Abstract: A coolant box for a glass batch charger that includes a base, a front wall, a rear wall, a coolant labyrinth extending from the base between the front and rear walls, and including a plurality of curvate baffle walls establishing a plurality of curvate coolant channels.

Abstract: An adjustable vibrating plate cullet feeder for feeding recycle glass to melting furnaces. Independent control of the rate of cullet feed is obtained by adjustment of at least one of: the angle of the feeder plate, the intensity of the vibration, and the frequency of the vibration. The vibrating plate cullet feeder may be positioned to feed over a batch charger or may feed directly into the melting furnace and may be controlled by the batch charger or independently by a furnace level or composition controller.

Abstract: A modular solids charger for feeding granular solid material to a reactor, the charger comprising a chassis, a charger plate support frame vertically and angularly adjustable with respect to the horizontal secured to the chassis, a removable reciprocable charger plate reciprocably secured to the charger plate support frame, a removable solids supply chute disposed above the reciprocable charger plate for feeding solids to the reciprocable charger plate, spacers for adjusting the elevation of the chassis to accommodate a range of elevations of reactor feed openings, and charger plate support frame extensions to enable the charge plate support frame to accommodate a range of reciprocable charger plate widths.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for glass manufacture is described having batch preheating and reduced pollution emission. The apparatus includes two modules containing pelletized glass and/or cullet. One module functions as a pelletized glass preheater, and the other as a filter for removing pollution emissions from furnace exhaust gases. The modules are switchable, such that the preheating module can be converted to a filter module, and the filter module converted to a preheating module, thus allowing periodic cleaning and routine maintenance.

Abstract: An in situ replaceable pusher bar for a batch charger pan of a blanket batch charger for a glass melter comprising a removable pusher bar assembly and a latching mechanism for securing the pusher bar assembly to the batch charger pan. The pusher bar assembly is provided with a slide mechanism which enables the pusher bar assembly to slide through guide mechanisms secured to the underside of the batch charger pan. The guide mechanisms are in the form of pan support tubes, inside of which are disposed latch brackets attached to the ends of rods for latching the pusher bar assembly to the batch charger pan.

Abstract: A three-armed spider frame is provided including depending supports at the free ends of its arms and a center mount outwardly from which the three arms radiate. An upwardly opening hopper is journaled from the frame for rotation about a central upstanding axis and includes a plurality of lower outlets spaced outwardly from and about the hopper rotation axis. Each of the outlets includes dispensing structure for dispensing fluent material discharged from the outlets in sector-shaped horizontal patterns and structure is provided whereby the horizontal patterns may be selectively angularly displaced about the corresponding outlets. Further, variable speed motor structure is drivingly coupled to the hopper for rotating the latter relative to the frame and the interior of the hopper is divided into a plurality of upwardly opening compartments each serving a corresponding lower outlet.

Abstract: The feeding of batch material to a melting furnace is disclosed. The batch materials are choke fed to keep the total batch crust plus molten glass depth constant. The batch level keeps the arc electrodes submerged and helps promote arc stability and melting efficiency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding pulverant raw material to an arc furnace having a plurality of arcing locations defined by vertical electrodes. A vertical feed tube gravitationally conveys the raw material to a central location inside the furnace which is above the arcing locations. A rotatable deflector is located at the bottom of the feed tube and is rotated in step-wise fashion to direct raw material from the feed tube to each of the arcing locations. A fixed deflector is located at each arcing location to confine the raw material fed into the furnace predominantly to the arcing locations. By locating most of the raw material at the arcing locations, the feeding mechanism of the present invention improves the stability of the arc and the melting efficiency of the furnace.

Abstract: A method and system for quenching, drying, and elevating glass compositions comprising an incline reciprocating conveyor arranged to receive a stream of molten glass. The reciprocating conveyor has deep side and lower end walls in order to hold a pool of quenching liquid which is constantly replenished. The reciprocating action of the incline conveyor moves the quenched and shattered glass up out of the quenching pool to the higher end of the conveyor where it is drained and then delivered to a second conveyor. The second conveyor preferably comprises a helical vibrating conveyor surrounded by infrared heaters. The infrared heaters can be adjusted to supply just enough heat to the shattered glass on a helical vibrating conveyor surface to provide drying of the glass.

Abstract: A pair of spaced opposing upstanding surfaces are provided and an inclined upwardly facing ramp surface extends therebetween and includes a lower marginal edge. A partial cylindrical wall extends axially between the upstanding surfaces and opens in a generally horizontal direction between and paralleling the upstanding surfaces. The partial cylindrical wall includes an upper marginal edge portion registered with the lower marginal edge of the inclined ramp surface and a generally radially partitioned feed wheel is journaled between the upstanding surfaces and has one side thereof closely embraced by the partial cylindrical wall. Drive structure drivingly rotates the wheel in a direction to move the upper radial partitions thereof in the general direction in which the partial cylindrical wall opens and a gravity discharge outlet is spaced above the wheel and the area between the upstanding surfaces above the lower portion of the inclined ramp surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to batch feeders for furnaces. Heretofore batch feeders have been complex, expensive to construct, use and maintain and have not ensured a uniform deposition of particulate batch material onto the batch cover in the furnace. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for obtaining a uniform layer of batch material by moving a particulate-covering trough 62 over a desired area. Disposed within the trough 62 is a feed means 80 having a cavity at one end with an opening in alignment with a discharge opening in the trough. The sidewalls defining the cavity have a plurality of perforations 87 therein. The other end of the feed means is connected to a vibrator so that as the vibrator is vibrated the one end of the feed means moves back and forth through the particulate material in the trough 62. The particulate material is forced through the perforations 87 in the feed means 80 and falls, under the influence of gravity, towards the desired area.

Abstract: A glass melting furnace, especially fully electrically heated glass melting furnace, comprising a wall of refractory material, said wall being circular or having the configuration of a regular polygon, and wherein a supporting frame is provided at the exterior side thereof, comprising a cover or roof of refractory material being supported by overlying tierods or beams including wheels travelling on an annular or circular track rail and permitting said roof to be rotated in a horizontal plane; bin means and conveyor means for feeding the batch material into at least one hopper positioned on said roof; and bin means and conveyor means for the controlled supply of the batch material from said hopper or hoppers into a slot or into openings formed in the refractory material of said roof with different radial spacings from the axis of rotation.