Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for forming fibers from attenuable materials, especially mineral materials such as glass, the disclosed technique including components providing for attenuation by toration, i.e., attenuation by delivering a stream of attenuable material in attenuable condition into the zone of interaction of a gaseous jet penetrating into a larger gaseous blast.

Abstract: When fusing together a panel having a fluorescent film and a metallic reflective film, and a funnel with an electroconductive film in a baking furnace for manufacturing a cathode ray tube, oxygen containing air is forced into the furnace.

Abstract: A glass tube extrusion apparatus (50) is comprised of a chamber (52) having a crucible (72) therein mounted within and spaced from an inductive heating coil (77). As a glass tube (170) is extruded from an annular opening (74) in the bottom of the crucible (72) the tube is monitored for bending. When a bend starts to occur an X-Y motion apparatus (54) is activated to move the crucible (72) laterally within the coil (77) in a direction opposite to the bend to straighten the tube (170).

Abstract: An apparatus to make cookies which consists of a drum shaped device for shaping the cookies. The drum shaped device termed a die roll receives dough from a feed roll which in turn removes dough from a feed hopper. The die roll then deposits the shaped dough on the surface of a transfer conveyor at a first location. The transfer conveyor moves the dough bits to a second location adjacent to an oven conveyor. As the dough bits leave the transfer conveyor at the second location they are made to topple onto their side when they are received by the oven conveyor. While they lay on their side the formerly flat base becomes slightly rounded. After they are baked in the oven all the baked surfaces are now rounded.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing glass filaments in which the bushing bottom plate has tips depending therefrom and each tip has a plurality of orifices from which glass filaments are drawn. The tips flood individually on start-up or during operation, and the flood results in a single composite filament being formed from the orifices of that tip. The composite filament beads down rapidly and is subsequently separated into individual filaments by the use of a fluid spray directed against the composite filament at the tip lower face. The fluid spray is utilized to momentarily quench the composite filament and is terminated once separation occurs. Subsequent filament drawing is accomplished without the use of a cooling fluid and by the use of known heat exchange means, e.g., a flow of cooling gas.

Abstract: Dual strand packaging apparatus including an indexible turret having two winding collets rotatably mounted thereon, an elongated bushing above the collets with a longer dimension extending transversely of the collets, the bushing supplying molten glass streams for attenuation into glass filaments, gathering shoes disposed in a manner enabling filaments at the bushing to be divided equally into front and rear groups and the groups gathered respectively into front and rear strands for winding into front and rear packages on front and rear winding sleeves on a collet in operating position, a strand push-off blade advanceable and retractable along a collet in the operating position and constructed to trap the front and rear strands while in advanced position upon indexing of the turret and while retracting to pull both strands to the rear of a collet moved to operating position upon indexing of the turret, and a strand release blade for moving the front and rear strands out of the push-off blade as the push-off b

Abstract: A bushing is described which permits the formation of filaments of different diameters simultaneously from a single molten glass source by controlling the differential in orifice sizes used in the bushing to minimize process interruptions.

Abstract: A laminated wall for a feeder for supplying molten streams of glass to be attenuated into fibers is provided comprising a refractory metal core having an oxygen impervious, precious metal sheath intimately bonded thereto by hot isostatic pressing, said core having an insert therein having at least one orifice extending therethrough adapted to pass said molten material therethrough.

Abstract: Equipment is disclosed for gas blast attenuation of attenuable materials by the toration type of technique according to which a gaseous jet is directed transversely into a gaseous blast of larger cross section, thereby developing a zone of interaction of the jet and the blast into which a stream of the attenuable material is delivered. Each fiberizing center incorporates a plurality of components including means for generating the jet, means for generating the blast, and means for supplying the stream of attenuable material. In addition, the fiberizing center frequently also incorporates an additional structural element or means positioned along the path of the jet and influencing the jet flow.

Abstract: Apparatus for drawing newly-spun and dressed glass filaments from a bushing comprises, in combination, a rotary cutter constituted by a blade roll with radially directed blades projecting from its surface and a second, back-up roll having a resilient surface, said rolls being mounted with their axes substantially parallel and with at least the tips of the blades in contact with said resilient surface to define a cutting zone for the cutter, together with an auxiliary, independently driven start-up roll, variable speed drive means for accelerating said auxiliary roll to a surface speed at least equal to the surface speed of the back-up roll under production conditions, and guide means operable to divert a bundle of filaments being wound on said auxiliary roll to the surface of the back-up roll and thereafter into the cutting zone of the cutter, whereby the filaments are cut into staple fibres. A method of manufacturing staple fibres based on the use of above apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and process is provided for more random distribution of a bundle of strands into a continuous strand mat. The apparatus has a feeder for reciprocating, traversing deposition of strands onto a conveyor, where the feeder is positioned above the conveyor that moves in a direction around 90.degree. from the direction of deposition of the strands across the conveyor. The feeder has a pulling means to pull the strands into the feeder and to deliver the strand to an accelerating means on the feeder which then increases the speed of the strands to contact a convex surface deflector attached to the feeder to dispose of the strands onto the moving conveyor. If the feeder traverses the conveyor on an axis above the conveyor the accelerating means and convex surface deflector are affixed to the feeder and move with the feeder. If the feeder is stationary but has a reciprocating traversing part, then the accelerating means and deflector move with the reciprocating traversing part.

Abstract: A modular molten glass column comprised of a plurality of modular glass conduits for providing glass to, for example, a high pressure glass fiber forming bushing is disclosed. The column consists of several glass modules, each of which includes a glass conduit, a heating source for the conduit, insulation for the conduit, an outer protective cover, and connectors for joining the conduit module to other similar conduit modules, a glass melting forehearth, and a glass fiber forming bushing adapted to receive glass at elevated pressures and to form filaments therefrom. The modular molten glass column supplies molten glass to the bushing without requiring any pumps or the like. Furthermore, the glass column requires substantially less energy than conventional forehearths.

Abstract: A system is described for forming hollow spheres containing pressured gas, which includes a cylinder device (14) containing a molten solid material (20) and having a first nozzle (18) at its end, and a second gas nozzle (24) lying slightly upstream from the tip of the first nozzle and connected to a source (26) that applies pressured filler gas that is to fill the hollow spheres. High pressure is applied to the molten metal, as by moving a piston (22) within the cylinder device, to force the molten material out of the first nozzle and the same time pressured gas fills the center of the extruded hollow liquid pipe that breaks into hollow spheres (12a). The environment (54) outside the nozzles contains gas at a high pressure such as 100 atmospheres, the gas is supplied to the gas nozzle (24) at a slightly higher pressure such as 101 atmospheres, and the pressure applied to the molten material (20) is at a still higher pressure such as 110 atmospheres.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for gathering strand material from a plurality of sources of strand material comprising a rotatable roll means for pulling the strand material from the sources, primary drive means for rotating the roll means, ring means mounted for rotation coaxially with the roll means and adapted to pull strand material from one or more of the sources, secondary drive means for rotating the ring means at rates independent of the rotation of the roll means, and means for axially moving the ring means into and out of communication with the roll means.

Abstract: This invention relates to a burner apparatus (10) suitable for use in the flame attenuation of glass filaments. The flame attenuation burners of the prior art are subject to deleterious deposits of glass that have not been properly attenuated by the burner apparatus. These deposits usually form adjacent to the outlet opening (20) in the refractory material constituting the combustion chamber of the burner apparatus (10). In use, these deposits are removed by a mechanical process which tends to cause damage to the refractory material (12) of the burner apparatus (10). The present invention incorporates a metallic protector or a plate (22) having a discharge passageway (26) having an area slightly greater than the area of the outlet opening (20) and provides a means to protect the burner refractory material (12) from damage during mechanical removal of any glass deposits.

Abstract: A method of increasing the abrasion resistance of glass articles is disclosed. It has been found that by providing a vitreous substrate with a micro-roughened surface and an overlayer of dry lubricious organic coating, substantially increased lubricity and abrasion resistance is obtained. When the micro-roughened surface is provided by bonding a discontinuous distribution of discrete particulate material to the surface, a substantial increase in abrasion resistance and lubricity is realized even without the overlayer of dry lubricious coating thereby making the present invention particularly adaptable to use in the hot end of a glassware manufacturing process. Further, when the particulate material is fusible at about the annealing temperature of the glassware and is applied at the hot end, the particulate material will protect the glass surface through the hot end by bearing the major part of any loads created by contact between the glassware and other objects in its transport through the hot end.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the average diameter of a plurality of glass fibers, comprising illuminating the fibers with electromagnetic radiation, sensing radiation scattered by the fibers and generating a signal responsive to the amount of radiation sensed as an indication of the average diameter of the fibers; such signal can be used for measurement and/or control of the fiber producing process.

Abstract: A laminated wall for a feeder for supplying streams of molten glass to be attenuated into filaments is provided comprising: a refractory metal core having an oxygen impervious, precious metal sheath intimately bonded thereto by hot isostatic pressing to form a laminate, said laminate having at least one aperture extending therethrough; a first element positioned in said aperture, said first element having a flange in abutting engagement with one side of said sheath and an orifice extending therethrough; a second element positioned in said orifice of said first element, said second element having a flange in abutting engagement with an opposite side of said sheath and a passageway adapted to permit said molten glass to flow therethrough; said first element being sealed to said laminate to prevent the oxidation of said core at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: In a process for the production of mats made of organic or inorganic fibres, comprising dispersing fibers in a flowing gas so as to issue together from a channel, depositing the fibers on a perforated conveyor belt for the formation of the mat, and removing the gas by suction below the conveyor belt, the improvement which comprises(a) disposing the conveyor belt so as to form an angle of about 90.degree. to 150.degree.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for producing fibers from heat softened mineral material, such as glass. More specifically, this invention relates to an orifice plate for a glass fiber drawing bushing of the type having a flat undersurface and a plurality of orifices formed therethrough with the improvement comprising at least two sets of grooves formed on said undersurface, said grooves extending in intersecting relationship to divide said undersurface into a plurality of sections, said orifices being located within said sections. The grooves can have a width in the range of from aout 0.1 mm to about 1.2 mm and a depth in the range of from about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm. The orifice plate can comprise rod members at the intersections of the grooves with said rod members projecting beneath said grooves.