Abstract: The invention relates to a method, comprising: feeding at least one molten-glass parison into a parison mold; forming, in the parison mold, a blank of an item from said at least one parison; transferring the blank of the item into a finishing mold; and forming the item in the finishing mold. While forming the item in the finishing mold, excess glass is directed out of the base of the item so as to form a convex bulge, and said bulge is removed such that the thickness of the base of the item is substantially constant.

Abstract: Methods of separating a strengthened glass substrate having a compressive surface layer and an inner tension layer include translating a laser beam on a surface of the strengthened glass substrate along a line of desired separation from a first edge of the strengthened glass substrate toward a second edge of the strengthened glass substrate. Methods further include backward-propagating a controlled full-body crack within the strengthened glass substrate from the second edge toward the first edge substantially along the line of desired separation. A scribe line may be formed on a surface of the strengthened glass substrate such that the strengthened glass substrate self-separates along the scribe line. A residual stress field may be created within the strengthened glass substrate such that a full-body crack backward-propagates from an exit defect located at the second edge toward the first edge along a line of desired separation, thereby separating the strengthened glass substrate.

Abstract: Methods of making a substantially rectangular glass cover member includes the step (I) of providing a glass tube including a plurality of substantially rectangular glass segments including respective edges that are integrally attached to one another at attachment locations. The plurality of substantially rectangular glass segments are radially arranged about an axis of the glass tube to define an outer periphery of the glass tube. The method can further include the step (II) of separating the plurality of substantially rectangular glass segments from one another at the attachment locations to provide a plurality of substantially rectangular glass cover members. In still further examples, glass tubes include a plurality of glass segments that each includes a convex surface and a substantially flat surface.

Abstract: When a synthetic quartz glass substrate is prepared from a synthetic quartz glass block, (I) the block has a hydrogen molecule concentration of 5×1017-1×1019 molecules/cm3, (II) the substrate has a hydrogen molecule concentration of 5×1015-5×1017 molecules/cm3, (III) the substrate has an in-plane variation of its internal transmittance at 193.4 nm which is up to 0.2%, and (IV) the substrate has an internal transmittance of at least 99.6% at 193.4 nm. The synthetic quartz glass substrate has a high transmittance and a uniform transmittance distribution, and is adapted for use with excimer lasers, particularly ArF excimer lasers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing small quantities of cigarettes in a substantially simultaneous fashion while maintaining consistent quality between the cigarettes. The invention provides an apparatus and method for simultaneously inserting charges of tobacco into pre-formed tubular cigarette wrappers.

Abstract: Guides for ring saws and ring saws incorporating them and template systems are provided. The guides can be circular, square, rectangular or portions thereof. The system can comprise a guide and a template. The template can be configured to be placed onto a workpiece in a fixed relation relative to the workpiece. The template has an edge along which a side edge of the guide can travel. The guide is attachable to a platen of the ring saw and can include an insertion channel and a blade aperture for allowing passage of a blade of the ring saw during attachment of the guide to the platen. The guide and the template can be sized and configured such that the side surface of the guide can contact the edge of the template for allowing the guide to be moved along a desired cut path to quickly and easily create a precise cut.

Abstract: A semiconductor material having more excellent electric characteristics than polycrystalline semiconductor materials and readily formed on various kinds of substrates is provided. The semiconductor material is made of substantially single crystalline semiconductor crystal grains 3a. These crystal grains 3a are preferentially oriented in a common surface orientation, such as {100}, {111} or {110}-orientation, and grain boundaries 3b of adjacent ones of the crystal grains 3a are in substantial lattice matching with each other at least in a part thereof. In case of {100} orientation, each crystal grain 3a has an approximately square shape, and they are regularly aligned in rows and columns. In case of {111} orientation, each crystal grain 3a has an approximately equilateral hexagonal shape, and they are aligned in an equilateral turtle shell pattern.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for forming glass article from sheet glass. More specifically the apparatus comprises a mold, a plunger being cooperative alignment with the mold, wherein the mold and the plunger form a cavity exhibiting the shaped of the glass article, an outer trimmer for separating the glass article from the surrounding excess sheet glass, and an inner trimmer for forming the aperture in the glass article, and the method involves forming the aperture during the hot-forming process, therefore eliminating a post-formation step.

Abstract: A method for molding optical glass elements including the steps of injecting molten glass material into a mold cavity through an injection port, runner and gate; cooling molten glass material in the mold cavity to a solidified state; and applying vibrations to solidified glass material in the mold cavity through a gate-forming member inserted into the mold assembly to form a gate to make a gate cut by concentration of stresses at boundary regions between the gate and the mold cavity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a glass ware, such as a bowl or plate, via vacuum forming. A deformable glass ribbon is passed through a pair of parallel rolls or rollers, one of the rollers having a recessed cavity thereon for forming a thicker product zone and a thinner cullet zone on the glass ribbon. The product zone may be specifically configured to compensate for process stretching of the glass ribbon during the vacuum forming process. The product zone is registered over a vacuum mold, and a vacuum is applied to the mold to thereby deform the glass to a concave shape and thus form the dish. The dish is separated from the glass ribbon by trimming at the periphery of the dish.

Abstract: The invention relates to optical fiber cleavage method making it possible to obtain an oblique optical fiber end face, consisting in holding a segment of optical fiber between two separated supports, in displacing one of said supports with respect to the other, and in causing the cleavage of the fibre in a break zone dictated by an onset of breakage made by means of a tool, such as a blade.The fiber (4) is held embedded in said supports (1, 2) without exerting any stress on it, in particular any traction or torsion, one of the supports (1) is displaced solely in translation along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the fiber (4) whilst holding the other support (2) fixed, and the onset of breakage is made either before, during, or after said displacement of the movable support.

Abstract: A camera mirror-drum with good precision and strength comprising a molded part in which glass fibers with an aspect ratio of 3-7 are dispersed in a resin at the overall proportion of 35-40% by weight, and a method and an apparatus for the manufacture of the mirror-drum.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of providing an elongated stock; producing a wafer comprising the steps of processing one end face of an elongated stock to form a first flat surface; cutting through one end portion of the stock transversely by a cutter to provide a slice of a predetermined thickness having opposite side faces defined respectively by the first flat surface and a cut surface subjected to the cutting; and processing the cut surface of the slice to form a second flat surface, using the first flat surface as a reference surface, thereby providing the wafer.

Abstract: Glass shapes and sheets are cut directly from a heated glass ribbon while maintaining the optical quality of the cut glass. A float glass ribbon is removed from a glass forming chamber and prior to annealing, a line of cut is heated to its softening temperature. A blade arrangement thereafter penetrates the glass along the heated line of cut to sever the glass. During the line heating and cutting operation, the overall glass temperature is maintained above the strain point of the glass.

Abstract: A monolithic, block-type heat exchange element having a series of fluid channels is manufactured by making use of extrusion molding. Extrudable molding material is extruded to form a continuous molding having opposed first and second surfaces. The extruded molding is provided with a series of discrete first passages and another series of discrete second passages both extending along the direction of extrusion and between the first and second surfaces. The molding is transversely cut into sections. At least parts of the molding section are then cut out along the first and second surfaces until the first passages are opened into the first and second surfaces. The openings of the first passages opened into the third and fourth surfaces extending perpendicular to the direction of extrusion are closed by suitable closure material to form a series of first fluid channels for a first heat exchange medium.

Abstract: A sliding support table to support a continuously advancing glass ribbon during severing. The ribbon is supported by and moves over the sliding support table which moves along the direction of the glass ribbon travel between stationary upstream and downstream supports. Top and bottom line heaters supported on the table direct flames towards the major surfaces of the glass ribbon along a line cut. A blade and anvil arrangement supported on the table, sever the glass along the heated line of cut when the line of cut is positioned therebetween. The table advances along with the glass ribbon to support the ribbon during the heating and severing operation. The line heaters and blade and anvil arrangement may provide both a linear or nonlinear line of cut.

Abstract: In a process for preparing glass flowers having petals, the steps of preparing petals which comprise providing a blown elongated enlarged hollow bulb on a hollow glass tube, heating and manipulating the bulb so as to separate it into two vertical dish-like pre-petal members, removing the pre-petal members from the tube, elongating the ends of the pre-petal members so as to form solid tips, attaching the members to a glass flower stem at the tips and heating and manipulating the members so as to refine the shape of the petals.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an optical waveguide comprising a plane substrate made of a material having a relatively low refractive index, a plane light propagation layer made of a material having a higher refractive index than the substrate, inserted between two strips of a material having a lower refractive index than its own, and a plane light confining layer of a material having a lower refractive index than the propagation layer. At least one of the layer, meaning either the propagation or the confinement layer, is obtained by causing to circulate in a tube of pure silica the vapors of a gaseous compound of silicon transformable into silica and of a gaseous compound of a doping agent transformable into one of its own oxides and heating said vapors sufficiently to obtain the deposit of a layer of doped silica having a refractive index different from that of the pure silica.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for trimming a newly formed article from sheet glass while it is still in a semi-molten condition, by maintaining a peripheral portion of the sheet glass about the newly formed article out of contact with the mold so as to maintain its temperature, and then reducing the thickness of such peripheral portion without severing the same, and then cooling the thinned section to thermally crack-off and separate the newly formed article from the sheet glass.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glass product, in which a symmetrical glass member same in shape as a good made by combining a plurality of glass products is molded once and then the symmetrical glass member is cut to provide the plurality of glass products.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for periodically discharging batches of a glass melt from a ceramic glass melting furnace in which localized heating energy limitable in time is supplied to the glass melt by means of electrodes in the furnace, the furnace being provided at its bottom with an induction heatable outlet member of ceramic material presenting a vertically oriented outlet passage for discharge of such batches, the furnace being operated to cause the outlet passage to be closed by a plug of the glass when no discharge is to take place, in which such plug is melted for discharging a batch of the glass melt via the outlet passage by preheating the outlet member and the glass plug by induction heating up to a preheating temperature which is below the melting temperature of the glass and above which the rate of increase of the electrical conductivity of the glass plug as a function of increasing temperature is greater than that of the ceramic material of the outlet member, and then further heating the plug, while

Abstract: Method and apparatus are set forth for forming articles from molten sheet glass wherein the molten sheet glass initially substantially conforms to a mold cavity by a combination of vacuum and/or gravity, and then while still in a semi-molten condition the sheet is pressed into a finished ware article.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of pressing glass articles, especially feet of glasses with integrally formed stems, by pressing a portion of a glass lump or parison into a mold having the (internal) contour of the glass article to be formed, with the other portion of the parison being left behind outside of the mold, and wherein the glass article is subsequently separated from the remaining part of the parison which comprises cutting off the still plastified connecting strand or core between the remaining part of the parison and the glass article, following the pressing operation, directly at the glass article, and removing the strand lug or protrusion left on the glass article, after removal of said glass article from the mold.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming and delivering insulating glass in gob form to a lamp base making machine from a continuous stream of molten glass. A rotating dial severs the glass stream into uniform gobs and during rotation forms the gobs into a ball like form and delivers the gobs to a pair of radially spaced drop points for delivery to the base shells on an indexing base making machine.

Abstract: According to the first method according to the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing glass products by casting low viscosity glass into a mould while controlling free flow of the glass by storing and holding the glass continuously fed out of a feeder outlet in a region under the lower surface of a control member provided below the feeder outlet after a cutting step, whereby the operation for setting a next mould to receive the glass in position is facilitated, the shape of the flowing glass after cutting is made stable and homogeneous gob can be produced.

Abstract: A molten glass metering device for making electric lamp bases by accurately metering the rate of flow of molten glass from an orifice in the wall of a glass melting furnace. The device comprises a metal member including an integral hollow elongated member aligned with the orifice. The flow of glass is controlled by varying the flow of electrical current through the metal member to control the temperature of same and to control the temperature of the glass within the metal member, thereby to control the rate of flow of molten glass therethrough.

Abstract: Molding of hollow glass articles wherein a gob flows from a feeder into a mold and forms a hollow tube as it enters the mold, and a pressure differential is applied across the tube so that the tube is shaped in the mold to form the hollow article. During application of the pressure differential, deformation of the glass between the feeder and mold, is prevented by proximately positioning of the feeder and mold. This pressure differential is obtained by applying vacuum between the mold and molten tube.

Abstract: Molding of hollow glass articles wherein a gob flows from a feeder into a mold and forms a hollow tube as it enters the mold, and a pressure differential is applied across the tube so that the tube is shaped in the mold to form the hollow article. During application of the pressure differential, deformation of the glass between the feeder and mold, is prevented by proximately positioning of the feeder and mold.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for cutting discrete sheets from a band or ribbon of glass such as emerges from the final stages of a float line or other glass production system. In accordance with the invention, a selected portion of an advancing band of glass in which a cut is to be made, which band is at a temperature of about 1000.degree. F or upward, and particularly in the range of about 1100.degree. to 1250.degree. F or more, is subjected to a moderate, controlled quench influence, scribed, and rapidly broken along the scribe line.