Manufacture of flat glass in continuous ribbon form

Claim 1

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING FLAT GLASS IN CONTINUOUS RIBBON FORM CHARACTERIZED BY FORMING THE RIBBON AS IT IS FLOWED FROM A GLASS MELTING FURNACE UNDER CONDITIONS TO CAUSE A SURFACE OF THE RIBBON TO LOSE SUBSTANTIAL HEAT BY CONDUCTION, ADVANCING THE FORMED RIBBON LENGTHWISE AND CONTINUOUSLY, FORMING A SHEET OF FLAME AND DIRECTING IT ALONG SAID SURFACE OF THE RIBBON IN SUBSTANTIAL PARALLELISM THEREWITH AND IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE RIBBON TO SWEEP PROGRESSIVELY SAID SURFACE OF THE ADVANCING RIBBON WITH THE SHEET OF FLAME, AND TO IMPART THEREBY HEAT TO SAID SURFACE TO AN EXTENT AT LEAST TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT HEAT IN THE SURFACE LOST DURING THE FORMING OF THE RIBBON, AND THEN ALLOWING THE REMELTED SURFACE TO SET SOLELY DUE TO RADIATION AND TO THE COOLING ACTION OF A GASEOUS MEDIUM IN CONTACT WITH SAID SURFACE WHILE MAINTAINING SAID SURFACE FREE FROM MECHANICAL DISTURBING INFLUENCES.

Claim 3

AN APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING FLAT GLASS IN CONTINUOUS RIBBON FORM, COMPRISING MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FORMING GLASS IN RIBBON FORM FROM A GLASS MELTING FURNACE INCLUDING A CASTING MEMBER ON WHICH THE RIBBON IS CAST, SAID CASTING MEMBER CAUSING THE SURFACE OF THE RIBBON IN CONTACT THEREWITH TO LOSE SUBSTANTIAL HEAT BY CONDUCTION THEREWITH, MEANS FOR ADVANCING THE FORMED RIBBON LENGTHWISE AND CONTINUOUSLY AWAY FROM SAID FORMING MEANS, MEANS FOR FORMING A SHEET OF FLAME AND FOR DIRECTING IT ALONG SAID SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL THERETO AND IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE RIBBON TO SWEEP PROGRESSIVELY SAID SURFACE DURING THE MOVEMENT OF THE RIBBON AND TO CAUSE SAID SURFACE TO BE REMELTED, AND MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING THE RIBBON WITH THE REMELTED SURFACE THROUGH A SETTING ZONE IN WHICH THE ONLY MEDIUM IN CONTACT WITH SAID SURFACE IS A GASEOUS MEDIUM TO CAUSE SAID SURFACE TO SET SOLELY DUE TO RADIATION AND TO THE COOLING ACTION OF SAID GASEOUS MEDIUM.

Claim 4

AN APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING FLAT GLASS IN CONTINUOUS RIBBON FORM, COMPRISING MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FORMING GLASS IN RIBBON FORM FROM A GLASS MELTING FURNACE INCLUDING A CASTING MEMBER ON WHICH THE RIBBON IS CAST, SAID CASTING MEMBER CAUSING THE SURFACE OF THE RIBBON IN CONTACT THEREWITH TO LOSE SUBSTANTIAL HEAT BY CONDUCTION THEREWITH, MEANS FOR ADVANCING THE FORMED RIBBON LENGTHWISE AND CONTINUOUSLY AWAY FROM SAID FORMING MEANS, MEANS FOR FORMING A SHEET OF FLAME AND FOR DIRECTING IT ALONG SAID SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL THERETO AND IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE RIBBON TO SWEEP PROGRESSIVELY SAID SURFACE DURING THE MOVEMENT OF THE RIBBON AND TO CAUSE SAID SURFACE TO BE REMELTED, AND MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING THE RIBBON WITH THE REMELTED SURFACE THROUGH A SETTING ZONE IN WHICH THE ONLY MEDIUM IN CONTACT WITH SAID SURFACE IS A GASEOUS MEDIUM TO CAUSE SAID SURFACE TO SET SOLELY DUE TO RADIATION AND TO THE COOLING ACTION OF SAID GASEOUS MEDIUM.