Patent US3757020A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3757020A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric glass furnace structure
Assignee: Elemelt Ltd
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Filing: 1971-12-23
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Granted: 1973-09-04
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Expires: 1991-12-23
Abstract
Abstract An electric glass furnace chamber having a bottom floor and side walls wherein the floor of the furnace is formed with a cruciform system of channels by means of which molten glass is withdrawn towards an outlet by opposing flow patterns in the channels thereby reducing flow patterns in the molten glass above the channels which avoids impingement of hot glass against the side walls of the furnace chamber and reduces erosion of these side walls. One or more axially movable electrodes connected to the same terminal project up through the bottom of the furnace between these channels, which electrodes are mounted in special refractory blocks that form platforms above the bottom floor of the furnace and thereby relatively deepen the channels between the electrodes connected to different opposing terminals. These platforms are built up in steps and the edges of their blocks are beveled. Furthermore, the electrodes may be arranged in groups so as to provide one or more separate heating zones connected by these channels. Each electrode is sealed in its refractory block by an inert gas, and it and its block are cooled both by a jacket for coolant liquid around the electrode at least partly recessed in the block, and by a blast of cool air from below and against the jacket, the electrode, and the bottom of the block.
Inventors
- 👤 T Waterworth
- 👤 W Steitz
- 👤 R Bradley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 17:04
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B7/00; H05B7/02; H05B7/12; C; C03; C03B; C03B5/00; C03B5/02; C03B5/027
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
An electric glass furnace having a bottom and side walls, electrodes projecting up through said bottom, and a withdrawal trough in said bottom having an outlet in one of said side walls, the improvement comprising: channels in the bottom of said furnace leading from the walls through regions between the electrodes connected to different terminals to said trough which is connected to and between the ends of one of said channels whereby opposing molten glass flow occurs in said channel towards this connection to produce a stationary pool of molten glass thereabove reducing erosion of said side walls due to entrainment flow above said trough, the entire floor surface in regions around said electrodes and between said electrodes and adjacent portions of the side walls being higher than the bottoms of said channels.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
An electric glass furnace having a bottom and side walls, electrodes projecting up through said bottom, and a withdrawal trough in said bottom having an outlet in one of said side walls, the improvement comprising: channels in the bottom of said furnace leading from the walls through regions between the electrodes connected to different terminals to said trough which is connected to and between the ends of one of said channels whereby opposing molten glass flow occurs in said channel towards this connection to produce a stationary pool of molten glass thereabove reducing erosion of said side walls due to entrainment flow above said trough, the entire floor surface in regions around said electrodes and between said electrodes and adjacent portions of the side walls being higher than the bottoms of said channels.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A furnace according to claim 1 wherein said channels and trough intersect at right angles to each other to form a cruciform pattern in the bottom of said furnace.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
a seating block portion around and for said central block portion and projecting above said floor, said seating block portion substantially bridging the vertical distance between said floor and the top surface of said central block portion, D. means for sealing said electrodes in said central block portions, and E. means for cooling both said electrodes and block portions in the latter case below said floors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
a seating block portion around and for said central block portion and projecting above said floor, said seating block portion substantially bridging the vertical distance between said floor and the top surface of said central block portion, D. means for sealing said electrodes in said central block portions, and E. means for cooling both said electrodes and block portions in the latter case below said floors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A furnace according to claim 1 including platforms at the corners of said intersecting channels and trough for mounting said electrodes above the bottom floor of said furnace.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A furnace according to claim 1 including means for cooling said electrodes and the refractory blocks surrounding them, and wherein said means for cooling comprises both liquid and air.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A furnace according to claim 1 wherein said withdrawal trough extends beyond said one side wall of said furnace into a riser duct, and wherein said riser duct includes an electrode extending through the bottom of the trough under said riser duct.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
149 words
An electric glass furnace comprising: A. a melting chamber with side walls and a floor, B. a plurality of electrodes separately axially and vertically movable projecting above said floor, C. separate platforms for those of the electrodes which are connected to diffErent electrical terminals, from which platforms said electrodes project vertically, said platforms being each formed of a plurality of refractory blocks forming steps to the top of said platforms from the bottom of a network of channels defined by said platforms and distributed over said floor, said channels extending between said electrodes connected to said different terminals, and said network including a plurality of channels traversing the floor between one pair of opposed side walls and at least one channel connecting said plurality of channels, D. outlet means communicating with said network in a region centrally thereof, and E. means for cooling each electrode and refractory block assembly.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
149 words
An electric glass furnace comprising: A. a melting chamber with side walls and a floor, B. a plurality of electrodes separately axially and vertically movable projecting above said floor, C. separate platforms for those of the electrodes which are connected to diffErent electrical terminals, from which platforms said electrodes project vertically, said platforms being each formed of a plurality of refractory blocks forming steps to the top of said platforms from the bottom of a network of channels defined by said platforms and distributed over said floor, said channels extending between said electrodes connected to said different terminals, and said network including a plurality of channels traversing the floor between one pair of opposed side walls and at least one channel connecting said plurality of channels, D. outlet means communicating with said network in a region centrally thereof, and E. means for cooling each electrode and refractory block assembly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A furnace according to claim 6 wherein said blocks have beveled edges toward the bottoms of said channels.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
An electric glass furnace comprising: A. a melting chamber with side walls and a floor, B. a plurality of electrodes separately axially and vertically movable projecting above said floor, C. separate platforms for the electrodes connected to different electrical terminals, each said platform being formed of refractory blocks comprising:
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
An electric glass furnace comprising: A. a melting chamber with side walls and a floor, B. a plurality of electrodes separately axially and vertically movable projecting above said floor, C. separate platforms for the electrodes connected to different electrical terminals, each said platform being formed of refractory blocks comprising:
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electric glass furnace according to claim 8 wherein said means for cooling said electrode comprises a water jacket around the lower end of said electrode, and said means for cooling said block portions comprises means for blowing air thereon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
An electric glass furnace according to claim 8 wherein said means are provided for supplying an inert gas around said electrode at the underside of said central block portion to provide a sealing against permeation by an oxidizing gas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
118 words
In an electric glass heating furnace comprising a chamber for containing a body of molten glass having a floor and upstanding side walls and an outlet positioned for withdrawing glass from the bottom of said chamber, and electrode means, the improvement comprising: A. said electrode means defining separate respective heating zones situated in horizontally spaced regions of the chamber, B. said chamber having open channel means in said floor defining a withdrawal flow path for the glass including feeder branches extending generally horizontally from the walls of respective ones of said zones adjacent to the floor of the chamber along mutually opposing directions towards a junction, and including an outlet branch extending from said junction to said outlet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
118 words
In an electric glass heating furnace comprising a chamber for containing a body of molten glass having a floor and upstanding side walls and an outlet positioned for withdrawing glass from the bottom of said chamber, and electrode means, the improvement comprising: A. said electrode means defining separate respective heating zones situated in horizontally spaced regions of the chamber, B. said chamber having open channel means in said floor defining a withdrawal flow path for the glass including feeder branches extending generally horizontally from the walls of respective ones of said zones adjacent to the floor of the chamber along mutually opposing directions towards a junction, and including an outlet branch extending from said junction to said outlet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
135 words
An electric glass furnace according to claim 11 wherein: A. said electrode means are so positioned as to to define an intervening zone between said heating zones and bounded partly by the latter and partly by at least one side wall portion of the chamber, B. said channel means defining said withdrawal flow path including: a. for each of said heating zones collector branches extending from positions adjacent to the side walls of the chamber bounding said heating zone towards a central region of said heating zone, and further including a feeder branch extending towards and opposing the corresponding feeder branch leading to said junction, b. an outlet trough extending from said junction in a direction transverse to the approach directions of said feeder channels towards said one side wall portion as viewed in plan.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
149 words
An electric furnace according to claim 12 wherein: A. the chamber is of generally rectangular form in plan, B. the electrode means are positioned to define respective ones of said heating zones in opposite end portions of said chamber leaving said intervening zone in between said heating zones in a central region of the length of the chamber, C. said collector channels extend in each of said heating zones from positions adjacent to the mid regions of said wall portions of the chamber bounding said zone towards the central region thereof, D. said feeder channels extend generally parallel to the larger plan dimension of the channel and lie medially of the smaller plan dimension thereof, E. said outlet trough extends from said junction in a direction generally parallel to the smaller plan dimension of the chamber towards the mid region of a side wall portion bounding the intervening zone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB664121A
Cited
US3440321A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-03 | 1977-03-05 | 1977-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-03 | 1981-03-05 | 1981-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-03 | 1985-03-05 | 1985-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |