Abstract: Fiber is drawn from a preform comprising a silica body, e.g., a sol-gel derived overcladding or substrate tube. Prior to sintering, the body is treated with a gaseous mixture containing one or more non-oxygenated sulfur halides, to remove and/or reduce the size of refractory oxide particles, and/or dehydroxylate the body. Removal of metal oxide particles or reduction in their size contributes to drawing of optical fiber exhibiting desirable strength, since such particles act as initiation sites for breakage. Advantageously, the halides include sulfur chlorides, which provide desirable improvements compared to treatment by oxygenated sulfur chlorides such as thionyl chloride (SOCl2).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing an optical fiber preform from a tube of vitreous material. A holding device holds the tube during manufacture of the preform and a heater supplies the necessary heat energy for preform manufacturing. A diffuser is disposed adjacently to an end of the tube of vitreous material to trap and diffuse light radiation generated in the tube by the heater. The invention can be used in an apparatus for drawing an optical fiber from a preform. The diffuser traps and diffuses light radiation generated in the optical fiber preform by a fiber drawing oven.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are described for forming glass fibers which utilizes a rotating melter for the fiber glass batch materials and stators which house the fiber forming bushings. The stators are encompassed by the rotating melter, but not physically touching it. The glass melt flows directly from the melter to the bushings in the stators and temperatures at the bushings are controlled by raising or lowering the stator with respect to the melter, the bushings being devoid of any electrical energy input as is conventionally practiced.

Abstract: Gobs of molten glass fall in succession into a scoop which can be swivelled about a vertical axis and which supplies gobs to a delivery system, for example, of an I.S. glassware forming machine. The gobs travel along a path of movement from the scoop to a trough in free flight and to a deflector which is downwardly curved. The deflector delivers the gobs so that their longitudinal axis lies coaxially with respect to the longitudinal axis of a mold which is to be charged. The trough has its upper end supported by means of a universal joint. The lower end of the trough is guided in a vertical chute of the deflector and can be raised and lowered by means of an adjustment device.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a preform for drawing into an optical fibre comprises positioning a rod within a sleeving tube therefor to form an assembly in which there is an annular space between the rod and tube, and collapsing the tube onto the rod to form a solid cross-section preform. The collapsing step comprises sealingly closing the annular space at one end of the assembly and applying suction to the annular space from the other end of the assembly. The annular space at the one end is sealingly closed by locating the end of the tube at the one end on an annular rib of the rod and fusing the tube end to the rib.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method of increasing the attachment bond strength between a first and second object comprising respective first and second materials. Each of the first and second materials has a respective first coefficient of thermal expansion at an assembly temperature, and a second coefficient of thermal expansion at an operational temperature. The method has various steps (FIG. 4). An attachment surface of the first material is configured to be nonplanar (FIG. 3a, 36, 37). The second material is brought to a contact point with the attachment surface of the first material (FIG. 3b, 46). The first and second materials are heated at the contact point to the assembly temperature whereby at least one of the materials is caused to flow in response to the heat.

Abstract: A holder for annealing a fiber optic coil uses a silica ring on a silica substrate, or silica tubular coil, either of which may be directly incorporated into a coil subassembly for a Faraday-effect current sensor. The ring may be formed in a silica plate by sandblasting or grinding, or formed separately and adhered to the plate. In the tubular holder embodiment, silica tubes and sleeves are used to protect fusion splices between the ends of the fiber coil and polarizing fibers. Use of silica for most of the subassembly components matches the coefficients of thermal expansion of the subassembly to that of the fiber coil, and also allows the coil to be annealed at extremely high temperatures. Annealing yields fiber coils of lowered birefringence, particularly when used with spun fibers. Ferrules are used to adjust the angular orientation of the fibers with respect to their planes of polarization.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, the index of refraction of a region of a glass body is selectively increased by treating the material with hydrogen and then simultaneously applying heat and actinic radiation to the region. Preferably the body is heated to a temperature in excess of 150.degree. C. and the heat and radiation are simultaneously applied. The result is a substantial and long-lived increase in excess of 5.times.10.sup.-5 in the refractive index of the irradiated region. This process can be used to make and adjust a variety of optical waveguide devices such as photoinduced Bragg gratings.

Abstract: Apparatus for making dual component fibers is provided and includes a spinner having a peripheral wall. The spinner includes orifices located on the peripheral wall thereof for centrifuging the dual component fibers, with the spinner being divided into a series of compartments by baffles positioned circumferentially around the interior of the peripheral wall. The baffles are positioned at an angle of from about 5.degree. to about 75.degree. from vertical, and most preferably about 45.degree. from vertical. The number of orifices on the spinner peripheral wall can thus be increased to increase the throughput of fibers from the spinner while still maintaining a minimum required spacing between orifices for the structural integrity of the spinner.

Abstract: A mold for use for press-molding an optical element, in which a molding surface of a mold base material is coated with a hard carbon film containing 0-5 atom% of hydrogen. It has a spin density of 1.times.10.sup.18 spin/cm.sup.3 or less and a film density of at least 1.5 g/cm.sup.3.

Abstract: A coater assembly includes a feed pump and a return pump for circulating a liquid coating material through a doctor reservoir for applying protective or decorative coating material to freshly printed sheets in an offset rotary printing press. A portable console control unit includes circulation and wash-up components for operating the coater in a PURGE/replenishment mode, a COAT mode, a WASH mode and a DRAIN mode. The components for pumping and valving the coating liquid and cleaning liquid are integrated within the portable console unit, which may be remotely located with respect to the press. Cleaning liquid and waste materials are stored internally within the portable console unit. The various operating modes are coordinated by two position, three-port flow control valves which are actuated from one position to the other by electrical solenoids under the control of ON-OFF switches.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for blowing off excessive coating material, especially fluid zinc or aluminium, in the coating of metal bands. The device comprises a blowing off jet impinged on compressed air, of which the jet bodies 3,4 are fixed at a base body 1. The jet lips 3,4 adjustable against each other form a jet slit 10 extending in transverse direction of the metal band. For optimizing an adaption of the slit thickness respectively the pressure of the blowing off medium along the band width it is provided to build the blowing off jet as a jet row, providing in transverse direction of the band at least two partial jets 2 to impinge seperately on a blowing off medium, especially compressed air, sealed against each other, of which the respective partial slits are adjacent forming a continuous jet slit (10).

Abstract: Halide glass articles, e.g. rods, tubes and preforms for making fluoride glass fibres, are prepared by melting and/or casting the articles under a low pressure, e.g. 0.01 to 500 mbars and, during the low pressure regime, a gas flow rate of between 0.01 to 100 liters/min (measured at NTP) is maintained. It has been found that subjecting the melts to a low pressure reduces the attenuation of the fibre which eventually results from the melts.

Abstract: A device for regulating the thickness of a metal deposit formed on a strip emerging from a galvanization bath, comprising at least one nozzle for blowing air provided between the opposite, narrowly spaced ends of two jars. The air knife forming slot is delimited by two flat, parallel faces defining the direction of the air blade, one of these faces being provided on a deformable lip extending inside a hollow provided at the end of a first jaw and being slidable along a flat retaining face substantially perpendicular to the direction of the air knife and deforming the flat face by the action of an arrangement to adjust the width of the slot.

Abstract: A method for forming a glass preform into an optical element utilizing a formation chamber having a central axis and including a plurality of glass preform heaters, a plurality of glass preform pressing molds, and a conveyor, an exchanging chamber and a controller, comprises the steps of providing the heaters and the pressing molds along a circular path substantially concentric with the formation chamber and providing the conveyor to rotate coaxially with the central axis of the formation chamber. The operating condition of the heater is detected, the glass preform is conveyed from the exchanging chamber to a heater based on the detected condition of the heaters, and the glass preform is heated.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for preparing an improved bioreactive material of the glass or partially crystallized glass type for bone prostheses or dental implants, which can be welded to bone tissue by chemical bonding. The material consisting essentially of, by weight, 5 to 14% Na.sub.2 O, 0 to 12% P.sub.2 O.sub.5, 49 to 57% SiO.sub.2, and balance, no more than 33% CaO+CaF.sub.2, the material containing 0.5 to 7% CaF.sub.2, and is prepared by a method comprising the steps of preparing a mixture of powders constituting a precursor of the material made of carbonates, phosphates, silica, oxides and fluorides, melting, homogenizing, casting and cooling the mixture to obtain an intermediate, non-crystallized glass, optionally annealing, and then grinding, either pressing the non-crystallized ground glass obtained cold to shape it, then sintering naturally or under a load after degassing, or sintering under a load directly after degassing, then cooling and optionally polishing or machining.

Abstract: A fluoride glass is prepared by depositing a solid including a metal fluoride on a heated substrate, from a gaseous mixture of a nonmetallo-organic compound, carbon dioxide, and a source of carbonyl fluoride. The nonmetallo-organic compound contains the metallic cation of the metal fluoride bonded to an organic species through an electronegative element such as oxygen, but not directly to a carbon atom. The carbon dioxide, or optionally another species reactive with carbon to produce a gas, oxidizes solid carbon and other reduction products of the organic compound that could otherwise be present in the deposited metal fluoride to impair optical properties of the fluoride glass. The carbonyl fluoride, supplied by the gas itself or by reactants that produce the gas, reacts with the nonmetallo-organic compound without producing water, which would otherwise degrade the glass purity.

Abstract: An integrated process for utilizing waste heat from a glass making furnace. The hot off-gas from the furnace is initially partially cooled, then fed to a reformer. In the reformer, the partially cooled off-gas is further cooled against a hydrocarbon which is thus reformed into a synthesis gas, which is then fed into the glass making furnace as a fuel. The further cooled off-gas is then recycled back to absorb the heat from the hot off-gas to perform the initial cooling.

Abstract: A takeout jaw .Iadd.assembly .Iaddend.for use in a bottle-forming machine .[.is formed in a semicircular shape and.]. contains a spring clip for holding immovably .[.a piece of.]. .Iadd.an arcuate, .Iaddend.non-metallic .[.contact material.]. .Iadd.takeout jaw insert .Iaddend.within .[.a.]. .Iadd.an arcuate .Iaddend.pocket in the body of the takeout jaw.