Method and apparatus for forming fibers

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING GLASS FIBERS, COMPRISING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED MELTING CHAMBER ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A SUPPLY OF MOLTEN GLASS AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF ORIFICES THROUGH WHICH MOLTEN GLASS FLOWS IN THE FORM OF STREAMS, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE INTO THE CHAMBER TO ASSIST THE FLOW OF MOLTEN GLASS THROUGH THE ORIFICES, VERTICALLY DISPOSED COMBUSTION CHAMBERS ARRANGED TO BURN A COMBUSTIBLE GASEOUS MIXTURE IN HEAT CONDUCTING RELATION TO BE MELTING CHAMBER, AND DISCHARGE OPENINGS FOR THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION PORITIONED ADJACENT THE ORIFICES AND IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME HORIZONTAL PLANE TO DIRECT THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION OUT OF THE COMBUSITION CHAMBERS IN PARALLELISM WITH THE FLOW OF THE GLASS STREAMS ISSUING FROM THE ORIFICES AND RESTRICTED TO PROVIDE BLASTS OF SUFFICEINT VELOCITY TO ATTENUATE THE STREAMS TO FORM FINE FIBERS.