Method and apparatus for maintaining constant moisture level in a wetted glass batch

Claim 2

Apparatus for automatically wetting a glass batch with a liquid in controlled amounts comprising: receptacle means having an inlet portion and an outlet portion spaced from one another; means for delivering batch to said inlet portion of said receptacle means; batch moving means for moving said batch through said receptacle means toward the outlet portion thereof; batch movement determining means connected with said batch moving means to control the rate of batch movement through said receptacle means toward said outlet portion; liquid delivering means for delivering liquid to said receptacle to mix with said batch therein being moved toward said outlet; and control means for sensing the amount of batch delivered from said receptacle, said control means being connected with said liquid delivering means so as to control the rate oF flow of liquid therefrom to thereby initially establish a moisture level of batch delivered from the outlet of said receptacle and to vary the rate of flow of liquid through said liquid delivering means in response to sensed variations in the amount of batch delivered from said receptacle so as to thereby maintain a substantially constant moisture level of batch delivered from the outlet of said receptacle.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fluid delivered to said receptacle is water.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receptacle means includes a long trough and wherein said means for delivering liquid includes distribution means within said trough connected with said control means for delivering fluid at a controlled rate to said trough.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means is connected with said batch movement determining means and said liquid delivering means so as to control both put-through of batch and liquid delivery in said receptacle.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said control means includes sensing means for sensing the quantity after delivery of said batch from said receptacle and providing an indication thereof, and wherein said control means also includes drive means connected with said batch flow determining means and said liquid determining means and responsive to indications from said sensing means for automatically controlling said batch moving means and said liquid delivering means.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said batch moving means includes a screw assembly within said receptacle, the rotational speed of which is controlled by said batch flow determining means, wherein said liquid delivering means includes a fluid flow control valve, and wherein said control means includes means connected with said batch flow determining means and said fluid flow control valve to thereby automatically control the speed of said screw assembly and the flow of liquid to said receptacle.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said batch flow determining means includes a positively infinitely variable drive means having a speed control arm for varying the output thereof, and wherein said fluid flow control valve has a control arm for varying fluid flow, said arms being operationally interconnected.

Claim 9

Apparatus for automatically wetting a glass batch with water in controlled amounts, comprising: receptacle means having an inlet portion and an outlet portion spaced from one another, said inlet portion being adapted to receive glass batch and said outlet portion being adapted to discharge wetted batch; means within said receptacle means for moving glass batch from said inlet portion to said outlet portion; means for delivering water to said receptacle, said water being mixed with said batch while said batch is being moved from said inlet portion to said outlet portion; speed control means connected with said glass batch moving means for controlling the rate at which batch is moved through said receptacle; water control means connected with said water delivering means for controlling the flow rate of said water delivered to said receptacle; and means operationally interconnecting said speed control means and said water control means for controlling the flow rate of water delivered to said receptacle relative to the amount of batch being put through said receptacle whereby wetted batch discharged from said outlet portion of said receptacle means has a substantially constant moisture level.

Claim 10

Apparatus for automatically wetting a glass batch with water in controlled amounts, comprising: receptacle means having an inlet portion and an outlet portion spaced from one another, said inlet portion being adapted to receive glass batch and said outlet portion being adapted to discharge wetted batch; means within said receptacle means for moving glass batch from said inlet portion to said outlet portion; means for delivering water to said receptacle, said water being mixed with said batch while said batch is being moved from said inlet portion to said outlet portion; speed control means connected with said glass batch moving means for controlling the rate at which batch is moved through said receptacle; water control means connected with said water delivering means for controlling the flow rate of said water delivered to said receptacle; and means operationally interconnecting said speed control means and said water control means for controlling the flow rate of water delivered to said receptacle relative to the amount of batch being put through said receptacle whereby wetted batch discharged from said outlet portion of said receptacle means has a substantially constant moisture level.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said apparatus also includes control means connected with said last-named means and sensing the amount of wetted batch needed and responsive thereto, automatically controlling both said speed control means and said water control means.

Claim 12

Apparatus for automatically wetting a glass batch with water in controlled amounts, comprising: a batch wetting trough having an inlet portion for receiving glass batch and an outlet portion for discharging said batch after said batch is wetted; a screw assembly rotatably mounted within said trough and having auger means extending from said receiving portion and paddle means extending to said discharge portion whereby said batch is moved through said batch wetting trough; means for delivering water to said trough, said water being received within said trough and added to said batch for mixing therewith by said paddle means; and control means for controlling the amount of water delivered to said trough in relation to the rotational speed of said screw assembly whereby the moisture content of said batch put through said trough is maintained substantially constant.

Claim 13

Apparatus for automatically wetting a glass batch with water in controlled amounts, comprising: a batch wetting trough having an inlet portion for receiving glass batch and an outlet portion for discharging said batch after said batch is wetted; a screw assembly rotatably mounted within said trough and having auger means extending from said receiving portion and paddle means extending to said discharge portion whereby said batch is moved through said batch wetting trough; means for delivering water to said trough, said water being received within said trough and added to said batch for mixing therewith by said paddle means; and control means for controlling the amount of water delivered to said trough in relation to the rotational speed of said screw assembly whereby the moisture content of said batch put through said trough is maintained substantially constant.

Claim 14

Apparatus of claim 10 wherein said water delivering means includes a water distribution pipe positioned lengthwise in said batch wetting trough above said paddle portion and wherein said water distribution pipe contains a plurality of outlets along the length of said water distribution pipe for delivery of water to said trough in controlled amounts.

Claim 15

Apparatus of claim 11 wherein said plurality of outlets in said water distribution pipe are more numerous nearer the end of said water distribution pipe which is adjacent to said auger means of said screw assembly.

Claim 16

Apparatus for automatically controlling addition of water to a glass batch while maintaining a constant batch moisture content, said apparatus comprising: a batch wetting trough having an inlet end for receiving glass batch in dry form and an outlet end for discharging said batch after said batch has been wetted; a screw assembly rotatably mounted lengthwise within said trough and having an auger portion and a paddle portion with said auger portion being contiguous to said inlet end and said paddle portion being contiguous to said outlet end, said batch being moved through said batch wetting trough by the rotational movement of said screw assembly; a water distribution pipe adapted to be connected with a source of water and having a plurality of outlets, said pipe being mounted lengthwise in said batch wetting trough above said paddle portion of said screw assembly for delivery of controlled amounts of water to said batch moving through said batch wetting trough at said paddle portion; a dependent variable speed control drive means operationally connected with said screw assembly for rotating said screw assembly at variable speeds; a motor operationally connected with said screw assembly through said variable speed control drive means for rotating said screw assembly; a variable opening water valve for controlling the amount of water being delivered to said trough through said distribution pipe; and valve drive means connected with said dependent variable speed control drive means for controlling the rotational speed of said screw assembly, said valve drive also being connected with said variable opening water valve for controlling the water flow through said water valve to control the amount of water being delivered for mixture with said batch in said trough so that, as the speed of said screw assembly is increased to move increasing amounts of batch through said batch wetting trough, said variable opening water valve permits an increased flow of water to be delivered to said batch wetting trough for mixing with said batch, and so that, as the speed of said screw assembly is decreased to move decreasing amounts of batch through said batch wetting trough, said variable opening water valve permits a decreased flow of water to be delivered to said batch wetting trough for mixing with said batch to thereby automatically maintain a substantially constant moisture content in the wetted batch.

Claim 17

Apparatus for automatically controlling addition of water to a glass batch while maintaining a constant batch moisture content, said apparatus comprising: a batch wetting trough having an inlet end for receiving glass batch in dry form and an outlet end for discharging said batch after said batch has been wetted; a screw assembly rotatably mounted lengthwise within said trough and having an auger portion and a paddle portion with said auger portion being contiguous to said inlet end and said paddle portion being contiguous to said outlet end, said batch being moved through said batch wetting trough by the rotational movement of said screw assembly; a water distribution pipe adapted to be connected with a source of water and having a plurality of outlets, said pipe being mounted lengthwise in said batch wetting trough above said paddle portion of said screw assembly for delivery of controlled amounts of water to said batch moving through said batch wetting trough at said paddle portion; a dependent variable speed control drive means operationally connected with said screw assembly for rotating said screw assembly at variable speeds; a motor operationally connected with said screw assembly through said variable speed control drive means for rotating said screw assembly; a variable opening water valve for controlling the amount of water being delivered to said trough through said distribution pipe; and valve drive means connected with said dependent variable speed control drive means for controlling the rotational speed of said screw assembly, said valve drive also being connected with said variable opening water valve for controlling the water flow through said water valve to control the amount of water being delivered for mixture with said batch in said trough so that, as the speed of said screw assembly is increased to move increasing amounts of batch through said batch wetting trough, said variable opening water valve permits an increased flow of water to be delivered to said batch wetting trough for mixing with said batch, and so that, as the speed of said screw assembly is decreased to move decreasing amounts of batch through said batch wetting trough, said variable opening water valve permits a decreased flow of water to be delivered to said batch wetting trough for mixing with said batch to thereby automatically maintain a substantially constant moisture content in the wetted batch.

Claim 20

The method of claim 14 wherein said fluid is water and wherein said water is mixed with said batch to wet the same.

Claim 21

The method of claim 14 wherein the rate glass batch is moved through said receptacle is controlled by sensing the need for wetted batch and governing the rate thereby, said fluid flow being likewise governed so that the moisture content of said wetted glass batch discharged from the receptacle is maintained substantially constant and at a rate needed for utilization.