Forced convection heating apparatus and process for heating glass sheets therewithin

A forced convection heating apparatus for heating glass sheets, wherein the glass sheets each have a top surface and a bottom surface, the forced convection heating apparatus comprising:

• a housing having an interior region, having at least first and second portions;
• means for conveying a glass sheet through the interior region of the housing, including means for supporting the glass sheet in a substantially horizontal manner, including at least one solid support member for support the sheet in said substantially horizontal manner;
• first and second gas burner means operably associated with said housing for producing hot combustion fluid, and operably associated with the first and second portions of the interior region;
• first means for distributing, and, in turn, impinging, at least a portion of the hot combustion gases from the first gas burner means to the bottom surface of the glass sheet within the first portion of the interior region of the housing;
• second means for distributing, and, in turn, impinging, the hot combustion fluid from the second gas burner means to the top surface of the glass sheet within the second portion of the interior region of the housing, the first and second means for distributing hot combustion fluid being operably configured for operation substantially completely independent of each other;
• first means for adjusting the temperature of the hot combustion fluid being produced from the first gas burner means prior to impingement of same on the bottom surface of the glass sheet within the interior region of the housing, disposed within the first portion of the interior region;
• and
• second means for adjusting the temperature of the hot combustion gases being produced from the second gas burner means prior to impingement of same on the top surface of the glass sheet within the interior region of the housing, disposed within the second portion of the interior region, the first and second temperature adjusting means being adjustable, independent of each other;
• and
• means for facilitating the direction of a portion of the hot combustion fluid which after impingement against the glass sheet has become spent working fluid, back toward the gas burner means for mixing with the hot combustion fluid.

A forced convection heating apparatus for heating glass sheets, wherein the glass sheets each have a top surface and a bottom surface, the forced convection heating apparatus comprising:

• a housing having an interior region;
• means for conveying a glass sheet through the interior region of the housing,
• including means for supporting the glass sheet in a substantially horizontal manner, including at least one solid support member for supporting the sheet in said substantially horizontal manner;
• gas burner means operably associated with the housing for producing hot combustion fluid at a predetermined temperature;
• first means for distributing, and, in turn, impinging, at least a portion of the hot combustion fluid from the gas burner means to the bottom surface of the glass sheet within the interior region of the housing;
• second means for distributing, and, in turn, impinging, at least a portion of the hot combustion fluid from the gas burner means to the top surface of the glass sheet within the interior region of the housing,
• the first and second means for distributing hot combustion fluid being operably configured for operation substantially completely independently of each other;
• first means for adjusting the temperature of the hot combustion fluid prior to impingement of same on the bottom surface of the glass sheet within the interior region of the housing;
• second means for adjusting the temperature of the hot combustion fluid prior to impingement of same on the top surface of the glass sheet within the interior region of the housing, the first and second temperature adjustment means each being operable, and, in turn, adjustable, independent of each other;
• a mixing chamber operably positioned about at least a portion of the gas burner means, at a location wherein the hot combustion fluid leaves the gas burner means,
• the mixing chamber having a proximal end operably associated with the first and second distributing means, and a second open end distally spaced from the proximal end;
• and
• means for directing spent hot working fluid, which has impinged upon at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the glass sheet, toward and into the mixing chamber for operably mixing of at least a portion of the spent hot working fluid with newly produced hot combustion fluid from the gas burner means toward transfer of into at least one of the first and second distributing means, and, in turn, toward and into operable contact with at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the glass sheet within the interior region of the housing;
• means for causing mixture of the spent hot working fluid and the newly produced hot combustion fluid within the mixing chamber, including, a plurality of apertures integrally formed in the gas burner means for release of the hot combustion fluid in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in the gas burner means;
• and
• the spent hot working fluid being operably drawn into the mixing chamber in a direction substantially perpendicular to the hot combustion fluid as the hot combustion fluid is being operably release from the gas burner means to, in turn, result in a mixture of the spent and newly produced hot combustion fluid.