Orifice plate change system, glass feeding assembly incorporating an orifice plate change system, and methods

An orifice plate change system for changing an orifice plate that is registered with an spout bowl arrangement, the spout bowl arrangement having a first spout bowl arrangement orifice and an spout bowl arrangement sealing face surrounding the first spout bowl arrangement orifice, the orifice plate change system comprising:

• a guide arrangement having a charging plate region and an operating plate region;
• a plurality of orifice plates, each orifice plate having at least one orifice and an orifice plate sealing face configured to seal with the spout bowl arrangement sealing face, each orifice plate being configured to be slidably carried by the guide arrangement and slidable relative to the guide arrangement between the charging plate region in which the orifice thereof is offset from the spout bowl arrangement orifice and the operating plate region in which the orifice thereof is registered with the spout bowl arrangement orifice, the plurality of orifice plates including:
• a first orifice plate having a first orifice;
• a second orifice plate having a second orifice, the second orifice being different than the first orifice such that a stream of molten glass that passes through the second orifice will have a different physical characteristic than a stream of molten glass passing through the first orifice;
• and
• an actuator configured to translate, operably, an orifice plate from the charging plate region to the operating plate region along a translation axis;
• and
• wherein each orifice plate of the plurality of orifice plates includes a pan member and a plate member, the plate member defining the orifice, the pan member is interposed between the plate member and the guide arrangement, the pan member being slidable relative to the guide arrangement, the plate member being removable from the pan member, the plate member aligns with the pan member in mating fashion.

An orifice plate change system for changing an orifice plate that is registered with an spout bowl arrangement, the spout bowl arrangement having a first spout bowl arrangement orifice and an spout bowl arrangement sealing face surrounding the first spout bowl arrangement orifice, the orifice plate change system comprising:

• a guide arrangement having a charging plate region and an operating plate region;
• a plurality of orifice plates, each orifice plate having at least one orifice and an orifice plate sealing face configured to seal with the spout bowl arrangement sealing face, each orifice plate being configured to be slidably carried by the guide arrangement and slidable relative to the guide arrangement between the charging plate region in which the orifice thereof is offset from the spout bowl arrangement orifice and the operating plate region in which the orifice thereof is registered with the spout bowl arrangement orifice, the plurality of orifice plates including:
• a first orifice plate having a first orifice;
• a second orifice plate having a second orifice, the second orifice being different than the first orifice such that a stream of molten glass that passes through the second orifice will have a different physical characteristic than a stream of molten glass passing through the first orifice;
• and
• an actuator configured to translate, operably, an orifice plate from the charging plate region to the operating plate region along a translation axis;
• and
• wherein the first orifice plate has a first number of orifices and the second orifice has a second number of orifices, the second number of orifices being different than the first number of orifices.

An orifice plate change system for changing an orifice plate that is registered with an spout bowl arrangement, the spout bowl arrangement having a first spout bowl arrangement orifice and an spout bowl arrangement sealing face surrounding the first spout bowl arrangement orifice, the orifice plate change system comprising:

• a guide arrangement having a charging plate region and an operating plate region;
• a plurality of orifice plates, each orifice plate having at least one orifice and an orifice plate sealing face configured to seal with the spout bowl arrangement sealing face, each orifice plate being configured to be slidably carried by the guide arrangement and slidable relative to the guide arrangement between the charging plate region in which the orifice thereof is offset from the spout bowl arrangement orifice and the operating plate region in which the orifice thereof is registered with the spout bowl arrangement orifice, the plurality of orifice plates including:
• a first orifice plate having a first orifice;
• a second orifice plate having a second orifice, the second orifice being different than the first orifice such that a stream of molten glass that passes through the second orifice will have a different physical characteristic than a stream of molten glass passing through the first orifice;
• and
• an actuator configured to translate, operably, an orifice plate from the charging plate region to the operating plate region along a translation axis;
• a stop plate that is free of any orifices to stop the flow of molten glass when aligned with spout bowl arrangement orifice.