Abstract: A method of forming glass to metal hermetic seals in a terminal assembly of a housing part wherein an upwardly directed glass melting heating gradient is applied to a housing part having a glass sleeved terminal pin supportedly disposed in an aperture therein with sufficient heat intensity to flow the glass sleeve in an upwardly direction from bottom to top to fuse the terminal pin in the housing part with minimal voids.

Abstract: A process for bending glass plates into convex shape and, in particular, to their precise positioning with a view to that bending. The glass plates to be convexed are centered while a hot gas is blown under said plates in order to take up a part of the weight of the glass thanks to that blown gas. It makes possible a recentering of the glass plates without deterioration of said plates in spite of their friction on the rollers carrying them.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing glass sheets from molten glass contained in a vertical drawing chamber includes the step of placing a stratified liquid layer on the mass of molten glass, the stratified liquid layer comprising at least two phases of densities different to each other, and vertically drawing a glass sheet from the glass mass through the stratified liquid layer.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting and inspecting containers includes an annealing lehr disposed on one side of a primary conveyor and a stacker having a reciprocating pusher bar adapted to transport containers from the primary conveyor into the annealing lehr. Inspection apparatus is positioned adjacent to the primary conveyor. The stacker pusher bar preferably has a series of gates which permit a predetermined container which is to be inspected to pass through the pusher bar when the pusher bar is moved toward the annealing lehr to deliver the other containers thereto. The gates may advantageously be slidable or rotatable and be operated on an individual basis by actuators. The inspection equipment may be provided with conveyors to transport the containers to be inspected from the primary conveyor to the inspection apparatus and to transport the inspected containers which pass inspection to the primary conveyor or annealing lehr.

Abstract: A tubular discharge vessel for a compact low pressure discharge lamp, espally a compact fluorescent lamp, is formed by heating and bending a straight glass tube into a U-shape with a plurality of straight sections and a 180.degree.-bend. Adequate vessel wall thickness is assured at the tubular sections where the bends are formed, by first heating a central section, moving sections lateral to the central section axially toward one another, thereby compressing the heated central section and thickening its walls, and bending or rotating the lateral sections into a parallel orientation. This prevents the bending process from unduly thinning the vessel walls, leading to breakage or rupture under internal gas pressure.

Abstract: A pair of bearing rails support a plurality of conveyor rolls in a glass sheet bending station. Each of the bearing rails has a pair of linear actuators pivotally coupled to opposite ends thereof for permitting movement of the bearing rails in a vertical direction. The ends of each bearing rail are also coupled to a pair of roller racks which extend in a generally horizontal direction and are slidably attached to a supporting framework for moving the bearing rails toward and away from one another. The bearing rails are coupled to the roller racks by spherical bearings which permit the bearing rails to be canted or rotated about their longitudinal axes. The vertical, horizontal and rotational adjustments allow the conveyor rolls to be positioned for different configurations of glass sheets as the sheets are transported through the bending station.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying bottles, having a pusher for moving the bottles and a servomotor for reciprocally rotating the pusher within a predetermined angular displacement, comprising means for emitting start and stop signals of the servomotor, servo-control means for supplying a drive current to the servomotor so as to control the angular velocity of the servomotor, and for stopping the supply of the drive current to the servomotor when the servomotor is subject to an excess load above a predetermined value. The servomotor is an AC servomotor driven by the servo-control means.

Abstract: In a method of making glass or the like, wherein the batch materials are liquefied in a distinct zone from the refiner, the liquefied material is heated in an intermediate stage before being fed to the refiner. In preferred embodiments the intermediate stage comprises one or more channels extending from the side of the refiner.

Abstract: An improved process for the production of optical fiber porous preforms of predetermined refractive index distribution by the vapor-phase deposition method is disclosed wherein a glass material and a dopant material are subjected to flame oxidation by the use of an oxyhydrogen burner to form fine glass particles which are deposited on one end of a supporting rod adapted to move apart from the oxyhydrogen burner while rotating to allow a rod-like porous preform to grow thereon. The improved process is characterized in that the correlation between the shape of the deposition face and the refractive index distribution is previously determined mathematically, and on a basis of the correlation therebetween, a process variable such as the distance between the porous preform and the burner is adjusted to produce the desired shape of the deposition face whereby there can be obtained an optimum refractive index distribution.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for molding precision optical quality glass elements having complex and concave surfaces requires the apportionment of relative movement between two opposing mold surfaces. First and second molds are contained within a floating alignment sleeve, thereby defining a mold cavity within which an essentially arbitrarily-shaped glass preform is placed. The first mold is moved in the alignment sleeve until stopped by a calibrated standoff. Thereafter, pressing is continued with the second mold moving in the alignment sleeve until opposing surfaces are completely formed at substantially the same time.

Abstract: In a process for refining molten glass or the like by vacuum, the collapse of foam is accelerated by contacting the foam with foam breaking substances. The foam breaking substances include water, alkali metal compounds such as sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate, and solutions of such compounds.

Abstract: A glassware forming machine (10) of the individual section type has its sections (12) arranged along an arc of a circle. Apparatus incorporating such a machine has the sections arranged along an arc centered on a point below the median position (39) of the or all the orifices of a feeder of the apparatus which supplied gobs of molten glass to the machine (10).

Abstract: A molten glass feeder includes a feeder bowl and a rotating refractory tube. Molten glass is discharged through openings in an orifice plate which are controlled by vertically displaceable needles. To reduce heat loss through the refractory tube, a heat shield is provided which is made up of two mirror imaged parts. Each part has a semicylindrical pan having a lip at the bottom for supporting a semi-circular support plate. Located on this plate is an insulation retainer which has a semi-circular base and a vertical wall at its diameter. This wall forms an insulation receiving bin with the pan.

Abstract: A process for producing a machinable crystallized glass having needle-like crystals precipitated therein, which comprises melting a mixture comprising from 40 to 60 mol % of SiO.sub.2, from 6 to 16 mol % of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, from 6 to 16 mol % of Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 and from 15 to 30 mol % of CaO, and allowing the melt to cool to have fine needle-like crystals of Ca.sub.4 Y.sub.6 O(SiO.sub.4).sub.6 precipitated.

Abstract: Gobs of molten glass are sheared and fall by gravity to a gob distributor which redirects the gobs to individual glassware forming sections. The location of the gob as it drops is monitored and at the time when the interceptor must be actuated if a gob is to be deflected into a cullet chute, the gob request is verified and section status is determined. If the specific section has not been enabled or if an out of sequence request has been received, the gob interceptor is actuated at this time.

Abstract: A method for heat sealing an electron gun mount, having a glass stem, into a neck of a cathode-ray tube includes a mount socket for supporting the mount within the neck and a plurality of burners for applying heat to the outside of the neck proximate the stem. The neck softens, thins and then seals to the stem, causing excess neck material that is lower than the stem, known as cullet, to be cut off. Prior to applying heat, a sleeve is disposed around the mount socket within the neck adjacent to the cullet, with a clearance between the sleeve and both the socket and the neck. A vibrating coil is attached to the sleeve for vibrating the sleeve while applying heat to the outside of the neck.

Abstract: A glass product having high visible transmittance, low infrared transmittance, and, optionally, reduced ultraviolet transmittance is produced in a manner compatible with continuous, commercial manufacture of flat glass by employing a moderate amount of iron in the glass composition and controlling reducing conditons to maintain a relatively large portion of the iron in the ferrous state.

Abstract: A lid of a glass batch melting vessel is subjected to corrosive and thermal degradation. The lid is cooled and the temperature of the exploded inner surface of the lid is controlled such that particulate and molten materials entrained in exhaust gas circulating within the vessel adhere to the lid surface forming a protective, insulating coating that prolongs the service life of the lid.

Abstract: A television face plate resistant to browning is formed by melting and refining molten glass which contains cerium oxide as an anti-browning agent, the process being carried out in the presence of a sulphur containing compound such that the cerium oxide is converted substantially into the cerous state during melting and refining thereby increasing resistance to browning.

Abstract: The displacement of the plungers in a multi-gob individual section glass forming machine is monitored so that the location of the plungers, when each mold cavity has completely filled (parison formation point), can be determined. The desired location for the parison formation point for each plunger can be selectively chosen and the occurrence of these parison formation points can be synchronized to achieve fuller control over the parison formation process.