GB1055773A - Method and apparatus for feeding batch materials - Google Patents

Abstract

To charge a glass-melting tank furnace, raw glass-making materials are fed on to a body of molten glass at the charging end of a furnace in the form of two layers transversely spaced from one another and simultaneously glass cullet is delivered on the body of molten glass between the two layers of raw glass-making materials. The melting zone M of the furnace 15 is maintained at regulated temperatures by burners from opposed ports 33 alternately operating. Raw glass batch is fed on to charging areas 16, 17 opening through the rear wall 24 and equally spaced from the medial line A of the furnace, the raw batch B being spread on the molten glass 20 by compartmented driven feed rolls 19 fed from hoppers 40. Cullet C is fed by apparatus 21 to lie on the line A, substantially filling the space between the layers of raw batch B. Cullet from storage bins 47 is fed through hoppers 48, 49 and troughs 51 to a discharge member 52 feeding the cullet on to buckets 60 on a conveyer belt 59 which delivers the cullet to a shoot 65 leading to a discharge <PICT:1055773/C1/1> <PICT:1055773/C1/2> pan 73 projecting into the furnace through an opening in the upper end wall 25. The pan 73 is adjustably mounted to vary the fall of the cullet and in an alternative construction may be mounted to oscillate to spread the cullet C from side to side of the centre line A. In an alternative feed apparatus for the cullet, the belt conveyer is replaced by a vibratory type conveyer fed from a single source of supply. To limit the spread of the raw batch B to the sides of the furnace, cooled guide members 98 are provided.