Optical fiber soot synthesis apparatus

Apparatus for synthesizing an optical fiber preform comprising an elongated optical fiber core member having a pair of spaced end portions and an elongated central portion, and a cladding layer of soot formed on said central portion of the core member, said apparatus comprising:

• a core member support and rotational drive mechanism for supporting a said core member for rotation about a horizontal axis, said rotational drive mechanism including a pair of spaced core member support and rotational drive units, said units being horizontally spaced apart and arranged so that the optical fiber core member extends horizontally between the units with one end portion of the core member supported by one of the units and with the other end portion of the core member supported by the other of the units;
• a burner for synthesizing and discharging optical fiber soot material to be deposited on the central portion of the core member and an oxyhydrogen flame, said burner being disposed between said units beneath the central portion of the core member supported for rotation by said mechanism;
• a housing presenting a chamber for accommodating the burner, the central portion of the core member, and the soot material generated by said burner;
• a reciprocation drive assemblage for reciprocating the core member and the burner relative to one another in a horizontal direction;
• and
• a weight measuring mechanism for measuring the weight of the core member and the soot material deposited thereon, said weight measuring mechanism including a pair of spaced weight measuring components, said components being disposed between said core member support and rotational drive units and being horizontally spaced apart so that said central portion of the core member is positioned therebetween.