Abstract: In a heating vessel wherein corrosive exhaust degrades exposed positions of the vessel, a high velocity gas jet injects gas between the corrosive exhaust and the exposed portions of the vessel. The gas minimizes contact between the exhaust and the exposed portions so as to reduce wear due to corrosive degradation.

Abstract: A multi-outlet burner for heating material. Nozzles are positioned along a longitudinally extending portion of the burner that generally parallels the material surface. Combustion gas and fuel are combined at each nozzle to produce a plurality of flames that are directed in a sweeping direction over the surface.

Abstract: A glass sheet positioning system to correctly position a heat softened glass sheet between a pair of vertically aligned upper and lower full surface press faces. A video camera identifies a reference point on an edge of a glass sheet while supported on a frame between the press faces. A programmable computer and controller determine the distance between the reference point and a predetermined set point corresponding to the proper location between the press faces. The controller signals a drive that moves the frame with the glass sheet thereon to the proper predetermined position.

Abstract: A shuttling frame to support and move a vacuum pickup from a heating furnace to a shaping station. Vacuum for the pickup is drawn through the shuttling frame. The frame slidably engages a fixed guide rail along a longitudinally extending edge and slides on a set of rolls along the opposing edge such that the frame can expand both longitudinally and transversely without buckling.

Abstract: A heat softened glass sheet is lifted within a heating furnace by a vacuum pickup and moved to a shaping station adjacent the furnace where it is deposited on an aligning frame. The location of the sheet is identified and the frame is moved to position the supported glass sheet at a predetermined location between a pair of vertically aligned upper and lower full surface press faces. A shuttle frame which moves the vacuum pickup has integral vacuum passageways so that vacuum for the pickup can be drawn through the shuttle frame.

Abstract: A horizontal press bending arrangement wherein heat softened glass sheets are engaged by a shuttling vacuum pickup. The pickup and sheet are transferred out of the furnace and into a shaping station wherein the glass sheet is deposited and repositioned between a pair of vertically aligned full surface press faces.

Abstract: A pair of heat softened overlaying glass sheets are held by vacuum against an apertured engaging surface of a vacuum holder. The overlaying glass sheets can be shaped before, during, or after being held by the vacuum holder.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of adjusting the effective length of a rotary kiln. Preheating gas enters the kiln, passes over a portion of the material to be heated and exits the kiln through an axially extending exhaust duct. Changing the length of the duct modifies the amount of time the material is subjected to direct heating by the gas so that the effective heating length of the kiln is changed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing tip curl caused by sag bending complicated shapes in glass sheets. A pivoting assembly with a glass edge roller contacts the edge of the glass sheet as it is conveyed through a heating lehr or a bending mold, and biases the glass against the bending rail.

Abstract: A heated automobile backlight having a dark colored electroconductive grid. The composition includes silver powder, a glass frit such a lead borosilicate frit, and reducing agents such as stannous sulfate and chromic oxide.

Abstract: An end effector apparatus for attachment to an industrial robot for transferring prepressed windshields to an autoclave tub. Vacuum cups engage and secure the windshield to the end effector for transfer of the windshield from an upender conveyor to the tub. A combination spacer clip sensing device and spacer clip retaining device senses the presence of a spacer clip on the top edge of the windshield and holds the clip in place during transfer.

Abstract: Edge grinding cut glass sheets by engaging the moving edge of a cut glass sheet with a rotating edge grinding wheel having blocky diamonds in a concentration not exceeding 20 embedded in a matrix.

Abstract: A furnace with the end portions of a heater supporting anchor rod embedded in the rigid sidewall insulation of the furnace. The anchor rods do not deflect under the weight of the heaters and the entire weight of the anchor rods and heaters is supported by the sidewall insulation.

Abstract: A hot glass sheet shaping apparatus for shaping glass sheets with selected portions wider than its trailing edge as it is conveyed to the shaping station. Flotation blocks are positioned adjacent a gas hearth bed support in the shaping station to support the selected portions of the glass sheet as they are conveyed thereover, to prevent these portions from contacting the gas hearth bed.

Abstract: A shaping rail uses tungsten alloy inserts to support a glass sheet during sag bending. As the glass sheet is heated and sags to shape, tungsten alloy inserts provide support points over which the glass sheet can slide without scuffing the glass sheet surface or embedding particles in the glass sheet that can result in venting.

Abstract: A stop assembly for positioning glass sheets that are pressed between upper and lower shaping molds. The stop member is pivoted into a sheet engaging position as the sheet is heated and conveyed onto a gas hearth. As a lifting ring which surrounds the gas hearth moves vertically, lifting the sheet off the gas hearth and towards the upper mold face, the stop assembly rotates to a position outside the pressing surface of the upper and lower molds.

Abstract: A device for dissipating static charge collected on the surface of a laminated aircraft window having an outboard plastic ply includes a plurality of electroconductive static charge collecting wicks extending through the thickness of the outboard ply from the outboard surface of the ply to its inboard surface where the wicks are interconnected by wire runs adapted for connection to ground. The device may be laminated to additional transparent structural plies to form a composite aircraft transparency. The device is advantageously used to protect heating facilities in a composite transparency from static discharge damage, as well as to prevent damage to the plies of the transparency from static discharge through the plies.

Abstract: A vacuum press for shaping both left and right hand sidelights, quarterlights and the like which are asymmetric in bend and mirror images of each other. The shaping surfaces of the mold have certain overlapping shaping areas that shape both the left and right hand windows and additional shaping areas bend only the left or right hand window. A timing sequence positions each glass sheet to be bent at the correct location between the shaping surface of the molds.

Abstract: A vacuum mold for shaping hot glass sheets having a rigid back plate, a flexible perforated lower shaping wall, adjustable spacers positioned between the back plate and shaping wall and easily removable side wall members that seal the vacuum chamber and allow easy access to the internal adjustable spacers. The peripheral edge portions of a refractory cloth which covers the mold is coated with heat resistant silicone rubber to seal the vacuum chamber of the mold.

Abstract: A method of preliminarily pressing a bent assembly comprising a pair of bent glass sheets and a flexible interlayer comprising a first heating step performed without vacuum, a biasing step, an unbiasing step and followed by a second heating step performed simultaneously with an application of vacuum. When the assembly so prepressed is further laminated under heat and pressure, it develops fewer bubbles after a heat stability test involving exposure to high temperature for an extended period than assemblies further laminated under such heat and pressure conditions after a prepressing step that includes passing the assembly between rollers prior to the further lamination step.