveyed rod into rod-shaped articles of variable length, in particular cigarettes, filters or the like, including a cutting device, a counter-support and displacing devices for the cutting device and the counter-support for varying the cut length of the articles, which is characterized in that the displacing devices for the cutting device and the counter-support are coupled together to make a functional connection. Furthermore, the invention concerns a corresponding method which is characterized in that, to alter the length of the articles to be cut off the rod, only one component is displaced, namely optionally the cutting device or the counter-support, and the other component is automatically displaced with it as a function of the displaced component.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a process for producing a synthetic quartz glass while taking account of a refractive index distribution remaining in the synthetic quartz glass; a jig for use in the synthetic-quartz-glass production process; and a synthetic quartz glass for an optical member, produced by the process.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating glass sheets (13) are provided in which the sheets are cut from a glass ribbon (15) composed of a glass having a setting zone temperature range (SZTR). As the glass is drawn, it passes through the SZTR (31) and an across-the-ribbon temperature distribution is produced at least one longitudinal position along the ribbon to compensate for in-plane stress induced in the sheets (13) when flattened. Through such thermal compensation, glass sheets (13) are produced which exhibit controlled levels of distortion when cut into sub-pieces and thus are suitable for use as substrates in the manufacture of, for example, flat panel displays, e.g., LCD displays.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention relate to glass fiber forming bushings, to methods of controlling the temperature of bushings having multiple segments, to systems of controlling the temperature of bushings having multiple segments, and to other systems and methods. In one embodiment, a method of controlling the temperature of a bushing having multiple segments comprises forming a plurality of filaments from a bushing comprising at least two segments, gathering the filaments into at least two ends, measuring the size of each of the at least two ends, comparing the measured size of the at least two ends to a desired end size, adjusting the amount of current passing through the at least two bushing segments in response to the end size comparisons.

Abstract: A filament forming apparatus has a bushing that includes structural components and non-structural components. The structural components are formed of a first material having a high creep strength and the ability to withstand corrosive effects of molten mineral materials. The non-structural components are formed of at least a second material that is different from the first material.

Abstract: To optimize an optical component of synthetic quartz glass, in the case of which a quartz glass blank is subjected to a multistage annealing treatment, with respect to compaction and central birefringence, the present invention suggests a method comprising the following steps: (a) a first treatment phase during which the quartz glass blank is treated in an upper temperature range between 1130° C. and 1240° C., (b) cooling the quartz glass blank at a first-higher-mean cooling rate to a quenching temperature below 1100° C., a fictive temperature with a high mean value of 1100° C. or more being reached in the quartz glass, (c) a second treatment phase which comprises cooling of the quartz glass blank at a second-lower-mean cooling rate, and in which the quartz glass blank is treated in a lower temperature range between 950° C. and 1100° C. such that a fictive temperature is reached in the quartz glass with a low mean value which is at least 50° C.

Abstract: This invention relates to a stamper for optical disc and a method for manufacturing an optical disc by using this stamper. A photoresist is applied to a substrate (2) and this photoresist is exposed, developed and then transferred to form a disc master which has a recess/protrusion pattern formed on its one side. The one side of the disc master (20) is etched to narrow the width of a protruding part constituting the recess/protrusion pattern, and the recess/protrusion pattern of the disc master (20) with the reduced width of the protruding part is transferred to form a stamper (30). The recess/protrusion pattern provided on the stamper (30) is transferred to form a predetermined pattern on a substrate of an optical disc.

Abstract: A glass-shaping mold includes a steel base member, and a crystallized, machined layer, an intermediate layer and a mold-releasing layer which are sequentially formed on the base member. The machined layer is a layer of nickel alloy containing phosphorus. The intermediate layer is a layer formed of chromium, nickel, copper or cobalt. Alternatively, the intermediate layer is a layer of an alloy layer containing at least one of these elements. The mold-releasing layer is a layer of an alloy containing iridium and rhenium.

Abstract: A method of forming a glass melt, including measuring predetermined amounts of raw materials to define a glass batch, combining predetermined amounts of sources of silica, calcia and boron from the glass batch to yield a first pre-batch, substantially consolidating the first pre-batch into first pre-batch granules, combining predetermined amounts of sources of silica, calcia, and alumina from the glass batch to yield a second pre-batch, mixing the first and second pre-batches and any remaining portion of the glass batch to yield a batch mixture, and heating the batch mixture to yield a glass melt. Typically, the raw materials at least include sources of silica, alumina, calcia and boron and each respective first pre-batch granule defines a cohesive agglomerate.

Abstract: The method of continuously producing flat glass includes rolling a fluid glass sheet between upper and lower shaping rollers to shape and calibrate the glass sheet, generating a respective gas cushion between the fluid glass sheet and each shaping roller from a liquid, controlling the pressure of the gas cushion between the fluid glass sheet and the upper shaping roller to completely prevent contact of the glass sheet with the upper shaping roller, controlling the pressure of the gas cushion between the fluid glass sheet and the lower shaping roller to form a linear contact area between the fluid glass sheet and the lower shaping roller and controlling the contact area width according to speed and viscosity of the glass sheet in order to transport it without slipping and reduce cooling path length.

Abstract: A process and a device for pushing hollow glass objects off a glass forming machine onto a moving conveyor belt are disclosed. Each hollow glass object is pushed by a push-off unit from a dead plate along a curved path onto the conveyor belt in such a way that the curved path is brought tangentially to a contact point in a movement direction of the conveyor belt. Subsequent to the contact point each hollow glass object is pushed further by the push-off unit by a further linear path portion in the movement direction of the conveyor belt as far as a release point at which the push-off unit is released from the hollow glass object. The push-off unit is then moved back to dead plate.

Abstract: A vacuum valve for use with a blow mold in an I.S. machine. When the blow molds close around a parison, vacuum is applied to the wall of the blow mold. At some time following the application of the vacuum, final blow will occur blowing the parison into a bottle. This vacuum will be applied until the parison has been blown into a bottle. During the period during which vacuum is applied but final blow has not started, vacuum is reduced by operating a needle valve in the vacuum line.

Abstract: A reconstituted tobacco material incorporates an exogenous tocopherol or derivative thereof, such as in the amount of at least about 0.1 weight percent. A tobacco blend can be formed by combining reconstituted tobacco material incorporating such an additive with one or more additional tobacco materials, such as burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco, and flue-cured tobacco. A smoking article, such as a cigarette, contains such a reconstituted tobacco, as part of the smokable material, as part of tobacco paper wrapping material, or as part of a reconstituted tobacco-containing filter element. The invention also provides a method of forming reconstituted tobacco material wherein a tocopherol or derivative thereof is added to the tobacco material, either by adding the tocopherol to an aqueous extract or water insoluble pulp formed during the reconstituted tobacco process or by adding the tocopherol to the solid reconstituted tobacco sheet after the aqueous extract and pulp are recombined.