US3561939A

US3561939A - Apparatus for processing filament-forming mineral materials and forming and packaging filaments

Info

Publication number: US3561939A
Application number: US685204A
Authority: US
Inventors: Magnus L Froberg; Roy E Smith
Original assignee: Owens Corning Fiberglas Corp
Current assignee: Owens Corning
Priority date: 1967-11-22
Filing date: 1967-11-22
Publication date: 1971-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-09
Also published as: DE1802409C3; GB1214920A; BE722120A; SE343843B; DE1802409A1; NL144906B; NL6814481A; DE1802409B2; FR1604380A

Abstract

THIS INVENTION RELATES TO A METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING HEAT-SOFTENABLE MINERAL MATERIALS, SUCH AS GLASS, AND INVOLVES MELTING AND REFINING BATCH MATERIAL IN ONE MELTING AND REFINING FURNACE TO A HIGH DEGREE OF HOMOGENEITY AND FLOWING THE REFINED GLASS IN A MULTIPLICITY OF PATHS TO DELIVER THE GLASS AT CONTROLLED TEMPERATURES TO A LARGE NUMBER OF STREAM FEEDERS OR BUSHINGS ARRANGED IN TWO PARALLEL ROWS TO FACILITATE SIMULTANEOUS ATTENUATION OF THE GROUPS OF STREAMS FROM THE FEEDERS TO FILAMENTS AND PACKAGING STRANDS OF THE FILAMENTS ON ROTATABLE COLLECTORS. THE METHOD INVOLVES TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CONTROL OF A MOVING AIR ENVIRONMENT AND SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION OF THE CONDITIONED AIR WITH RESPECT TO THE STREAM FEEDERS IN THE FORMING ROOM.

Description

. M. L. FROBERG ET AL 3,555,939 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FILAMENT-FORMING MINERAL MATERIALS AND FORMING AND PACKAGING FILAMENTS 22, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheec 1 Feb. .9, 1971 Filed Nov.

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A'ITO wk M r w n H H l l l l h W MWWH PM A, w w QMWW r F- A xxxx p A .w w @iw @w w Feb. 9, 1971 M. 1.. FROBERG ETAL 3,561,939

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FlLAMElNT-FORMING MINERAL MATERIALS A AND FORMING AND PACKAGING FILAMENTS Filed Nov. 22, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 MW 1. f/wma & Pay 5. 5mm

INVEN'IUHS ATTORNEYS Feb. 9, 1971 FROBERG EI'AL APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FlLAMENT-FORMING MINERAL MATERIALS AND FORMING AND PACKAGING FILAMENTS Filed Nov. 22, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 49 Maw/w z, fmsm &

A ay 5M/7H INVENT( )hS RNEYS ATTO Feb. .9, 1971 FROBERG ETAL 3,561,939

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FILAMENTFORMING MINERAL MATERIALS AND FORMING AND PACKAGING FILAMENTS Wax/w 1. Fwama & Ray 5. 5/14/77? INVIiN'H )RS ATTORNEYS Feb. 9, RQ E G ETAL APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FILAMENT-FORMING MINERAL MATERIALS AND FORMING AND PACKAGING FILAMENTS Filed NOV. 22, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 z M/lfi/VUS 1. #0554 6 & 9 For 5 5mm INVIiN'H )RS ATTORNEYS Fig.

Feb. 9, 1971 r M. FROBERG ETAL 3,561,939 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FILAMENT-FORMING MINERAL MATERIALS AND FORMING AND PACKAGING FILAMENTS Filed Nov. 22, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 waw ATTORNEYS United States Patent Q 3,5i,939 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FlLAMENT-FORM- ING MINERAL MATERIALS AND FQG AND PACKAGING FILAI /IENTS Magnus L. Froberg and Roy E. Smith, Newark, Ohio, assignors to Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 685,294 Int. Cl. C0311 37/00 US. Cl. 65-11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for processing heat-softenable mineral materials, such as glass, and involves melting and refining batch material in one melting and refining furnace to a high degree of homogeneity and flowing the refined glass in a multiplicity of paths to deliver the glass at controlled temperatures to a large number of stream feeders or bushings arranged in two parallel rows to facilitate simultaneous attenuation of the groups of streams from the feeders to filaments and packaging strands of the filaments on rotatable collectors. The method involves temperature and humidity control of a moving air environment and substantially uniform distribution of the conditioned air with respect to the stream feeders in the forming room.

This invention embraces a method of and apparatus for processing heat-softenable mineral materials, such as glass, and more especially to a method and apparatus involving the melting and refining of a substantial quantity of glass in one furnace or tank to a high degree of refinement and homogeneity and flowing the refined glass to a large number of individual stream feeders, and attenuating groups of streams from the feeders to continuous filaments under controlled conditions whereby to render the production of large quantities of filaments more economical through the use of a single glass melting and refining facility.

One method that has heretofore been employed in producing continuous filaments of glass involves the use of marbles or spheres of glass which are premolded of refined glass, the spheres or marbles of glass being remelted in a heated feeder or bushing and the streams of glass from the individual feeder or bushing attenuated to filaments by winding a strand of the filaments on a forming tube of a winding machine. This method is relatively costly by reason of the marble molding operation, the loss of heat energy on cooling the marbles and the subsequent reheating of the glass marbles to molten condition suitable for attenuation.

Improvements have been made involving a method of melting and refining glass whereby the glass is flowed through a channel system resembling an H-shaped configuration with stream feeders arranged along the branch channels of the H-shaped channel system whereby several groups of streams are delivered by the feeders and the groups of streams attenuated into filaments by winding strands of the filaments on collector tubes of winding machines. Pat. 3,269,820 discloses a direct melt process of this character wherein refined glass from a melting and refining furnace or chamber is delivered through channels of a single H-shaped channel system directly connected with the melting and refining furnace. As shown in Pat. 3,269,820 each H-shaped channel system receives glass from an individual melting and refining furnace. In order to provide for substantial production yield of fibers or filaments, it was necessary to employ a plurality of melting and refining furnaces, each having an H-shaped glass flow channel system.

3,561,939 ?atented Feb. 9, 1971 The present invention embraces a method of supplying highly refined molten glass from a single melting and refining furnace or facility to a cross channel and the glass distributed from the cross channel to a plurality of glass flow paths of a plurality of H-shaped glass flow channel systems, the glass flow paths of the pairs of branch channels of the H-shaped configurations being in spaced relation providing two groups of branch channels in aligned relation and stream feeders disposed along the branch channels delivering streams or bodies of glass for attenuation to filaments.

Another object of the invention resides in a method of flowing refined glass from a single supply along a first rectilinear flow path, thence flowing the glass from the first flow path in a plurality of spaced streams normal to the direction of flow of the glass in the first flow path, and flowing glass from the spaced streams in two laterally spaced paths substantially parallel with the first flow path and delivering bodies of glass from the laterally spaced paths for attenuation to filaments whereby to attain a high yield of filaments from a single glass supply facility.

Another object of the invention resides in a method of melting glass batch and refining the molten glass in a chamber, and flowing the molten glass from the chamber in a supply stream, flowing a plurality of feeder streams of the glass from the supply stream in directions normal to the direction of flow of the glass in the supply stream, thence flowing branch streams of glass from the feeder streams in directions normal to the direction of flow of the feeder streams and delivering groups of bodies of the glass from the branch streams and controlling the temperature of the glass of the streams to enable attenuation of the bodies of glass to continuous filaments.

Another object of the invention resides in a glass processing facility involving a melting and refining furnace or facility for processing a substantial quantity of glass to a highly refined condition, and flowing the highly refined glass along a glass supply channel or manifold in directions normal to the longitudinal axis of the furnace, and delivering the glass from the supply channel to groups of branch channels wherein the channels of each group are arranged in an H-shaped orientation with pairs of the branch channels of each group in lengthwise aligned relation providing two parallel rows of branch channels, the branch channels being provided with bushings for delivering groups of glass streams and the streams of each group attenuated to filaments by winding a strand of the filaments upon a rotatable collector individual to each group whereby a large number of strands from the groups of filaments is concomitantly wound into packages whereby to substantially reduce the cost of producing filaments of glass through the provision of a single glass melting and refining furnace for supplying glass to all of the stream feeders.

Another object of the invention embraces the provision of a plurality of connected glass fiow channel constructions wherein combustion burners are arranged in the side walls defining the channels to minimize or reduce erosion of the refractory constituting the channel constructions and thereby reduce contamination of the glass,

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of vent stacks arranged in spaced relation along a glass supply channel whereby to vent gases from the glass from a multiplicity of connected glass flow channels receiving molten glass from a melting and refining furnace.

Another object of the invention resides in an arrangement of multiple forehearth or flow channel assemblies of H-shaped configuration receiving glass from a single supply zone with glass stream feeders arranged along the parallel branches of the H-shaped configurations wherein a group of streams is delivered from each feeder into a;

forming room or chamber, the arrangement including means for delivering conditioned air into the forming room chamber in a distribution pattern and in amounts to effectively convey away the heatfrom the glass streams and the flow channels with a minimum of turbulence so as to improve attenuation of the streams to filaments and reduce filament break-outs.

Another object of the invention resides in the maintenance of a moving air environment adjacent groups of streams delivered from feeders associated with glass flow channels arranged in H-shaped orientation involving delivery of conditioned air through perforate ceiling areas into the forming room to establish a substantially uniform air environment at the upper region of the forming room, the air being conditioned through the utilization of an air cooling and humidifying facility individual to each H-shaped forehearth or flow channel system, the air flow through the forming room being of a character to avoid turbulence and promote a balanced air environment adjacent and embracing the groups of streams delivered from the feeders.

Another object of the invention resides in the delivery of air at a controlled temperature and humidity into the forming room at a rate and amount to assure substantially constant temperature and humidity conditions in the forming room to effectively dissipate the heat load from the glass streams with a minimum of turbulence in the forming room.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may be preferred, in which:

FIG. 1 is a semischematic top plan view showing the melting and refining furnace and forehearth and glass distribution channel system or arrangement of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1 illustrating the branch channels of one of the H-shaped flow channel configurations, the forming room, strand winding apparatus and means providing a conditioned air environment in the forming room;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the branch channels of an H-shaped forehearth or flow channel configuration, the view being taken substantially on the line 33 of FIG. 1

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the construction of FIG. 5 illustrating a heat dissipating or cooling means disposed beneath a glass flow channel section;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of one of the air conditioning and distributing units for one of the H-shaped flow channel configurations;

'FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a portion of the forming room, the view being taken substantially on the line 99 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary isometric view illustrating the method utilized for winding a strand of filaments into a package on a winding machine, and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 9 illustrating the packaging of strands of filaments on automatic multiple-collet winders.

Referring initially to FIG. 1 the apparatus and arrangement includes a single melting and refining furnace or facility 10 in which glass batch is melted and refined to a high degree of homogeneity and the refined glass flowed from an exit end of the furnace through a con necting channel 11 of a main forehearth 12. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the glass from the connecting channel 11 is distributed through a manifold channel or cross channel 14 of a forehearth extension 15 to a plurality of H-shaped forehearth chan nel configurations or glass distributing instrumentalities, each of which receives molten glass from the cross channel 14.

The connecting or main feed channel 11 with the cross channel 14 resembles a T-shaped configuration. The I-I-shaped configurations of glass flow channels, there being five in number in the illustrated embodiment, are of substantially identical construction and are designated 16, 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d. As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the respective pairs of branch channels of the H- shaped configurations are aligned in two laterally spaced rows in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1 and parallel with the cross channel 14.

Each of the branch channels is equipped with glass stream feeders arranged in the ceiling area of an elongated forming room 20. A strand winding machine is disposed beneath each feeder, the winding machines being arranged in two parallel rows lengthwise of an elongated winding room 22 illustrated in FIG. 2.

In the embodiment illustrated, each branch channel of each of the H-shaped forehearth configurations is equipped with five stream feeders providing a total of one hundred stream feeders, each delivering the group or groups of streams which are attenuated to filaments by winding strands of the filaments on rotating collectors of the winding machines. As shown in FIG. 2, the forming room 20 is contiguous with and above the winding room 22, the latter containing the strand winding machines, a third room 23 being below the winding room 22.

The melting and refining furance 10 is similar to a: furnace illustrated in Day et a1. Pat. 3,269,820 but is of" a capacity to supply highly refined textile glass to all of the H-shaped forehearth constructions and the stream feeders carried thereby. Through the provision of a single furnace 10 supplying molten glass to all of the stream feeders, the capacity or size of the furnace enables efiicient refinement of the glass so that a more homogeneous glass is delivered to the stream feeders and hence break-outs are substantially reduced and production of filaments greatly increased.

As shown in FIG. 1, the furnace 10 includes an elongated generally rectangular melting and refining chamber or tank 24, the furnace construction being of built-up refractory, the glass containing chamber 24 being of greater length than its width, with the average depth of glass in the furnace during operation being about twenty-five inches or more. The furnace 10 is supported upon a suitable steel frame structure of conventional construction, a portion of the supporting structure being shown at 26 in FIG. 2.

The furnace arrangement includes means 28 for feeding raw batch glass or other heat-softenable fiber-forming: mineral material into the furnace chamber 24 at the rear or stack end of the furance. The batch feeders or chargers- 28 are preferably of the motor driven screw feed type of conventional construction. Each of the batch chargers receives batch material from a supply (not shown) in a conventional manner.

The end of the chamber 24 adjacent the batch chargers 28 is connected with two exhaust stacks 30 and 32, the stacks venting the gases driven off or emitted from the glass during melting and refining operations. The operation of the motor driven batch chargers 28 is controlled by conventional means (not shown) responsive to variations in the amount of glass in the melting and refining chamber 24 so as to maintain substantially constant the amount of glass in the chamber.

The furnace chamber 24 is fired or heated by fuel gas or other suitable fuel mixed with air and delivered to rows of combustion burners 36 mounted in burner blocks in the respective side walls 38 of the chamber 24 above the level of the glass in the chamber. The air, for mixing with the fuel gas or other fuel delivered to the burners 36, is preheated in a recuperator arrangement (not shown) associated with the stacks 30 and 32, the recuperator arrangement being of the general character disclosed in Day et al. Pat. 3,269,820.

Steam or air bubblers, indicated at 39, are provided in the floor of the melting and refining chamber 24 to promote cycling or recirculation of the molten glass in the chamber to effect a high degree of refinement of the glass before it flows through the exit channel 11 in the connecting forehearth 12. The molten glass is circulated and recirculated Within the melting tank or furnace chamber 24 through a distance several times the length of the chamber to provide a time-temperature treatment to promote a high degree of homogeneity for the glass prior to its delivery through the channel 11.

In the embodiment illustrated the glass from the furnace flows through channel 11 to a cross channel 14 contained in an elongated forehearth construction 15 extending normal to the forehearth connection 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the cross forehearth channel member 14 with the connecting forehearth channel 11 is in the shape of a T configuration. The molten glass delivered to the cross channel 14 flows in opposite directions therein from its junction from the main feed channel 11.

The main cross channel 14 functions as an elongated manifold, delivering molten glass from the cross channel 14 into each of the plurality of H-shaped

forehearth configurations

16, 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d through feed channels 48 individual to each forehearth configuration.

Each H-shaped forehearth channel configuration comprises a central channel 50 which forms an aligned extension of the adjacent feed channel 48, the

channels

48 and 50 being disposed normal to the cross channel 14. Each H-shaped configuration includes forehearth

branch channel sections

52, 53', 54 and 55. As shown in FIG. 1, the the oppositely extending

branch channel sections

52 and 53 of each H-shaped forehearth unit are arranged in aligned end-to-end relation in a direction normal to the direction of the aligned

channels

48 and 50 of each I-I-shaped unit.

The pairs of

branch channel sections

54 and 55 are spaced laterally from the pairs of

forehearth sections

52 and 53 and are arranged in parallelism therewith. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, all of the branch sections 52 and S3 of each H-shaped configuration are in lengthwise aligned relation and parallel with the cross channel 14. The pairs of

branch channel sections

54 and 55 in aligned end-toend relation are parallel with the cross channel 14.

This arrangement of forehearth branch sections facilitates the use of an elongated forming room or walled chamber 20, the outline plan view of the room 22 being indicated in broken lines in FIG. 1 and also shown in FIG. 2, the side walls of the forming room being designated 6i) and 62. Each of the

branch channel sections

52, 53, 54 and 55 of each H-shaped forehearth construction is equipped with a plurality of bushings or stream feeders 66, one of which is shown in FIG. 3 and several of the feeders shown in FIG. 9. Each stream feeder is provided with a plurality of orifices or openings through which flow streams of glass to be attenuated to filaments.

In the embodiment illustrated, there are five feeders 66 on each of the

branch sections

52, 53, 54 and 55 of each of the H-shaped

units

16, 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d. With five forehearth H-shaped configurations as shown, there are one hundred bushings or stream feeders 66 arranged in two rows lengthwise or" the elongated forming room each row comprising fifty stream feeders.

The side walls of the H-shaped constructions defining the glass flow channels are equipped with horizontally disposed combustion burners 118 for burning fuel and air mixtures at regions above the glass level in each of the Channels to maintain the glass in flowable condition for delivery to all of the bushings or stream feeders 66.

The cross channel forehearth section 15 is provided with a plurality of vent stacks to facilitate escape of the gases of combustion from the glass flow channels. As shown in FIG. 1, there are four vent stacks or vent means 70, 71, 72 and 73 spaced along the cross channel section 14, a portion of one of the vent stacks 72 being shown in FIG. 2.

Each of the vents or vent stacks is connected with the cross channel 14 by a passage 75 to convey away gases from the cross channel 14, the glass flow channels 48 and 5t) and the glass fiow channels in the branch sections of each H-shaped forehearth configuration. Thus, the gases of combustion from the regions above the glass in ail of the glass flow channels are vented or escape through the vent stacks 7G, 71, 72 and 7 3.

The molten glass near the exit end of the melting and refining furnace 1G is at a comparatively hi h temperature of, for example, about 2850 F. It is desirable that the glass be processed in the furnace 11 to a comparatively high temperature so as to refine the glass to a high degree and rid the glass of gas bubbles so that the glass is substantially gas free and homogeneous prior to its delivery from the furnace through the channel 11.

It is essential to exercise effective control of the temerature and hence viscosity of the glass in the cross channel and the branch fiow channels and to reduce the temperature of the glass so that in the flow channels of the

branch sections

52, 53, 54 and 55, the glass tempera-- ture may be maintained, for example in a range of 2250 F. to 235 0 F. The glass temperatures in the branch channels may be varied dependent upon the size of orifices in the stream feeder 66 and the linear speed at which the streams are attenuated to filaments.

Control of the temperature of the glass in the several glass flow channels is maintained through the employment of combustion burners arranged along the forehearth sections and branch sections, the burners being adjustable to vary the heating in various regions to maintain the glass in the channels at desired temperatures. In the embodiment illustrated the combustion burners are arranged in the side walls of the forehearth and branch constructions and the products of combustion projected in generally horizontal directions into the glass fiow channels.

Arranged along the forehearth connection 12 are horizontally disposed burners 7 8 which are adjustable to control the temperature of the glass in the channel 11. It is desirable that the molten glass in the channel 11 be reduced to a temperature, for example, of 2650 F. or a lesser temperature than that of the glass in the exit region of the furnace chamber or tank 24.

The glass flowing through the channel 11 normally loses heat. The burners 78 are adjusted or regulated so that the heat loss does not bring the temperature of the glass below the desired temperature in the channel 11.

It is desirable that the temperature of the glass in the cross channel 14 be comparatively high so that the glass is of a comparatively low viscosity or liquidus condition so that the glass readily flows through the cross channel 14 to the several H-shaped forehearth channels. The glass in the cross channel 14 is preferably maintained at or near the temperature of the glass in the feed channel 11. Burners 80 are arranged in ports 82 in the side walls of the cross channel construction 1 throughout the length of the channel 14, the burners being adjustable to control the temperature of the glass throughout the length of the cross channel.

This temperature control is essential in order that the glass delivered from the cross channel 14 to the several branch channels 48 is at substantially the same temperature in each of the branch channels. The burners 89 are arranged in substantially horizontal opposed positions whereby heat energy is projected or delivered horizontally and just above the level of the glass in the channel 14. Each of the burners 80 is equipped with a control valve 84 whereby each burner may be individually controlled so that the heat may be regulated throughout the length of the cross channel 14.

It is found that by mounting the burners in opposed relation in the side walls of refractory defining the channel, erosion of the refractory is greatly reduced thereby avoiding contamination of the glass. It should be noted that the region 86 above the glass channel 14 of the cross channel construction 15 is of substantial volume to facilitate flow of the gases of combustion to the vents 70, 71, 72 and 73 from the channel 14 and the gases from the

channels

48, 50 and the

branch channels

52, 53, 54 and 55 of the respective H-shaped channel systems or configurations.

The burner control valves 84 may be of the manual control type or of the conventional solenoid-actuated type automatically controlled by thermocouples 87 extending into the glass in the channel 14 at spaced positions along the channel, one of the thermocouples being shown in FIG. 6. The refractory

walled channels

48 and 50, extending normally to the lengthwise axis of channel 14, are of a character similar to the refractory construction defining the cross channel 14. FIG. is a sectional view through the glass flow channel 50 illustrating the refractory construction 90 defining the channel.

The glass fiow channel 50, as will be seen from FIG. 5, is of a lesser depth than the depth of the cross channel 14 as the amount of glass fiowing through the

channels

48 and 50 need only be sufiicient to supply the stream feeders disposed along the

branch channels

52, 53, 54 and 55 of each of the H-shaped channel systems.

The side walls of the forehearth section 90 of refractory defining the

channels

48 and 50 are fashioned with horizontally arranged ports 92 in the opposed walls, each port being equipped with burners 94 for heating the glass in the channel 50.

The burners 94 are controlled by valves 96 which may be of the manually operated type as shown or of the solenoid-operated type controlled by thermocouples 97 spaced lengthwise in one of the side walls and extending into the glass in the channel 50. The region 98 provided above the glass channel 50 is of substantial volume to accommodate flow of gases of combustion toward the vent stacks associated with the cross channel 14.

The construction of refractory defining the glass channel 48 is similar to that shown in FIG. 5 but a glass flow channel 48 is preferably of slightly greater depth than channel 50 as it accommodates glass flow for the four branch channel sections of an H-shaped configuration. Combustion burners 94 and control valves therefor are arranged in opposite side walls of the refractory defining the glass channel 48 for maintaining the glass therein at the desired temperature.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the forehearth branch channel sections 55. FIG. 3 is exemplary of the construction of each of the

branch channels

52, 53, 54 and 55 of each H-shaped glass-flow channel configuration illustrated in FIG. 1. Each branch con struction is fashioned with a glass flow channel 110 defined by walls of refractory.

The fioor 112 is fashioned with lengthwise spaced throats or passages 114 to accommodate flow of the glass from the channel 110 into stream feeders 66 disposed in registration with the passageways 114, one of the stream feeders being illustrated schematically in FIG. 3.

Each of the stream feeders 66 is provided with a plurality of orifices through which flow fine streams of glass for attenuation to filaments. As shown in FIG. 3, a branch channel 55 is fashioned with five passageways 114, each equipped with a stream feeder or bushing 66. The

branch channel sections

52, 53 and 54 are substantially identical with the channel section 55 in each of the five H-shaped forehearth channel configurations, and each branch channel is equipped with five bushings 66.

Each of the side walls of the branch channel sections u is provided with a plurality of horizontally disposed ports 116, each accommodating a combustion burner 118 for delivering intensely hot gases of combustion into the region 120 above the glass fiow channel 110. Each of the burners 118 is equipped with a control valve 122 for regulating the burners. As mentioned in reference to the burner control valves 84 and 69, the control valves 122 may be of the conventional solenoid-actuated type controlled'by thermocouples 123 extending through side walls of the branch sections into the glass in the glass flow channels, one thermocouple being shown in FIG. 4.

The controlled burners 118 are disposed throughout the length of each

branch channel section

52, 53, 54 and 55 of each H-shaped unit in order to maintain substantially constant the temperature of the glass in the glass fiow channel 110.

The regions 120 above the glass flow channels 110 are of substantial volume so as to accommodate the flow of gases of combustion to the vent stacks 70, 71, 72 and 73 associated with the cross channel 14.

Thus, the combustion gases from all of the

burners

78, 80, 94 and 118 are exhausted through the vent stacks. Through this method, the intensely hot products of combustion are continuously conveyed away from the glass flow channels facilitating the maintenance of a more cool environment in the forming room 20.

The invention is inclusive of a method and arrangement for establishing and maintaining a moving air environment for the substantially closed forming room 20 providing for improved distribution of moving air, the air being conditioned to a desired temperature and relative humidity to assure a constancy of air flow through the forming room with a minimum of turbulence and thereby facilitate improved attenuation with a minimum of filament break-outs, and the forming room continuously purged of filament fragments, fuzz or other foreign particles.

FIGS. 2, 8 and 9 illustrate the system or arrangement for conditioning and distributing air through the ceiling area of the forming room 20 and the arrangement of winding machines in the winding room 22 for collecting and packaging strands of filaments attenuated from glass streams flowing from the stream feeders 66.

FIG 2 is a sectional view through the forming room 20 and the winding room 22, and illustrating the

branch channel sections

53 and 54 defining the glass flow channels 110 disposed at the region of the ceiling of the forming room 20.

The streams of glas from the feeders 66 are attenuated into filaments 126 which are converged into strands 128, sprays of water being delivered onto the filaments from spray nozzles 121. The groups of filaments engage applicators 130 of conventional construction and receive therefrom a coating or size as is conventional in processing filaments of glass, the strand 128 being wound upon a forming tube 132 mounted on a collet 134 of a winding machine disposed in the winding room 22, there being a winding machine disposed beneath each of the stream feeders 66. The winding machines are arranged in two rows aligned lengthwise of the winding room 22.

The winding machines 136, provided beneath the aligned feeders 66 mounted on the

branch channel sections

52 and 53, constitute one row of winding machines. The winding machines 138 disposed beneath the stream feeders 66 of the

branch channel sections

54 and 55 constitute a second row of winding machines arranged lengthwise in the winding room 22. Through this arrangement comparatively few operators are required in the winding room 22 to doif completed strand packages from the collets 134, affix empty forming tubes $132 to the collets and initiate winding on the empty forming tubes.

During winding of the strands 128 on the forming tubes 132, each strand is oscillated by a traverse oscillator 140 mounted upon a reciprocable and rotatable shaft 142. The rotating traverse oscillator 140 effects crossing of individual convolutions of strand 12 8 as the strand is wound in a package. The rotatable bar or shaft 142 carrying the traverse 140 is reciprocable lengthwise of a collet 134 to distribute the strand lengthwise on the forming tube in a conventional manner to form a package.

The strands 128 pass downwardly through elongated slots !146 in the floor 148 of the forming room 20 and are wound on the forming tubes 132. Arranged substantially parallel with the path of movement of the strands 128 are chutes 150 of planar shape, there being a chute 150 beneath each of the stream feeders 66, as shown in FIG. 9. The upper ends of the chutes 150 are anchored upon members or rods 152 extending across the slots 146. The regions of the slots adjacent the anchor members 152 may be provided with bafiies or restrictions 154 to increase the velocity of air movement downwardly through the slots adjacent the strands 128.

The lower ends of the chutes extend into openings 156 in the floor 158 of the package winding room 22. The chutes i150 serve to direct air movement along the advancing strands 128 and to dispose of waste glass during the periods of interruption of attenuation to doif the completed packages and mount empty forming tubes on the collets. The chutes 150 direct the waste glass through the openings 156 into suitable containers (not shown) disposed in the room 23.

Arranged at each side of the

branch channel sections

52, 53, 54 and 55 are metal gratings 162 which provide a floor of a service aisle at each side of each of the forehearth branch channels for purposes of inspection and maintenance, two of the gratings being shown at the sides of the

channels

53 and 54 in FIG. 2.

The arrangement for conditioning air for the air environment in the forming room 20 and the duct system or arrangement for delivering and distributing conditioned air through the ceiling area of the forming room is illustrated in FIGS. 2, 8 and 9. One of the features of the air environment system is the provision of an air conditioning and distribution construction or arrangement individual to each of the H-shaped flow

channel forehearth constructions

16, 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d. Disposed above the central region of the forming room ceiling are air delivery hoods or

ducts

164 and 164a. Disposed adjacent the walls 60 and 62 above the ceiling of forming room 20 are hoods or

ducts

166 and 166a.

An air conditioning instrumentality or unit 170 is disposed in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. Each of the air conditioning units 170 is of a conventional character which cools, filters or conditions the incoming air to a desired temperature through the delivery of water sprays into the air moving through the unit and establishes a relative humidity approaching or attaining 100% in the air to be delivered into the forming room. The air conditioning unit 170 embodies filter means (not shown) and spray nozzles 171 for projecting moisture into the incoming air, and a rotatable motor-driven blower 173 moving the air through the unit 170 to effect delivery of conditioned air into the forming room 20 at the desired rate or volume.

A conventional unit suitable for the purpose is marketed under the trade name Rotospray. As shown in FIG. 8, each air conditioning unit 170 is equipped with an air inlet pipe 172 for admitting atmospheric air to the unit.

A valve or damper 174 is disposed in the pipe 172 to control the admission of atmospheric air. The conditioned air from the unit 170 is delivered into 'a central pipe or manifold 176 and the air in the manifold delivered through pipe 178 which are connected with the air delivery ducts or hoods as shown in FIGS. 2, 8, and 9. The air is treated in each conditioning unit 170 so that the air entering the forming room 20 from the hoods or

ducts

164, 164a, 166 and 166a is at a temperature of about 60 F. and as near as practicable in a saturated condition, that is, a dew point of 60 F.

Each unit 170 includes filter means for cleaning the air prior to its delivery into the forming room. Each air conditioning unit delivers sprays of water into the air moving through the conditioning unit to promote saturation of the air. Disposed in the lower room 23 is a like number of conditioning units 170a of the same character as the units 170 for the purpose of spraying water into the air exhausted from the

rooms

20 and 22 to cool the air and filter or wash the air to remove foreign matter, broken filaments or fuzz that may be present in the air moving into the room 23 through the floor passages or

slots

146 and 156.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the air delivery ducts or hoods is equipped with an air diffuser or distributor 182 for diffusing and dispersing the air in the hoods. The exit of each of the hoods is provided with

perforated ceiling members

184 and 184a which may be provided with deflectors 185 to assist in distributing the air so that the air delivered through the

perforated members

184 and 184a is distributed substantially uniformly throughout the ceiling area occupied by the members.

It should be noted that the groups of streams of glass from the feeders 66 carried by the branch flow channels are spaced substantial distances from the walls 60 and 62 of the room 20 so that the amount of air delivered through the

perforate members

184 and 184a is in substantially proportionate volumes at the regions laterally of each row of stream feeders 66. The

units

170 and 170a embody air blowers for effective circulation of air through the forming room 20 at comparatively low velocities at the ceiling air delivery regions so that adequate volumes of moving air are maintained at the opposite sides of the rows of strands of filaments to effectively convey away the heat load from the forehearth constructions, the stream feeders and the glass and thus provide an improved air environment in the forming room with a minimum of air turbulence.

By establishing substantially uniform velocity of air embracing the glass streams at the regions of attenuation of the filaments 126, there is a marked reduction in the occurrence of filament break-outs as the air in the attenuating environment is more stable through this improved method of distributing air throughout the available ceiling area into the forming room.

The direction of air delivered through the left-

hand ducts

164 and 166, as viewed in FIG. 2, is deflected during its downward movement through the forming room 20 toward the adjacent slots 146, the movement of the air carrying with it any foreign particles, dust, broken filaments or fuzz so that the forming room is being continuously swept by generally downwardly moving air. A similar air environment is developed through the delivery of air at the right-hand ceiling area through the

ducts

164a and 166a, the air moving generally downwardly from the

ducts

164a and 166a and converged toward the passages :26 beneath the forehearth branch constructions 54 and The air exhausted from the lower room 23 through the air filtering units 170a may be recirculated in whole or or in part through the air conditioning units 170, or part or all of the exhaust air from room 23 may be delivered to the atmosphere, in which event the dampers or valves 174 would be opened fully to admit atmospheric air to the units 170. Connected with each unit 170a is a duct or pipe 188 which is joined with the adjacent pipe 172, as shown in FIG. 2. An exhaust air pipe 190 is connected with each of the pipes 188.

Disposed in each pipe 188 between the connection of pipe 188 with pipes 172 and 190 is a valve or damper 192 which is adjustable to proportion the amount of exhaust air moving through a unit 170a admitted to a unit 170 for recirculation through the

rooms

20, 22 and 23. Disposed in the exhaust duct 190 is an adjustable valve or damper 194 to regulate the delivery of exhaust air to the atmosphere.

If it is desired to admit only atmospheric air to a conditioning unit 170, the valve 174 is adjusted to full open position, the valve 194 in the exhaust pipe 190 moved to full open position, and the adjustable valve 192 maintained in fully closed position. If it is desired to recirculate some of the exhaust air mixed with fresh incoming atmospheric air, the

valves

174, 192 and 194 may be adjusted or regulated to vary the proportion of exhaust air for recirculation through the system. The

units

170 and 170a contain air moving means or blowers of substantial air moving capacity.

It is found that efficient operating conditions and effective dissipation of the heat load in the forming room 20 is attained by providing a volumetric change of air for each stream feeder of at least 1000 cubic feet of air per minute and preferably upwards of 1200 or more cubic feet per minute and the air exhausted through the unit 170a at about the same volume per unit of time.

It is found preferable to operate the air exhaust units 170a to move a slightly higher volume of air per unit of time than the units 170 to take care of air leakage such as encountered in opening access doors 195 to the forming room 20, shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, the winding room 22 and the lower room 23 to assure continuous downward movement of air through the forming room 20 to render stable the air environment in the forming room 20. It is found desirable, in order to'satisfactorily convey away heat, to deliver air into the forming room 20 in a volume to attain at least two changes of air per minute.

To maintain effective control of the dissipation of the heat load in the forming room 20, it is preferable to mask or shield the gratings or members 162 disposed at the opposite sides of each of the forehearth branch constructions as well as to shield the regions beneath the glass flow branch channel sections. As shown in FIG. 2, a fluid cooled panel means 198 is disposed beneath each of the branch channel constructions and the gratings 162, there being two panels, one at each side of each row of stream feeders 66.

The panels 198 are of conventional construction, being fashioned with fluid conveying channels through which water or other suitable fluid is circulated to impede transfer of heat from the forehearth constructions and the glass in the channels into the forming room. Water cooled panels of this character are usually referred to as Dean panels. Through the use of panels 198, the temperature in the forming room 20 may be more easily controlled.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. illustrating the glass flow channel 50 defined by the refractory construction 49, the view illustrating a fluid-cooled panel construction 202 disposed beneath the refractory 49 and forming a region of the ceiling area of the forming room 20. The panel 202 is of the same general character as the panels 198, shown in FIG. 2, the panel 202 being fashioned with fluid conveying channels for accommodating circulating water or other fluid to assist in conveying away heat at the region of the refractory construction 49. The portion of the refractory construction disposed within the forming room 20 defining the flow channel 48 is equipped with a similar cooling panel to assist in reducing, insofar as is practicable, the transfer of heat from the forehearth refractory constructions into the forming room 20.

Means are provided in the forming room 20 for illumination. Disposed at the central region of the ceiling area are electrically energizable lamps 206 of conventional construction supported by a member 208 suspended by conventional means (not shown). The winding room 22 is likewise equipped with electrically energizable lamps 210.

As shown in FIG. 9, the winding machines illustrated are of the single collet type wherein the strands 128 are wound on forming tubes 132 in forming strand packages. When a package is completed on a collet 134, the collet drive motor 139 shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, is deenergized, either automatically or by operator controlled switch means. The collet and package are brought to rest and mechanical attenuation of the filaments 126 from glass streams of the adjacent stream feeder is thus interrupted.

During the period in which the operator dotfs the completed package and telescopes a fresh or empty forming tube 132 onto the collet, the streams of glass from the feeder fall by gravity along the chute 150 and are guided by the chut into a suitable container (not shown) disposed in the lower room 23. Attenuation is again initiated by the operator by manually winding a strand 128 around an end region of the forming tube or mandrel and the motor 139 energized. When the collet is brought up to attenuating speed, the strand 128 is moved into engagement with the traverse member 140 and winding of a package is begun in a well known conventional manner.

The foregoing described method and arrangement involving multiple H-shaped configurations of glass flow channels receiving glass from a single furnace or supply makes possible the use of a melting and refining furnace of substantial size accommodating recirculation of the glass to provide a highly refined homogeneous glass suitable for attenuation to fine filaments. The horizontally disposed combustion burners spaced along the several glass flow channels provide for the exercise of accurate temperature control and hence viscosity of the glass in all regions of the forehearth channels.

The gases of combustion from the burners and gases emitted from the glass in the flow channels are exhausted through the vents 70, 71, 72 and 73. The provision of a unitary air conditioning and air circulating system and apparatus individual to each H-shaped forehearth construction fosters improved temperature and humidity con trol in the forming room and maintains air movement in the forming room effective to convey away the heat load and purge the forming room of broken filaments, fuzz or other foreign particles.

The slots or passages 146 are of a size so that the downwardly moving air from the forming room 20 moves through the passages at a velocity of about 500 feet per minute at the region of the passages whereby the air sweeps or purges the room continuously.

FIG. 11 is illustrative of the use of the apparatus with automatic winding machines for automatically winding the strands into packages without interrupting mechanical attenuation of the streams of glass filaments. An automatic Winding method and arrangement of this character is shown in Smith Pat. 3,109,602. As shown in FIG. 11, the filaments 126a are converged into strands 128a, each strand being wound into a package on an automatic winding machine 214. Each of the automatic winding machines is equipped with an indexible turret 216, each turret journally supporting three

collets

218, 219 and 220 rotated by motors individual to each collet.

The collet 218 is at the winding station and the strand 128a is being wound on the forming tube mounted on the collet 218, the strand being oscillated and traversed lengthwise of the package by an oscillator traverse 140a mounted on a reciprocable and rotatable traverse bar 142a. As disclosed in Smith Pat. 3,109,602, the rotation of the collets and the indexing of the turret 216 are programmed so that upon completion of a package on the collet 218, the collet 218 and completed package are moved to the position occupied by collet 219 while the collet 220, mounting a fresh forming tube, is moved into winding position and winding initiated thereon.

The completed package, moving to the position previously occupied by collet 219 causes the strand to be broken and the advancing strand to adhere to the forming tube on collet 220. When the completed package ceas es rotation, the operator doffs the completed package and mounts a fresh forming tube upon the collet 218. As the operations are fully automatic there is no interruption of mechanical attenuation of the filaments 126a. Each chute 150a serves to direct filaments or glass bodies falling by gravity to a suitable collector in the room 23 should 13 an interruption occur in the operation of an adjacent automatic winding machine.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and diflerent arrangements may be made other than as herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for processing glass comprising a single melting and refining furnace, means for feeding glass batch into the furnace, a forehearth passage in communication With the outlet end of the furnace through which molten glass flows from the furnace, a cross chanme], said forehearth passage being in communication with the cross channel substantially at the midregion of the cross channel, the cross channel receiving molten glass from the forehearth passage, the glass in the cross channel flowing in opposite directions from the junction of the cross channel with the forehearth passage, a plurality of Spaced glass feed channels in parallel relation connected with the cross channel and disposed normal to the cross channel, an H-shaped glass flow channel configuration connected with each of the spaced feed channels and receiving molten glass therefrom, the pairs of spaced branch channels of the H-shaped channel configurations being in end-to-end aligned relation providing two rows of branch channels, the outer ends of the branch channels being unvented, a plurality of orificed feeders arranged along each of the branch channels for flowing groups of streams, of glass from the feeders, burner means disposed along the cross channel and the feed channels and the branch channels applying heat to the glass in the channels, and a plurality of vent stacks disposed in spaced relation lengthwise of the cross channel and in communication with the cross channel for venting combustion gases from the channels.

2. Apparatus for processing glass and forming fibers therefrom comprising, in combination, a single melting and refining furnace, a forehearth channel connected with the furnace providing a single exit channel for flowing refined molten glass from the furnace, a cross channel, the forehearth channel being connected with a midregion of the cross channel, the cross channel receiving molten glass from the forehearth channel, the glass flowing in the cross channel in opposite directions from the region of connection of the forehearth channel with the cross channel, a plurality of spaced feeder sections extending from one side of said cross channel and normal thereto, each feeder section having a glass flow channel in communication with the cross channel and receiving molten glass from the cross channel, an H-shaped section connected with each of the feeder sections, the pairs of branch sections of each H-shaped section having glass fiow channels receiving glass from the adjacent feeder channel, combustion burner means for applying heat to the glass in the glass flow channels, a plurality of vent stacks disposed in spaced relation lengthwise of the cross channel and in communication with the cross channel, the cross channel and feeder channels and channels in the branch sections of each H-shaped section being of suflicient volume to conduct the gases of combustion to the vent stacks, the pairs of branch sections of the H- shaped sections being in end-to-end aligned relation providing two rows of branch sections, a plurality of orificed feeders arranged along each branch section for flowing groups of streams of glass from the feeders, an elongated walled chamber embracing the groups of streams of glass 4. The combination according to claim 2 including five H-shaped sections with the feed channel of the central H-shaped section being substantially in alignment with the forehearth channel extending from the furnace, and a vent stack disposed adjacent the junction of each of the 15 feed channels of the other H-shaped sections with the cross channel.

5. Apparatus for processing glass and forming filaments therefrom comprising, in combination, a single melting and refining furnace, a forehearth providing a single channel for flowing refined molten glass from the furnace, a cross channel section having connection at its midregion with the forehearth channel and receiving molten glass from the forehearth channel, a plurality of spaced feeder sections extending normal to said cross channel section, each feeder section having a glass fiow channel in communication with the cross channel, an H- shaped section connected with each of the feeder sections, the pairs of branch sections of each H-shaped section having glass flow channels receiving molten glass from the adjacent feeder channel, the pairs of branch sections of the H-shaped sections being disposed in end-to-end aligned relation providing two rows of branch sections, the outer ends of the branch sections being closed, a plurality of combustion burners disposed in lengthwise spaced relation in the side walls of the sections defining the glass fiow channels and above the level of the glass in said channels, a plurality of vent stacks disposed in spaced relation lengthwise of the cross channel and in communication with the cross channel, the cross channel and feeder channels and channels in the branch sections of each H-shaped section being of sufflcient volume to conduct the gases of combustion to the vent stacks, a plurality of orificed feeders arranged along each branch section for flowing groups of streams of glass from the feeders, an elongated walled forming room embracing the streams from all of the feeders, a winding room beneath the forming room, and a plurality of winding machines disposed in the winding room arranged to wind strands of the groups of filaments attenuated from the groups of streams into packages.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,231,357 1/1966 Pither 65134X 3,271,122 9/1966 Denniston et al 65-12X 3,304,163 2/1967 Holschlag 65-12X 3,406,021 10/1968 Day et al. 651

FOREIGN PATENTS 689,297 3/1953 Great Britain -1 S. LEON BASHORE, Primary Examiner R. L. LINDSAY, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.