Ppg Industries, Inc.

Eugene J Cone

Joseph J Hammel

Spherical regularity of glass beads is improved by catching a falling stream of hot beads in a bath of liquid quenching medium having a relatively low heat transfer coefficient controlled by maintaining a relatively high viscosity.

Glass bead forming method

The diameters of glass beads formed by jetting molten glass through an orifice are changed without a shut-down by employing an orifice nozzle having a tapered tip. With such a nozzle, the bead diameter is changed by changing the velocity with which the glass is forced through the nozzle. This may be accomplished by changing either the pressure or the viscosity. Alternatively, the bead diameter can be changed by using interchangeable nozzles having different lengths.

Glass bead forming nozzles and method

Glass beads are formed with a high rate of production by jetting an array of molten glass streams arranged around a central zone. The beads which are formed are caught in a quench bath, where they are immediately dispersed by a high-velocity radial stream of fluid from a nozzle located within the central zone. A secondary, low-velocity fluid stream is provided in the quenching bath to prevent localized over-heating.

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Cheswick, PA, United States of America

Eugene J Cone