초록 ▼

A furnace for fining molten glass is provided in which glass flows in a substantially vertical direction prior to exiting the furnace. As it flows vertically, the glass is allowed to cool. This cooling, in turn, allows the glass to be removed from the furnace through a narrow passageway without prod

A furnace for fining molten glass is provided in which glass flows in a substantially vertical direction prior to exiting the furnace. As it flows vertically, the glass is allowed to cool. This cooling, in turn, allows the glass to be removed from the furnace through a narrow passageway without producing excessive wear of the passageway. Preferably, vertical flow of the molten glass at the exit end of the furnace is produced across the furnace\s full width. In this way, the molten glass does not stagnate within the furnace and undesirable scums on the top surface of the glass are avoided. In certain preferred embodiments, the vertical flow is achieved by means of a trough which has sloped sides and which connects with and extends downward from the bottom surface of the furnace.

대표청구항 ▼

A finer for removing bubbles from molten glass comprising: (a) first and second walls defining an inlet end and an outlet end of the finer, respectively; (b) means for introducing molten glass into the finer at the inlet end: (c) a processing zone which is located between the inlet and outlet ends a

A finer for removing bubbles from molten glass comprising: (a) first and second walls defining an inlet end and an outlet end of the finer, respectively; (b) means for introducing molten glass into the finer at the inlet end: (c) a processing zone which is located between the inlet and outlet ends and which includes a bottom surface and two side walls which define the width of the finer; (d) means for heating molten glass as it passes through the processing zone; and (e) means for removing molten glass from the finer at the outlet end, said means including a ledge extending substantially across the width of the finer which together with the second wall defines a vertically-oriented trough which (i) extends downward from the bottom surface of the processing zone, and (ii) causes molten glass to flow in a substantially vertical direction prior to exiting the finer.