Abstract: A glass melting furnace including a melting tank heated from above by burners and comprising a melting section as well as a refining and homogenizing section provided with electrodes for the supply of electrical energy; a dam which separates the melting section from the refining and homogenizing section and the upper edge of which is disposed below the surface of the (glass) melt bath; and an outlet for the glass disposed in the bottom portion of the refining and homogenizing section; wherein the bottom of the refining and homogenizing section is in a position deeper than the bottom of the melting section, and the electrodes are arranged in one or more planes (levels) of the refining section, the glass melting furnace being configured such that on the side of the refining section there is provided adjacent to the dam a bottom portion which is disposed at a level substantially above the bottom of the homogenizing section.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for skimming the surface of molten glass in a tank to produce a portion thereof free of contamination includes driving a substantially horizontally disposed strut connected to a scraper arm so as to pivot the strut to raise the scraper arm for horizontal movement above the glass surface, pivot the strut to effect vertical movement of the scraper arm to immerse the arm in the melt, retract the strut to horizontally move the arm while immersed to effect skimming and thereafter simultaneously pivoting and retracting the strut to effect both vertical and horizontal movement of the arm.

Abstract: A glass melting furnace having a melting section and an adjacent refining section. The two sections are interconnected by a step or barrier which reduces the cross-sectional area of the furnace. The refining section has at least one plane of a plurality of electrodes immersed in the molten glass mass thru which energy is supplied to the molten glass mass. A refining zone is positioned below the region containing the electrodes from which refined glass is discharged thru an outlet therein.