Method and apparatus for production of glass beads by dispersion of molten glass

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING SUBSTANTIALLY SPHERICAL GLASS BEADS WHICH COMPRISES PROVIDING A STREAM OF MOLTEN GLASS OF LOW VISCOSITY, CONTACTING THE STREAM WITH A TRANSVERSELY DIRECTED HIGH PRESSURE BLAST OF COMPRESSED GAS AND THEREBY DISPERSING THE MOLTEN GLASS IN A HORIZONTAL PATH INTO SPACE, INTO DROPLETS OF GLASS, ESTABLISHING A HIGH TEMPERATURE REGION ABOVE THE MELTING TEMPERATURE OF THE GLASS IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF THE INTERSECTING PATHS OF THE STEAM OF MOLTEN GLASS AND THE BLAST OF COMPRESSED GAS TO MINIMIZE THE FORMATION OF GLASS WOOL AND PRIVIDING A SPACE FOR THE DROPLETS TO FALL IN TO COOL AND SET THE DROPLETS TO GLASS BEADS OF A SPHERICAL CONFIGURATION.

Claim 3

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GLASS BEADS WHICH COMPRISES A FURNACE FOR HEATING GLASS STOCK OF A LOW VISCOSITY LIQUID, MEANS FOR DISPENSING THE LOW VISCOSITY MOLTEN GLASS FROM THE FURNACE IN A FREE-FALLING STREAM, MEANS SPACED BENEATH SAID AFOREMENTIONED MEANS FOR DIRECTING A BLAST OF COMPRESSED AIR TRANSVERSELY AGAINST THE MOLTEN GLASS STREAM TO DISPERSE THE GLASS IN THE FORM OF DISPERSED DROPLETS OF MOLTEN GLASS INTO AN AIR SPACE TO COOL AND SET THE DROPLETS OF SPHERICAL GLASS BEADS, AND MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING A HIGH TEMPERATURE REGION ABOVE THE MELTING TEMPERATURE OF THE GLASS IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF THE INTERSECTING PATHS OF THE MOLTEN GLASS STREAM AND THE BLAST OF GAS TO MINIMIZE THE FORMATION OF GLASS WOOL, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A GAS BURNER HAVING A NOZZLE DIRECTED SUBSTANTIALLY CONCURRENTLY WITH THE PATH OF THE DISPERSED DROPLETS.

Claim 4

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GLASS BEADS WHICH COMPRISES A FURNACE FOR HEATING GLASS STOCK OF A LOW VISCOSITY LIQUID, MEANS FOR DISPENSING THE LOW VISCOSITY MOLTEN GLASS FROM THE FURNACE IN A FREE-FALLING STREAM, MEANS SPACED BENEATH SAID AFOREMENTIONED MEANS FOR DIRECTING A BLAST OF COMPRESSED AIR TRANSVERSELY AGAINST THE MOLTEN GLASS STREAM TO DISPERSE THE GLASS IN THE FORM OF DISPERSED DROPLETS OF MOLTEN GLASS INTO AN AIR SPACE TO COOL AND SET THE DROPLETS OF SPHERICAL GLASS BEADS, AND MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING A HIGH TEMPERATURE REGION ABOVE THE MELTING TEMPERATURE OF THE GLASS IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF THE INTERSECTING PATHS OF THE MOLTEN GLASS STREAM AND THE BLAST OF GAS TO MINIMIZE THE FORMATION OF GLASS WOOL, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A GAS BURNER HAVING A NOZZLE DIRECTED SUBSTANTIALLY CONCURRENTLY WITH THE PATH OF THE DISPERSED DROPLETS.