US3907132A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Glass tempering system and apparatus
Assignee: GLT CORP A CORP OF
•
Filing: 1974-01-21
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Granted: 1975-09-23
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Expires: 1994-01-21
Abstract
Abstract A system and apparatus made up of components of the system for treating glass sheet material and the like including a furnace for heating the material, a blasthead or quenching apparatus for cooling the material after it has been heated, and a conveyor system for sequentially moving glass sheets to be treated through a loading station, the furnace, the blasthead, and to an unloading station. The conveying system includes a friction drive conveyor for conveying a carrier for the glass sheet material through the system. The friction drive prevents mechanical damage to the parts when the carrier accidentally engages obstructions, since it permits the conveyor to override the obstructed carrier. The furnace includes an upper material treating zone and a lower gas treating and distributing zone for homogenizing gases of different temperatures to minimize exposure of the sheet being treated in the treating zone to uneven temperatures. The blasthead includes a plurality of opposed nozzles for directing cooling fluid onto the sheet as it is discharged from the furnace. The blasthead reciprocates to apply uniform cooling temperature to the sheet and is provided with unique sealing features.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold A Mcmaster
- 👤 Norman C Nitschke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:39
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B29/00; C03B29/02; C03B29/025; C03B27/00; C03B27/04; C03B27/052; C03B35/00; C03B35/14; C03B35/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
274 words
A system for treating glass sheet material and the like comprising: means defining a treatment zone; means defining a loading station at one end of said treatment zone; means defining an unloading station at the other end of said treatment zone; said treatment zone including a furnace with a top wall having a slot formed therein; a carrier for supporting material to be treated; conveying means including a drive conveyor for frictionally driving said carrier from said loading station through said treatment zone to said unloading station; said drive conveyOr comprising a pair of spaced, parallel rails extending from said loading station to said unloading station through said treatment zone, said rails extending across the top wall of said furnace parallel to said slot, one rail being located on each side of said slot, and a pair of endless flexible chains one of said chains having one run supported on one of said rails, and the other of said chains having one run supported on the other of said rails, said chains each including a series of rollers connected by links, said links being pivotally connected together in end to end relationship by pins defining the axles of said rollers; said carrier comprising at least one slide member bridging the space between said rails, said slide member being frictionally supported on the periphery of said rollers when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor, and said rollers on said one run of said chain also having their peripheries supported on said rail such that advancement of said one run of said chain causes rotation of the rollers to frictionally advance said slide member.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
274 words
A system for treating glass sheet material and the like comprising: means defining a treatment zone; means defining a loading station at one end of said treatment zone; means defining an unloading station at the other end of said treatment zone; said treatment zone including a furnace with a top wall having a slot formed therein; a carrier for supporting material to be treated; conveying means including a drive conveyor for frictionally driving said carrier from said loading station through said treatment zone to said unloading station; said drive conveyOr comprising a pair of spaced, parallel rails extending from said loading station to said unloading station through said treatment zone, said rails extending across the top wall of said furnace parallel to said slot, one rail being located on each side of said slot, and a pair of endless flexible chains one of said chains having one run supported on one of said rails, and the other of said chains having one run supported on the other of said rails, said chains each including a series of rollers connected by links, said links being pivotally connected together in end to end relationship by pins defining the axles of said rollers; said carrier comprising at least one slide member bridging the space between said rails, said slide member being frictionally supported on the periphery of said rollers when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor, and said rollers on said one run of said chain also having their peripheries supported on said rail such that advancement of said one run of said chain causes rotation of the rollers to frictionally advance said slide member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 including power means operable to intermittently drive said chain such that said chain, and hence said carrier, dwells in each of said loading station, treatment zone, and unloading station for preselected periods of time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said conveying means further includes a return conveyor for returning said carrier to said loading station from said unloading station and bypassing said treatment zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said return conveyor includes means for positively engaging said carrier at said unloading station and removing said carrier from said drive conveyor and carrying said carrier to said loading station and replacing said carrier on said drive conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 further including means for cooling at least one run of said chain as it moves said carrier through at least a portion of said treatment zone to prevent the temperature of lubricant between said rollers and their respective axles from becoming excessive.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for cooling comprises an enclosure for said rail and chain with means for introducing cooling fluid into said enclosure to reduce the temperature therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 further including means for applying friction material to the peripheries of said rollers to reduce slippage between said rollers and the slide member of said carrier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conveying means further includes a return conveyor for returning said carrier to said loading station from said unloading station and bypassing said furnace.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said return conveyor includes means for positively engaging said carrier at said unloading station and carrying said carrier to said loading station and replacing said carrier on the drive conveyor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said treatment zone further includes a blast head located between the outlet of said furnace and said unloading zone, said blast head being operable to cool material as it is moved by said carrier from said furnace to said blast head.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system as claimed in claim 10 including power means for said drive conveyor operable to intermittently actuate said drive conveyor such that said carrier sequentially dwells at each of said loading station, furnace, blast head, and unloading station for preselected time intervals.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
351 words
A system for treating glass sheet material and the like comprising: means defining a treatment zone; means defining a loading station at one end of said treatment zone; means defining an unloading station at the other end of said treatment zone; said treatment zone including a furnace with a top wall having a slot formed therein; a carrier for supporting material to be treated; conveying means including a drive conveyor for frictionally driviNg said carrier from said loading station through said treatment zone to said unloading station; said drive conveyor comprising a pair of spaced, parallel rails extending from said loading station to said unloading station through said treatment zone, said rails extending across the top wall of said furnace parallel to said slot, one rail being located on each side of said slot, and a pair of endless flexible chains one of said chains having one run supported on one of said rails, and the other of said chains having one run supported on the other of said rails, said chains each including a series of rollers connected by links, said links being pivotally connected together in end to end relationship by pins defining the axles of said rollers; said carrier comprising at least one slide member bridging the space between said rails, said slide member being frictionally supported on the periphery of said rollers when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor, and said rollers on said one run of said chain also having their peripheries supported on said rail such that advancement of said one run of said chain causes rotation of the rollers to frictionally advance said slide member; means for applying friction material to the peripheries of said rollers to reduce slippage between said rollers and the slide member of said carrier; said means for applying friction material comprising a channel-shaped return rail receiving the other run of said chain, and powdered friction material received in said return rail for adhering to and removing lubricant from the peripheries of said rollers to increase the friction between said rollers and the slide member of said carrier.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
351 words
A system for treating glass sheet material and the like comprising: means defining a treatment zone; means defining a loading station at one end of said treatment zone; means defining an unloading station at the other end of said treatment zone; said treatment zone including a furnace with a top wall having a slot formed therein; a carrier for supporting material to be treated; conveying means including a drive conveyor for frictionally driviNg said carrier from said loading station through said treatment zone to said unloading station; said drive conveyor comprising a pair of spaced, parallel rails extending from said loading station to said unloading station through said treatment zone, said rails extending across the top wall of said furnace parallel to said slot, one rail being located on each side of said slot, and a pair of endless flexible chains one of said chains having one run supported on one of said rails, and the other of said chains having one run supported on the other of said rails, said chains each including a series of rollers connected by links, said links being pivotally connected together in end to end relationship by pins defining the axles of said rollers; said carrier comprising at least one slide member bridging the space between said rails, said slide member being frictionally supported on the periphery of said rollers when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor, and said rollers on said one run of said chain also having their peripheries supported on said rail such that advancement of said one run of said chain causes rotation of the rollers to frictionally advance said slide member; means for applying friction material to the peripheries of said rollers to reduce slippage between said rollers and the slide member of said carrier; said means for applying friction material comprising a channel-shaped return rail receiving the other run of said chain, and powdered friction material received in said return rail for adhering to and removing lubricant from the peripheries of said rollers to increase the friction between said rollers and the slide member of said carrier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein said powdered friction material comprises plaster of paris.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
458 words
A system for treating glass sheet material and the like comprising: means defining a treatment zone; means defining a loading station at one end of said treatment zone; means defining an unloading station at the other end of said treatment zone; said treatment zone including a furnace with a top wall having a slot formed therein; a carrier for supporting material to be treated; conveying means including a drive conveyor for frictionally driving said carrier from said loading station through said treatment zone to said unloading station; said drive conveyor comprising a pair of spaced, parallel rails extending from said loading station to said unloading station through said treatment zone, said rails extending across the top wall of said furnace parallel to said slot, one rail being located on each side of said slot, and a pair of endless flexible chains one of said chains having one run supported on one of said rails, and the other of said chains having one run supported on the other of said rails, said chains each including a series of rollers connected by links, said links being pivotally connected together in end to end relationship by pins defining the axles of said rollers; said carrier comprising at least one slide member bridging the space between said rails, said slide member being frictionally supported on the periphery of said rollers when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor, and said rollers on said one run of said chain also having their peripheries supported on said rail such that advancement of said one run of said chain causes rotation of the rollers to frictionally advance said slide member; said treatment zone including a furnace having an inlet and an outlet; said loading station being located on the inlet side of said furnace, and said unloading station being located on the outlet side of said furnace; a drive conveyor comprising a pair of spaced parallel rails extending from said loading station to said unloading station across said furnace; and a pair of endless, flexible chains, said one chain having an active run supported on said one rail, and the other of said chains having an active run supported on the other of said rails; said slide member bridging the space between said raIls and frictionally supported on the peripheries of the rollers of said active runs of both chains when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor; said furnace having a top wall with a slot formed therein and extending between the inlet and outlet of said furnace; said rails extending across the top wall of said furnace parallel to said slot, one rail being located on each side of said slot, and enclosure means connecting said rails and sealing said slot.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
458 words
A system for treating glass sheet material and the like comprising: means defining a treatment zone; means defining a loading station at one end of said treatment zone; means defining an unloading station at the other end of said treatment zone; said treatment zone including a furnace with a top wall having a slot formed therein; a carrier for supporting material to be treated; conveying means including a drive conveyor for frictionally driving said carrier from said loading station through said treatment zone to said unloading station; said drive conveyor comprising a pair of spaced, parallel rails extending from said loading station to said unloading station through said treatment zone, said rails extending across the top wall of said furnace parallel to said slot, one rail being located on each side of said slot, and a pair of endless flexible chains one of said chains having one run supported on one of said rails, and the other of said chains having one run supported on the other of said rails, said chains each including a series of rollers connected by links, said links being pivotally connected together in end to end relationship by pins defining the axles of said rollers; said carrier comprising at least one slide member bridging the space between said rails, said slide member being frictionally supported on the periphery of said rollers when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor, and said rollers on said one run of said chain also having their peripheries supported on said rail such that advancement of said one run of said chain causes rotation of the rollers to frictionally advance said slide member; said treatment zone including a furnace having an inlet and an outlet; said loading station being located on the inlet side of said furnace, and said unloading station being located on the outlet side of said furnace; a drive conveyor comprising a pair of spaced parallel rails extending from said loading station to said unloading station across said furnace; and a pair of endless, flexible chains, said one chain having an active run supported on said one rail, and the other of said chains having an active run supported on the other of said rails; said slide member bridging the space between said raIls and frictionally supported on the peripheries of the rollers of said active runs of both chains when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor; said furnace having a top wall with a slot formed therein and extending between the inlet and outlet of said furnace; said rails extending across the top wall of said furnace parallel to said slot, one rail being located on each side of said slot, and enclosure means connecting said rails and sealing said slot.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said carrier comprises a suspension member depending from said slide member and a material supporting bar carried by said suspension member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said suspension member extends through the slot in the top of said furnace and said material supporting bar is received in said furnace as said carrier is moved from the inlet to the outlet of said furnace by said drive conveyor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as claimed in claim 16 including means for cooling the active runs of said chains located on the top of said furnace.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said means for cooling comprises an enclosure for said rails and chains on said furnace top with means for introducing cooling fluid into said enclosure to reduce the temperature therein.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as claimed in claim 18 further including means for applying friction material to the peripheries of said rollers to reduce slippage between said rollers and slide members.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
61 words
A system as claimed in claim 19 wherein said means for applying friction material comprises a pair of channel-shaped return rails each receiving the inactive run of one of said chains, and powdered friction material received in said rails for contact with the peripheries of said rollers to increase the friction between the rollers and the slide member of said carrier.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said conveying means further includes a return conveyor for returning said carrier to said loading station from said unloading station and bypassing said furnace.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as claimed in claim 21 wherein said return conveyor includes means for positively engaging said carrier at said unloading station and carrying said carrier to said loading station and replacing said carrier on the drive conveyor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as claimed in claim 16 including an inlet door for said furnace having a closed position closing said inlet of said furnace and an open position permitting said carrier to move into said furnace from said loading zone.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as claimed in claim 23 including an outlet door for said furnace having a closed position closing said outlet and an open position permitting said carrier to move from said furnace through said outlet.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as claimed in claim 24 further including power means for moving said inlet and outlet doors between their respective open and closed positions.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system as claimed in claim 25 wherein said power means includes an inlet power element for operating said inlet door between its open and closed positions, and an outlet power element for operating said outlet door between its open and closed positions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as claimed in claim 26 including power means for said drive conveyor operable to intermittently drive said drive conveyor such that said carrier dwells at each of said loading station, furnace, and unloading station for preselected time intervals.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system as claimed in claim 27 including control means for sequentially activating said drive conveyor to move said carrier from said loading station to said furnace and actuating said inlet power element to open said inlet door, said control means actuating said power element to close said inlet door after a preselected time interval.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system as claimed in claim 27 wherein said control means is sequentially operable to actuate said drive conveyor to move said carrier from said furnace and actuate said outlet power element to open said outlet door, said control meaNs actuating said outlet power element to close said outlet door after a preselected time interval.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system as claimed in claim 29 wherein said treatment zone further includes a blast head located between the outlet of said furnace and said unloading zone, said blast head being operable to cool material as it is moved by said carrier from said furnace to said blast head.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as claimed in claim 30 wherein said power means for said drive conveyor is operable to cause said carrier to dwell at said blast head for a preselected time interval.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said treatment zone further includes a blast head located between the outlet of said furnace and said unloading zone, said blast head being operable to cool material as it is moved by said carrier from said furnace to said blast head.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as claimed in claim 32 further including means for applying friction material to the peripheries of said rollers to reduce slippage between said rollers and slide members.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as claimed in claim 33 including means for cooling the active runs of the chains of said drive conveyor located on the top of said furnace.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as claimed in claim 34 wherein said means for cooling comprises an enclosure for said rails and chains on said furnace top with means for introducing cooling fluid into said enclosure to reduce the temperature therein.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as claimed in claim 33 further including means for applying friction material to the peripheries of said rollers to reduce slippage between said rollers and slide members.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
201 words
A system for treating glass sheet material and the like comprising: means defining a treatment zone; means defining a loading station at one end of said treatment zone; means defining an unloading station at the other end of said treatment zone; said treatment zone including a furnace with a top wall having a slot formed therein; a carrier for supporting material to be treated; conveying means including a drive conveyor for frictionally driving said carrier from said loading station through said treatment zone to said unloading station; said drive conveyor comprising a pair of spaced, parallel rails extending from said loading station to said unloading station through said treatment zone, said rails extending across the top wall of said furnace parallel to said slot, one rail being located on each side of said slot, and a pair of endless flexible chains each having one run supported on a respective one of said rails; said carrier comprising at least one slide member bridging the space between said rails and frictionally supported on said one runs of said chains when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor such that advancement of said one runs of said chains frictionally advances said slide member.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
201 words
A system for treating glass sheet material and the like comprising: means defining a treatment zone; means defining a loading station at one end of said treatment zone; means defining an unloading station at the other end of said treatment zone; said treatment zone including a furnace with a top wall having a slot formed therein; a carrier for supporting material to be treated; conveying means including a drive conveyor for frictionally driving said carrier from said loading station through said treatment zone to said unloading station; said drive conveyor comprising a pair of spaced, parallel rails extending from said loading station to said unloading station through said treatment zone, said rails extending across the top wall of said furnace parallel to said slot, one rail being located on each side of said slot, and a pair of endless flexible chains each having one run supported on a respective one of said rails; said carrier comprising at least one slide member bridging the space between said rails and frictionally supported on said one runs of said chains when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor such that advancement of said one runs of said chains frictionally advances said slide member.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
92 words
A system as claimed in claim 37 wherein said chain includes a series of rollers connected by links, said links being pivotally connected together in end-to-end relationship, said rollers on said one run of said chain having their peripheries supported on said rail, said one run of said chain having an upper periphery defined by one of said plurality of links or said plurality of rollers, said slide member being frictionally supported on said upper periphery of said one run of said chain when said carrier is located on said drive conveyor.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system as claimed in claim 38 wherein said upper periphery of said one run of said conveyor is defined by the peripheries of said rollers such that advancement of said one run of said chain causes rotation of said rollers to frictionally advance the slide member supported on the peripheries of said rollers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-22 | 1979-03-24 | 1979-09-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-22 | 1983-03-24 | 1983-09-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-22 | 1987-03-24 | 1987-09-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |