Abstract: A bottle finish wiping mechanism adapted to automatically position a plurality of bottles and subsequently wipe the finish areas of such bottles. The mechanism includes a plurality of wiper elements which are simultaneously movable into and out of contact with the bottles, and which, upon engagement therewith move cleaning pad surfaces against the finish areas of the bottle. When the cleaning pad surfaces are in engagement with the bottle the wiper elements rotate to effect cleaning.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically wetting and mixing glass batch immediately prior to its introduction into a glass melting furnace. This apparatus is an axillary extension of a typical glass furnace charger hopper and provides for complete glass batch wetting and mixing immediately adjacent the glass melting furnace so as to minimize the possibility of batch "dryout" and similarly thereby minimize atmospheric dust pollution and other associated problems. Mixing action is continuous and the apparatus is arranged such that a fluid, normally water, is added to and mixed with the batch responsive to charger operation. The apparatus is structured in such fashion to emphasize mixing rather than material conveyance, thus reducing wear upon the structural elements while at the same time providing complete and uniform wetting of the batch within same.

Abstract: A screen or plate is positioned above and adjacent the normal fluidized pulverulent material top surface level in a typical fluidized bed construction. The screen extends over substantially the entirety of the bed and has enlarged openings therein of a size suitable for the acceptance of the articles that are to be immersed in the pulverulent or powder material. Screen placement within the fluidized bed is also such that upon article immersion into the entrained powder bed, the magnitude of the powder level increase insures that there is at least contact between the screen and bed top surface which will stabilize the bed top surface and preserve the continuity thereof during article immersion and removal. Similarly, an intermittently operable material feeding system is contemplated to assure that a substantially uniform and constant amount of pulverulent material is maintained in the bed during the coating operation.