Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling a glass optical fiber drawn from a glass preform, prior to applying a protective coating to the fiber, wherein the fiber is transported through a cooling zone containing coolant consisting of a solid or liquid dispersion of a condensible gas, the gas being a chemical element or compound having a vapor pressure of at least 1 atmosphere at 25.degree. C. such that rapid coolant vaporization at ambient temperatures is insured, are provided.

Abstract: A glass preform for an optical fiber containing a dopant in a core portion at a high concentration is produced by providing a glass tube, forming a coating film of a sol-gel solution containing a dopant compound on an inner wall of the glass tube, vitrifying and collapsing the glass tube having the coating of the sol-gel solution to obtain a glass rod.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for centrifuging fibers from molten material comprises a spinner having a peripheral wall comprised of an inner layer and an outer layer, a plurality of orifices extending through the inner layer for the passage of molten material therethrough, and a plurality of cavities extending through the outer layer, the cavities generally corresponding to the orifices, the cavities having being sufficiently large so that a) fiber forming cones form where the orifices join the cavities and b) the fibers formed from the cones can exit the cavities without contacting the sides of the cavities.

Abstract: The invention relates to optical fiber cleavage method making it possible to obtain an oblique optical fiber end face, consisting in holding a segment of optical fiber between two separated supports, in displacing one of said supports with respect to the other, and in causing the cleavage of the fibre in a break zone dictated by an onset of breakage made by means of a tool, such as a blade.The fiber (4) is held embedded in said supports (1, 2) without exerting any stress on it, in particular any traction or torsion, one of the supports (1) is displaced solely in translation along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the fiber (4) whilst holding the other support (2) fixed, and the onset of breakage is made either before, during, or after said displacement of the movable support.

Abstract: A method for affixing the optics of a laser to the laser tube, comprising: providing a substrate seat, coupling a substrate to the seat, coating the substrate with a multilayer thin film coating, and securing the substrate seat to the laser tube. In a further aspect, a method for manufacturing a resonant cavity is disclosed, the method comprising: providing a laser tube having first and second ends, securing a substrate mount, having a coated output coupler secured thereto, into one end of the laser tube, securing a substrate mount, having a coated reflecting mirror secured thereto, into the other end of the laser tube, and sealing the laser tube.

Abstract: This disclosure depicts a feeder or bushing where the heat transfer members or fin shields have outwardly disposed surfaces with a ceramic coating bonded to those surfaces. The heat transfer surfaces also are in direct contact with and adjacent to the discharge wall of the feeder where they act as support members to support the discharge wall. This combination is especially useful in designing feeders or bushings with a greater number of orifices.

Abstract: A method of forming a fiber glass preform includes the steps of: (a) pouring a cladding glass into a mold; (b) pouring a core glass on a flat horizontal upper surface of the cladding glass so as to form a united glass body having the core glass and the cladding glass under a condition that viscosity of the cladding glass and viscosity of the core glass are adjusted to certain predetermined values respectively so that the core glass is separated from and placed on the cladding glass; (c) cooling the united glass body to solidify the same so that the cladding glass is deformed by contraction thereof so as to produce a depression at a top middle portion thereof and that the core glass is deformed so as to form a projected portion thereof to fill the depression therewith; (d) separating the united glass body into an upper portion and a lower portion comprising the projected portion of the core glass; and (e) extruding the lower portion of the united glass body so as to form the fiber glass preform.

Abstract: The present invention providesa process for the dehydrating and purifying treatment by heating a porous glass preform for an optical fiber comprising passing the porous glass preform through a muffle tube having a SiC layer at least on its inner surface at a high temperature under an atmosphere comprising an inert gas and a silicon halogenide gas;a process for the fluorine-doping treatment by heating a porous glass preform for an optical fiber comprising passing a porous glass preform through a muffle tube having a SiC layer at least on its inner surface at a high temperature under an atmosphere comprising a fluorine compound gas and an inert gas; anda process for the vitrifying treatment by heating a porous glass preform for an optical fiber comprising passing the preform, which has been previously dehydrated and purified, through a muffle tube having a SiC layer at least on its inner surface at a high temperature under an atmosphere gas.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fiber coupler manufacturing apparatus comprising a pair of fiber holding portions and a fiber clamp disposed on each of the fiber holding portions for holding at least two optical fibers. A weight and pulley system is arranged wherein a first weight is coupled to each of the fiber holding portions to pull the fiber holding portions away from each other to apply tension to the optical fibers. A heating unit is disposed between the fiber holding portions and proximate to the optical fibers to heat the optical fibers. A second weight is coupled to either the fiber holding portions or the first weight and rests on a movable platform. As the movable platform descends in a vertical direction, the second weight applies additional force to the fiber holding portions and thus applies additional tension to the optical fibers.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivery of high intensity laser radiation of large spot size into arteries and a method for making same are disclosed. An optical radiating apparatus is formed on one end of a light-conducting optical fiber such that high intensity laser radiation leaves the optical radiation apparatus with a spot size that is expanded to a diameter significantly larger than the optical fiber diameter. The apparatus comprises a small diameter, flexible fiber which tapers to a large diameter, smooth, rounded ball tip. The taper allows the beam to expand to several millimeters in diameter and thereby ablate a large channel through an occluded artery. The smooth ball tip minimizes the chance of mechanical dissection or performation. The fiber material is continuous such that there are no optical interfaces.

Abstract: A method of preparing glass fiber strands is shown wherein the glass fibers as they are drawn from the glass fiber forming bushing are wound in a unique way. The fibers are drawn from the bushings using high speed, low energy drawing devices such as capstans and godets. They are then passed to high speed, low energy flyers for distribution onto the surface of light weight, low energy, slowing rotating mandrels. All the winding equipment and the attenuation devices are light in weight requiring very low horsepower motors compared to the high horsepower, high energy devices of the current state of the art. The flyers are shown driven by conventional motors or by a compressed air system. Collection of the strand takes place on the ends of the elongated mandrels shown and create a novel doughnut shaped forming package of fiber glass with properly distributed strands thereon suitable for unwinding.

Abstract: A heat treatable sputter-coated layer system for glass substrates may be applied before heat treatment if the layer system includes a metallic layer of nickel or a high nickel content alloy covered by a separate layer of metallic silicon or an oxide of nickel or the high nickel content alloy, which in turn is covered by a protective metal oxide such as stoichiometric Sn O.sub.2.

Abstract: A mass production method of hermetic coating optical fiber where a bare fiber drawn from a preform is hermetically coated by CVD method in a reactor vessel, wherein a liquid flushes solid particles or by-products sticking to the reactor inner wall. The liquid may be supplied continuously or intermittently, to flush carbon particles generated during carbon coating process. The invention enables to produce a long hermetic coating optical fiber without choking the reactor, and improves a yield rate and productivity.

Abstract: A vapor deposition method for making preforms from which optical waveguide fibers are drawn wherein at least a first precursor compound is oxidized at one oxidation site and at least a second precursor compound, which is different from the first precursor compound, is oxidized at a second oxidation site. The method is particularly applicable in cases where the first and second precursor compounds are chemically incompatible with one another or where the flow rate of the second precursor compound is substantially lower than the flow rate of the first precursor compound.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous production of mineral wool nonwovens in which the objective is to provide a process and an apparatus for the continuous production of mineral wool nonwovens, by means of which a stable flow pattern is created in the chute, thus facilitating a clearly defined, homogeneous layer of deposited mineral wool in which at least one backflow region (24, 25) is generated in the chute (9) outside the fibre flow (23), which backflow region (24, 25) is sufficient for such a large-volume backflow with such a low mean velocity that appreciable upward fibre transport is avoided. In this connection, a portion (32) of the process air entrained with the fibre flow is deflected upward in the backflow, and another portion (34) of the process air is extracted.

Abstract: A curing apparatus which is supported from a base plate (68) includes a housing which includes guide members for holding a magnetron and one portion of an elliptical chamber in which is disposed a longitudinally extending bulb. Outside the housing are triangular shaped gusset plates which are adapted to mate with a pivotally moveable portion (95) in which is disposed a mating portion of the elliptical chamber and a center tube through which the drawn optical fiber extends. An exhaust system is supported from the gusset plates. Advantageously, the pivotally moveable portion may be opened pivotally to expose the center tube and facilitate removal of the center tube and its replacement. Also advantageously, the entire curing apparatus may be aligned with the fiber by moving the base plate until the drawn fiber is centered within the center tube. In yet another advantage, the present invention incorporates a plurality of slidable plates to provide easy access to the magnetrons.

Abstract: A method of producing dealkalized sheet glass in which sheet glass is dealkalized in stages. The method includes dealkalizing sheet glass in a first stage by exposing the sheet glass to contact with a first dealkalizing medium including at least one acid gas for a period of at least 1 minute while the sheet glass is at a temperature above 400.degree. C.; and further dealkalizing the sheet glass in a subsequent stage by exposing the sheet glass after the first stage to contact with a second dealkalizing medium including at least one acid gas for a period of at least 3 minutes while the sheet glass is at a temperature which is at least 50.degree. C. below one of the temperature of the sheet glass during the first stage and the minimum temperature of the sheet glass during the first stage, and ranges between 400.degree. C. and 250.degree. C.

Abstract: An improved mechanism for securing a parison molding cone atop the plunger shaft of a glass container-moulding machine. A one piece collar is secured to the head of the shaft by a bayonet tongue-and-groove assembly. The collar has a crenulated inwardly projecting flange around its upper rim. The base of the molding cone has an outwardly projecting crenulated flange around its lower rim. The flanges of each part are shaped and dimensioned to mesh together, thus allowing the flanged part of the base to be inserted into the top section on the collar then rotated into a locking position. Two spring-loaded locking members mounted into the collar engage recesses in the flange of the molding cone in order to prevent rotation of the molding cone away from its engaged position. A locking pin located in a vertical channel in the collar when forced down by the cone engages a recess or groove in the shaft and is locked there permanently by the cone while it remains in its engaged position.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for fabricating fused optical fibre devices includes a furnace provided with an electric heating element. A heat-distributing insert is provided within the heating element, the heating element and the insert being sized and shaped to define a heating chamber for an optical fibre arrangement. The method includes passing electric current through the heating element, and supplying and maintaining an inert atmosphere within the heating chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drawing an optical waveguide fiber which minimizes fiber bow caused by differential stresses in the cladding layer of the fiber are disclosed. The fiber is drawn from a preform which is heated in a draw furnace. Gases introduced at the top of the furnace form a boundary layer adjacent to the fiber which passes through the furnace, along with the fiber, into a tube. The tube isolates the fiber from the ambient atmosphere so that the boundary layer of gases established in the furnace remains substantially uniform until the viscosity of the cladding layer of the fiber is high enough to minimize differential stresses around the circumference of the fiber.