Electrically heated glass melting unit

Claim 1

GLASS MELTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A METALLIC MELTING CHAMBER HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING IN THE BOTTOM THEREOF, A PREHEAT CHAMBER POSITIONED ABOVE AND FORMING A VERTICAL EXTENSION OF SAID MELTING CHAMBER, BATCH MATERIAL FEEDING MEANS POSITIONED ABOVE SAID PREHEAT CHAMBER AND COMMUNICATING THEREWITH, SAID MELTING CHAMBER, PREHEAT CHAMBER AND BATCH FEEDING MEANS BEING SEALINGLY ENGAGED TO FORM A CLOSED, VERTICAL FLOW PATH, MEANS FOR APPLYING HEAT TO SAID MELTING CHAMBER AND THEREBY MELTING BATCH MATERIAL FED THERETO, AND A PIPE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID FEEDING MEANS AND INTO SAID PREHEATING CHAMBER, SAID PIPE PROVIDING A PASSAGEWAY THROUGH WHICH GASES ARE INTRODUCED INTO SAID PREHEATING CHAMBER.