Support for bushing for containing molten mineral material

Claim 2

A BUSHING FOR CONTAINING MOLTEN MINERAL MATERIAL FROM WHICH FIBERS CAN BE ATTENUATED, SAID BUSHING COMPRISING UPRIGH WALLS AND A BOTTOM WALL EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID UPRIGHT WALLS, SAID BOTTOM WALL HAVING A PLURALITY OF ORIFICES THROUGH WHICH MOLTEN MINERAL MATERIAL CAN FLOW FOR ATTENUATION INTO FIBERS, AND SUPPORTING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BOTTOM WALL TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR SAID BOTTOM WALL IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE DIMENSIONAL STABILITY THEREOF AND REDUCE CREEP OR SAG OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, SAID SUPPORTING MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATE MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN TWO UPWRIGHT WALLS ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID ELONGATE MEMBER TO SAID BOTTOM WALL.

Claim 3

A bushing according to claim 1 characterized by said supporting means comprises tubular metal members extending through the interior of the bushing.

Claim 4

A bushing according to claim 2 characterized by a ceramic rod extending through each of said tubular members and beyond the corresponding upright walls.

Claim 5

A bushing for containing molten mineral material and for heat softening the material until fibers can be attenuated therefrom, said bushing comprising upright walls and a bottom wall connecting said upright walls, said bottom wall having a plurality of orifices through which molten mineral material can flow for attenuation into fibers, means for supplying current through said walls to heat the same, said upright and bottom walls being made of a high-temperature resistant metal, internal supporting means connected to said bottom wall at spaced longitudinal portions thereof to provide support for said bottom wall in order to increase the dimensional stability thereof and reduce creep or sag over a period of time, said supporting meaNs comprising a plurality of elongate members positioned transversely of said bottom wall and spaced therealong, and connecting means affixed to said elongate members and to spaced transversely-extending portions of said bottom wall.

Claim 6

A bushing for containing molten mineral material and for heat softening the material until fibers can be attenuated therefrom, said bushing comprising upright walls and a bottom wall connecting said upright walls, said bottom wall having a plurality of orifices through which molten mineral material can flow for attenuation into fibers, means for supplying current through said walls to heat the same, said upright and bottom walls being made of a high-temperature resistant metal, internal supporting means connected to said bottom wall at spaced longitudinal portions thereof to provide support for said bottom wall in order to increase the dimensional stability thereof and reduce creep or sag over a period of time, said supporting meaNs comprising a plurality of elongate members positioned transversely of said bottom wall and spaced therealong, and connecting means affixed to said elongate members and to spaced transversely-extending portions of said bottom wall.

Claim 7

A bushing according to claim 4 wherein said elongate members are hollow.

Claim 8

A bushing according to claim 5 characterized by a rod extending through each of said elongate hollow members.

Claim 9

A bushing according to claim 6 characterized by said refractory rod extending beyond both ends of each of said elongate hollow members.

Claim 10

A bushing according to claim 7 characterized by castable refractory material embedding both ends of said rod beyond each of said elongate hollow members.

Claim 11

A bushing according to claim 6 characterized by said rods being made of a ceramic material.

Claim 12

A bushing for containing heat-softenable glass from which fibers can be attenuated, said bushing comprising upright walls and a bottom wall extending between said upright walls, said bottom wall having a plurality of orifices through which glass can flow for attenuation into fibers, means for heating said bushing, and supporting means connected to said bottom wall to provide support for said bottom wall in order to increase the dimensional stability thereof and reduce creep or sag over a period of time, said supporting means comprising an elongate, tubular member located in supporting relationship with respect to said bottom wall, connecting means affixed to said tubular member and said bottom wall, and refractory means located in said tubular member and effective to aid in supporting same.

Claim 13

A bushing for containing heat-softenable glass from which fibers can be attenuated, said bushing comprising upright walls and a bottom wall extending between said upright walls, said bottom wall having a plurality of orifices through which glass can flow for attenuation into fibers, means for heating said bushing, and supporting means connected to said bottom wall to provide support for said bottom wall in order to increase the dimensional stability thereof and reduce creep or sag over a period of time, said supporting means comprising an elongate, tubular member located in supporting relationship with respect to said bottom wall, connecting means affixed to said tubular member and said bottom wall, and refractory means located in said tubular member and effective to aid in supporting same.

Claim 14

A bushing according to claim 10 characterized by said refractory means extends substantially the full length of said tubular member.

Claim 15

A bushing accordinng to claim 10 wherein said refractory means is a refractory rod.

Claim 16

A bushing according to claim 12 wherein said refractory rod comprises alumina.

Claim 17

A bushing according to claim 12 characterized by said refractory rod extends beyond both ends of said tubular member.

Claim 18

A bushing according to claim 14 characterized by means for supporting both ends of said refractory rod.

Claim 19

A container according to claim 15 characterized by said supporting means being castable refractory material embedding the ends of said rod.