Abstract: An end cap assembly for a conveyor roll includes an end cap configured to fit over an end of the conveyor roll, and the end cap has an opening. The end cap assembly further includes a spring member configured to be positioned between the end of the conveyor roll and the end cap, and a fastener that is insertable into the opening of the end cap. The fastener is configured to cooperate with the spring member to apply a retention force to assist in retaining the end cap on the conveyor roll.

Abstract: A glass quench apparatus according to the present disclosure includes lower and upper quench heads configured to supply upward and downward gas flows to a heated glass sheet, and each quench head has multiple quench fins for distributing gas. For each quench head, adjacent quench fins are spaced apart center to center by a distance in the range of 0.87 to 1.15 inches, and each quench fin has multiple outlet openings that each have a diameter in the range of 0.25 to 0.36 inches. Furthermore, for each quench fin, the outlet openings are configured to provide spaced apart impingement points on the glass sheet such that adjacent impingement points are spaced apart by a distance in the range of 0.82 to 1.15 inches.

Abstract: A glass quench apparatus according to the present disclosure includes lower and upper quench heads configured to supply upward and downward gas flows to a heated glass sheet, and each quench head has multiple quench fins for distributing gas. For each quench head, adjacent quench fins are spaced apart center to center by a distance in the range of 0.87 to 1.15 inches, and each quench fin has multiple outlet openings that each have a diameter in the range of 0.25 to 0.36 inches. Furthermore, for each quench fin, the outlet openings are configured to provide spaced apart impingement points on the glass sheet such that adjacent impingement points are spaced apart by a distance in the range of 0.82 to 1.15 inches.

Abstract: A method for heating glass sheets includes alternately loading on a conveyor system two different sets of glass sheets with the glass sheets of each set having different properties than those of the other set so as to require different heating than each other; conveying the alternately loaded sets of glass sheets on the conveyor system along a plane of conveyance through a heating chamber having a heating system; and controlling operation of the heating system to provide two different sets of heating zones alternating along the direction of conveyance and respectively moving with the two sets of glass sheets so as to provide heating in the heating chamber of each set of glass sheets as required and in a different way than the heating of the other set of glass sheets.

Abstract: Apparatus (36, 36?) and a method for forming glass sheets utilizes a press ring assembly (50) adjacent a heating furnace to receive a heated class sheet therefrom for press forming. The press ring assembly (50) includes a press ring (52) for mounting on a support (48), with the press ring having an open interior and peripheral shape including an upwardly oriented forming face (74) for contacting the heated glass sheet periphery. A heater (75) extends along the peripheral shape of the press ring (52) to provide heating under the control of at least one thermocouple (110), and insulation (78) extends along the periphery of the press ring within the interior, around the exterior and below the press ring to reduce heat loss, with the heater located between the insulation and the press ring. An upper press mold (58) cooperates with the press ring assembly (50) to provide press forming.

Abstract: A method for heating glass sheets includes alternately loading on a conveyor system two different sets of glass sheets with the glass sheets of each set having different properties than those of the other set so as to require different heating than each other; conveying the alternately loaded sets of glass sheets on the conveyor system along a plane of conveyance through a heating chamber having a heating system; and controlling operation of the heating system to provide two different sets of heating zones alternating along the direction of conveyance and respectively moving with the two sets of glass sheets so as to provide heating in the heating chamber of each set of glass sheets as required and in a different way than the heating of the other set of glass sheets.

Abstract: A furnace (12) and a method for heating roll conveyed glass sheets by electric resistance radiant heating and forced convection heating by hot air jets that also entrain hot air within the furnace. A hot air distributing system (86) includes upper and lower arrays (90) of hot air distributors (92) that are constructed to effectively supply the convective heating. The hot air distributors (92) have heat exchangers (96) that heat the pressurized air that provides the hot air jets. The heating can be performed on both uncoated and coated glass sheets and furnace (12) conveys the glass sheets either in an oscillating manner or a continuous one direction manner during the heating.

Abstract: A furnace (12) and a method for heating coated glass sheets by radiant heating also provides convective heating by hot air jets that entrain hot air within the furnace so the combined flow of hot air heats an upwardly facing coated glass surface in addition to the radiant heating, and a control (89) increases this convective heating during the conveyance to balance the heating and the resultant temperature of the upwardly facing coated surface and a downwardly facing uncoated surface of each conveyed glass sheet. A hot air distributing system (86) includes an array (90) of hot air distributors (92) constructed to effectively supply the convective heating. The hot air distributors (92) have heat exchangers (96) that heat pressurized air that provides the hot air jets. The furnace (12) conveys the glass sheets either in an oscillating manner or a continuous one direction manner during the heating.

Abstract: A furnace (10) and method for heating conveyed glass sheets within a housing (12) includes forced convection heaters (24) spaced along the direction of conveyance both below and above a roll conveyor (20). Each forced convection heater (24) includes a gas burner assembly (32) generally adjacent one of the housing side walls and has an outlet (34) through which products of combustion are supplied to the housing heating chamber (18) at a location intermediate its side walls. A hot gas distributor (38) of each forced convection heater (24) includes an inlet (40) that is spaced from the outlet (34) of the gas burner assembly (32), and the hot gas distributor (38) has a suction fan (42) for drawing in heated products of combustion together with spent recirculating gas in the heating chamber (18) for mixing to provide heated gas that is distributed to the conveyed glass sheets.

Abstract: A furnace (10) and method for heating conveyed glass sheets within a housing (12) includes forced convection heaters (24) spaced along the direction of conveyance both below and above a roll conveyor (20). Each forced convection heater (24) includes a gas burner assembly (32) generally adjacent one of the housing side walls and has an outlet (34) through which products of combustion are supplied to the housing heating chamber (18) at a location intermediate its side walls. A hot gas distributor (38) of each forced convection heater (24) includes an inlet (40) that is spaced from the outlet (34) of the gas burner assembly (32), and the hot gas distributor (38) has a suction fan (42) for drawing in heated products of combustion together with spent recirculating gas in the heating chamber (18) for mixing to provide heated gas that is distributed to the conveyed glass sheets.

Abstract: A forced convection furnace (20) and method for heating glass sheets includes a forced convection heater (42) having lower hot gas distributors (44) located below alternate conveyor rolls (38) to provide upward gas flow both upstream and downstream thereof along a direction of conveyance to provide heating from below of the glass sheets being conveyed within a heating chamber (32) of a housing (22) of the furnace. The forced convection heater (42) also includes upper hot gas distributors (52) for providing heating from above of the glass sheets being conveyed within the heating chamber (32).

Abstract: A forced convection furnace (20) and method for heating glass sheets includes a forced convection heater (42) having lower hot gas distributors (44) located below alternate conveyor rolls (38) to provide upward gas flow both upstream and downstream thereof along a direction of conveyance to provide heating from below of the glass sheets being conveyed within a heating chamber (32) of a housing (22) of the furnace. The forced convection heater (42) also includes upper hot gas distributors (52) for providing heating from above of the glass sheets being conveyed within the heating chamber (32).

Abstract: A gas burner assembly (10) and method for providing combustion air flow and gas fuel flow in linear proportion to a control signal. A blower motor (18) is driven by the control signal and drives a blower (14) whose output (16) has a static pressure proportional to the square of the blower speed. A gas fuel controller 28 is responsive to the static pressure of the blower output (16) to meter fuel in proportion to the square root of that static pressure.