Method of melting raw materials for glass

A method of continuously melting particulate ingredients for making glass, in a melting furnace having an elongated substantially horizontally disposed melting chamber, said chamber having a sloped bottom wall, said melting furnace having burner means located at one horizontal end of said melting chamber and arranged for directing jet-like flame means toward the opposite horizontal end of said melting chamber above said bottom wall, said melting chamber having outlet means for molten ingredients at said one horizontal end of said melting chamber and below said burner means, which comprises the steps of

• continuously feeding a stream of said ingredients into substantially horizontally directed jet-like flame means issuing from said burner means, said ingredients having a particle size selected so that the particles are suspended in said flame means and remain in contact therewith for a prolonged time for being heated thereby and said ingredients simultaneously are projected by said flame means substantially horizontally through said melting chamber and above said bottom wall thereof toward said opposite horizontal end of said melting chamber until said ingredients drop downwardly, by the effects of gravity, onto said bottom wall at a zone horizontally spaced from said one horizontal end of said melting furnace, the ingredients resting on said bottom wall being further heated by said flame means and said gaseous products of combustion flowing thereabove whereby to melt said ingredients to form a melt on said bottom wall;
• flowing said melt along said bottom wall in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of said flame means and said gaseous products of combustion and located directly therebelow so that said melt flows to said outlet means at said one horizontal end of said melting chamber;
• removing said melt from said melting chamber through said outlet means and feeding said melt into a glass tank furnace.