Abstract: A furnace for the heat treating of glass, has a housing defining an elongated furnace chamber having opposite longitudinal sides and having an inlet end and an outlet end. A roller conveyor extends between the inlet end and the outlet end. The roller conveyor has a respective row of stub rollers spaced apart along each longitudinal side of the chamber, and respective conveyor rollers spanning the rows of stub rollers and cradled thereby. A respective idler pulley is disposed between each two successive stub rollers along one of the longitudinal sides of the chamber, the idler pulleys lying in a further row below the row of stub rollers. An endless drive element overshoots two successive stub rollers of the section in a respective single loop and undershoots each of the pulleys in a respective single loop between each of the two successive stub rollers to reduce the required driving power.

Abstract: A glass furnace, e.g. for annealing or tempering glass, has a roller conveyor whose fused rollers rest upon stub rollers overshot by a belt which alternately overshoots and undershoots the stub rollers. A drive for the belt includes a pair of motors connected to the belt with overrunning clutches and driven in opposite senses to alternately drive the belt and thereby prevent play in the movement of the latter. The heater overlying the conveyor has a matrix array of individually or collectively controllable infra-red heaters.

Abstract: A glass furnace, e.g. for annealing or tempering glass, has a roller conveyor whose fused rollers rest upon stub rollers overshot by a belt which alternately overshoots and undershoots the stub rollers. A drive for the belt advantageously is controlled by a computer allowing display of the heater parameters etc. and includes a pair of motors connected to the belt with overrunning clutches and driven in opposite senses to alternately drive the belt and thereby prevent play in the movement of the latter. The heater overlying the conveyor has a matrix array of individually or collectively controllable infrared heaters.

Abstract: An electric heater has an elongated cylindrical quartz tube provided at each end with a terminal and a heater coil having one end connected at each terminal has a helical portion disposed within the tube and extending the length thereof. A ceramic support disposed in the tube extends the length of the helical portion of the coil and is formed with a heat-reflecting longitudinal groove having mutually inclined opposing sides which flank at least a portion of the circumference of the turns of the helical portion. Each of the opposing sides of the groove engage the turns of the helix tangentially in point contact, the support holding the helical portion with the turns thereof in tangential point contact with the inner surface of the tube. Each turn of the helical portion is supported at three separate points.

Abstract: A glass furnace, e.g. for annealing or tempering glass, has a roller conveyor whose fused rollers rest upon stub rollers overshot by a belt which alternately overshoots and undershoots the stub rollers. A drive for the belt advantageously is controlled by a computer allowing display of the heater parameters etc. and includes a pair of motors connected to the belt with overrunning clutches and driven in opposite senses to alternately drive the belt and thereby prevent play in the movement of the latter. The heater overlying the conveyor has a matrix array of individually or collectively controllable infrared heaters.