Abstract: Apparatuses for making a laminated glass ribbon may include an upper forming body including an outer forming surface bounded by a pair of upper dams, and a lower forming body disposed downstream of the upper forming body and including an outer forming surface spaced from the outer forming surface of the upper forming body by an interior gap. An edge guide may be disposed along an interior upper dam wall and spaced apart in the interior gap from the lower forming body. Surfaces exterior to the outer forming surfaces of the upper and lower forming bodies may abut and be joined. A formed glass ribbon having a core glass layer and a pair of clad glass layers may include inner and outer portions that have substantially equal thickness ratios based on a glass core layer thickness compared to a combined glass cladding layer thickness in each portion.

Abstract: In a glass-ribbon conveyance assisting device which is applied to a glass-ribbon conveyance device configured to convey a glass ribbon on a plurality of rotating glass-conveyance rolls, the glass-ribbon conveyance assisting device includes a rotary drive section, a plurality of rolls configured to be rotated by the rotary drive section, an annular belt configured to rotate while running with flexion under a state where the rolls have been inserted into the belt, and a wheel configured to press the glass ribbon which is conveyed on the belt. The glass ribbon is conveyed on the belt by a drive of the belt under a state where width-directional both end portions of the glass ribbon are sandwiched between the belt and the wheel.

Abstract: A nozzle housing assembly, which is used in a convection heating furnace for a heat treatable glass sheet. The nozzle housing assembly comprises an elongated enclosure, at least one elongated heating resistance in the enclosure for heating convection air, and orifices in a bottom surface of the enclosure for blasting heated convection air against the glass sheet. The enclosure is divided with a flow-throttling partition into a top supply duct and a bottom nozzle box, the heating resistances being housed in the latter. Flow-throttling openings present in the partition are positioned to comply with the location and shape of the heating resistances.

Abstract: A glass manufacturing apparatus comprises a forming device configured to produce a glass ribbon and a control device configured to independently operate a first pull roll apparatus and a second pull roll apparatus such that at least one of a first upstream pair of draw rolls rotates with a substantially constant torque and at least one of a first downstream pair of draw rolls rotates with a substantially constant angular velocity. In further examples, methods of manufacturing a glass ribbon are provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for drawing a glass ribbon including a shroud surrounding the glass ribbon and an edge roll that penetrates the shroud to contact the glass ribbon. The apparatus includes regulating a pressure within the seal assembly to be equal to or less than a pressure within the shroud and prevent ingress of relatively cooler outside gas into the hot interior of the shroud. The edge roll utilizes an air bearing to minimize friction that can produce periodic fluctuation of the ribbon as the edge roll is displaces in response to variations in the ribbon thickness or equipment dimensions.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus (1) for manufacturing a glass sheet, which has such a structure that a pair of cooling rollers (5) sandwich, from both front and back sides of a glass ribbon (G), each end portion (Ga) in a width direction of the glass ribbon (G) that is produced by causing molten glass (g) to flow down from a forming trough (3), and a roller shaft (5a) of each of the pair of cooling rollers (5) is arrayed so as to extend from a center side to each end side in the width direction of the glass ribbon (G), in which each of the pair of cooling rollers (5) catches the glass ribbon (G) on an outer peripheral surface thereof, to thereby inhibit contraction in the width direction of the glass ribbon (G).

Abstract: The present invention discloses improved apparatuses for forming sheet glass. In one embodiment, the invention introduces a structural web that supports the forming structure in a manner such that the thermal creep which inevitably occurs has a minimum impact on the glass flow characteristics of the forming structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for drawing a glass ribbon including a forming body having an edge director attached thereto, and an edge roll assembly disposed below the edge director, the edge roll assembly comprising a contact member coupled to the edge roller shaft and a thermal shroud disposed about the shaft to reduce heat loss from the edge director. A method of drawing glass using the edge roll assembly is also described.

Abstract: The thin flat glass substrate, especially for display engineering, has a thickness of less than 1.5 mm, a length of at least 1800 mm, a width of at least 1800 mm and a difference between a smallest thickness and largest thickness of less than 50 ?m. The float glass process for making the improved flat glass substrate provides flags (9) in the molten metal bath in the hot-spread region on both sides of the forming glass sheet, to minimize the variation in thickness of the thin flat glass substrate formed by the process.

Abstract: The present invention discloses improved apparatuses for forming sheet glass. In one embodiment, the invention introduces a structural web that supports the forming structure in a manner such that the thermal creep which inevitably occurs has a minimum impact on the glass flow characteristics of the forming structure.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for balancing the mass flow rate of molten glass flowing over a forming body to form a glass ribbon. The apparatus comprises upper and lower transition members that surround the glass ribbon as the glass ribbon is drawn from the forming body. The upper and lower transition members are independently moveable, and separated by a gap less than 8 cm across. The narrow gap minimizes disruption to the thermal environment contained within the upper and lower transition members, and is positioned a sufficient distance above the setting zone of the ribbon to minimize any influence on the dimensional consistency of the ribbon.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a float glass, including a float bath for storing a molten metal on which a molten glass flows, wherein the molten metal flows in the float bath, comprises a discharge slot having substantially the same size as width of the molten glass to discharge a molten metal crashing against a wall of a downstream end of the float bath and dross floating on the molten metal, and formed through the wall substantially parallel to a traveling direction of the molten glass; connecting channels for communicating the discharge slot with both sides of the float bath; and dross collecting members for collecting the dross.

Abstract: A stabilizing system is described herein that reinforces a bowed profile of a downward moving glass sheet which helps to reduce the creation of stress within the glass sheet. In another embodiment, the stabilizing system can also form a rigid zone within the glass sheet which blocks or dampens any disturbances (motion) to the glass sheet that is caused by the scoring and separating of the glass sheet from transferring up the glass sheet. In yet another embodiment, the stabilizing system can also flatten the glass sheet before the scoring and separating of the glass sheet which is desirable because it enables a laser scoring mechanism to cut the glass sheet with the required edge straightness and avoids having to perform another precision cutting process.

Abstract: In a vertical glass drawing process, an edge guiding assembly (33) located between a glass forming apparatus (41) and a glass sheet separating apparatus (20) reduces horizontal motion of the glass ribbon (13) from which the glass sheets (11) are removed and results in the reduction of the difference in stress levels between the top and bottom edges of a glass sheet (11) made by the process. The edge guiding assembly also provides a reduction of the variation of stress levels between successive sheets of glass made by the vertical drawing process.

Abstract: Provided is a glass ribbon producing apparatus (1), which feeds molten glass (Y) to a forming member (3), and causes the molten glass (Y) to flow downward from the forming member (3) to form a sheet-like glass ribbon (G), including guiding portion (6) which is disposed on a transport route, for the glass ribbon (G) caused to flow downward, and has a gap with a dimension larger than a sheet thickness of each of both widthwide end portions in a thickness direction of the glass ribbon (G) for guiding only the widthwide end portions of the glass ribbon (G) within a range of the gap.

Abstract: In the formation of sheet glass by the overflow downdraw process, the width of usable sheet glass is maximized by downwardly flowing edge portions of the sheet over web-like members and thereafter over extensions which intersect with and are downwardly inclined relative to the web-like members to thin edge portions of the glass flow and maintain sheet width. The extension members are preferably removably attached to the web-like members, greatly facilitating replacement of the more easily damaged extension members.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described, with which individual rectangular glass panes of thickness between 0.03 mm and 2 mm can be cut from a glass band (2) drawn vertically from a hot forming device (1) in an in-line process with reduced rejects and reduced waste. The method provides that the glass band (2) drawn vertically downward through a vertical zone is cooled below a lower cooling point of the glass and subsequently is deflected through a bending zone (3b) with a bending radius between 0.1 m and 4 m into a horizontal zone (3c) in which it is horizontally oriented. The vertical alignment of the glass band (2) in the vertical zone (3a) is continuously monitored. At least one cutting process is performed on the horizontally oriented glass band (2) in the horizontal zone (3c). The device (20) for monitoring the vertical alignment of the glass band (2) includes at least three sensors (22a, 22b, 22c; 22a′, 22b′, 22c′) that detect the glass edges These sensors can be mechanical rollers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for making ornamental glass. A molten glass mixture, formed into a continuous plastic sheet, is subjected to a single or multiple bilateral stretching before being annealed.

Abstract: An apparatus for sealing between edge control machines and forming chamber sidewalls is disclosed. The invention comprises collar means mounted surrounding the barrel of the edge control machine, alignment means fastened to the edge control machine for maintaining the collar aligned with the barrel of the edge control machine, and a flexible sleeve between the collar and the forming chamber sidewall.

Abstract: A sheet of molten glass issuing from an overflow channel is supplied to the molten metal bath used in the formation of float glass. The overflow channel is positioned adjacent one end of such bath transversely of the longitudinal extent thereof, and the overflow channel is fed at one end thereof with homogeneous glass which has been thoroughly stirred and homogenized within a forehearth immediately adjacent the inlet end of such overflow channel, so that the resulting sheet may be attenuated without detrimental surface streak or ridges due to internal striae or cord which detrimentally affect the optical quality of the sheet.

Abstract: Thermal convection currents in the headspace above a body of glass being formed into a continuous sheet of glass while supported on molten metal are controlled to prevent the development of surface distortion patterns in the upper surface of the glass being formed. This is accomplished by establishing a series of small convection cells at least adjacent the upper surface of the glass so that the characteristic convective cooling rate for the glass in the forming chamber is substantially diminished, particularly near the inlet end of the forming chamber.