Abstract: A glass molding method for molding a glass preform to a glass product via an assembly mold includes the following steps. The glass preform is preheated to a glass molding temperature. The assembly mold is heated to a predetermined mold temperature lower than the glass molding temperature and maintained at the mold temperature. The preheated glass preform is transferred to the assembly mold. The assembly mold is closed together for molding the glass preform to the glass product. The glass product and the assembly mold are gradually cooled to an open temperature. Then the assembly mold is opened to take the glass product out of the assembly mold.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a glass article having a three-dimensional shape includes heating a glass article blank to a temperature above a setting temperature and coupling the glass article blank to an open-faced mold. The open-faced mold includes a molding region that has a three-dimensional shape that generally corresponds to the shape of the glass article and has an anisothermal temperature profile within the molding region. The method further includes maintaining an anisothermal temperature profile along the glass article blank and cooling the glass article blank while the glass article blank is coupled to the molding region of the open-faced mold to set the shape of the glass article.

Abstract: A neck ring for a glass container forming machine includes two neck ring sections each consisting essentially of a neck ring body and an insert on the body. The inserts have opposed surfaces for forming closure attachment features on a container neck finish molded in the neck ring. Each neck ring body is of die-formed powder metal construction and is set around the associated insert. The inserts preferably form the entire glass-contacting portion of the neck ring. The neck ring bodies preferably are of sintered bronze or steel construction, and the inserts preferably are of nickel, bronze or steel construction. The body and insert preferably are sintered together for a metallurgical bond.

Abstract: Tunnel furnace for foaming glass material, comprising heating elements chosen among electrical and gas based heating elements. The tunnel furnace comprises at least the following temperature zones: a preheating zone (8) suitable for heating the feed material to a temperature in the range 400-900° C. and a foaming zone (9) suitable for heating the glass material to a temperature above 900° C. The furnace also typically comprises a cooling zone (10) suitable for reducing the temperature from the elevated temperature in the foaming zone. According to the present invention the preheating zone (8) is at least 15% longer than the foaming zone (9).

Abstract: A system and method for heating, forming, and tempering a glass sheet includes pre-heating the glass sheet to at least a first predetermined temperature. The system and method includes also applying radio-frequency energy to the glass sheet to heat it to at least a second predetermined temperature and cooling at least one outer surface of the glass sheet to at least a third predetermined temperature to temper the glass sheet.

Abstract: A desired temperature distribution is efficiently formed on a glass sheet by a simple structure without lowering heat efficiency within a furnace. A heating furnace conveys a bending mold of a glass sheet and a radiation-heating device is provided in the heating furnace. A first group of a plurality of heating elements are fixed on an inner wall surface of the heating furnace. A second group of a plurality of heating elements are disposed separably from an inner wall surface of the heating furnace.

Abstract: A method for the homogeneous heating of semitransparent and/or transparent glass and/or glass-ceramic articles using infrared radiation so that the glass and/or glass-ceramic articles undergo heat treatment at between 20 and 3000° C., notably at between 20 and 1705° C. Heating is achieved by a component of infrared radiation which acts directly on the glass and/or glass-ceramic articles and by a component of infrared radiation which acts indirectly on said glass and/or glass-ceramic articles. The radiation component indirectly acting on the glass and/or glass-ceramic articles accounts for more than 50% of total radiation output.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing glass-ceramic parts and/or glass parts by deformation of a glass-ceramic blank and/or glass blank. The invention is characterized in that forming is carried out using infrared radiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for bending glass panels. An upper tier of successive mould carriages (9) defines a number of heating stations, the final one being an actual bending station (4b). A lower tier of successive mould carriages (9) defines a number of cooling stations (5, 6, 7), which are located underneath the heating stations. The mould carriages have an open-structured or otherwise highly heat transmitting floor (10). A pre-bending station (4a) preceding the bending station (4b) and at least the final preheating station (3b) have a floor (15), on top of which are radiation heating elements (16) positioned below a floor (10) of the carriage (9) for speeding up the heating of a bottom glass panel for preventing it from falling behind from the heating of a top glass panel.

Abstract: A system and method for heating, forming, and tempering a glass sheet includes pre-heating the glass sheet to at least a first predetermined temperature. The system and method includes also applying radio-frequency energy to the glass sheet to heat it to at least a second predetermined temperature and cooling at least one outer surface of the glass sheet to at least a third predetermined temperature to temper the glass sheet.

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 particularly for heat treatments of glass sheets, comprising a longitudinally-elongated chamber which contains roller conveyor elements for the glass sheets. The furnace comprises irradiation-heating elements combined with first and second elements for heating by forced air convection in which the air temperature is controlled by adjusting its circulation rate, the elements being located respectively above and below the conveyor elements and therefore above and below the sheets being treated.

Abstract: When heating and bending glass sheets in a furnace, it has been found to be desirable to raise the glass sheets towards the furnace heat sources to increase obtainable temperature differentials and reduce heating power. An apparatus for bending the glass sheets includes an elongate furnace divided along its length into a plurality of heating zones, each heating zone having an upper part. A plurality of heat sources are arranged in the upper part of such heating zone and a plurality of carriages are arranged in succession along the length of the furnace below the furnace heat sources. A drive device propels the carriages through the zones of the furnace in intermittent steps, and a mould lift raises the bending mould towards the furnace heat sources. The bent glass sheet may be used in the manufacture of a vehicle glazing.

Abstract: A furnace for molding glass blanks includes a housing having a series of electrical heating stations and a rotary door adapted to receive glass blanks for processing. The furnace also includes a rotary turntable for receiving the glass blanks and a steering coil positioned to direct the glass blanks in a spiral pattern as they are heated at the electrical stations, a paddling platform for manual shaping, and a pressing station for pressing the glass blanks into a predetermined configuration.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing an optical element capable of performing a molding temperature control required for a plurality of independent molding blocks in a short period of time, and continuously and simultaneously producing a plurality of different optical elements having a high degree of accuracy at a low cost is provided.

Abstract: When heating and bending glass sheets in a furnace, it is desirable to raise the sheets towards the furnace heat sources to increase obtainable temperature differentials and reduce heating power.

Abstract: A glass vessel edge chamfering method and apparatus wherein heat energy can be controlled readily and chamfering of a glass vessel having a deformed profile, local chamfering and simultaneous processing of the opposite inner and outer sides of a lip of a vessel can be performed readily and besides the efficiency in consumption of energy necessary for chamfering for one glass vessel is improved so that a glass vessel can be processed efficiently in a short time. A pair of positive and negative electrodes are opposed in a predetermined spaced relationship to an edge of a glass vessel, and flame is blown from a pair of burners into gaps between the edge of the glass vessel and the electrodes while a high voltage is applied between the electrodes. Thereupon, electric current flows between the electrodes and the glass vessel by way of the flame and heats the glass vessel by Joule heat when the electric current flows through the glass vessel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for bending and tempering a glass sheet. A glass sheet is supported by one and the same ring mould (3) throughout all its working operations. Following the preheating of a glass sheet from a temperature of about 500.degree. C., its heating to a final bending and tempering temperature is effected at a high output and rate of speed. For example, on 4 mm thick glass, this final heating is performed within a period of time of 15-25 s. Therefore, the temperature of bending station is 800.degree.-1000.degree. C. Since rapidly heating glass bends quickly, the bending flexure or temperature of glass is monitored and the glass is advanced to tempering as soon as a predetermined bending flexure or temperature is reached.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for coiling fluorescent tubes, so that the tubes may be placed within a bulb. The apparatus includes a rotatable turntable having a plurality of ovens thereon. Each oven has a lever to enable the oven to be opened for placement of a fluorescent tube therein. A piston/cylinder assembly is mounted in proximity to the rotatable turntable and can selectively engage one of the levers for opening the corresponding oven. A ratchet assembly is provided for selectively rotating the turntable into positions where the piston/cylinder assembly in contact one of the levers and open the respective oven. A tube coiling screw is disposed in proximity to the turntable to enable coiling of a fluorescent tube thereabout after sufficient heating in one of the ovens.

Abstract: First and second glass sheets, which are to be combined together into a single laminated glass sheet, are heated in a heating furnace so that the temperature of the first glass sheet at the exit of the heating furnace and the temperature of the second glass sheet at the exit of the heating furnace are substantially equal to each other.

Abstract: In a process for manufacturing an optical element, in which a molding material is put in molds and is heated and press-molded to manufacture an optical element, a preheating treatment of the molding material is performed before it is put in the molds at a reduced pressure and a temperature lower than a temperature during the press molding.

Abstract: An apparatus of producing an optical glass element of the present invention comprises the steps of displacing a gob of optical glass on a first heat working jig to a second heat working jig by making the gob of optical glass to adhere to the second heat working jig on the basis of the difference in wettability with high temperature glass between the first heat working jig and the second heat working jig, thermally deforming the gob of optical glass on the second heat working jig to form an optical glass preform, and forming the optical glass preform under heating and pressure by using pressing moulds to form an optical glass element.

Abstract: A method for heating thick-walled glass tubes, particularly quartz tubes, in the manufacture of optical fibres while using microwave energy. According to the invention, the tube (5) is pre-heated to a temperature of about 1000.degree. C.-1500.degree. C., preferably in a known manner with the aid of a gas flame, whereafter the tube is further heated by means of microwave energy, generated by a microwave generator, by inserting the tube (5) axially into a microwave cavity (2) incorporating in both end walls (6,7) or end surfaces openings (3,4) for the tube (5), the electrical field strength being given a field image which includes only one tangential component, according to TE-01n-mode, preferably according to the mode TE-011, whereby the electrical field is so formed as to be tangential to the surfaces of the tube (5), and so formed that the electrical field strength is zero adjacent the surfaces of the cavity (2). The invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out the method.

Abstract: In a process for heating an object made of thermoplastic material along a predetermined zone, a ring of burners arranged in series is guided along the zone and heats this zone, the zone forming a closed path and approximately matching the outer contour of the object; in a device for implementing the process, series-arranged burner units circulate on a path covering the zone to be heated, the units being guided along a closed loop.

Abstract: The novel inductor is used in a glass fiber manufacturing equipment comprising a centrifuge heated by a main gas heating device and a complementary induction heating device. The efficiency of the inductor is increased by a magnetic flow guiding element disposed between the inductor and the main heating device. The invention is particularly adapted to be used in the manufacture of glass wool.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for bending glass sheets to relatively sharp angles. The apparatus includes a sectionalized primary press bending member having articulated end sections for sharply bending portions of a glass sheet about lines superheated by a radiant energy heat source located above the primary press member. A reciprocal brake bar is extended into engagement with the glass sheet along the heated focal line to assist the articulated press end sections in bending the glass. Clamping devices can be used in lieu of the brake bar to secure the heat-softened glass sheet to the press member shaping surface during bending. A supplemental press member, mounted above the primary press member, is provided with shaping elements having shaping surfaces complemental to the shaping surfaces of the primary press articulated end sections for pressing the glass end portions therebetween into conformity with these shaping surfaces.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for shaping a glass sheet by the gravity sag bending process to include a sharp bend by a combination of overall heating and localized heating.