Method and apparatus for producing a stream feeder

Claim 1

The method of forming an orificed container supplying streams of molten glass for formation into glass filaments comprising: providing a plurality of tubular members of predetermined length; initially deforming each of the tubular members under compression at a station into a shorter longitudinal member of intermediate shape with a shaped internal passageway between its ends; further deforming each of the members of intermediate shape under compression at a second station into a still shorter shaped longitudinal member having walls of varying thickness along its length; providing a plate with orifice openings for passage of the molten glass therethrough; joining each of the still shorter shaped longitudinal members to the plate in alignment with the orifices; and providing a wall joined to the plate.

Claim 2

The method of forming an orificed container supplying streams of molten glass for formation into glass filaments comprising: providing a plurality of tubular members of predetermined length; initially deforming each of the tubular members under compression at a station into a shorter longitudinal member of intermediate shape with a shaped internal passageway between its ends; further deforming each of the members of intermediate shape under compression at a second station into a still shorter shaped longitudinal member having walls of varying thickness along its length; providing a plate with orifice openings for passage of the molten glass therethrough; joining each of the still shorter shaped longitudinal members to the plate in alignment with the orifices; and providing a wall joined to the plate.

Claim 3

The method of forming an orificed feeder for flowing streams of filament-forming material comprising: providing tubular members of uniform wall thickness and predetermined length; deforming the tubular members under compression to move material of the members toward one end to form shorter longitudinal members having a thicker walled end portion and a passageway; providing a plate with a flat surface and orifice openings for passage of the filament-forming material therethrough; welding the shorter longitudinal members at their thicker walled end portions to the flat surface of the plate with their passageways in communication with the orifice openings; and joining walls to the orificed plate to contain filament-forming material to be fed by the feeder.

Claim 4

The method of forming an orificed feeder for flowing streams of filament-forming material comprising: providing tubular members of uniform wall thickness and predetermined length; deforming the tubular members under compression to move material of the members toward one end to form shorter longitudinal members having a thicker walled end portion and a passageway; providing a plate with a flat surface and orifice openings for passage of the filament-forming material therethrough; welding the shorter longitudinal members at their thicker walled end portions to the flat surface of the plate with their passageways in communication with the orifice openings; and joining walls to the orificed plate to contain filament-forming material to be fed by the feeder.

Claim 5

The method of forming an orificed feeder for flowing streams of heat-softened mineral material comprising: providing tubular members of uniform wall thickness and predetermined length; deforming the tubular members under compression into shorter longitudinal members having varying wall thickness along their length for predetermined dissipation of thermal energy of the heat-softened mineral material passing therethrough and adapted at one end for welding to a flat surface; providing a plate with a flat surface and orifice openings therethrough for passage of the heat-softened mineral material; welding the shorter longitudinal members of varying wall thickness to the flat surface of the plate with their passageways in alignment with the orifice openings; and joining walls to the orificed plate to contain filament-forming material to be fed by the feeder.

Claim 6

The method of forming an orificed feeder for flowing streams of heat-softened mineral material comprising: providing tubular members of uniform wall thickness and predetermined length; deforming the tubular members under compression into shorter longitudinal members having varying wall thickness along their length for predetermined dissipation of thermal energy of the heat-softened mineral material passing therethrough and adapted at one end for welding to a flat surface; providing a plate with a flat surface and orifice openings therethrough for passage of the heat-softened mineral material; welding the shorter longitudinal members of varying wall thickness to the flat surface of the plate with their passageways in alignment with the orifice openings; and joining walls to the orificed plate to contain filament-forming material to be fed by the feeder.

Claim 7

The method of forming an orificed feeder for flowing streams of molten glass comprising: providing tubular members of predetermined length; deforming the tubular members under compression to form shorter longitudinal members having a shaped passageway with walls of varying thickness extending lengthwise therethrough between the entrance and exit ends with the entrance ends adapted to being welded to a plate; providing a plate with orifice openings for passage of the molten glass therethrough; welding the shorter longitudinal members to the plate with their passageways in alignment with the orifice openings; and joining a wall structure to the orificed plate to contain molten glass.

Claim 8

The method of forming an orificed feeder for flowing streams of molten glass comprising: providing tubular members of predetermined length; deforming the tubular members under compression to form shorter longitudinal members having a shaped passageway with walls of varying thickness extending lengthwise therethrough between the entrance and exit ends with the entrance ends adapted to being welded to a plate; providing a plate with orifice openings for passage of the molten glass therethrough; welding the shorter longitudinal members to the plate with their passageways in alignment with the orifice openings; and joining a wall structure to the orificed plate to contain molten glass.

Claim 9

The method of forming an orificed container supplying streams of molten glass for formation into glass filaments comprising: providing a plurality of tubular members of predetermined length; initially deforming each of the tubular members under compression at a station into a shorter longitudinal member of intermediate shape with a shaped internal passageway between its ends; further deforming each of the members of intermediate shape under compression at a second station into a still shorter shaped longitudinal member having walls of varying thickness along its length; providing a plate with orifice openings for passage of the molten glass therethrough; joining each of the still shorter shaped longitudinal members to the plate in alignment with the orifices; providing sidewall members for the container and end walls joining the sidewall and end wall members to the plate to form the orificed container.

Claim 10

The method of forming an orificed container supplying streams of molten glass for formation into glass filaments comprising: providing a plurality of tubular members of predetermined length; initially deforming each of the tubular members under compression at a station into a shorter longitudinal member of intermediate shape with a shaped internal passageway between its ends; further deforming each of the members of intermediate shape under compression at a second station into a still shorter shaped longitudinal member having walls of varying thickness along its length; providing a plate with orifice openings for passage of the molten glass therethrough; joining each of the still shorter shaped longitudinal members to the plate in alignment with the orifices; providing sidewall members for the container and end walls joining the sidewall and end wall members to the plate to form the orificed container.

Claim 13

The method of forming an orificed feeder for flowing streams of molten glass for attenuation into glass filaments comprising: advancing a tubular Member through a passageway having a surface with a cutting edge at its exit end; advancing the tubular member a predetermined distance into a recess meeting the passageway and being aligned therewith; moving the recess laterally with a snap action to engage the cutting edge to cut a predetermined length of the tubular member; deforming the predetermined length of the tubular member under compression into a shorter longitudinal member with entrance and exit ends and having a passageway with a tapered portion running from a location intermediate the passageway ends in increasing cross-sectional area to the entrance end, the predetermined length of the tubular member being deformed to have walls of varying thickness along its length; providing a plate with orifice openings for passage of the molten glass therethrough; and joining the deformed and shorter longitudinal member to the plate in alignment with one of the orifice openings.

Claim 14

The method of forming an orificed feeder for flowing streams of molten glass for attenuation into glass filaments comprising: advancing a tubular Member through a passageway having a surface with a cutting edge at its exit end; advancing the tubular member a predetermined distance into a recess meeting the passageway and being aligned therewith; moving the recess laterally with a snap action to engage the cutting edge to cut a predetermined length of the tubular member; deforming the predetermined length of the tubular member under compression into a shorter longitudinal member with entrance and exit ends and having a passageway with a tapered portion running from a location intermediate the passageway ends in increasing cross-sectional area to the entrance end, the predetermined length of the tubular member being deformed to have walls of varying thickness along its length; providing a plate with orifice openings for passage of the molten glass therethrough; and joining the deformed and shorter longitudinal member to the plate in alignment with one of the orifice openings.