Abstract: Disclosed is a tempering station for the partial heat treatment of a metal component, the station including a processing plane arranged in the tempering station, at least one nozzle, aligned to the processing plane, for discharging of a fluid flow for the cooling of at least a first sub-area of the component, and at least one nozzle box, arranged above the processing plane. The at least one nozzle box forms at least one nozzle area in which the at least one nozzle is at least partially arrangeable and/or which at least partially delimits a propagation of the fluid flow, with the at least one nozzle box being at least partially formed with a ceramic material. The tempering station permits a sufficiently reliable thermal delimitation of heat treatment measures partially acting on the component and/or a sufficiently reliable thermal separation of different heat treatment procedures partially acting on the component.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing strengthened glass containers, and more particularly the construction and operation of a cooling tube nozzle in an apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line at a location intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I. S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers are rapidly thermally strengthened in a cooling station in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers, with the cooling tube nozzles being used to cool the inner surfaces of the glass containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing strengthened glass containers, and more particularly the construction and operation of a base cooling nozzle in an apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line at a location intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I.S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers are rapidly thermally strengthened in a cooling station in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers, with the base cooling nozzles being used to cool the bottoms of the glass containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing strengthened glass containers, and more particularly the construction and operation of a bottom cooler in an apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line at a location intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I.S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers are rapidly thermally strengthened in a cooling station in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers, with the bottom coolers being used to cool the bottoms of the glass containers.

Abstract: Glass is heated from above and below while the glass resides on rolls (3) in a tempering furnace (1). The upper surface of the glass (4) is heated by hot air jets formed by sucking air from inside the furnace (1) and pressurizing the hot air and recycling it back to the upper surface of the glass. Air which has been taken from outside the furnace (1) and pressurized by a compressor (17) and heated is blown to the lower surface of the glass.

Abstract: An optical ceramic material heat treatment apparatus, comprising: a furnace body that is capable to contain an optical ceramic material to be heat treated in the inside thereof; a temperature drop control heater that generates heat during dropping a temperature of the optical ceramic material; a refrigerant intake unit that introduces a refrigerant into the inside of the furnace body to flow the refrigerant therein; and a control unit that controls the temperature drop rate, wherein the temperature drop control heater is arranged in the inside of the furnace body and/or in the refrigerant intake unit, the control unit controls at least one of an amount of heat generation of the temperature drop control heater, and a flow rate of the refrigerant in the inside of the furnace body to control a temperature drop rate at the optical ceramic material or in the vicinity thereof to be kept in a predetermined profile.

Abstract: A nozzle housing assembly, which is used in a convection heating furnace for a heat treatable glass sheet. The nozzle housing assembly comprises an elongated enclosure, at least one elongated heating resistance in the enclosure for heating convection air, and orifices in a bottom surface of the enclosure for blasting heated convection air against the glass sheet. The enclosure is divided with a flow-throttling partition into a top supply duct and a bottom nozzle box, the heating resistances being housed in the latter. Flow-throttling openings present in the partition are positioned to comply with the location and shape of the heating resistances.

Abstract: Glass is heated from above and below while the glass resides on rolls (3) in a tempering furnace (1). The upper surface of the glass (4) is heated by hot air jets formed by sucking air from inside the furnace (1) and pressurizing the hot air and recycling it back to the upper surface of the glass. Air which has been taken from outside the furnace (1) and pressurized by a compressor (17) and heated is blown to the lower surface of the glass.

Abstract: A method of tempering glass and an apparatus for tempering glass, in which a heater is used and high frequency is generated. The method includes a heating step of heating a piece of glass using a heater and a high frequency generator and a cooling step of cooling the piece of glass by quenching.

Abstract: A kiln (10) for annealing glass slabs, which comprises a plurality of heating chambers (20) that are reciprocally superposed and independent, each heating chamber (20) being provided with: at least an access mouth (24, 25) for passage of at least a glass slab (L), a motorised roller plane (30) on which the glass slab (L) rests and moves, heating means (40) suitable for heating the glass slab (L) located in the heating chamber (20) and cooling means (50) suitable for commanding controlled cooling of the heating chamber (20).

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing tempered glass. A transportation unit transports a glass substrate that is intended to be tempered. An ionizer ionizes alkali oxides in the glass substrate by radiating energy onto the glass substrate. A dielectric heating unit increases the temperature of the inner portion of the glass substrate in which the alkali oxides are ionized by the ionizer.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing strengthened glass containers, and more particularly the construction and operation of a base cooling nozzle in an apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line at a location intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I.S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers are rapidly thermally strengthened in a cooling station in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers, with the base cooling nozzles being used to cool the bottoms of the glass containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing strengthened glass containers, and more particularly the construction and operation of a cooling tube mechanism in an apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line at a location intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I. S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers are rapidly thermally strengthened in a cooling station in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers, with the cooling tube mechanism being used to cool the inner surfaces of the glass containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing strengthened glass containers, and more particularly the construction and operation of a bottom cooler in an apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line at a location intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I. S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers are rapidly thermally strengthened in a cooling station in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers, with the bottom coolers being used to cool the bottoms of the glass containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing strengthened glass containers, and more particularly an apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line at a location intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I. S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers are rapidly thermally strengthened in a cooling station in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing strengthened glass containers, and more particularly the construction and operation of a cooling tube nozzle in an apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line at a location intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I. S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers are rapidly thermally strengthened in a cooling station in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers, with the cooling tube nozzles being used to cool the inner surfaces of the glass containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing strengthened glass containers, and more particularly the construction and operation of a cooling shroud in an apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line at a location intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I. S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers are rapidly thermally strengthened in a cooling station in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers, with the cooling shrouds being used to cool the outer surfaces of the glass containers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a glass article using a glass composition including a base glass composition and colorants. The base glass composition includes, expressed in mass %: 65 to 80% of SiO2; 0 to 5% of Al2O3; 0 to 10% of MgO; 0 to 15% of CaO; 5 to 15% of MgO+CaO; 10 to 18% of Na2O; 0 to 5% of K2O; 10 to 20% of Na2O+K2O; and 0 to 5% of B2O3, and the colorants consist essentially of, expressed in mass %: 0.6% to 1.0% of T-Fe2O3; 0.026 to 0.8% of TiO2; 0 to 2.0% of CeO2; 0.01 to 0.03% of CoO; 0 to 0.0008% of Se; and 0.06 to 0.20% of NiO. The glass article has a grayish color tone, and has a visible light transmittance in a range of 15% to 40%, which is measured with the illuminant A at a thickness of 3.1 mm.

Abstract: The present invention provides an air-cooling/tempering device and an air-cooling/tempering method for a glass sheet, which are capable of uniformly air-cooling and tempering a glass sheet as a whole without being affected by the pitch between adjacent rollers and a roller diameter. The roller body of each roller forming the air-cooling/tempering device includes a rotary shaft formed of a guide shaft permitting a bendable action; and a plurality of ring rollers carried on the guide shaft and engaged and coupled with adjacent ring rollers; and disc rollers fixedly carried at intervals on ring rollers so as not to overlap the disc rollers on an adjacent roller with respect to a conveying direction of the glass sheet. Further, outlet modules are disposed on ring rollers between adjacent disc rollers through bearings so as to be rotatable with respect to the rotary shaft.

Abstract: For permitting temperature manipulation of a melt even at a conductivity below 10?1 ??1 cm?1 and thus permitting refining of the melt at temperatures about 1700° C., the invention provides a method and a device for temperature manipulation of a melt (16), in particular in a refiner unit. The melt (16) is heated at least by ohmic resistance heating with at least two electrodes (4) that are arranged in the melt (16). At least a part of the melt (16) is cooled. The device (1) for temperature manipulation, refining, purification and homogenisation of a melt (16) comprises at least one arrangement for accommodating melt material (36, 16), defining an inner chamber, and at least two electrodes (4) for ohmic resistance heating of the melt (16). The electrodes (4) project into the inner chamber of the arrangement, in particular of a vessel (2).

Abstract: A glass manufacturing system and a method are described herein for reducing gaseous inclusions in high melting temperature or high strain point glasses, such as those that are used as glass substrates in flat panel display devices. In one embodiment, the method including the steps of: (a) heating a batch material within a melting vessel to form molten glass at a melting temperature TM, the molten glass comprising a multivalent oxide material; (b) heating the molten glass within a fining vessel to a fining temperature TF?TM; and (c) cooling the molten glass within a refractory tube after the first heating step or after the second heating step to a cooling temperature TC less than TM, where the molten glass remains within the refractory tube for a predetermined resident time to reduce a volume of the gaseous inclusions in the molten glass and cause gas species to migrate out of the gaseous inclusions into the molten glass such that at least a portion of the gaseous inclusions collapse into the molten glass.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a treatment process in safety glass production by means of information representing a load of glass panels. Flat glass panels are conveyed through a heating lehr (2) and a quenching section (22). The treatment process is preceded by using a line camera (6) for reading the information representing a load of glass. This information is used in controlling the treatment process. The load-representing information is supplemented by automated detection of a glass panel's coating or the absence of coating. A glass panel's thickness is also measured. This information about coating and thickness is used in quenching for automated regulation of a quenching time and a blast pressure. Such information is also particularly useful for the automated control of convection heating (3c) included in the heating device.

Abstract: A convection furnace for a tempered glass sheet (1), into which furnace the glass sheet arrives along a hauling track, as on turning rolls (3), and the furnace has also heating resistances (5) against glass sheet (1) for heating the blast air, a blast apparatus and blast channelling (4), (2) for blasting said air against the glass sheet. The blast channelling comprises elongated channels (2) in the glass sheet (1) direction, inside of which there is at least a part of each blast air heating resistance (5) and each channel (2) has below the resistance line a broadening and in the broadening a bottom part (9), whereby bottom part (9) is furnished with blast holes (7, 8).

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: The invention relates to an air-exhausting lehr for laminated glass sheets, including a tunnel-like lehr, a conveyor, including elements for carrying laminated glass sheets in a substantially upright position through the lehr, and air circulation ducts, having fans and heating elements associated therewith for blasting heated air between the laminated glass sheets presently on the conveyor within the lehr. The lehr has its sides provided with movable walls for adjusting the lehr width to match a given glass size. This results in an enhanced passage of air between glass sheets regardless of variations in glass size.

Abstract: A system (10) and method for cylindrically forming and quenching glass sheets includes a furnace (12), a bending station (16) at the exit end of the furnace for providing cylindrical bending, a roll bending station (18) located externally of the furnace downstream from its exit end and having a lower roll conveyor (20) and an upper roll former (21) with complementary cylindrical shapes to further cylindrically bend the glass sheet, and a quench station 24 to which the formed glass sheets are conveyed for rapid cooling to provide toughening.

Abstract: A glass tempering furnace having a chamber, rollers extending laterally within a chamber to form a transport surface for the plate glass, radiant coils positioned along the bottom of the chamber underneath the rollers, a plurality of spaced nozzle assemblies arranged in lateral side-by-side fashion within the chamber above the rollers, and fans coupled to the nozzle assemblies to draw heated air from the chamber and force the heated air onto the top surface of the plate glass. Heating elements, preferably electrically heated rods, extend between each of the nozzle assemblies and are positioned within the return path of the heated air after it is flowed onto the plate glass surface. The air then rebounds from the glass plate prior to the air again being drawn up into the fan and blown back down onto the glass. Air is then again drawn from the furnace chamber and forced through ducting to a nozzle assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for bending glass panels. The upper tier of successive mould carriers defines a number of heating sections, the last one of which is an actual bending section. The lower tier of successive mould carriers defines a number of cooling sections, which are located below the heating sections. The mould carriers are provided with an open-structured or otherwise highly heat transmissive bottom. Underneath bending sections, effecting gravitational bending on an upper mould carrier track, lie cooling sections, each of which is individually provided with controlled cooling air circulation by means of cooling air exhaust fans. Following the sections performing the controlled cooling or annealing, the mould carriers are adapted to be conveyed along a lower mould carrier track nonstop under a plurality of preheating sections by a single passage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating glass sheets in preparation of tempering. A furnace (1) is provided with upper and lower convection blasting conduits (11, 14) extending lengthwise of the furnace. The furnace is also provided with upper and lower radiation heating elements (12, 16). The convection heating air is pressurized with a compressor (3), cleaned with a filter (4). The upper convection heating air is heated with air discharged from the furnace in a plurality of separate heat exchangers (7), through which the convection heating air is passed into the upper convection blasting conduits (11). The amount of air discharged from the furnace (1) through the heat exchangers (7) is substantially equal to that blasted into the furnace for convection heating.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for heating glass panels in a tempering furnace equipped with rollers, glass panels are carried on a conveyor defined by rollers into a tempering furnace for the duration of a heating cycle, followed by carrying the glass panels into a tempering station. The glass panels are heated in the tempering furnace by bottom- and top-heating radiation elements as well as by bottom- and top-heating convection elements through which convection air is supplied to the tempering furnace. The glass panels' bottom side is heated by the bottom-heating convection elements, which are arranged lengthwise along the furnace and define convection heating zones side by side in a lateral direction of the tempering furnace. Thus, convection heating effects of the convection heating zones can be altered relative to each other for profiling the heat transfer coefficient in a lateral direction of the furnace.

Abstract: Method for transferring heat onto a glass in the furnace meant for heat treatment of glass, into which glass is transferred on a path of rollers, furnace heated by resistors (5) located inside of the furnace, the radiation heat directed onto the glass and convection heat transferred by means of a blower and air onto the glass. In the method the glass being heated and roller space (8) are separated by a wall (9) from air circulation space (3, 7), by means of blowers the air circulation is arranged to heat the glass above and/or below the glass by means of the first chamber (7) and second chamber (3), wherein air is sucked by the blower from the first chamber and blowed into the second chamber, wherein air circulation is conducted from the vicinity of the glass and from roller space (8) through an opening in the wall (9) into vertical channels (7C2) and further into the first chamber and from second chamber the glass is directed onto the glass through nozzles (6).

Abstract: A glass tempering furnace having a chamber, rollers extending laterally within a chamber to form a transport surface for the plate glass, radiant coils positioned along the bottom of the chamber underneath the rollers, a plurality of spaced nozzle assemblies arranged in lateral side-by-side fashion within the chamber above the rollers, and fans coupled to the nozzle assemblies to draw heated air from the chamber and force the heated air onto the top surface of the plate glass. Heating elements, preferably electrically heated rods, extend between each of the nozzle assemblies and are positioned within the return path of the heated air after it is flowed onto the plate glass surface. The air then rebounds from the glass plate prior to the air again being drawn up into the fan and blown back down onto the glass. Air is then again drawn from the furnace chamber and forced through ducting to a nozzle assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for bending glass panels. The upper tier of successive mould carriers (9) defines a number of heating sections, the last one of which is an actual bending section (4b). The lower tier of successive mould carriers (9) defines a number of cooling sections (5, 6, 7), which are located below the heating sections. The mould carriers are provided with an open-structured or otherwise highly heat transmissive bottom (10). Underneath bending sections (4a), effecting gravitational bending on an upper mould carrier track (1), lie cooling sections (5), each of which is individually provided with controlled cooling air circulation by means of cooling air exhaust fans (23). Following the sections (5) performing the controlled cooling or annealing, the mould carriers (9) are adapted to be conveyed along a lower mould carrier track nonstop under a plurality of preheating sections (3a, 3) by a single passage.

Abstract: A tempered glass sheet having in its front view a peripheral region including the peripheries, and a central region (9) occupying inside the peripheral region, wherein the average surface compressive stress in the central region (9) is larger than the average surface compressive stress in the peripheral region, is presented, whereby a tempered glass sheet having a thickness thinner than conventional ones can be provided.

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 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: A gas is supplied to the surface of the glass sheet transferred between a heating furnace and a cooling apparatus for tempering the glass sheet. The gas is supplied from the upstream side with respect to the direction of transfer of the glass sheet by an air curtain device. This gas runs along the glass sheet surface (upper surface) downstream with respect to the direction of transfer to obstruct the flow of cooling gas from the cooling apparatus in the upstream direction. The gas prevents cooling air from the cooling apparatus from invading the heating furnace so that the difference of the curvature of the glass sheet on the front and rear part can be eliminated.

Abstract: A roller assembly for use in a glass bending machine comprises a base bracket, a bending roller rotatably mounted on said base bracket, the bending roller having a three-piece construction comprises a central hub having an annular outer surface, opposed side surfaces, and a central axis of rotation; a collar fixed to each side surface of said central hub, the collars having an annular outer surface, inner and outer side surfaces, and a central axis of rotation; the collars comprising a material and shape which resists scratching glass, the collars being spaced apart with a center section of the hub between them to allow the roller to be driven individually by a friction member whereby the friction member is adapted to run on the center section of the roller to rotate the roller, and a glass sheet is adapted to run on the larger collars and not be scratched by the center section.

Abstract: In a quenching apparatus for quenching a glass sheet that has been heated and bent in a heating furnace, a cooling gas blows onto the glass sheet to provide a distribution of a temperature and/or a distribution of a static pressure in at least one section in the quenching apparatus. The distribution of a temperature provides different temperatures between the both surfaces of the glass sheet, while the distribution of a static pressure is nonuniform in a part of at least one surface of the glass sheet. The distributions can modify a shape of the glass sheet given in the heating furnace so that a degree of freedom in shape for manufacturing a bent and tempered glass sheet by utilizing its self-weight can be improved.

Abstract: A system for tempering glass plates has preheating zone (1) in which several glass plates (7) stacked vertically in compartmented car (6) are heated together to a temperature below the tempering temperature of for example 650.degree. C. (for example 300.degree. C.). Preheated glass plates (7) are moved individually from preheating zone (1) into heating zone (2). In heating zone (2) glass plates (7) are heated to the tempering temperature, their being inclined to the vertical at an acute angle and being held by air cushions between two heating plates. On the lower edge of the two heating plates of heating zone (2) there is transport device which supports glass plates (7) simultaneously to the bottom. Glass plates (7) heated to the tempering temperature are moved into cooling zone (3) which has cooling plates aligned parallel to the heating plates and between which glass plate (7) is pushed for quenching.

Abstract: A gas is supplied to the surface of the glass sheet transferred between a heating furnace and a cooling apparatus for tempering the glass sheet. The gas is supplied from the upstream side with respect to the direction of transfer of the glass sheet by an air curtain device. This gas runs along the glass sheet surface (upper surface) downstream with respect to the direction of transfer to obstruct the flow of cooling gas from the cooling apparatus in the upstream direction. The gas prevents cooling air from the cooling apparatus from invading the heating furnace so that the difference of the curvature of the glass sheet on the front and rear part can be eliminated.

Abstract: A semi-convective forced air system for heating glass sheets during a heating cycle. The system has a heating chamber, and a longitudinal conveyor extending lengthwise through the heating chamber. A plurality of longitidinally-extending air manifolds are located within the chamber and are in fluid connection with a compressed air source. The manifolds are arranged in at least one widthwise-extending column. Each of the manifolds are oriented parallel to the length of the conveyor and are constructed and arranged to create a downward flow of heated air toward the conveyor to convectively heat the entire length of selected widthwise portions of a sheet of glass on the conveyor. A controller supplies or restricts the flow of compressed air to selected manifolds within a column at predetermined times during the heating cycle.

Abstract: A glass sheet quench station loader (42) and method for installing a quench module set (44) of lower and upper quench modules (46,48) includes a quench carriage (440) of a horizontally opening U shape that receives the quench modules for the loading. Mounts (446,454) mount the quench modules for movement to the quench station (40) and for subsequent movement from the quench station to permit installation of another quench module set for another production run. The quench loader (42) includes an overhead crane (447) and an overhead railway (448) along which the crane moves to move the quench carriage (440) and the quench modules mounted thereby to and from the quench station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting a quench head for glass tempering is provided. The quench head comprises at two nozzle blocks, each one of the nozzle blocks comprising at least one nozzle for directing the flow of a substance in gaseous phase to impinge onto the surface of the glass at certain areas. The nozzle blocks are supported on a frame to form at least one row of nozzle blocks. The frame comprises means for adjusting the tempering conditions effected to the surface of the glass to follow the shape of the surface of the glass. The directions of the flows of the substance in gaseous phase is adjusted such that the distance between the areas where a substance impinges the surface of a glass, between at least one pair of adjacent nozzle blocks and at least one row is kept substantially constant, regardless of the shape of the glass.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for annealing glass sheets, in which glass sheets are retained within a frame having edge retaining members. The edge retaining members retain the edges of the glass sheet during the annealing operation, thereby hindering warpage and surface damage of the glass sheet during the annealing process.

Abstract: A surface of a ceramic article, such as a glazed surface on a whiteware article, is treated with radiant energy such as infrared light from a laser to provide a localized remelting of the material at the surface in a fusing step. After the fusing step, the surface is treated with further radiant energy, desirably over a larger surface encompassing the fused zone and also desirably at a lower power density so as to limit the rate of cooling of the fusion zone and the immediately surrounding regions, thereby preventing thermal stress cracking. The fusion zone and surrounding regions desirably are preheated by additional radiant energy immediately prior to the fusing step so as to further limit thermal stresses during the fusing step. The process can be employed, among many other uses, for repair of glaze defects and for decoration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for equalizing the temperature profile of glass sheets in a roller-equipped furnace included in a horizontal tempering plant. At least in the early stage of a heating cycle, the upper surface of a glass sheet is exposed to an intensified convection heat effect by blasting air into the furnace from blasting pipes (3) located close to the upper surface of a glass sheet. This blasting compensates for the vigorous heat transfer to the lower surface of a glass sheet in the early stage of a heating cycle, which is caused by hot rollers. The blasting range and spot is manoeuvred in the longitudinal direction of a furnace in a manner that, at any given time, the blasting is only applied to that longitudinal section of a furnace in which a movable glass sheet is located at a given time.

Abstract: A mesh belt type blackening lehr comprising: a discharge duct provided at a predetermined position of a ceiling of a blackening zone, the temperature of which is kept at a blackening temperature. The blackening zone is divided into a charge side region and a discharge side region. The charge side region is kept in an atmosphere of mixture gas of air and humidification exothermic type gas so as to perform first processing for forming an oxide film consisting of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4, and FeO. The discharge side region is kept in an atmosphere of humidification exothermic type gas so as to perform second processing for reducing Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. Thus, an oxide film, consisting of mainly Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4, is formed on the surface of the shadow mask.

Abstract: In a cooling station in a tempering plant for glass sheets for chilling, heat-strengthening, or after-cooling, the cooling station including upper and lower cooling-air blast nozzles are positioned above and below the glass sheets to be cooled. Nozzle covers cover the upper and lower nozzles. The nozzle covers are covered with perforated plates having a reflection coefficient for more than 0.8 for heat radiation. The plates are detachable from the nozzle covers and are thus replaceable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for heat-strengthening glass sheets. A glass sheet heated close to a softening temperature is heat strengthened by cooling it at a certain controlled cooling rate. The cooling is effected in a space between cooling panels and the cooling panels are cooled by a gas jet which is applied to the surfaces of cooling panels facing away from the glass sheet. A cooling space temperature measurement can be used for controlling the power of a cooling jet.