Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a host/client system includes a host module, which includes a CPU coupled to a system bridge. The host/client system further includes at least one client having an integrated interface, where the integrated interface is coupled to the system bridge through a scalable serial bus. The system bridge and the integrated interface enable high bandwidth communication between the CPU and the at least one client through the scalable serial bus, thereby allowing control of bus width between the host module and the client.

Abstract: In a machine for forming glass items, a mold having two half-molds movable between a closed forming position and an open extraction position by a mold opening/closing group is provided. The mold includes two handling arms, each connected to a respective half-mold, which are rotated about respective fixed hinge axes by a single linear actuator. The mobile member translates in a direction parallel to the fixed hinge axes, and is connected to the handling arms by a mechanical transmission having a respective guide-and-slide assembly for each handling arm.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming a glass preform from core and cladding glasses having low liquidus viscosities and narrow working ranges. A tube of liquid core glass is vertically situated in a vessel of liquid cladding glass. The tube extends to the bottom of the vessel where there is a stopper for preventing leakage of core glass. While both core and cladding glasses are at a temperature just above the liquidus temperature, the vessel is lowered into a coolant bath, thereby causing core glass to flow into the region vacated by the tube. The rate of withdrawing the tube from the vessel is sufficiently slow to provide laminar flow and yet fast enough to permit the resultant liquid core/clad composite to freeze before mixing occurs.

Abstract: A halide glass core fiber is clad by providing two melts that selectively join to form the molten clad fiber in a temperature range from 580.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. A separate heating means controls the fiber melt at the die nozzle. Because of the low viscosity and the narrow proto congelation temperature zone, the clad fiber is extruded and drawn in the vertical direction counter the effect of gravity.

Abstract: A double crucible fiberizing apparatus and process for producing a continuous glass filament having a core fluoride-containing glass concentrically surrounded by a clad fluoride-containing glass at increased throughput speeds while simultaneously achieving increased length and uniform filament diameter are disclosed.

Abstract: Layered glass products such as multilayer glass rods or fibers are formed in a preferably continuous process wherein at least two component glasses are supplied to an annular mixing zone wherein relative movement of the annular surfaces produces spiral layering of the glasses and the formation of a glass product stream having a preselected gradient in composition and glass properties across a diameter thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to a glassware forming machine of the type comprising a pair of carriers each pivoted on a first generally vertical axis for swinging movement toward and away from each other between an open position and a closed position, and a set of at least three mold members carried by each carrier, each mold member on each carrier being related to a mold member on the other carrier so that, with the carriers in their closed position, each mold member on one carrier mates with a mold member on the other carrier to define a mold cavity for molding an item of glass. The improvement involves a holding assembly on each carrier for holding a respective set of mold members.

Abstract: A process for treating a halide, e.g. fluoride, glass composition, characterized by contacting a melt of the composition (3) with dry oxygen (6). Oxygen, simply on contact with a fluoride glass melt, converts transition metals, e.g. from Fe(II) to Fe(III), from one stable state to another and thereby reduces loss at transmission wavelengths in optical fibre, e.g. the loss at 2.6 .mu.m attributabel to Fe(II).

Abstract: An apparatus for ensuring alignment during opening and closing of mold halves in an individual section (I.S.) glassware forming machine has a cylinder containing a pair of mutually reciprocating pistons linked to a pair of mold half actuating shafts. A pair of gear racks, each linked to one of the pistons, mesh with a common idler gear. A plug and cushion combination cushion the opening stroke of the mechanism.

Abstract: Layered glass products such as multilayer glass rods or fibers are formed in a preferably continuous process wherein at least two component glasses are supplied to an annular mixing zone wherein relative movement of the annular surfaces produces spiral layering of the glasses and the formation of a glass product stream having a preselected gradient in composition and glass properties across a diameter thereof.

Abstract: An improved fiber glass bushing control system. One aspect of the system has a weighing means for weighing complete collections of glass fiber strands produced from forming from a bushing through attenuation, a monitoring means for the time of attenuation at constant strand speed and a program computer means that receives signals from the weighing means and the monitoring means. The program computer means has a means for establishing a database of the weights and times, a means for determining the throughput of the glass from the bushing from the weights and times, a means for determining average throughputs and including these averages in the database, a means for comparing the average throughputs to a standard set throughput, and a means for initiating an adjustment to the main bushing temperature controller, when the average throughput deviates from the set point throughput by a value greater than the sensitivity factor of the bushing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed which ensures highly accurate control of the core-cladding diameter, enabling the fabrication of a preform for the single mode fiber. Moreover, glass refining steps for dehydration, the removal of compound ions, the reduction of the absorption loss by transition metals, etc. and preform manufacturing steps are combined into a series of steps, and the entire manufacturing process can be mechanized and automatically controlled; therefore, the yield rate of product is high and the industrial-scale productivity is also excellent.

Abstract: A coating material is applied to drawn lightguide fibre (36') by an applicator (6) which tilts about x and y axes under the control of a concentricity monitor (7) to maintain the coating of the coated fibre (36) concentric about the fibre.

Abstract: The apparatus allows the continuous production of optical fibres (15) starting from liquid-phase reactants. They are injected into a pressurized vertical vessel (3), comprising a second coaxial vessel (4), which can be vertically displaced for the variations of the refractive-index profile. The first vessel supplies material for the cladding, the second for the fibre core.Suitable furnaces (6,9,14) help the reaction and allow preform sintering and drawing.

Abstract: Machine for making pressed glass parts, and particularly cups and stems. A rotatable machine table (4) has several work stations (1) which have one bottom plate (31) each with a means (37) for centering an exchangeably mountable glass mold (3). Each work station (1) has a lift drive for a rod (25) coacting with the glass mold (3). The lift drive contains a first vertical guidance element (8) mounted in the machine table (4). The rod (25) has a second vertical guidance element (20) mounted in the bottom plate (31). Finally, a means for setting the vertical distance between rod (25) and lift drive is provided. To achieve the object of reducing the overall height and weight of the machine, the first vertical guidance element (8) is over its entire length mounted underneath an upper boundary surface (5) of the machine table (4) inside the latter, and the bottom plate (31) is mounted directly on the machine table (4).

Abstract: An oxide glass is dried by passing through a melt of the glass fluorine or another perhalogenated compound including fluorine atoms. For example, C.sub.3 F.sub.8 (e.g. after pre-cracking) can be used to reduce the OH content of a borosilicate glass, and the loss of an optical fibre drawn from such a glass, to low levels.

Abstract: A device is provided for manufacturing an object having a chiralic structure. It comprises, just after the source of formable material, means for twisting the object during drawing thereof followed by coating means and fast-cooling means which allow a part of the twisting stresses thus obtained to be frozen in the structure.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an optical fiber by means of the double crucible method. A double crucible is used of which at least the inner crucible has a double-walled construction. The double wall accommodates a metal wire coil. During the fabrication of the optical fiber the core glass is heated by means of a high-frequency electric field and the crucible wall is cooled with a cooling liquid.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a method of continuously fabricating optical fibers from a core glass and at least one cladding glass. The method uses an apparatus comprising two or more concentric crucibles (the "double crucible" method). The invention further relates to stepped index and graded index fibers obtained by this method and to an apparatus comprising at least two crucibles for use in this method.The "double crucible" method is a known technique for the continuous production of optical fibers of the graded index type as well as of the stepped index (monomode and multimode) type.

Abstract: A number of three-layer optical fibers each having a core a cladding and an overcoating layer of acid-soluble glass material are bonded together by means of an adhesive which can be removed by applying heat. The bonded optical fibers are heated and stretched to obtain a solid optical fiber bundle. The solid optical fiber bundle is brought into contact with an acid to elute (leach away) the overcoating layer of the acid-soluble glass material.

Abstract: A range of alkali metal borosilicate glass compositions modified by the addition of alkaline earth metal oxides has been found to be especially suitable for the production of graded index optical fibre using the double crucible method. A core glass from this range may be paired with a suitable cladding glass, which may be another glass from the same range or an unmodified alkali metal borosilicate, so that in the nozzle of the double crucible thermal diffusion takes place to give a composition gradient of alkaline earth metal oxide and hence a refractive index gradient. The fibres thus obtained have better refractive index profiles if the proportions of the oxides in the core and cladding glasses are chosen so as to exclude a simple ion-exchange mechanism. Fibres having numerical apertures of up to 0.268 and best loss values as low as 5.0 dB/km have been prepared.

Abstract: An optical fiber of the graded index type consisting of a glass having predominantly the composition 60-70 mole % SiO.sub.2, 15-30 mole % alkali metal oxides, and 10 to 15 mole % MgO in combination with at least one oxide selected from the group formed by CaO, SrO, BaO and ZnO. The impurity content of the fiber is less than 0.01 ppm. In the fiber the MgO content increases from the axis of the fiber to the circumference of the fiber. The oxide or the other oxides, having cations which can be exchanged for the magnesium cation, decrease to a corresponding extent in this direction.

Abstract: An interferometer with single-mode optical waveguide wound in a coil which waveguide has a surface at each end for the acceptance of light into the waveguide and for the display of light in the waveguide characterized by at least one polarizing filter being arranged in the path of light emerging from each end surface of the waveguide. Preferably, the interferometer includes a light source such as a laser, at least one beam dividing element which is arranged in the path of a light beam and a coupling arrangement for coupling the light of one of the partial beams into one of the end surfaces and the other partial beam into the other end surface. While the interferometer utilizes a device for detecting the superimposed images of the light exiting both end surfaces of the waveguide, preferably two devices are utilized which can be either a screen or a light sensitive element such as a photo diode.

Abstract: An optical fiber having a core surrounded by a cladding layer which has an index of refraction less than the index of refraction of the core characterized by a longitudinal side coupling zone being formed by a longitudinal opening extending through the cladding layer of the fiber to expose a portion of the core. The optical fiber of the invention is particularly useful in conjunction with a light sensitive detector and is useful in a mixer where more than one fiber are joined together either in a bundle or in a strip configuration. The fiber with the side coupling zone can be formed by drawing the fiber from a workpiece having a core or rod member surrounded by a sleeve member or layer which is provided with the opening or can be drawn from a molten material utilizing a double crucible in which the opening of the inner crucible is provided with at least one bulge extending to the edge of the opening of the outer crucible.

Abstract: An optical fiber having a circular outer cross-section and having a core which has a noncircular cross-section is produced by using a double crucible. The outer crucible is provided with a ring-shaped channel of which at least one of the boundary walls has a noncircular cross-section. The glass of the outer crucible is passed through this channel before it is contacted with the glass of the inner crucible.

Abstract: A secure optical fibre consists of an inner waveguiding structure surrounded by an outer waveguiding structure and separated therefrom by an optical absorbing layer (3) rendered absorbing by irradiation. The inner waveguiding structure comprises a core (1) surrounded by a lower refractive index cladding layer (2). The outer waveguiding structure comprises an annular core layer (5) sandwiched between lower refractive index inner and outer cladding layers (4 and 6).

Abstract: A method of inexpensively forming low-loss optical waveguide fibers having high strength. A draw blank comprising a core region surrounded by a thin layer of cladding glass is formed by a CVD technique. The blank is drawn into a preliminary fiber which passes through a double crucible arrangement whereby a tension layer is applied to the thin coating layer of the preliminary fiber and a compression layer is formed on the surface of the tension layer. The expansion coefficient of the tension layer is much greater than that of the core glass, and the expansion coefficient of the compression layer is lower than that of the tension layer.

Abstract: A graded index optical fiber is produced in a double crucible with an elongate heated exit nozzle. The core and cladding glasses of the fiber diffuse into one another in the nozzle.

Abstract: Highly accurate centering of an optical fiber within a primary cladding deposited by a coating device is carried out by automatic regulation during the fiber-drawing process in order to optimize the mechanical properties of the fiber. The position of the coating device is controlled in dependence on the position of the fiber with respect to an origin of coordinates (O) determined by optoelectronic means. The frusto-conical lower end of the coating die is maintained at each instant by electronic and electromechanical means at the point (O') located at this level on the straight-line segment (OR) which joins the origin to the first point of contact of the fiber with the pulley used for guiding the fiber towards a storage drum.

Abstract: An optical unit having at least one longitudinal side coupling zone characterized by the unit comprising at least one glass fiber having a glass core with a glass cladding layer surrounding the core with a step in the index of refraction from a greater to a lower value occurring at the junction between the glass core and cladding layer, the cross section of the glass fiber remaining uniform along the entire length and the core having at least one constriction to form the longitudinal coupling zone. To form the optical unit, a device utilizing a double crucible with a nozzle opening of the inner crucible being arranged to discharge into the nozzle opening of the outer crucible and provided with a means for regulating the flow therethrough is utilized.