Ppg Industries, Inc.

Charles K Edge

Gerald E Kunkle

Thomas J Nier

In a float glass forming chamber, the effects on the glass of sharp temperature gradients associated with coolers are modulated by high mounting of coolers so as to improve the distortion quality of the glass. Preferably, an elevated roof section is provided to accommodate the cooling means.

Cooling arrangement and method for forming float glass

The marginal edge portions of an accelerating ribbon of float glass are engaged by a plurality of opposed pairs of attenuating devices, each pair exerting substantially equal forces. The pairs of attenuating devices are positioned longitudinally adjacent one another such that the ratio of the ribbon width intermediate adjacent pairs to the average of the ribbon widths at each pair is greater than 0.95. The attenuating devices may be edge rolls each rotating with a peripheral velocity a predetermined amount greater than the linear velocity of the ribbon immediately upstream.

Method for attenuating float glass

A glass forming chamber wherein glass is formed while floating on the surface of a pool of molten metal is provided with a submerged plate in the pool of molten metal, which plate is contoured to divert the flow of molten metal in a central portion of the pool beneath an advancing layer of glass and to cause the flow of molten metal from the central portion into marginal portions of the pool or vice versa.

Submerged plate for selective diversion of molten metal flow in a glass

A glass forming chamber wherein glass is formed while floating on the surface of a pool of molten metal is provided with submerged dam barriers in the pool of molten metal which dam barriers are contoured to inhibit the flow of molten metal in a central portion of the pool beneath an advancing layer of glass relative to the flow of molten metal in marginal portions of the pool including marginal portions between the edges of a floating layer of glass and side walls of the forming chamber.

Submerged dam barriers for selective diversion of molten metal flow in a

Flat glass having superior optical quality is continuously produced by a contiguous float process in which lamellar flows are established in a molten glass conditioner and the flow patterns are maintained in a stream of glass unidirectionally delivered onto a pool of molten metal on which the glass is cooled and unidirectionally attenuated to form a ribbon of glass.

Manufactured glass by contiguous float process

In the manufacture of flat glass, molten glass is delivered along a substantially horizontal delivery path onto a pool of molten metal. A stream of molten glass is deeper along its marginal portions than its central portion in order to provide for substantially uniform flow rates across the entire stream of molten glass. A continuous ribbon of flat glass of any thickness may be uniformly formed in a very short distance extending downstream from the delivery as a result of delivering the glass in this manner.

Delivery of molten glass to a glass forming process

A layer of molten glass is discharged from a pool of molten glass in a glassmaking furnace and delivered along a substantially horizontal path onto a pool of molten metal in a forming chamber; the glass is then advanced along the surface of the pool of molten metal while being cooled to form a continuous sheet of glass. Prior to discharge and delivery, the molten glass is conditioned to establish an accelerated flow of molten glass in the direction of its delivery. The glass is conditioned by selectively cooling the glass at different depths in the pool of molten glass across the width of the delivery path just prior to delivery to preferentially decelerate the flow of hotter, less viscous glass at one location in the pool of molten glass relative to the flow of cooler, more viscous glass at another location in the pool. In this way the molten glass is caused to uniformly flow into a region for discharge from the pool and delivery for forming.

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Sarver, PA, United States of America

Charles K Edge