The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 04, 1983
Filed:
Aug. 31, 1981
Alfred D Briere, Dudley, MA (US);
GTE Laboratories Incorporated, Waltham, MA (US);
Abstract
An optical fiber drawing furnace includes a graphite element of generally cylindrical shape with a reduced central cross-sectional configuration having a flange at opposite ends thereof and having an axial hole therethrough including a central internal element chamber for receiving a glass preform, means for water cooling the flanges, and means for applying electric power across the flanges to resistively heat the reduced cross-sectional configuration and, hence, the central internal element chamber so that an optical fiber can be drawn from the preform. The invention relates to prolonging the useful life of the graphite element by suitable methods and apparatus. The water used for cooling the flanges can be regulated to a temperature such as to avoid condensation of atmospheric moisture within the room (in which the furnace is located) upon the furnace. The application of electric power across the flanges can be increased and decreased at a gradual rate so as to avoid thermal shock to the graphite element.