Abstract: This invention relates to the art of coating glassware while the ware is moving through an annealing lehr which is provided with a cooling section near the exit end of the lehr. The cooling section is of the continuous recirculation type providing an arrangement for generally cooling the ware to a relatively even temperature even though the ware is moving through the lehr in multiple rows and columns. The ware is moved through the lehr on a lehr belt which is formed as a webbed belt and constitutes a foraminous conveyor. A lubricious material in the form of a vapor or mist of an organic, non-metallic coating material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, fatty acids and their derivatives is injected into the recirculating cooling air in the cooling section of the lehr to thereby form a durable lubricious coating on the exterior surfaces of the glass article. The articles, at the time they are passed through the cooling section, will be at a temperature between 200.degree. F. and 400.degree. F.

Abstract: Apparatus for thermally treating glass sheets comprising a combustion chamber, a kiln and a hot gas delivery system for delivering a mixture comprising combustion products into the kiln in such a manner as to avoid deviations from a substantially uniform temperature pattern across the kiln suitable for sag bending and annealing glass sheets.The delivery system comprises a delivery pipe, means for dividing said mixture into two approximately equal flows of said mixture for supplying said flows through a pair of branch pipes, then through the length of a pair of manifolds, each comprising an open ended inner pipe, and a concentric apertured outer pipe. The outer pipes have upwardly directed nozzles of substantially equal cross-section located at approximately uniformly spaced intervals along their length.

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: In a glass sheet heating furnace where the glass sheets are supported by edge gripping tongs, means to heat the tongs independently from the heating of the glass sheets is provided so as to reduce the frequency of tong vents in the glass sheets without distorting edge portions of the glass sheets.

Abstract: A method of thermally treating glass products in which the products are conveyed through a number of heating zones and/or cooling zones of a tunnel furnace and are heated and cooled, respectively, by means of an airflow maintained in each zone in a direction transverse to the direction of transport; according the invention, the velocity of the airflow increases gradually both in the heating zones and in the cooling zones; for that purpose, two perforated partitions having gradually increasing flow apertures for the airflow are provided in each zone.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for bending and tempering a relatively thin glass sheet comprising heating the glass sheet to its softening point, advancing the sheet toward and between a pair of opposed press members, reheating the sheet during movement thereof between said press members, bending the sheet into the desired curvature between the press members and finally, chilling the sheet rapidly below the annealing temperature range of the glass.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to glass annealing lehrs in which glass ware is supported on an endless conveyor to convey it through a closed tunnel consisting of separately controllable temperature zones which expose the ware to a glass annealing temperature gradient produced and maintained by gaseous fuel burners and electrical heaters employed separately or jointly, depending upon the availability of the fuel or electrical energy. In accordance with the invention, circulating fans are positioned at both sides of each lehr section, and air inlet ducts are provided for admitting controlled amounts of ambient air to the inlet of each fan.

Abstract: A leer for the cooling and annealing of glass includes, at the entering, hot end thereof, a plurality of smooth-surfaced glass-supporting rollers of stainless steel and, at the cool or exit end a plurality of glass-supporting rollers of stainless steel having circumferential or helical ridges on which the glass rests.

Abstract: A furnace for treating glass sheet material and the like in a glass tempering system. The furnace includes an upper glass treating zone and a lower gas treating and distributing zone for homogenizing gases of different temperatures to minimize exposure of the sheet being treated in the treating zone to uneven temperatures. Diametrically opposed inlets and outlets are provided in the side walls controlled by doors, and a slot in the top wall extends between the inlets and outlets to permit movement of a material carrier through the furnace. A pressure chamber communicates with the slot to cool conveyor elements at the top of the furnace, and also to provide a pressure barrier resisting the escape of gases from the furnace through the slots. Air curtains impinge on the tops of the doors in their closed positions to reduce leakage at the top of the doors.

Abstract: Glassware treating apparatus in which bottles which have been coated with a non-abrading coating are treated to remove surface irregularities in the coating on the bottom of the bottles. The bottles are gripped and suspended from conveyor means and pass consecutively over a heating zone, a cooling zone and a drying zone for removing the surface irregularities.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for annealing glassware by passing the ware continuously through a tunnel in which the application of heat and recirculation of the gaseous treating medium is regulated to establish and maintain independently controllable heating and cooling zones. An endless perforated conveyor passes from end to end of the tunnel and the ware is placed on the conveyor in alignment with and beneath a jet-like blast of the treating medium internally and externally of the ware simultaneously to subject all of the ware to uniform treatment in minimum time. The treating medium in the heating zones of the tunnel is recirculated and furnace pressure and temperature is regulated by circulating fans and by dampers between the furnace chambers with the outside atmosphere.