Glass base material drawing apparatus and method for drawing glass base material

A glass base rod drawing apparatus for heating and drawing a glass base rod, comprising:

• a storage unit for storing said glass base rod whereby the longitudinal axis of said glass base rod is vertically aligned, said storage unit has an opening unit from which said glass base rod is placed inside said storage unit, and said opening unit being opened along a longitudinal direction and vertical direction of said storage unit when said glass base rod is placed inside said storage unit;
• a heating unit for heating a lower end portion of said glass base rod that has been stored inside said storage unit via said opening unit;
• and
• an extraction unit for extracting said glass base rod heated by said heating unit;
• a supply mechanism for supplying said glass base rod to said storage unit;
• wherein said supply mechanism includes a main shaft for supporting said glass base rod, and said main shaft is connected to said glass base rod, the axis of said main shaft is aligned onto the longitudinal axis of said glass base rod during heating and drawing said glass base rod;
• and
• a mechanism for moving said main shaft in a horizontal direction in relation to a substantially central position of said storage unit.

A method for heating and drawing a glass base rod, comprising:

• opening an upper part of a storage unit, which stores said glass base rod, along a longitudinal and vertical direction of said storage unit;
• moving a main shaft, which is to be connected to said glass base rod, in a horizontal direction in relation to a substantially central position of said storage unit;
• storing said glass base rod oriented vertically along the longitudinal axis of said glass base rod into an interior of said upper part of said storage unit;
• lowering said glass base rod into a lower part of said storage unit;
• moving said main shaft back to said substantially central position of said storage unit;
• connecting said glass base rod onto said main shaft;
• closing said upper part of said storage unit;
• inserting said glass base rod into a heating unit, which heats a lower end portion of said glass base rod, by lowering said main shaft;
• heating lower end portion of said glass base rod that was inserted into said storage unit by said inserting;
• and
• extracting said glass base rod that has been heated by said heating.