Apparatus for extracting a glass ribbon from the egress of a flotation furnace
AssigneeSaint-Gobain Industries
InventorsPiero Ammannati, Jean-Claude Coulon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed a flotation furnace for manufacturing glass ribbon and an apparatus for extracting the glass ribbon from the furnace. The apparatus includes a case with extraction rollers positioned therein. The case has an opening for receiving the glass ribbon from the furnace, an opening for exiting the glass ribbon from the case, and an opening for discharging combustion gases. The case may include a carriage which moves transverse to the flow of the glass ribbon.
Claims19
An apparatus for extracting a glass ribbon from an exit of a flotation furnace sized to permit free passage of said glass ribbon from said furnace interior, which apparatus comprises:
- (a) a plurality of extraction rollers arranged in succession adjacent the end portion of the flotation furnace for extracting the glass ribbon from said exit, said rollers disposed such that they elevate to create a gap beneath said glass ribbon at said exit whereby gases which combust as they pass through said gap surround said glass ribbon and form a thermal barrier;
- and
- (b) enclosure means arranged adjacent the exit of the flotation furnace for enclosing said rollers, said enclosure means having an opening for receipt of the glass ribbon exiting the flotation furnace and having an opening for passage of the glass ribbon therefrom, said enclosure means also having an opening located above at least the first one of said rollers and adjacent the exit of the flotation furnace for venting said combustion gases to the ambient atomsphere.
Apparatus for use in combination with a flotation furnace for extracting continuously a ribbon of glass through an outlet and supporting the ribbon of glass in movement to a downstream processor wherein said apparatus comprises:
- (a) a plurality of extraction rollers arranged in succession adjacent to the outlet of the flotation furnace;
- and
- (b) enclosure means arranged closely adjacent the outlet of the flotation furnace and including
- (1) a lower portion having a pair of side walls with an upper supporting surface and means defining both an entrance to and an exit from the enclosure means,
- (2) an upper portion of an outline similar to the outline of the lower portion received on and supported by the supporting surface of the side walls, the upper portion being coextensive with the lower portion only throughout a part of its length thereby to provide a chimney of a size to include the area at least above the first of the extraction rollers of the plurality;
- and
- (c) the plurality of extraction rollers being disposed within the lower portion of the enclosure means and supported by the side walls so that the upper generatrix of the extraction rollers is above the level of the entrance to and exit from the enclosure means, at a level no higher than the level of the supporting surfaces to permit passage of the glass ribbon through said enclosure means and at a level to elevate said glass ribbon at said outlet to create a gap therebeneath whereby gases which combust as they pass through said gap surround said glass ribbon and form a thermal barrier, said combustion gases exiting said apparatus through said chimney.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.