Abstract: A bushing including a tip plate having an orifice region including orifices to permit flow of a molten fiberizable material therethrough; a reservoir for supplying molten fiberizable material to the orifices; and a substantially planar perforated plate positioned within the reservoir generally parallel to and substantially coextensive with the orifice region of the tip plate, the perforated plate including a central region and a peripheral region surrounding the central region, each of the central region and the peripheral region of the perforated plate having a plurality of openings to permit flow of molten fiberizable material therethrough, wherein average head loss of molten material flowing through the central region of the perforated plate is greater than average head loss of molten material flowing through the peripheral region of the perforated plate.

Abstract: A plant for preparing and feeding a coating composition to a coating head for paper or the like includes a plurality of hoppers, each hopper being intended to receive and deliver one ingredient of the composition. The plant further includes a premixer tank which is fed by the hoppers and mixes and homogenizes the formed composition and a homogenizing tank, fed by the premixer tank, having a high-speed stirrer for shearing the composition. A buffer capacity is directly and continuously fed by the homogenizing tank and connected to the coating head, wherein the buffer capacity preferably has a volume and an attached level detector for determining when the composition in the buffer capacity is below a predetermined level. A set of controllers attached to the level detector control the delivery of components from the plurality of hoppers.

Abstract: A device for drawing down an optical fiber preform (2) connected at one end to a feed rod (3) having an equal or smaller diameter. A chamber (11) in which the preform is drawn has an upper part (11A) with an opening (12). The opening engages the preform to seal the chamber. An enclosure (5) has a seal (6) at its upper part (5A) for sealing around the feed rod. A lower part (5B) of the enclosure contacts the upper part of the chamber to seal the chamber while the feed rod is passing through the opening.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrostatic spraying device which includes a primary charge return path between the device and the target to be sprayed and circuitry for warning the operator of potentially hazardous spraying conditions. More particularly, the present invention includes circuitry for warning the operator of conditions wherein the primary charge path is inadequate and other conditions in which the return of spray current via the primary charge path is affected.

Abstract: A paste applicator for drawing a paste film in a desired pattern on a substrate, including a table for detachably supporting a substrate, a paste reservoir tube to be filled with a paste, and a nozzle communicating with the paste reservoir and having a paste discharging port opposing to an upper surface of the substrate mounted on the table. A device is supplied for changing the relative positional relationship between the nozzle and the substrate mounted on the table. The paste is applied onto the substrate to form a desired pattern of the paste. A measuring device measures a position of a paste discharging port of a nozzle exchanged together with the paste reservoir tube by using a paste pattern formed by applying the paste onto the substrate held on the table using the exchanged nozzle. The center of the paste pattern nearly agrees with the center of the paste discharging port.

Abstract: A tobacco filter is produced by wrapping up a sheet-like filter material having a web structure and comprising a cellulose ester short staple into a rodform. As the cellulose ester short staple, a short staple that is non-crimped and/or has a modified cross section where a ratio D1/D2 of a diameter D1 of the circumscribed circle to a diameter D2 of the inscribed circle, each circle being of the cross section, of not less than 2 is used. The short staple includes e.g. a cellulose acetate fiber with an average fiber length of 1 to 10 mm and fineness of 1 to 10 deniers. The short staple may be incorporated with a beaten pulp with a Schopper-Riegler freeness of 20 to 90.degree. SR and/or a binder. The ratio of the short staple to the beaten pulp may for example be about 90/10 to 20/80 (by weight).

Abstract: A stackable ashtray of rectangular shape is provided in a plastic container having notched walls for supporting cigarettes and outwardly extending channels for supporting cigars.

Abstract: A multi-screen mixing apparatus for installation in a fiber-forming bushing used in the manufacture of glass fibers. The multi-screen mixer attaches to the walls of the bushing, and includes a first screen having openings therein through which the glass flows and a second screen having openings through which the glass flows longitudinally spaced from the openings in the first screen such that the molten glass must flow in a non-linear path as it passes through the screens. Additional screens can be added to cause additional flow diversion to further mix the molten glass.

Abstract: A heat-absorbing finshield assembly, which is located adjacent the discharge area of a furnace for producing glass fibers, includes fins spaced along a fluid-cooled manifold such that the fins extend between, but not in contact with, the molten glass fibers emerging from the furnace. The fins may have microfins in their bases which are in contact with the cooling fluid. The fins also may be of variable thicknesses relative to each other along the manifold to absorb different quantities of heat from the emerging fibers.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing ceramic filter media for water filters involves the steps of mixing a plurality of raw ceramic materials and a plurality of extrusion-aid materials to form a mixture of constituent materials, extruding the constituent materials to form tubular filter media, drying the tubular filter media, and firing the tubular filter media to create ceramic tubular filter media. The step of drying the tubular filter media preferably comprises placing the tubular filter media on top of rotating rollers which dries the tubular filter media evenly and preserves the desired characteristics of the tubular filter media.

Abstract: A method for cleaning and recycling protective atmosphere for a float glass facility wherein contaminated protective atmosphere is cooled, preferably while scrubbing out particulates, compressed, and then purified by passage through a bed comprising water selective and hydrogen sulfide selective adsorbents.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray coating apparatus having a spray nozzle which has a spray orifice for atomizing coating material. The nozzle orifice may be round or, preferably, is in the form of a slot to impart a flat shape to the atomized material. The spray nozzle is mounted to be rotated on a body of the spray gun so that the atomized material particles are driven radially outwards in addition to the forward direction and are thereby distributed uniformly in the cloud of sprayed material. A brake may be provided to slow down the rotation when greater penetration into cavities in the article being painted is desired. In invention may be used in either power spray coating apparatus or liquid spray coating apparatus.

Abstract: A spray booth includes an outer enclosure in which the temperature and humidity of a fluid (such as air) is not controlled and a fluid handling unit within this enclosure, which circulates and controls the temperature and humidity of a smaller volume of the same fluid (air) to develop an environment suitable for application of coatings to desired substrates. In use, fluid is drawn from the outer enclosure into the inner, fluid handling unit in order to clean and modify the temperature and humidity of the fluid being handled, conditioning it to be delivered to the region of limited size which is established for receiving the substrate to be coated.

Abstract: A gob of molten glass from a gob delivery system is introduced into a blank mold of a glass container forming machine of the individual section type by way loading funnel immediately upstream of an opening into the blank mold. The loading funnel has an upper annular gathering portion in the shape of an inverted frustum of a cone and a cylindrical lower shaping and orienting section. The internal diameter of the shaping and orienting section is somewhat less than the outer diameter of a gob passing therethrough, to thereby contact the gob in a substantially circumferential pattern, and the shaping and orienting section has a length that is sufficient to precisely align the longitudinal central axis of the gob with a longitudinal central axis of the blank mold, to thereby eliminate or substantially eliminate the need to swab the interior of the blank mold with a mold dopant composition.

Abstract: The invention comprises a fixture and method for holding optical waveguid such as fiber optic cable, in a relatively stable fashion for processing. The fixture includes a first frame and a second frame, releasably securable to the first frame to form a unitary structure. Chambers disposed in at least one of the frames are adapted for removably receiving optical fiber cable when the first and second frames are released from one another and for securely retaining with molding material optical fiber cables when the first and second frames form the unitary structure. A process area is defined in the unitary structure such that segments of optical fiber cables secured therein are accessible in the process area for processing. An optional coating fixture is securable to said unitary structure for forming with a molding material a protective coating about the cable segments in the processing area.

Abstract: A durable, corrosion-resistant glass fiber spinner is prepared by applying as a barrier layer a uniform layer of an alloy, compatible with the material of the spinner, on the walls of the spinner bores. A layer of platinum group metal is applied over the barrier layer.

Abstract: A process for improving smoke quality and mechanical properties of a cast reconstituted tobacco sheet is accomplished by adding tobacco materials to an aqueous solution containing ammonium salts and ammonium hydroxide. The resulting first tobacco slurry is then pressurized under steam pressure to at least 60 psi for a period of from about 1 to 5 minutes then depressurized rapidly to ambient. The depressurized tobacco is then formed into a second tobacco slurry. The resulting tobacco residue is then cast into a reconstituted tobacco sheet for further processing into smoking articles.

Abstract: In-line printing and coating method achieves high coat weights (e.g, over 0.7 lb./1,000 sq.ft.) characteristic of blister seal operations and/or high gloss and high scuff resistance requirements, substantially without deleterious slinging. A high volume of coating is applied to a substrate by a coating cylinder supporting a resilient coating transfer surface consisting of an array of laser engraved coating-carrying indentations having substantially equal volumes that are uniformly distributed. An impression surface is positioned adjacent to the coating cylinder, positioned to impress a substrate between the coating transfer surface and the impression surface. A supply roll has a surface for applying liquid coating to the resilient transfer surface. The supply roll surface and the resilient transfer surface are in pressure contact, and adjacent surfaces of the supply roll and the coating cylinder rotate in the same direction.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing vitreous optical elements by injection molding, which essentially includes the stages of: melting down a glass material into a molten state in a viscosity at or lower than a working point of the glass material; injecting molten glass under pressure into a mold cavity defined between transfer surfaces of relatively movable mold members of a mold assembly unit in communication with a sprue connecting the mold cavity with an injection port on the outer side of the mold assembly unit; and applying a predetermined pressure on the glass material in the mold cavity while cooling the mold assembly unit down to a temperature in the vicinity of yielding point of the glass material.

Abstract: An applicator device for applying a coating agent onto a moving base, such as a paper or board web, onto the face of a film press roll, or equivalent, and a method for correcting for distortions arising from thermal strains in such an applicator device. The applicator device includes an applicator beam arranged in a direction transverse to a running direction of the moving base, a coating-agent feed pipe arranged in the transverse direction and mounted on the applicator beam, and coating members mounted on the applicator beam for applying a coating onto the moving base and spreading and smoothing the coating agent onto the moving base. The coating-agent feed pipe and the coating members are constructed as a single unit. The device also includes mounting members for mounting the single unit of the coating-agent feed pipe and the coating members on the applicator beam.