Method of and apparatus for manufacturing float glass
AssigneeAsahi Glass Company, Limited
InventorsYasuo Sato, Tsunehiro Saito, Hiroshi Mase, Katsuhiro Haruyama, Masaaki Yoshikawa
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Abstract
Difference in height is provided between a first surface of a molten metal bath at the upstream side in a vessel and a second surface thereof by means of a linear induction motor. A glass ribbon supplied to the first surface is formed to have a predetermined thickness while it is moved from the first surface to the second surface.
Claims11
A method of manufacturing float glass having a predetermined thickness, comprising the steps of:
- using a linear induction motor on a molten metal bath contained in a vessel, to form a height difference between an upstream first horizontal molten metal bath surface and a downstream second continuously horizontal molten metal bath surface;
- continuously supplying molten glass to said first surface to form thereon a glass ribbon having an equilibrium thickness;
- and
- advancing said glass ribbon to said second surface to form thereon a glass ribbon having a predetermined thickness.
An apparatus for manufacturing float glass having a predetermined thickness by continuously supplying molten glass on the surface of a molten metal bath held in a vessel to form a plastic glass ribbon and by moving said glass ribbon forwardly, characterized by comprising:
- means for introducing molten glass to an upstream end of said vessel;
- a linear induction motor positioned below said vessel or above said molten metal bath, said motor extending transverse to a direction of movement of said molten glass and being oriented so as to provide a difference in height between a first horizontal surface of said molten metal bath at an upstream side in said vessel and a second horizontal surface of said molten metal bath at a downstream side in said vessel, whereby said second horizontal surface is continuously horizontal downstream of said motor, and
- a pair of glass ribbon width maintaining members which are placed in correspondence to both side edges of said glass ribbon and transverse to a direction of movement of said glass ribbon so as to prevent said glass ribbon from contraction in the direction of its width.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.