Abstract: An improved clot activator system for reducing the clotting time for blood samples in serum separation tubes, and the like, as well as increasing the degree of clotting, while at the same time, reducing the cost of production. This is achieved by the addition of glass pieces to the tube which pieces are formed in a particular way by a sol-gel process. The particles are pieces of glass, and are a porous substantially rigid amorphous inorganic sponge with substantial reactive surfaces. When a blood sample is introduced into a serum separation tube containing such pieces, the blood enters the interstices of the pieces causing fragmentation thereof, which fragmentation causes sound and shock waves which, in turn, enhance the clotting of the blood.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for forming shaped foamed-glass articles. Glass particles are introduced to a pressure vessel in the presence of water. A pressure is applied to the pressure vessel sufficient to permit entrapment of water during sintering and sufficient to prevent foaming at processing temperatures. The temperature of the glass is increased to cause the glass to sinter and entrap water. The temperature of the glass is then increased to its fining temperature (T.sub.F) for a sufficient time to fine the glass. The temperature of the glass is reduced to its pressure release temperature (T.sub.PR). The pressure on the glass containing water is then reduced such as by extrusion to cause controlled foaming of the glass to occur. The glass is then cooled preferably by annealing to form the shaped foamed-glass article, typically pipe insulation.

Abstract: Large, uniform hollow spherical shells are produced by forming uniform size drops of heat decomposable or vaporizable material, evaporating the drops to form dried particles, coating the dried particles with a layer of shell forming material, and heating the composite particles to melt the outer layer and decompose or vaporize the inner particle to form an expanding inner gas bubble which expands the outer layer. By cycling the temperature and pressure on the hollow shells, spherical shells with uniform walls are produced.

Abstract: A method of producing gas filled hollow glass beads comprises the steps of:i. manufacturing hollow glass beads having an alkali content of at least 20% calculated as weight per cent of oxide in the bead,ii. exposing the beads to an acidic treatment medium, for example HCl, HNO.sub.3, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, SO.sub.2, SO.sub.3, to reduce the alkali content of the beads to not more than 15%, andiii. causing gas to diffuse into the beads.

Abstract: A method of forming rounded vitreous beads in which particles of bead forming material entrained in a gas stream having comburent and combustible components are projected from a burner head and the gas is burnt. A first component of the combustible gas mixture with entrained particles is propelled along a passageway leading to the burner head, a second gas component is forced transversely into that passageway through at least one orifice in its peripheral wall and the mixed gases in which the particles are entrained are subjected to forces further promoting intimate mixture thereof before reaching the burner head.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of producing a cellular ceramic body of high mechanical strength and exhibiting a density less than 15 lbs/ft.sup.3. A crystal-containing gel, prepared from a selected, synthetic, lithium and/or sodium, water-swelling mica, is ion exchanged with a large cation to flocculate the gel and the floc is drained and provided with a gas producing agent. The floc is then molded to desired shape and subjected to gas-producing radiation to cellulate the molded body. The cellulating agent may be retained water, one or more chemical blowing agents, a combustible substance or a vaporizable substance. The floc, in slurry form, may have a thickener added to produce a paste prior to molding. It may also have a plasticizer and/or a binder added as modifiers.

Abstract: A method for making hollow glass microspheres with conducting surfaces by adding a conducting vapor to a region of the glass fabrication furnace. As droplets or particles of glass forming material pass through multiple zones of different temperature in a glass fabrication furnace, and are transformed into hollow glass microspheres, the microspheres pass through a region of conducting vapor, forming a conducting coating on the surface of the microspheres.

Abstract: Cellular ceramic bodies are produced by frothing a crystal-containing, ion-exchanged gel and setting the gel. An aqueous gel is prepared from a water-swelling mica and is blended in conjunction with a large cation donor, e.g., a potassium salt or silicate glass, and a surfactant to effect frothing of the gel by a shearing action and exchange of large cations with lithium and/or sodium ions from the mica to produce an ion-exchanged gel that sets in controllable manner.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing low density, ceramic bodies in the nature of hollow or solid beads which may be used as such or bonded into a unitary mass. The bodies are composed of ion-exchanged, synthetic mica crystals wherein large cations, such as K.sup.+, have been exchanged for lithium and/or sodium ions from the mica. The method involves forming a gel by dissolution of a synthetic mica in a polar liquid, releasing droplets of the gel into a fluid to form shaped bodies, effecting the indicated ion exchange, and drying the beads thus formed.

Abstract: An acoustic spherical lens where in a hemispherical hole is formed from a bubble which appears owing to the expansion of residual gases in a lens material employing silica, and the hemispherical hole is used as a lens surface.

Abstract: Method for making shaped foam glass bodies from ground glass by hydrolysis in a hydrolysis mixture with solid alkali silicate and water, in which at least one foaming agent is added to the hydrolysis mixture, or to a resulting slip to form a foam producing mass, and in which the foam producing mass is foamed at an increased temperature. A mixture of two types of glass, namely (a) glass containing more than 16% by weight alkali oxide, and (b) glass containing less than 16% by weight alkali oxide, 95% of each having a grain size of less than 0.1 mm, at a weight ratio of a:b=1.1.5 to 1:20 is mixed with water at temperatures from 50.degree. to 100.degree. C. until the mixture thickens, the ratio of water to total solids being 1:1.4 to 2.5. The resulting mass into shaped foam glass bodies.

Abstract: A method of making foam glass by impregnating diatomaceous earth, fly ash or mixtures thereof, and insoluble modifiers, if any, with at least one water soluble glass former in an amount expressed as its oxide of about 2.5 to 20 weight percent of the impregnated diatomaceous earth, fly ash or mixtures thereof; at least one water soluble flux in an amount expressed as its oxide of about 8 to 20 weight percent of the impregnated diatomaceous earth, fly ash or mixtures thereof; and at least one gas generator. The diatomaceous earth, fly ash or mixtures thereof is impregnated by mixing diatomaceous earth, fly ash or mixtures thereof and an impregnating solution comprising at least one water soluble glass former in an amount expressed as its oxide of about 3 to 14 weight percent; at least one water soluble flux in an amount expressed as its oxide of about 10 to 20 weight percent; at least one gas generator, and water in an amount of about 50 to 80 weight percent.

Abstract: A strong, light-weight foamed weight bearing structural member having insulating properties and withstanding atmospheric erosion is formed by introducing a plurality of hollow bodies with shells thereabout into a molten mass of refractory material as a foaming agent and freezing the hollow bodies in place. These shells provide color, strength and texture characteristics to the structural member and may be steered non-uniformly such as near the outer surface to provide toughness, texture, or color, preferably by electrically charging the bodies and establishing an electric field in the molten mass of refractory material.

Abstract: A system is provided for forming small accurately-spherical objects. Preformed largely-spherical objects (18) are supported at the opening of a conduit (16) on the update of hot gas emitted from the opening, so the object is in a molten state. The conduit is suddenly jerked away at a downward incline, to allow the molten object to drop in free fall, so that surface tension forms a precise sphere. The conduit portion that has the opening, lies in a moderate-vacuum chamber 40, and the falling sphere passes through the chamber and through a briefly-opened valve (30) into a tall drop tower (32) that contains a lower pressure, to allow the sphere to cool without deformation caused by falling through air.

Abstract: A method for producing decorative glass objects in which the decoration is created by blisters formed by air bubbles within solid glass and/or by a pattern on the outer surface of the glass. When producing glass objects provided with air bubbles by means of known methods the bubbles remain on the surface of the objects which then easily break. In addition, the bubbles are formed at random, which may make them appear as dim impurities. When, in accordance with the invention, molten glass is poured from above in the shape of a band into a hot mould, the molten glass is spread into the mould in layers between which microscopic air bubbles remain. As the glass surface cools, the air enclosed within the bubbles expands in the molten glass which, while cooling, leaves the bubbles as clear pearls inside the glass. As the molten glass is spread in layers towards the wall of the mould, a pattern is formed as the glass surface cools.

Abstract: The method is characterized by moulding at least one slab of a thermoplastic, normally solid material under heat treatment against a matrix having a form substantially matching that of the final mirror to form a shell (6) introducing into the shell a material selected from the group consisting of; (1) glass bubbles of a thermoplastic, normally solid material; (2) a composition of a powder of a thermoplastic, normally solid material together with an expanding agent, and; (3) mixtures thereof, and bringing the glass bubbles and the powder particles of the composition resp., the latter after expansion, to adhere, on one hand to each other, and on the other to the shell to form a porous supporting structure. The mirror blank according to the invention comprises a shell (6) of a thermoplastic, normally solid material and a supporting structure of the material in said group filling the shell, the glass bubbles and the powder particles resp. being attached to each other and to the shell.

Abstract: A system is described for forming hollow spheres containing pressured gas, which includes a cylinder device (14) containing a molten solid material (20) and having a first nozzle (18) at its end, and a second gas nozzle (24) lying slightly upstream from the tip of the first nozzle and connected to a source (26) that applies pressured filler gas that is to fill the hollow spheres. High pressure is applied to the molten metal, as by moving a piston (22) within the cylinder device, to force the molten material out of the first nozzle and the same time pressured gas fills the center of the extruded hollow liquid pipe that breaks into hollow spheres (12a). The environment (54) outside the nozzles contains gas at a high pressure such as 100 atmospheres, the gas is supplied to the gas nozzle (24) at a slightly higher pressure such as 101 atmospheres, and the pressure applied to the molten material (20) is at a still higher pressure such as 110 atmospheres.

Abstract: A method of controllably varying the dimensions of cavitated objects such as hollow spherical shells wherein a precursor shell is heated to a temperature above the shell softening temperature in an ambient atmosphere wherein the ratio of gases which are permeable through the shell wall at that temperature to gases which are impermeable through the shell wall is substantially greater than the corresponding ratio for gases contained within the precursor shell. As the shell expands, the partial pressures of permeable gases internally and externally of the shell approach and achieve equilibrium, so that the final shell size depends solely upon the difference in impermeable gas partial pressures and shell surface tension.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing gel powder suitable for use as a starting material in the manufacture of hollow glass microspheres having a high concentration of silica. The powder is manufactured from a gel containing boron in the amount of about 1% to 20% (oxide equivalent mole percent), alkali metals, specifically potassium and sodium, in an amount exceeding 8% total, and the remainder silicon. Preferably, the ratio of potassium to sodium is greater than 1.5.

Abstract: A composition of matter for use as a vitreous fertilizer comprising a soluble vitreous constituent comprising the following ingredients: 35 to 55 moles %, P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; less than 10 moles %, K.sub.2 O; and the balance to 100 moles %, CaO and/or MgO. The balance of the composition, if any, is constituted by optional additions of nutrient proportions of one or more micro-nutrients in plant assimilable form, and/or optional additions of one or more plant-inert filler materials. Such compositions have favorable nutrient release rates. The invention also encompasses compositions of matter adapted for use as a plant fertilizer which comprises soluble vitreous plant nutrient release material in expanded or cellular form, and to methods of plant cultivation using such compositions.

Abstract: The blown granular glass consists of fragments of a blown glass element and comprises at least 100,000, preferably 1,000,000, per cm.sup.3 of bubbles approximately of the same size. It is obtained by grinding the race material into a flour; the flour is mixed into a hot gas by a blowing means; the mixture is blown into a flat base furnace in an amount of blown glass; this amount is cooled after blowing and directly after cooling it is crushed into a granulated material.

Abstract: An expanded glass aggregate has a granulometry of 0.2 to 3 mm and 10.sup.6 to 10.sup.7 cavities filled with gas per cm.sup.3. The diameter of the larger cavities is substantially smaller than 0.1 mm. All or a majority of the cavities are closed cells having a similar size. The expanded glass aggregate may contain in addition up to 85% of concrete, lava and/or tuff. For the preparation, the raw material is ground into a flour, mixed with a blowing organic and/or inorganic material appropriate to hot release gas, and a semi-finished aggregate is formed with a diameter of the granules of 0.1 to 1.5 mm. This aggregate is heated in a vibrating or suspended furnace during 5 to 180 seconds at a temperature of 600.degree. to 900.degree. C. The expanded glass aggregate is removed away from the furnace before a significant number of small cavities formed during the blowing gather to form larger cavities.

Abstract: A process for producing a mother rod useful for the production of an optical fiber which comprises hydrolyzing a silicon alkoxide to prepare a gel of a desired shape, and drying and sintering the gel to produce a block made of a silica glass. The process has the advantages that it is well adapted for mass-production, that a glass made of a B.sub.2 O.sub.3 --SiO.sub.2 system may be produced thereby and that a glass block of arbitrary shape may be readily produced.

Abstract: A continuous cellular glass manufacturing method is described. A mixture of ground glass and of one or more substances, such as coal dust, coke dust, graphite dust, one or more powdery and/or liquid and/or diluted hydrocarbons, one or more powdery and/or liquid and/or diluted carbohydrates, one or more hydrocarbons and/or their derivatives, one or more powdery and/or diluted carbonates, fine natural earth, ground natural stones, ground ceramics, cement, one or more powdery and/or dissolved soluble glass substances, water and other similar substances, is partly or totally solidified by drying and/or by reaction, letting it stand for at least 10 minutes. The mixture thus solidified is granulated and the glassy mass so obtained is distributed over a refractory wire conveyor belt or of refractory sheet, after spreading a separating substance in the conveyor belt which prevents the glassy mass from sticking to the conveyor belt.

Abstract: An improved article made of foamed glass or similar materials and method of manufacture is disclosed. Thus, a construction panel may be formed to bear weight, withstand weather and take reasonable impact and abuse, because of a tempered outer skin supported inside by a skeletal network of solid poreless material formed about low density pockets of substantially constant size and frequency.These panels are made by continuous pulling of the panels through a heat controlled mold in contact with the surface skin from a continuously fed molten mass into which is injected from the bottom size and frequency controlled foaming agents or gaseous bubbles which rise in the molten mass to a position where they are frozen in place.

Abstract: A method of forming hollow glass spheres S shaped by the effects of surface tension acting on bubbles of glass in its molten state; the method is characterized by the steps of establishing a downwardly flowing stream of air accelerated at a one-G rate of acceleration through a drop tower 10, introducing into the stream of air free-falling bubbles B of molten glass, and freezing the bubbles in the stream as they are accelerated at a one-G rate of acceleration.

Abstract: Hollow glass microspheres made from a low heat conductivity glass composition containing a high vacuum and a thin metal coating deposited on the inner wall surface of the microspheres are described. The hollow glass microspheres are used to make superior insulation materials in the construction of highly efficient solar energy collectors.The hollow glass microspheres are made by forming a liquid film of molten glass across a coaxial blowing nozzle, applying a metal vapor blowing gas at a positive pressure on the inner surface of the glass film to blow the film and form an elongated cylinder shaped liquid film of molten glass. A transverse jet is used to direct an inert entraining fluid over and around the blowing nozzle at an angle to the axis of the blowing nozzle. The entraining fluid as it passes over and around the blowing nozzle fluid dynamically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite or lee side of the blowing nozzle in the wake or shadow of the coaxial blowing nozzle.

Abstract: Hollow plastic microspheres made from thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic compositions are described.The hollow plastic microspheres are made by forming a liquid film of thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic composition across a coaxial blowing nozzle, applying a blowing gas at a positive pressure to the inner surface of the plastic film to blow the film and form an elongated cylinder shaped liquid film of plastic. A transverse jet is used to direct an entraining fluid over and around the blowing nozzle at an angle to the axis of the blowing nozzle. The entraining fluid as it passes over and around the blowing nozzle fluid dynamically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite or lee side of the blowing nozzle in the wake or shadow of the coaxial blowing nozzle.

Abstract: A method for compressing gases in a contained volume consisting of hollow glass microspheres is described. The gases are compressed under high pressure and can be easily handled and stored. The gases to be compressed and contained in the microspheres are used as blowing gases to blow the microspheres.The hollow glass microspheres are made by forming a liquid film of molten glass across a coaxial blowing nozzle, applying the blowing gas at a positive pressure on the inner surface of the glass film to blow the film and form an elongated cylinder shaped liquid film of molten glass. A transverse jet is used to direct an entraining fluid over and around the blowing nozzle at an angle to the axis of the blowing nozzle. The entraining fluid as it passes over and around the blowing nozzle fluid dynamically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite or lee side of the blowing nozzle in the wake or shadow of the coaxial blowing nozzle.

Abstract: Hollow spheres with precisely concentric inner and outer spherical surfaces are formed by applying vibrations to a nonconcentric hollow sphere while it is at an elevated temperature at which it is fluid or plastic, the vibrations producing internal flows which cause the inner and outer surfaces to become precisely concentric. Concentric spheres can be mass produced by extruding a material such as glass or metal while injecting a stream of gas into the center of the extrusion to form a gas-filled tube. Vibrations are applied to the extruded tube to help break it up into individual bodies of a desired uniform size, the bodies tending to form spherical inner and outer surfaces by reason of surface tension, and the continuing application of vibrations causing these surfaces to become concentric.

Abstract: A method for producing small hollow spheres of glass having an outer diameter ranging from about 100.mu. to about 500.mu. with a substantially uniform wall thickness in the range of about 0.5-20.mu.. The method involves introducing aqueous droplets of a glass-forming solution into a long vertical drop oven or furnace having varying temperature regions. In one embodiment, one of the temperature regions is lower than both the preceeding region and the subsequent region. One region utilizes a temperature of at least 200.degree. C. higher than the melting point of the glass-forming material in the solution and, for example, may be at least 3 times higher than the temperature of the preceeding region. In addition, there is a sharp temperature gradient between these regions.

Abstract: A method for producing small hollow glass spheres filled with a gas by introduction of the gas during formation of the hollow glass spheres. Hollow glass microspheres having a diameter up to about 500.mu. with both thin walls (0.5 to 4.mu.) and thick walls (5 to 20.mu.) that contain various fill gases, such as Ar, Kr, Xe, Br, DT, H.sub.2, D.sub.2, He, N.sub.2, Ne, CO.sub.2, etc. in the interior thereof, can be produced by the diffusion of the fill gas or gases into the microsphere during the formation thereof from a liquid droplet of glass-forming solution. This is accomplished by filling at least a portion of the multiple-zone drop-furnace used in producing hollow microspheres with the gas or gases of interest, and then taking advantage of the high rate of gaseous diffusion of the fill gas through the wall of the gel membrane before it transforms into a glass microsphere as it is processed in the multiple-zone furnace.

Abstract: A glass article such as a sham bottom tumbler with decorative air bubble encapsulated in its base is produced on existing automatic glass-forming machines by injecting a bubble of air into a charge of molten glass in the gob-forming section of a glass furnace as the charge is being formed into a gob. This is accomplished by providing an air supply tube in the gob-forming plunger. Preferably, the lower tip of the tube extends below the lower tip of the plunger. Puffs of compressed air are supplied in synchronism with the plunger cycle so an air bubble is formed in the lower end of the gob, and the gob is then formed by normal procedures into a finished article.

Abstract: A process of making cellulated glass beads by forming a mixture comprising glass particles and cellulating agent into nodules, heat treating the nodules to cause fusion of glass and evolution of gas from the cellulating agent to form cellulated glass beads, and cooling the cellulated glass beads to a rigid condition. The cellulating agent utilized has the characteristic of creating expansion forces due to the evolution of gas during heat treatment which are generated wholly or mainly while the glass viscosity is within the range 10.sup.6.5 to 10.sup.8.5 poises. The heat treatment is carried out with a quantity of cellulating agent at a maximum cellulation temperature which is not above the temperature corresponding with a glass viscosity of 10.sup.5.5 poises and for a time such that the beads immediately following the heat treatment are populated with cells, and after cooling have a bulk density of not more than 0.5 g/cm.sup.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with the production of porous, essentially alkali metal-free amorphous bodies demonstrating excellent thermal insulating properties and being capable of long term use at temperatures up to 1000.degree. C. The bodies exhibit an average pore diameter of between about 100A-10,000A with at least 80% of the pores coming within .+-.20% of the average pore diameter value. The bodies consist essentially, as expressed in weight percent on the oxide basis, of 0.25-5% of an infrared radiation absorbing metal oxide, 1-10% of an infrared radiation scattering metal oxide, and the remainder SiO.sub.2.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method of making glass via solution deposition of a porous self-supporting body by combination of a first solution and a second solution. The first solution containing at least one basic glass forming solute is confined within a porous container, the walls of which are substantially impermeable to the basic solute. The second solution containing at least one acidic solute is diffused into the porous container through its walls which are substantially permeable to the said acidic solute. Within the porous container the combination between the first solution and the second solution takes place leading to the deposition of a self-supporting porous body on the inside walls of the container. The porous body which is crystalline, vitreous or intermediate between the two, is purified by leaching and/or washing, dried and thermally consolidated to a transparent non-porous glass.

Abstract: Where a formulated glass cullet is utilized as a portion of the pulverulent batch material, the cellular material is prepared by first grinding the glass cullet in a ball mill with a cellulating agent such as carbon black until the pulverulent material attains an average particle size of about 4 or 5 microns. The pulverulent batch containing the glass cullet and cellulating agent is then sintered at a sintering temperature for a sufficient period of time to permit the glass cullet material to soften and coalesce and increase in density without, however, cellulating the glass batch. The sintering process is then interrupted and the sintered material may be cooled and crushed to a size that passes through a United States 10 mesh screen. The crushed and screened sintered material is then positioned in a suitable mold and subjected to a cellulating temperature of between about 1600.degree. F. (870.degree. C.) and 1650.degree. F. (899.degree. C.

Abstract: An intimate mixture of an amorphous silica potassium oxide, boric oxide, alumina and a cellulating agent is subjected to a temperature of between 1390.degree. C. to 1450.degree. C. for a sufficient time to coalesce the mixture and gasify the cellulating agent and form a cellular body. The mixture is prepared by first forming a slurry and, drying the slurry to form aggregates, and are thereafter comminuted if necessary to form a pulverulent batch. The pulverulent batch is heated in a cellulating furnace to a foam-like mass which is comminuted to form a precellulated material. The precellulated material is mixed with additional cellulating agent and pulverulent batch in preselected proportions and heated in a furnace to gasify the cellulating agent to form a cellular body. Alternatively alumina, boric oxide, an alkali metal salt and a cellulating agent are comminuted and mixed in a ball mill. Thereafter, amorphous silica is added to form a mixture containing more than 80% silica.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for making a blistered, crystallizable glass material in a rotary kiln with simultaneous utilization of mineral-containing waste products, particularly fly ash, slag, and ashes from power works and refuse disposal plants, and sludge from water-purification plants.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of foamed glass includes providing a mixture of a finely divided glass and a bonding agent. The bonding agent is selected from the group of aqueous solutions of the oxygen acids of beryllium, boron, aluminum, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony, tellurium, polonium, astatine and phosphorous, the aqueous solutions of the anhydrides of the oxygen acids, and the aqueous solutions of the salts formed by the oxygen acids and the basic oxides, and basic hydroxides of beryllium, boron, aluminum, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony, tellurium, polonium, astatine and of the transition metals having a variable oxidation number. The mixture is dried at a temperature from 20.degree. to 600.degree. C. to thereby transform the bonding agent into a gel having water bound thereto. The dried mixture is heated to a temperature from 800.degree. to 1,000.degree. C. to thereby melt the mixture and release the bound water from the gel.

Abstract: A continuous process for the manufacture of cellular ceramic product. Ceramic feed material is transported successively through a preheat kiln section, through a foaming section whereat foaming agent mixed with the ceramic feed material is activated, and into a drawing kiln section. An elongate hollow product can be formed by drawing the foamed ceramic while soft around and past a hollow mandrel to form an elongate hollow cylindrical member.

Abstract: An aqueous slurry comprising an intimate mixture of colloidal silica, (preferably an amorphous, precipitated, hydrated silica), caustic potash, boric acid and alumina is first prepared and then dried. The dried aggregates are thereafter crushed, calcined and rapidly quenched. It is preferred to dry the slurry in a spray drier and thereafter omit crushing after drying and to calcine the dried admixture by means of a plasma arc so that the mixture is rapidly quenched after calcination. The calcined mixture is introduced into a crusher, such as a ball mill, with a carbonaceous cellulating agent and reduced to a fine pulverulent material. The pulverulent material is then cellulated in a cellulating furnace to form cellular borosilicate bodies. Where desired, the calcined material may be utilized as a ceramic frit.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and an apparatus for the manufacture of fused glass, suitable for molding, wherein the total time of manufacture is reduced to about one hour. The process accelerates the homogenization and refining of glass by eliminating unfused particles and gas bubbles which are the main factors limiting the production rate of industrial glass. This is accomplished by increasing the temperature of the molten glass to produce foaming throughout its mass while maintaining its viscosity below 1,000 poises.

Abstract: An aqueous slurry comprising an intimate mixture of colloidal silica, (preferably an amorphous, precipitated, hydrated silica), caustic potash, boric acid and alumina is first prepared and then dried. The dried aggregates are thereafter crushed, calcined and rapidly quenched. It is preferred to dry the slurry in a spray drier and thereafter omit crushing after drying and to calcine the dried admixture by means of a plasma arc so that the mixture is rapidly quenched after calcination. The calcined mixture is introduced into a crusher, such as ball mill, with a carbonaceous cellulating agent and reduced to a fine pulverulent material. The pulverulent material is then cellulated in a cellulating furnace to form cellular borosilicate bodies. Where desired, the calcined material may be utilized as a ceramic frit.

Abstract: A method for forming small, smooth surfaced foamed glass pellets with a coated surface of ash is disclosed. The method involves the recovery of waste glass, typically soda/lime/silica glass, crushing and sizing same to obtain particles of less than 200 mesh. The small particles may be pelletized in a pelletizing disk, drum, rotary kiln or other compressive or extrusion devices by the addition of water until the small particles begin to agglomerate. The pellets are then coated with a high-melting point release agent, especially ash, and then heated to a temperature above the softening point of the glass to cellulate the glass agglomerates to form substantially spherical pellets having a bulk density of as low as eight pounds per cubic foot and possessing a very fine, substantially uniform pore structure.

Abstract: The instant invention is directed to the production of foamed alkali metal silicate articles of low density, good chemical durability, and low thermal conductivity which can readily be made in essentially unlimited sizes and configurations. The process of the invention contemplates four general steps. First, an anhydrous glass consisting essentially of narrowly-defined compositions within the Na.sub.2 O and/or K.sub.2 O-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and/or B.sub.2 O.sub.3 and/or ZnO and/or Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 -SiO.sub.2 field is hydrated. Second, particles of said hydrated glass not exceeding about 5 mm. in diameter are dehydrated in such a manner as to cause the formation of individual foamed bodies. Third, the individual foamed particles are collected together and rehydrated to a sufficient extent to bond said particles into an integral mass, but not so much to cause the foamed particles to collapse. Fourth, the integral mass is dehydrated to cause foaming thereof.

Abstract: A process of making glass beads which comprises the steps of forming a fluid medium comprising an aqueous liquid having glass-forming material therein at least most of which is dissolved in the aqueous liquid, forming drops of such fluid medium, and converting the drops to glass beads by causing the drops to travel in separated condition first through a firing zone at glass-forming temperature to cause evaporation of liquid and formation of glass from the glass-forming material, and then through a cooling zone to cause the glass to solidify.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing a transparent optical-glass body having a linear index of refraction gradient. Particles of optical glass which contain leachble ingredients are pressed to form a self-supporting porous optical glass body. Some of the leachable ingredient is leached from a part of the porous glass, and a different amount is leached from a second part of the porous glass, the index of refraction varying in proportion to the different amounts leached from the glass body. The porous optical glass body is heated to eliminate the pores. Various means for effecting the different amounts of leaching over the length of the glass body are shown.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of expansible beads which are convertible by firing into cellular glass bodies, such process comprising the steps of preparing a slip having a liquid medium continuous phase and a disperse phase, the slip containing particles of glass or glass-forming material, a cellulating agent, and a binder, the disperse phase of the slip including at least most of the particles, dividing the slip into drops, and subjecting the drops while in divided condition to a heat treatment including heating and cooling stages so as to cause evaporation of liquid from the drops and conversion thereof into self-sustaining beads in which the glass or glass-forming particles are held together by the binder and which contain the cellulating agent or gas derived therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus useful therein for steam hydrating alkali silicate glass materials and subsequently extruding the hydrated material. There need be no moving parts in the hydration apparatus since the process can utilize the pressure of steam to both hydrate the glass and extrude it from the hydration chamber. The process permits the formation of solid extrusions or foam extrusions.