Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing glassware, in particular rotationally symmetrical glassware, such as a glass syringe, a glass carpule, a glass vial or a glass ampule, wherein the method comprises the steps of rotating a glass intermediate, in particular a glass tube, with a receptacle rotational speed about a receptacle rotational axis, rotating at least one forming roller with a roller rotational speed about a roller rotational axis, and displacing the at least one forming roller and the glass intermediate for shaping in a forming roller contact, from which the receptacle rotational axis is spaced in a radial direction about an intermediate radius and from which the roller rotational axis is spaced in a radial direction about a roller radius, wherein the ratio of the roller rotational speed to the receptacle rotational speed during the method is controlled as a function of the ratio of intermediate radius to roller radius.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for producing a tube of glass by zonewise heating and softening of a hollow cylinder by a movable heating zone while rotating about its rotation axis. The glass tube is continuously formed by radial expansion of the softened region under action of centrifugal force and/or internal overpressure applied in the hollow-cylinder bore. The method and apparatus make it possible to deform the hollow cylinder in a single or a small number of forming steps into a glass tube having a larger outer diameter and high dimensional accuracy by determining a circumferential position at which the wall thickness is comparatively small, and during heating and softening of the rotating hollow cylinder a coolant is dispensed from a coolant source onto the deformation zone only when or predominantly when the circumferential position having the comparatively small wall thickness passes the coolant source.

Abstract: A method of forming fused quartz glass is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a starting body made of fused quartz glass; (b) positioning the fused quartz glass starting body on a base plate; (c) inserting a first insert device into an interior cavity of the starting body to form an assembled structure; (d) heating the assembled structure to a predetermined temperature at which the fused quartz glass has a viscosity in a range of 105 to 1013 poise; and (e) deforming the fused quartz glass of the starting body at the predetermined temperature or in the viscosity range of 105 to 1013 poise around the first insert device to change a shape of the starting body. A method for making a large fused quartz glass vessel and a forming assembly for forming fused quartz glass are also provided.

Abstract: Methods of making a stub lens element and assemblies for coherence tomography (OCT) applications are disclosed. The method of making the stub lens element includes drawing a rod of optical material and processing the drawn rod to form a lens integrally connected to a stub section. The methods also include operably supporting an optical fiber and a stub lens element in a cooperative optical relationship to form a stub lens sub-assembly. The methods also include operably supporting the stub lens sub-assembly and a light-deflecting member in a cooperative optical relationship to form a probe optical assembly that has a folded optical path.

Abstract: A known method for producing a cylinder of quartz glass comprises a soot depositing process, in which SiO2 particles are deposited on an elongate carrier rotating about an axis of rotation with formation of a porous, hollow-cylindrical soot body, and a sintering process in which the soot body comprising an inner bore with inner wall, a longitudinal axis, an upper end and a lower end is held suspended in vertical orientation in a furnace, a holding element being provided for holding purposes, which projects from the upper end into the inner bore of the soot body and acts on a bearing provided in the inner bore.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for shaping a tubular object made of glass or glass ceramics or any other thermoplastic material, comprising the following method steps: the object is heated up to softening; an inner shaping tool and an outer shaping tool are provided for shaping the outside and inside jacket surface of the object, of which at least the inner shaping tool consists at least in the region of its shaping surface of open-pored material with a permeability of between 10?11 and 10?16 m2; a free-flowing pressurized medium is conducted through the open-pored material towards the surface of the object to be shaped; the inner shaping tool is introduced into the object; the outer shaping tool is applied on to the object in order to shape the same.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for shaping a tubular object made of glass or glass ceramics or any other thermoplastic material, comprising the following method steps: the object is heated up to softening; an inner shaping tool and an outer shaping tool are provided for shaping The outside and inside jacket surface of the object, of which at least the inner shaping tool consists at least in the region of its shaping surface of open-pored material with a permeability of between 10?11 and 10?16 m2; a free-flowing pressurized medium is conducted through the open-pored material towards the surface of the object to be shaped; the inner shaping tool is introduced into the object; the outer shaping tool is applied on to the object in order to shape the same

Abstract: Stress exerted on an inner or outer circumferential side of a glass tube 6 is controlled when a glass material 3 is heated and softened by a heating element 41 provided around the glass material 3 and a piercing plug 31 is relatively pressed into a softened region of the glass material 3 to thereby form the glass material 3 into the glass tube 6 gradually. For example, the control of the stress can be carried out by controlling an internal or external pressure of the glass tube 6. As a result, the deformation of the glass tube 6 just after piercing is prevented so that the glass tube 6 can be obtained with high quality. It is also possible to solve the problem that cracks may occur easily at the time of reheating because of residual stress distribution after cooling.

Abstract: A mold for shaping end portions of glass tubes has first and second mating members which define a contoured bore into which the heated tube fits. Each member has a longitudinal bore from which extend radial bores opening into the interior cavity of the mold containing the tube. Each member also has radial vent bores for venting gases and vapor to the outside. Each longitudinal bore is connected to a lubricant, such as water, supply, which is applied to the surface of the tube through the radial bores.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for shaping a tubular object made of glass or glass ceramics or any other thermoplastic material, comprising the following method steps:

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for making an article such as the body of a needleless injector capsule, from a formable material, such as glass, the article having a cavity communicating with the exterior via an orifice. A blank having an open end is mounted on a first forming tool, and the open end is engaged by a second forming tool while an end region of the blank adjacent the open end is in a condition to permit it to be formed. One of the tools has a pin extending therefrom, and when the tools are brought together to form the end region into the desired shape the pin defines the orifice.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the shape and position of a deformable object are described. At least a portion of an object is heated to a temperature sufficient to render the heated portion deformable by a force. An image profile of the heated portion of the object is obtained. A controller compares the image profile to a reference profile and produces an error image signal. Based on the error image signal, an instruction signal is generated. A force applicator responsive to the instruction signal applies a radial force to at least one distinct predetermined location on the heated portion of the object in response to the instruction signal to cause the heated portion of the object to conform to the reference profile. The invention is particularly useful in controlling the shape of an optical fiber preform.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for making an article such as the body of a needleless injector capsule, from a formable material, such as glass, the article having a cavity communicating with the exterior via an orifice. A blank (1a) having an open end is mounted on a first forming tool, and the open end is engaged by a second forming tool (22) while an end region of the blank (1a) adjacent the open end is in a condition to permit it to be formed. One of the tools (7a) has a pin (21) extending therefrom, and when the tools are brought together to form the end region into the desired shape of the pin (21) defines the orifice.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing an optical element capable of performing a molding temperature control required for a plurality of independent molding blocks in a short period of time, and continuously and simultaneously producing a plurality of different optical elements having a high degree of accuracy at a low cost is provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a decorative pattern on glassware having an edge that includes a base, a forming tool, actuation means and control means. The forming tool is mounted on the base. The tool is moveable between a first position and a second position. The tool engages the edge of the glassware at the second position to form the decorative pattern on the edge. The actuation and control means move the tool from the first position to the second position. The method of the invention includes the steps of (a) moving the glassware along a predetermined path; (b) heating the edge; and (c) engaging the edge with a forming tool as the tool is being moved along the predetermined path to form the decorative pattern on the edge of the glassware.

Abstract: An apparatus and process is provided for the deformation of the heat-softened end of a glass tube. In the formation of hollow articles such as, for example, vials from glass tubes, either large processing pauses occur or the formation elements have to be moved with high speed to the next tube being processed. To keep the processing pause short a forming roller is provided, which is shifted back and forth relative to the glass tube. Shifting of the forming roller takes place in such a manner that the forming roller, toward the end of the rolling, is at the starting position for forming the next glass tube.

Abstract: A device and forming finger for forming a mouth area on a glass vial and a process for forming the glass vial wherein wear of the finger is reduced to a minimum so that better production tolerances for the formed mouth is possible. This is achieved by a forming finger being allocated either to each glass tube of a vial machine, or by providing play to the forming finger, or by providing the forming finger with lateral recesses. Preferably, the forming finger has a ratio of cross-sectional surface to circular segment area of the forming finger which is larger than or equal to 0.55.times.r. The aforedescribed forming fingers are used in all vial machines, in which from many glass tubes in a cycle, step by step vials are produced by rolling and melting the tube pieces.

Abstract: A blow-pipe 1 with an upper end 2 shaped to retain a working amount of molten glass is vertically movable from beneath the surface of molten glass 9 in a furnace to an upper position within orifice 10a of cover plate 10 and just below a cylindrical guide tube 11. Upward movement brings the blow-pipe generally into a hotter environment, expands the internal air and thus provides an initial bubble at the blow-pipe end. This is progressively expanded into the guide tube, preferably by two-stage air supply at different pressures, to produce a constrained glass bubble, of a few microns thickness.

Abstract: A machine for fabricating articles such as glass vials from tubular stock includes a plurality of rotating chucking stations which revolve about the central vertical axis of the machine and a plurality of tooling stations which form the vial finish. The plurality of tooling stations are disposed in euqal numbers related to the number of chucking stations on two conveyor assemblies disposed adjacent the periphery of the circle defined by the revolving chucking stations. The tooling stations each include rollers which form the outside of the vial finish and a segmented mandrel which forms the inside of the vial finish including, if desired, a blowback cavity.

Abstract: A method of forming a blowback cavity in a vial or similar cylindrical article comprises the steps of providing a cylindrical glass preform having a necked region and first forming an open blowback cavity adjacent the necked region and a relatively thin axially projecting terminal lip on the adjacent end of the preform and subsequently turning the terminal lip inwardly to form a radially extending face defining a mouth opening having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the blowback cavity.

Abstract: The invention provides a precision tooling machine for final finishing of a preliminary formed shoulder on the open end of a heated glass vial blank. The shoulder of the vial is heated and the vial is rotated and horizontally advanced between a pair of co-operating tooling jaws which are respectively mounted on support arms which are in turn rigidly secured to a vertically slidably support plate. The entire weight of the tooling jaws, the support arms and the support plate is effectively counter-balanced so that tooling jaw units may move without restraint to accommodate themselves to the vertical position of the particular vial passing between the tooling jaws. At the same time, one of the jaw units is freely laterally shiftable a slight amount relative to the other jaw unit so as to prevent the possibility of differential heating of the tooling jaws or their respective support arms causing a misalignment of one tooling jaw relative to the other tooling jaw.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for calibrating sections of glass tubing, wherein a glass-tubing section is heated to a softening temperature, shaped to the calibrating dimension, and allowed to cool. The invention furthermore concerns suitable equipment for implementing this process.

Abstract: A device is provided for holding and centering a rotating glass body such as a rod or tube. The device includes a tubular tip holder which may be held in a lathe chuck. The device can utilize a variety of centering tips each adapted for a particular configuration, such as a glass O-ring joint or semi-ball joint.

Abstract: Tubes of transparent, translucent or opaque fused silica are made by heating a hollow cylindrical blank in a drawing zone, drawing the blank from the zone while maintaining its interior under pressure and rotating same about its longitudinal axis, and calibrating the still-plastic tube immediately upon leaving the drawing zone in a calibration zone defined by two graphite plates. Apparatus for carrying out the method includes means for heating the blank to a drawing temperature in a drawing zone, means for drawing the blank from the zone, means for maintaining the interior of the blank under pressure and means for rotating the blank as it is drawn, and calibrating means for calibrating the still-plastic tube immediately upon leaving the drawing zone including two graphite plate means disposed on metal plates through which a coolant can flow.