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US 5,709,723 AGranted
Method for producing large glass preforms
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorDaniel R. Gearing
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making gob preforms for the optical quality lens molding comprising: i) ejecting a measured gob molten glass through an exit in a stem of the container of a supply of molten glass; ii) allowing the gob to settle under gravity from the exit to a catching tool while heating the gob and the catching tool; and iii) continuing to heat the gob and tool until the gob is round.
Claims20
A method of making a glass preform of predetermined shape comprising:
- i) holding a supply of molten glass in a container having an exit through a stem;
- ii) ejecting a measured gob from the supply of molten glass in the container through the exit in the stem;
- iii) moving up a catching tool towards the stem to receive a quantity of molten glass in a heating station;
- iv) allowing the gob to settle under gravity from the exit to said catching tool while heating the gob and the catching tool;
- and
- v) moving down said catching tool sufficiently so as to separate the stem from a tail on said gob;
- vi) continuing to heat at least said tail in said heating station;
- and
- vii) continuing to heat the gob and the catching tool until the gob has said predetermined shape.
6 more elements
A method of making glass preforms comprising:
- melting glass;
- controlling a supply of molten glass into a working crucible;
- stirring the molten glass to achieve uniformity;
- providing at least one catching tool for receiving a predetermined amount of the molten glass from said working crucible;
- camming up said catching tool to receive a quantity of molten glass in heating station;
- camming down said catching tool sufficiently while still being in a heating station to pull off a separating tail and to heal the said tail;
- and
- controlling the temperature of said catching tool at a required temperature which is substantially elevated above ambient temperature to control quality of the glass preform;
- and
- forming the glass preform.
7 more elements
A method of making glass preforms that includes:
- melting glass;
- placing the molten glass into a working crucible and stirring the molten glass for uniformity;
- providing an orifice from said working crucible for the predetermined amount of outflow of the molten glass;
- placing successive catching tools under said orifice and moving them up, towards said orifice, to receive a predetermined amount of the molten glass;
- lowering said tools after the predetermined amount of the molten glass is received to pull off said tail while said tail, is being heated;
- heating said catching tools to a desired temperature which is substantially elevated above the ambient temperature and controlling the temperature of said catching tools;
- and
- forming glass preforms on said catching tools;
- metering the size of glass preforms on a repetitive basis by controlling the glass pressure in said working crucible with a servo feedback mechanism.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.