Corning Incorporated

David John Ulrich

James Gary Anderson

Steven Roy Burdette

Lewis Kirk Klingensmith

Liam Ruan De Paor

Gautam Narendra Kudva

James Paul Peris

Gary Graham Squier

L Kirk Klingensmith

Olus Naili Boratav

George Clinton Shay

Michael George Shultz

Patrick Aaron Parks

Jackson P Trentelman

Michael B Cain

Kevin Robert Brundage

Michael Yoshiya Nishimoto

Tomohiro Aburada

William J Kiefer

Chris Scott Kogge

Masumi Kihata

A glass manufacturing apparatus comprises a forming device configured to produce a glass ribbon and a control device configured to independently operate a first pull roll apparatus and a second pull roll apparatus such that at least one of a first upstream pair of draw rolls rotates with a substantially constant torque and at least one of a first downstream pair of draw rolls rotates with a substantially constant angular velocity. In further examples, methods of manufacturing a glass ribbon are provided.

Glass manufacturing apparatus and methods

A glass manufacturing apparatus comprises a forming device configured to produce a glass ribbon and a control device configured to independently operate a first pull roll apparatus, a second pull roll apparatus, and a third pull roll apparatus such that at least one of a first upstream pair of draw rolls rotates with a substantially constant torque, at least one of a first midstream pair of draw rolls rotates with a substantially constant torque, and at least one of a first downstream pair of draw rolls rotates with a substantially constant angular velocity. In further examples, methods of manufacturing a glass ribbon are provided.

Glass manufacturing apparatus and method for manufacturing glass sheet

An apparatus for drawing a glass ribbon including an edge roll assembly that contacts the glass ribbon with a force that is dynamically altered by an actuator electrically coupled to a sensor that measures the force applied against the ribbon. Dynamic, or real-time, variation of the edge roll force minimizes stress variability in the glass ribbon and improves ribbon shape control.

Active edge roll control in a glass drawing process

A pull roll apparatus and method are described herein that can control a cross-draw tension and a down-draw tension of a glass sheet while manufacturing the glass sheet. In one embodiment, the pull roll apparatus includes a first driven stub roll pair, a second driven stub roll pair and a control device (e.g., PLC) that controls the first and second driven stub roll pairs while a first edge portion of the glass sheet is drawn between two vertically downtilted rolls associated with the first driven stub roll pair and while an opposing second edge portion of the glass sheet is drawn between two vertically downtilted rolls associated with the second driven stub roll pair. If desired, the pull roll apparatus may include a pulling roll assembly (located below the first and second driven stub rolls) or another set of driven stub roll pairs (located below the first and second driven stub roll pairs).

Pull roll apparatus for controlling glass sheet tension

Pull roll apparatus and method for controlling glass sheet tension

Active edge roll control in a glass drawings process

An apparatus for drawing a glass ribbon including a shroud surrounding the glass ribbon and an edge roll that penetrates the shroud to contact the glass ribbon. The apparatus includes regulating a pressure within the seal assembly to be equal to or less than a pressure within the shroud and prevent ingress of relatively cooler outside gas into the hot interior of the shroud. The edge roll utilizes an air bearing to minimize friction that can produce periodic fluctuation of the ribbon as the edge roll is displaces in response to variations in the ribbon thickness or equipment dimensions.

Low friction edge roll to minimize force cycling

In the formation of sheet glass by the overflow downdraw process, the width of usable sheet glass is maximized by downwardly flowing edge portions of the sheet over web-like members and thereafter over extensions which intersect with and are downwardly inclined relative to the web-like members to thin edge portions of the glass flow and maintain sheet width. The extension members are preferably removably attached to the web-like members, greatly facilitating replacement of the more easily damaged extension members.

Method for making a glass sheet

Method and apparatus for making a glass sheet

An induction furnace for heating a portion of an optical preform in order to draw an optical fiber therefrom. The furnace includes a tubular susceptor which is disposed centrally within a housing. The electromagnetic field from a high frequency coil surrounding the susceptor is coupled to the susceptor to heat and reflow a portion of the preform. A cellular refractory tubular insulator is located between the coil and the susceptor.

Optical fiber draw furnace

A liquid cooling method and apparatus for rapid cooling of a hot glass fiber. In FIG. 1, an open ended liquid coolant container (12) is provided at its lower end with an inverted funnel surface (34). A vertically running, hot glass fiber (42) of indefinite length is continuously drawn through the container, as the container continuously receives a coolant liquid at its upper open end (30). The liquid continuously drains from the container lower open end (32) by flowing along flow surface (36) of the inverted funnel (34), downwardly and away from the glass fiber (42). The temperature of the fiber relative to the temperature of the coolant liquid is such that a vapor barrier surrounding the hot fiber is formed due to boiling of the liquid in a zone surrounding the fiber. This vapor zone facilitates diversion of the liquid (change in direction of flow) from the vertical to an angle thereto, along the inverted funnel surface. The substantially cooled hot glass fiber passes out of the container lower end for further processing, such as coating the fiber. The method and apparatus yields cooled glass fiber not wetted by the coolant liquid.

Method and apparatus for fiber cooling

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Burdett, NY, United States of America

David John Ulrich