Abstract 1. In the method of manufacturing a continuous sheet of glass comprising the steps of delivering a stream of molten glass onto a pool of molten metal, conveying the glass along the surface of said pool of molten metal, cooling said glass to form a dimensionally stable continuous sheet of glass and withdrawing said continuous sheet of glass from said pool of molten metal whereby the bottom surface of said sheet of glass is characterized by non-homogenous defects, the improvement comprising (a) discharging said stream of molten glass across a support such that said stream of molten glass has an upper, exposed surface and a lower surface in contact with said support; (b) separating said stream of molten glass on said support into two portions, the first portion including glass in contact with said support and the second portion including glass constituting said exposed surface; (c) removing said first portion of molten glass; and (d) delivering said second portion of molten glass onto said pool of molten metal, whereby a continuous sheet of glass is formed having a bottom surface characterized as being substantially defect-free.
In the method of manufacturing a continuous sheet of glass comprising the steps of delivering a stream of molten glass onto a pool of molten metal, conveying the glass along the surface of said pool of molten metal, cooling said glass to form a dimensionally stable continuous sheet of glass and withdrawing said continuous sheet of glass from said pool of molten metal whereby the bottom surface of said sheet of glass is characterized by non-homogenous defects, the improvement comprising (a) discharging said stream of molten glass across a support such that said stream of molten glass has an upper, exposed surface and a lower surface in contact with said support; (b) separating said stream of molten glass on said support into two portions, the first portion including glass in contact with said support and the second portion including glass constituting said exposed surface; (c) removing said first portion of molten glass; and (d) delivering said second portion of molten glass onto said pool of molten metal, whereby a continuous sheet of glass is formed having a bottom surface characterized as being substantially defect-free.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
In the method of manufacturing a continuous sheet of glass comprising the steps of delivering a stream of molten glass onto a pool of molten metal, conveying the glass along the surface of said pool of molten metal, cooling said glass to form a dimensionally stable continuous sheet of glass and withdrawing said continuous sheet of glass from said pool of molten metal whereby the bottom surface of said sheet of glass is characterized by non-homogenous defects, the improvement comprising (a) discharging said stream of molten glass across a support such that said stream of molten glass has an upper, exposed surface and a lower surface in contact with said support; (b) separating said stream of molten glass on said support into two portions, the first portion including glass in contact with said support and the second portion including glass constituting said exposed surface; (c) removing said first portion of molten glass; and (d) delivering said second portion of molten glass onto said pool of molten metal, whereby a continuous sheet of glass is formed having a bottom surface characterized as being substantially defect-free.