Abstract: A glass sheet bending system (10) disclosed includes a horizontal roller conveyor (16) having a roll operator for operating a plurality of conveyor rolls (18) adjacent an associated bending apparatus (22) to control conveyance thereon independent of conveyance on the other rolls of the conveyor. In one embodiment, the roll operator comprises a roll shifter (24) for shifting the rolls (18) along the direction of conveyance during continued rotational driving. In another embodiment, the roll operator comprises a positioning drive (140), that drives the conveyor rolls (18) adjacent the bending apparatus (22) independently of the other rolls of the conveyor. Both embodiments reduce the rate of glass sheet conveyance as the holder receives each glass sheet to reduce sliding at a surface (62) of the holder.

Abstract: A conveyor drive system including an improved control circuit for a glass manufacturing apparatus transports a glass sheet through a glass processing station. The conveyor drive system includes first and second conveyor drives disposed on opposed lateral sides of the station. Each of the conveyor drives includes first and second pulleys and a continuous drive loop trained thereover. The glass plate is supported on a plurality of elongated rollers that extend between the conveyor drives and have their opposed ends supported on and in frictional engagement with the continuous drive loops. A drive motor applies drive torque to the first pulleys, and a pair of counter-poised drive motors apply a counter-torque to the second pulleys. The control circuit for controlling the energization of the first drive motor and the pair of counter-poised drive motors includes a feedback circuit which provides degenerative speed feedback for stabilizing the motion of the conveyor drive system.

Abstract: Quenching apparatus for tempering curved glass plates includes upper and lower blower head devices which project quenching air, each of the devices including a central blower head and side blower heads disposed upon opposite sides of the central head. The side blower heads are adjustable depending upon the particular curvature of the curved glass plate to be tempered. The nozzles of the central head may also be replaced or exchanged so as to provide partial or full-surface tempering to the plates.

Abstract: An oval cooling tube for the central portion of a fiberizing bushing having a plurality of parallel cooling fins attached to the sides thereof.

Abstract: A conveyor for a glass-treating furnace has ceramic rollers forming the conveying bed for the glass to be treated. The rollers are of uniform section throughout their length, and are supported adjacent opposite ends on driving rolls. The rollers directly contact the surfaces of the driving rolls and drive to the rollers is effected by frictional contact only. The rollers are held in position by a pair of adjacent driving rolls, and two driving rolls cooperate in driving the ceramic rollers. The rollers do not have any pins or other projections. The life of the rollers is extended and removal of old rollers and insertion of new rollers is facilitated.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for treating articles with particulate material, for example for thermally toughening glass sheets. The particulate material consists of or contains permanently magnetized particles and is subjected to an electromagnetic field which travels linearly through the treatment space and is effective to sustain a dispersion of the particulate material in the treatment space. The article is contacted with that dispersion.

Abstract: A ring-like member for transporting a glass sheet through a cooling station comprising an open-ended outline rail having a transverse space between its ends and a rail member supported between the ends of said outline rail, to occupy a portion of said space. Preferably, a cantilever support that is located entirely within said outline rail and has no structural elements aligned longitudinally of the relatively short spaces between the ends of said outline rail and the ends of said rail member, supports said rail member in a position it would occupy if it were part of said outline rail if its open end were closed.

Abstract: This invention covers an arrangement of nozzles extending from one or a pair of opposing plenum chambers of glass sheet tempering apparatus the minimizes the tendency of a large glass sheet interposed between the plenum chambers to throttle the escape of tempering medium that is applied to the central portion of the glass sheet undergoing tempering.

Abstract: In tempering a glass sheet, particularly a glass sheet having at least one major dimension more than 0.5 meter, by quenching said sheet with cold tempering medium while at a tempering temperature, prior art tempering apparatus developed insufficient temper particularly in the central portion of the glass sheet, as evidenced by fragments from the central portion exceeding code requirements for maximum size on destruction testing. The present invention provides a novel construction and arrangement of the tempering medium supply system that provides relatively wide escape paths in the direction of the glass sheet thickness for blasts of tempering medium applied toward the central portion of the glass sheet compared to the escape paths provided in said direction for blasts of tempering medium applied to the portion of the glass sheet beyond the central portion.

Abstract: A conveyor roll for conveying glass sheets and a conveyor comprising a plurality of said conveyor rolls is described. Each conveyor roll comprises a curved shaft conforming to the shape of said glass sheets transverse to their path of movement, a plurality of hubs of essentially cylindrical configuration mounted around said curved shaft and having loosely interfitting tongues and grooves and a cylindrically shaped collar of a material that does not mar glass in tightly fitting relation about each of said hubs. When torque is applied to one of the end hubs of said conveyor rolls, the glass engaging surfaces of said collars rotate in unison at a uniform peripheral speed to convey the curved glass sheets through a cooling area included in glass sheet tempering apparatus with minimum scuff marks because the different collar surfaces rotate at the same rotational speed against the engaged surfaces of said curved glass sheets.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating fragile vitreous articles such as glass sheets which are apt to break when the treatment involves thermal conditioning. The apparatus includes spaced conveyor members for conveying the articles in a predetermined direction over a treatment area. To assist in the easy removal of any broken fragments of said vitreous articles, the treatment area is located beneath the conveyor members and has a plurality of heads for treating the underside of the articles. The treatment heads are retractable from a treating position, where they project into the spaces between the conveyor members, into a retracted position, where they are spaced beneath the conveyor members. A sweepable fragment collecting surface is spaced beneath said conveyor members. A sweeper is provided for cleaning the collecting surface when the treatment heads are retracted.

Abstract: A roller hearth glass tempering furnace having a roller track supporting the endless conveyor drive belts, and adjustable locators for conveyor roller spacing. The heating zone size conforms substantially to the size of the glass article being treated. The glass part is reciprocated approximately five inches or less in either direction while being heated or cooled. Fully adjustable roller and drive belt support systems control the horizontal plane of the track and thus maintain a more level conveyor bed. A unitized zone construction allows for future increase or decrease in product output, simply by installation of one or more heating zones and lengthening of drive belts. A wear-resistant, disposable Teflon and/or silicone axle can be used. The furnace incorporates soft, heat-resistant fabric belts which are Teflon and/or silicone rubber coated.

Abstract: While a heated glass sheet moves through a quenching section, the glass sheet is blown with air in the same portions so as to be quenched always in the same portions to provide on the glass surface rapidly cooled portions and uncooled portions. Thereby the residual strains on the glass surface are made different to prevent the generation of pieces or splines when the glass sheet is broken.

Abstract: There is described a deadplate comprising a support having a plurality of spaced channels in which are retained article-contacting strips of a material which stand proud of lands between the channels, the material being lubricious and of low thermal conductivity.

Abstract: Reducing kink in the leading edge portion of tempered flat glass sheets by applying a downward flow of air across the entire width of the leading edge portion of the upper surface only of the glass sheet as the sheet passes the boundary region between the exit of a furnace or heating area and the entrance into a cooling area where both upper and lower surfaces of the sheet are cooled throughout their entire extent to impart at least a partial temper to the sheet.

Abstract: A method for reducing roll marking of glass sheets is disclosed whereby metal rolls are coated in situ with a boron nitride film.

Abstract: A non-asbestos millboard refractory composition useful for the manufacture of lehr and glass tempering rolls and useful at temperatures above about 650.degree. C. comprises on a dry weight basis 10-30 percent ceramic fiber, 0-10 percent organic fiber, 35-60 percent pyrophyllite and 20-35 percent inorganic binder. This composition is particularly useful in the manufacture of a non-asbestos millboard sheet which is formed by preparing an aqueous slurry of the components of this composition, adding flocculant and developing the flocculated composition into sheet form by placing the slurry on a rotating screened cylinder to effect formation and dewatering, transfering the dewatered and formed slurry to a synthetic felt and then to an accumulator roll, where layers of the slurry are accumulated upon one another to a desired thickness. The accumulated layers are then slit, removed and formed into flat sheets of desired dimensions for subsequent use.

Abstract: Producing glass sheets having improved break patterns over those produced either by typical heat strengthening procedures or by heating to a tempering temperature followed by natural cooling.

Abstract: Removing fragments when a glass sheet breaks during tempering by pivoting a lower nozzle housing of glass sheet tempering apparatus that cools a horizontally oriented glass sheet to an orientation such that glass fragments that are not removed by sliding when the lower nozzle housing pivots to an oblique position can drop by gravity to a fragment collection box without requiring sliding.

Abstract: A conveyor drive for a glass manufacturing system transports a sheet of glass through a tempering station on a roller bed. The conveyor drive includes a pair of pulleys mounted at opposed ends of the tempering station. A continuous drive loop is trained over the pair of pulleys and engages the roller bed so that rotational motion of the pulleys is imparted to the roller bed. One pulley is driven by a motor to transport the glass through the station. The other pulley drives an electrical generator connected to a dissipative load. The generator and load provide an adaptive counter-torque to the other pulley in direct relation to its rotational speed. The counter-torque stabilizes the conveyor drive to prevent slip-stick friction from disrupting the transport of the glass sheet.

Abstract: A rotatable roll for conveying glass sheets during thermal treatment comprising a frangible ceramic roll of cylindrical configuration engaged in compression stress between a pair of metal spindles, one of which is coupled to drive means for rotation and both of which spindles are provided with heads approximately coextensive in cross-section with the end surfaces of the frangible ceramic roll. The interfacial surfaces between the end surfaces of the rolls and the heads of the spindles are provided with friction material. The other of said pair of metal spindles is biased in compression to apply axial compression stress to the ceramic roll while the latter rotates in unison with the spindles. A method of using a conveyor comprising at least some of said ceramic rolls for the thermal treatment of glass sheets is also described.

Abstract: This invention relates to tempering curved, hot glass sheets supported with their concavely shaped major surfaces facing a first set of pipe-type nozzles and their convexly shaped major surfaces facing a second set of bar-type nozzle housings while tempering medium is applied simultaneously under pressure against said major surfaces.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting and conveying thin glass sheets through a tempering area including a series of upper and lower conveyor rolls for continuously advancing heated thin glass sheets between the opposed blastheads of a tempering section. The upper series of rolls are specially configurated for accommodating a common drive element for both series of rolls and are mounted for floating movement as well as being individually pivotable into an inoperative, out-of-the-way position to facilitate access into the tempering area for maintenance and cullet removal.

Abstract: A glass sheet is thermally treated, for example thermally toughened, by heating the glass sheet, and lowering the sheet into a gas-fluidized bed of particulate material which is at a glass-treatment temperature, for example quenching temperature. Extraction of gas from a localized upper region of the bed is commenced prior to the lowering of the hot glass sheet into the bed in order to produce gradually an unfluidized static packed condition of the material in that upper region of the bed. The glass sheet is lowered into the bed at a time after commencement of gas extraction which is such that the lower edge of the sheet passes through that upper region prior to full attainment of the static packed condition.

Abstract: In tempering glass sheets vertically hung from tongs, the uniformity with which tempering medium is applied toward the glass sheets during quenching is improved by providing the quenching apparatus with means to provide finer control of the flow rate of tempering medium against the opposite major surfaces of the glass sheets than one gets from valving branch conduits in order to prevent side-to-side swaying of the glass sheets during quenching, particularly when the sheets are curved. Such means to provide fine control is also useful in quenching glass sheets supported in other than vertical orientations during quenching.

Abstract: A glass sheet is thermally toughened by heating the sheet to a temperature near to its softening point and then lowering the sheet into a gas-fluidized bed of particulate material. A void region is established beneath the lower edge of the sheet as it is initially immersed in the fluidized bed.

Abstract: A gas-fluidized bed of particulate material is operated by extracting gas from a localized region of the bed to produce an unfluidized static condition of the material in that region. The region may be in the upper part of the fluidized bed, or may be a region adjacent a side opening into the bed where the unfluidized static material obturates the opening. There may be a plurality of unfluidized static regions in the bed.The invention is applicable to the thermal toughening of glass quenched in the fluidized bed.

Abstract: An article, for example a glass sheet, is treated in a gas-fluidized particulate material by advancing the article along a path leading into the gas-fluidized particulate material and extracting gas from a region of the path at a rate sufficient to pack the particulate material in that region and thereby obturate the path. An opening leading into a container for a gas-fluidized bed of particulate material may be obturated in this way. The packed state of the material obturating the opening is such that an article can pass through the opening.

Abstract: Glass containers received on a machine conveyor which passes a plurality of forming machine sections and receives the ware from the sections is coordinated in its relationship to the machine sweepouts, such that a gap is provided periodically in the row of ware carried by the machine conveyor. A bottle-transfer device which transfers the ware from the machine conveyor to a cross-conveyor is operated so that it also will maintain the gap that is provided in the line of ware. The ware on the cross-conveyor moves in line across the open-receiving end of the lehr and is pushed from the cross-conveyor onto the moving lehr mat. By providing a gap in the line of ware, the lehr loader pusher bar may be operated more slowly than in the past and to thereby provide a more stable transfer of ware from the cross-conveyor to the lehr.

Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in handling glass sheets during shaping and cooling. Each glass sheet in turn is heated to its deformation temperature and conveyed into a glass shaping station. The glass is lifted into engagement with an upper vacuum shaping mold while hot and held against the vacuum shaping mold by vacuum as the glass lifting mechanism retracts downward. A transfer and tempering ring-like member having stop means upstream of an outline supporting surface conforming to and slightly inside the periphery of the bent glass sheet is brought into a position where its stop means are slightly misaligned upstream of the trailing edge of the glass sheet. The vacuum on the upper mold is released to deposit the shaped glass sheet on the ring-like member.

Abstract: This invention relates to a movable gate disposed between a fluid application station and a glass sheet transfer station of apparatus for processing heated glass sheets that are suspended or gripped by tongs along their upper edges during their conveyance along a first path of glass sheet travel for heating and further processing. The gate is moved to a retracted position to let a glass sheet leave the fluid application station and into an operative position to minimize swaying of the processed glass sheet when the latter is along said first path of glass sheet travel downstream of said fluid application station. This increases the chance of transferring the glass sheet in non-tilting relation to a peg conveyor located along a second path of glass sheet travel.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for handling glass sheets during shaping and cooling, and in particular to a ring-like member having stop means spaced upstream of an outline supporting surface conforming to and slightly inside the periphery of a bent glass sheet supported thereon to define a position for engaging the trailing edge of the glass sheet while conveying the latter in a downstream direction from a shaping station to a cooling station. The ring-like member has a pair of downstream end portions that are transversely spaced from one another to provide a clearance space to permit the ring-like member to begin to return in an upstream direction to the shaping station before the shaped glass sheet is transferred to a position completely downstream of the ring-like member.

Abstract: Apparatus for tempering flat or curved glass sheets suspended in a vertical orientation comprising a plurality of nozzle boxes each pivotable about its longitudinal axis and adjustable in position to provide a pair of sets of nozzle boxes facing the opposite major surface of a glass sheet held in a quenching position between two sets of nozzle boxes. The present apparatus requires a minimum of power to cause relative movement of blasts of tempering fluid applied against the opposite major glass sheet surfaces, permits positional adjustment of individual nozzle boxes to define a flat or curved space corresponding to the shape of glass sheet handled, and simultaneously permits each nozzle box to oscillate about its longitudinal axis from a desired, adjusted orientation to optimize the heat exchange effect of the moving blasts of tempering fluid.

Abstract: In tempering glass sheets vertically hung from tongs, the uniformity with which tempering medium is applied onto the glass sheets during quenching is improved by providing the quenching apparatus with a plurality of discs carried on wires on one side of the path taken by glass sheets through the quenching apparatus. The flow of tempering medium is controlled so as to force the glass sheets against the discs, thereby avoiding uncontrolled buffeting of the glass sheets during quenching. The discs are designed to minimize interference with the flow of tempering medium and preferably include openings through which the tempering medium may flow, such as serrations along the edges.

Abstract: This invention relates to refinements in operating apparatus for tempering flat or curved glass sheets suspended in a vertical orientation comprising a plurality of nozzle boxes each pivotable about its longitudinal axis and adjustable in position to provide a pair of sets of nozzle boxes facing the opposite major surfaces of a glass sheet held in a quenching position between two sets of nozzle boxes. The present invention provides minimum buffeting of the glass sheets while applying tempering fluid against the opposite major glass sheet surfaces, while avoiding iridescent patterns in the tempered glass.Each set of nozzle boxes is pivoted in unison out of phase with the pivoting of the other set of nozzle boxes by a phase difference of 75 to 105 degrees, preferably approximately 90 degrees. The number of pivoting cycles is controlled to between 25 and 40 cycles per minute, and preferably approximates 30 cycles per minute.

Abstract: The efficiency of tempering flat or curved glass sheets suspended in a vertical orientation is improved in the type of quenching operation wherein quenching nozzles are arranged on a plurality of nozzle boxes, each of which is pivotable about its longitudinal axis so as to oscillate the nozzles in unison within planes which are parallel to each other. The improvement here achieves optimum heat exchange, with a minimized amount of power consumption for supplying pressurized tempering fluid, by controlling the angular displacement of the oscillating nozzles within an angle of 20 degrees from normal to the portion of the glass sheet surface opposite each respective nozzle.

Abstract: A furnace for heat treating vertically depending sheet material moving through an enclosed heating chamber, the furnace having entrance and exit openings in opposed end walls and a slot in the roof extending between the openings. The depending sheet material moves through the heating chamber suspended from a trolley supported above the slot, which trolley has hanger rods projecting through the slot. The entrance and exit openings are closed by doors, and an air curtain directed across the slot provides a pressure barrier which, together with the doors, prevents the flow of heated gases from and within the heating chamber.

Abstract: A conveyor drive mechanism for a glass manufacturing apparatus transports a glass sheet through a glass processing station. The conveyor drive mechanism includes first and second conveyor drives disposed on opposed lateral sides of the station. Each of the conveyor drives includes first and second pulleys and a continuous drive loop trained thereover. The glass plate is supported on a plurality of elongate rollers that extend between the conveyor drives and have their opposed ends supported on and in frictional engagement with the continuous drive loops. A first torque source applies drive torque to the first pulleys, and a second counter-torque source applies a counter-torque to the second pulleys. The cooperative effect of the first and second sources provides at least a minimum, predetermined level of tension in the active areas of the continuous drive loops at all times. A control circuit for controlling the energization of the first torque source and second counter-torque source is disclosed.

Abstract: A fluidized bed for the thermal treatment of glass articles is maintained in a quiescent uniformly expanded state of particulate fluidization by establishing a high pressure drop across a porous membrane through which fluidizing gas is supplied to the bed, of at least 60% of the pressure at which the fluidizing gas is supplied to a plenum chamber beneath the membrane.

Abstract: In tempering glass sheets vertically hung from tongs, the uniformity with which tempering medium is applied onto the glass sheets during quenching is improved by providing the quenching apparatus with lateral restraining means which prevent side-to-side swaying of the tongs.

Abstract: Glass articles are thermally treated in a gas-fluidized bed of particulate material which is maintained in a quiescent uniformly expanded state of particulate fluidization. Heat exchange within the bed with the material of the bed regulates the bed temperature, and the heat exchange is enhanced by engendering agitation within the bed.

Abstract: An improved support for holding a plurality of nozzles of a compressed air tempering apparatus in individually adjusted axial position, said support comprising an expandable member relative to which each of the nozzles is axially slidable, and mechanism for expanding the expandable member into pressure holding engagement with each nozzle to hold them in their axially adjusted positions.

Abstract: This invention relates to the tempering of glass sheets, and particularly concerns cooling heat-softened glass sheets sufficiently rapidly to induce a stress pattern through the thickness of the glass of sufficient magnitude to temper the glass sheets with minimum surface deformation in a process where flat glass sheets are conveyed while supported on a gaseous bed.

Abstract: In the cooling of newly formed glass containers, the containers are moved from blow molds and placed on what is termed a cooling "dead plate". The dead plate is supplied with air under pressure which is fed into the casting forming the dead plate. The ware sits on a generally flat, perforate member which is the cover for the dead plate casting. The air supply is found beneath the conveyor belt in the housing for supporting the conveyor for carrying the ware away from the forming machine. A plurality of openings, adjacent each ware forming position, are provided through the bottom of the conveyor housing and air within the housing will enter the underlying, horizontal leg of the dead plate casting whose upper surface has complementary openings to those in the conveyor housing and exit through the perforations in the dead plate to cool the ware sitting thereon.

Abstract: Apparatus for tempering glass sheets comprising spaced opposed plenum chambers with specially constructed elongated nozzles mounted to specially constructed apertured walls of said opposed plenum chambers by means of resilient clip means.

Abstract: A conveyor and a cooling table define a path of advance for assemblies comprising two or more sheets of glass of the same dimensions held in juxtaposition and at a fixed spacing by a clamping jig. Heating means heat an edge of the glass sheets and are followed by a nozzle which injects a fusible sealant bead between the sheets along that edge prior to cooling at the cooling table of the bead so formed. A crank and associated clamps rotate the assembly about its corners for application of the bead along successive edges.

Abstract: A multiple stage process for tempering a glass sheet in which a glass sheet, heated to the vicinity of its softening point, is cooled sufficiently rapidly to impart a temper in multiple stages of cooling without marring its softened surfaces to an extent sufficient to impart annoying optical properties.

Abstract: A laminated stack has grooves on the faces of the laminations forming fluid amplifiers and control channels therefor. Pneumatic detectors are coupled with the control channels. The laminations are perpendicular to the path of travel of workpieces to be treated, such as glass sheets, and outlet nozzles of the fluid amplifiers and openings of the pneumatic detectors face the glass sheet. Preferably opposed stacks on each side of the path of travel each emit detector jets to jet receivers of the other stack, and the nozzles thereof simultaneously treat both sides of the workpiece. The laminations may be oblique to the path of travel. Upstream and downstream detectors and combinations thereof are disclosed, including an Exclusive OR arrangement.

Abstract: An outline ring-like tempering mold for supporting shaped glass sheets after they are shaped and during the time they are rapidly quenched, comprising a rigid outline metal rail having an outline slightly inward that of the shaped glass sheet and a bar of non-metallic material having a lower heat transfer coefficient than that of the rigid metal rail and mounted on the rigid metal rail in position to conform to the outline and with an upper edge portion of the bar disposed above the upper edge of the rigid metal rail in position to provide a glass sheet supporting surface in spaced relation above the upper edge of the rigid metal rail. The bar is preferably composed of a material having a heat transfer coefficient less than or, at most, approximating that of the glass sheet being treated, an edgewise compressive strength of at least 10,000 psi (4.8 .times. 10.sup.4 Kg/m.sup.2), a flexural strength of 10,000 psi (4.8 .times. 10.sup.4 Kg/m.sup.2) and a minimum shear strength of 10,000 psi (4.8 .times. 10.sup.

Abstract: A glass annealing lehr to which newly formed glassware is passed under and over sprays of abrasion resistant material by transfer mechanism that engages the ware and suspends it to expose the bottom to spray, the transfer mechanism in one form being capable of transferring the ware from one conveyor to another moving in opposite directions out of contact with said conveyors during the transfer movement.