Abstract: Infrared optical fibres are provided with hermetic coatings (6) by decomposition or reaction of volatile compounds of the coating material at the surface of the fibre. Materials having melting points greater than the fibre's glass transition temperatures may thus be applied at temperatures lower than the glass transition temperatures. The fibre (1) may be sufficiently hot from a preceding fibre formation (2,3) process in line with the coating process to enable the decomposition or reaction, or additional heating of the fibre by radiation may be necessary in the reaction chamber (7).

Abstract: A bubbler assembly comprising a bubbler tube having a sleeve surrounding at least a portion thereof to define an annular space therebetween. A corrosion-inhibiting gas is introduced into the space to minimize oxidation and alkali-sulfate corrosion of the bubbler tube, or preferably the gas is moved through the space to purge the space of oxygen and alkali-sulfate corrosives, when the bubbler assembly is mounted within a mounting hole provided through a refractory wall, e.g. the bottom, of a glassmaking furnace.The bubbler assembly alternatively comprises a bubbler tube, a fluid coolant jacket mounted within the refractory wall mounting hole, and facilities for facilitating movement of the bubbler tube relative to the refractory wall, independently of the fluid coolant jacket.

Abstract: In the method and device for separation of harmful substances from a flue gas, in an absorption-heat exchanger arrangement both washing and also cooling of the flue gas is carried out, the flue gas being cooled below the dew point and this cooling process taking place by means of exterior air in counter flow. The flue gas is divided during its passage through the heat exchanger into at least two parallel part flows of which the first part flow is directed into a first treatment zone and the second part flow is directed into a second treatment zone. The two treatment zones are connected parallel to one another. In the first treatment zone a first absorption liquid is introduced into the flue gas which effects extensive removal of harmful substances from the flue gas, while in the second treatment zone a second absorption liquid is introduced into the flue gas, in which second absorption liquid precipitated harmful substances are soluble, to clean equipment surfaces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a mat of highly dispersed continuous glass filaments at increased throughput while maintaining desirable tensile strength characteristics is provided by means of an oscillatable, fluidic distribution system.

Abstract: Apparatus for determining the corrosion rate of industrial condensing equipment so that corrosion inhibitors may be effectively utilized to control corrosion. The apparatus which simulates a cooling circuit for process streams which require the introduction of reagents to inhibit corrosion includes a primary condenser with automatic cooling control and more than one serially connected cooling-monitoring section, associated means for monitoring corrosion rate, temperature, and/or dewpoint and means for adjustibly controlling the process stream cooling rate of said cooling-monitoring sections. The process stream is flowed through said serial connected cooling-monitoring sections in order to cool the vapors in a manner which simulates cooling that will take place in a parallel connected heat exchanger unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a single crystal according to the CZ method, which comprisesa closed container consisting of upper and lower halves and having a shaft for pulling up the single crystal, at least a part of which contacting with said vapor of the elements is made of a material containing an element of the same group of the periodic table as that of component elements of the single crystal, a gap between said shaft and the container and an opening between said upper and lower halves of the container being sealed with a sealing material,at least one reservoir positioned in the container for supplying vapor of a volatile component element of the single crystal, anda heating means provided around the container; wherein a hot zone of the apparatus including the container is made of a material which has an X-ray absorption coefficient not larger than 5 cm.sup.2 /g, and said material of the hot zone has such thickness that X-ray transmittance through the whole hot zone is 10.sup.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that is useful for effecting liquid-liquid extraction by contacting a first liquid medium with a substantially immiscible heavier second liquid medium. Each mixer-settler unit includes a vertically extending settling tank having a top and a bottom with an outlet for the first liquid medium near the top and an outlet for the second liquid medium near the bottom. An elongated extraction column extends generally vertically upwardly through the settling tank bottom. The extraction column is open at its top with the top of the extraction column below the top of the settling tank. A diverter surrounds and extends downwardly along a top portion of the extraction column. The diverter has a closed top and an open bottom with an annulus being between the diverter and the portion the extraction column surrounded by the diverter. The dispersion flows from the pumping and mixing means upwardly through the extraction column and out its top.

Abstract: An improved process for the preparation of a glass fiber product useful as range insulation for pyrolytic self-cleaning oven units is disclosed. An integral part of the inventive process involves a two stage curing of the insulation product. When range insulation produced by the inventive process is used in pyrolytic self-cleaning oven units, the insulation emits reduced levels of smoke and odor during the self-cleaning cycle.

Abstract: A device for indicating the presence of unacceptable levels of noncondensable gas, such as air, in a stream sterilization chamber. The device includes an insulated heat sink having an upper end and a lower end. The upper end of the heat sink is in such open communication with the sterilization chamber that the steam enters the heat sink. The device also includes a chamber proximate the lower end of the heat sink. The heat sink defines a path through which the steam travels from the upper end toward the chamber. The path is adapted to provide sufficient exposure of the steam to the heat sink so that the steam condenses within the path, releasing any noncondensable gas associated with the steam and forcing it toward the chamber. The chamber includes means for indicating the presence of noncondensable gas accumulated therein. The device also includes means for preventing the condensate from effecting the indicating means.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing glass by melting a batch of raw material in a melting chamber of a continuous glass-melting tank furnace, permitting the glass to flow through a rising passageway and a sill provided by the furnace to a separate refining chamber in the furnace, the atmospheres in the melting and refining chambers being isolated, and heating the glass at the upstream end of the refining chamber to a higher temperature than that of the glass over the sill so that the glass leaving the sill plunges into the refining chamber and is precluded from forming a return current to the melting chamber.

Abstract: A bushing controller circuit for regulating the current flow through a fiber glass bushing to thereby control the temperature of the molten glass being drawn into fibers is disclosed. The bushing temperature is measured by a plurality of thermocouples which produce an average temperature reading that is used to control the power fed to the bushing. The bushing controller circuit is a three-terminal device connected across two sections of the bushing to regulate relative current flow in the two sections, in order to control the amount of fiber produced by each section. The bushing controller circuit includes a pair of timing circuits which operate in response to the polarity and magnitude of a control signal, produced at a remote control panel, to control the conductivity of a corresponding pair of current control devices connected across respective sections of the bushing. A reset circuit produces a signal corresponding to the zero crossing of the input AC power to synchronize the timing circuits.

Abstract: An apparatus (30) for cooling a lightguide fiber (21) drawn from a molten portion of a glass preform (22) located in a furnace (23). The apparatus (30) has an upper chamber (34) and a lower chamber (36) each having a small opening in the lower portions thereof. The upper chamber (34) has a heat transfer liquid (35) therein and the lower chamber (36) is pressurized to prevent liquid from passing through the opening. The hot fiber (21) is cooled by the liquid as it is drawn through liquid (35) without physical contact with the periphery of the openings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the formation of fibre felts which are produced on centrifugation wheels, the material to be fiberized being conducted to the periphery of these wheels from the outside thereof, and the fibres being carried by gaseous currents to the receiving device (9).In order to improve the distribution of the fibres within these felts, additional gaseous jets are blown on the sides of the gaseous currents carrying the fibres along the lateral walls (10,11) bordering the receiving device (9).The invention enables satisfactory transverse distribution of the fibres to be achieved.

Abstract: A process for the improvement in the distribution of fibers in a fiber felt formed by retention of fibers entrained in a gaseous current is disclosed, along with apparatus suitable for practicing that process. The gaseous current is caused to pass through an oscillating guide duct, the frequency, amplitude and median direction of the oscillation, or at least one of those aspects, may be automatically regulated and altered in response to sensed variations in the distribution of the fiber. The distribution variations are measured by determining relative absorption of radiation across different portions of the width of the felt in comparison with the mean value of that distribution.

Abstract: A flat plate bushing is described which eliminates extensive precious metal use in drain and/or production bushings. The bushing utilizes a novel arrangement of insulation members and support plates that allow the bushing to be electrically heated and a novel method of connecting the bushing to a power source using the bushing face plate as the connection point is also shown.

Abstract: A method of cleaning glass volatile contaminants from the surfaces of heat transfer fins in a fin cooler of a glass fiber forming bushing assembly is disclosed. A cleaning liquid which is a dilute alcohol solution in which the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of primary and second alcohols is sprayed in a generally flat, fan shapes spray against the side and top surfaces of the cooling fins. This spray of a dilute alcohol solution removes the contaminants from the fin surfaces while not adversely affecting the glass fiber filaments being formed during running of the bushing assembly. A solution of between 0.1 to 1.0% methanol or ethylene glycol in water has been found to be particularly satisfactory in removing boron oxide contaminants from the fin surfaces.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a fiber taper with a refractive lens, said method comprising the steps of placing a fiber in an axial tension of a given amount; locally heating a portion of the fiber under tension to cause softening and the formation of a constriction in the fiber in the area of heating; removing the tension and continuing the heating to raise the temperature to a point at which the viscosity of the heated material is such that the surface tension causes a further constriction and a transverse separation of the fiber at the constriction; continuing the heating to form the desired curvature of the lens on the separated ends; and then after the desired curvature is formed, stopping the heating to enable the ends to cool and solidify.

Abstract: A crystallizable sealing glass composition in powered form that is a blend of a Pbo/ZnO/B.sub.2 O.sub.3 /SiO.sub.2 /BaO glass in the vitreous state and a small effective amount of finely divided zinc zirconium silicate as a nucleating agent. The zinc zirconium silicate has an average particle size of about 2 to 8 microns and is used alone, or in combination, with zirconium silicate having an average particle size of about 20 to 30 microns. The glass composition can be used to seal television picture tubes at 440.degree. C. or 460.degree. C. with excellent results, the early stages of crystallization showing large crystals and large glassy area, as well as DTA curve peaks at 15 to 25 minutes at 440.degree. C.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glass product, in which a symmetrical glass member same in shape as a good made by combining a plurality of glass products is molded once and then the symmetrical glass member is cut to provide the plurality of glass products.

Abstract: An arrangement for placing a separating gel between two phases of different specific gravity located in a sample tube has a container (11) in which a separating gel (16) is accommodated. The container (11) which can be inserted into the sample tube up to the bottom thereof has a closed base (13) and a lid (14) at the top which can be displaced within the container in the manner of a piston. The lid is provided with at least one discharge opening (15) which is small relative to the area of the lid. The specific gravity of the lid (14) is greater than that of the separating gel (15) (FIG 3).