Disclosed herein are modular molten glass delivery apparatuses and glass manufacturing apparatuses including the same. A module of a modular molten glass delivery apparatus includes a lower carriage comprising a plurality of lower carriage rollers. An upper rail system is supported on the lower carriage. The upper rail system includes upper support rails oriented at an elevation angle ? greater than 0 degrees relative to horizontal. The module further includes an upper carriage. The upper carriage includes a base plate oriented at an elevation angle ? greater than 0 degrees relative to horizontal and a plurality of upper carriage rollers engaged with the upper support rails of the upper rail system to facilitate translation of the upper carriage on the upper rail system. A support frame is coupled to the base plate and a molten glass delivery conduit assembly is supported on the base plate within the support frame.

Disclosed herein are modular molten glass delivery apparatuses and glass manufacturing apparatuses including the same. A module of a modular molten glass delivery apparatus includes a lower carriage comprising a plurality of lower carriage rollers. An upper rail system is supported on the lower carriage. The upper rail system includes upper support rails oriented at an elevation angle ? greater than 0 degrees relative to horizontal. The module further includes an upper carriage. The upper carriage includes a base plate oriented at an elevation angle ? greater than 0 degrees relative to horizontal and a plurality of upper carriage rollers engaged with the upper support rails of the upper rail system to facilitate translation of the upper carriage on the upper rail system. A support frame is coupled to the base plate and a molten glass delivery conduit assembly is supported on the base plate within the support frame.

Disclosed herein are modular molten glass delivery apparatuses and glass manufacturing apparatuses including the same. A module of a modular molten glass delivery apparatus includes a lower carriage comprising a plurality of lower carriage rollers. An upper rail system is supported on the lower carriage. The upper rail system includes upper support rails oriented at an elevation angle ? greater than 0 degrees relative to horizontal. The module further includes an upper carriage. The upper carriage includes a base plate oriented at an elevation angle ? greater than 0 degrees relative to horizontal and a plurality of upper carriage rollers engaged with the upper support rails of the upper rail system to facilitate translation of the upper carriage on the upper rail system. A support frame is coupled to the base plate and a molten glass delivery conduit assembly is supported on the base plate within the support frame.

According to one or more embodiments disclosed herein, a glass sheet may be formed by a method which includes supplying a feed of molten glass to an upper surface of a pair of forming rolls, and rotating the pair of forming wheels to continuously form a glass sheet from the molten glass. The pair of forming rolls may be spaced apart by a forming gap, and the forming gap may have a width of less than or equal to about 800 microns. The molten glass may have a viscosity of less than or equal to about 200 poise. The glass sheet may have a thickness of less than or equal to about 800 microns immediately upon passing though the forming gap.

According to one or more embodiments disclosed herein, a glass sheet may be formed by a method which includes supplying a feed of molten glass to an upper surface of a pair of forming rolls, and rotating the pair of forming wheels to continuously form a glass sheet from the molten glass. The pair of forming rolls may be spaced apart by a forming gap, and the forming gap may have a width of less than or equal to about 800 microns. The molten glass may have a viscosity of less than or equal to about 200 poise. The glass sheet may have a thickness of less than or equal to about 800 microns immediately upon passing though the forming gap.

A glass manufacturing apparatus includes a stir chamber disposed on a base. The stir chamber includes an entry port attached to a first connector tube, a chamber conduit, and an elbow conduit. The apparatus also includes a second connector tube connected to the elbow conduit to deliver molten glass therefrom. At least a portion of the second connector tube extends at least partially upward in the vertical direction. The apparatus also includes a delivery vessel connected to the second connector tube. One of the base or the delivery vessel is attached to a reference point that is fixed in the vertical direction. The other one of the base or the delivery vessel is movable in response to thermal expansion of the second connector tube, which is independent of thermal expansion of the other one of the base or the delivery vessel.

A glass manufacturing apparatus includes a stir chamber disposed on a base. The stir chamber includes an entry port attached to a first connector tube, a chamber conduit, and an elbow conduit. The apparatus also includes a second connector tube connected to the elbow conduit to deliver molten glass therefrom. At least a portion of the second connector tube extends at least partially upward in the vertical direction. The apparatus also includes a delivery vessel connected to the second connector tube. One of the base or the delivery vessel is attached to a reference point that is fixed in the vertical direction. The other one of the base or the delivery vessel is movable in response to thermal expansion of the second connector tube, which is independent of thermal expansion of the other one of the base or the delivery vessel.

A glass container forming apparatus for forming a glass parison is disclosed. The glass container forming apparatus includes a feeder spout having a heated orifice ring, a plunger carried in the feeder spout and having a blow conduit therethrough, and die rollers immediately downstream of the heated orifice ring, with no chutes, scoops, or other gob handling devices therebetween. A glass container forming system that includes a glass feeder and a glass container forming apparatus is also disclosed.

According to one embodiment, a method for forming a laminated glass sheet includes forming a multi-layer glass melt from a molten core glass and at least one molten cladding glass. The multi-layer glass melt has a width W.sub.m, a melt thickness T.sub.m and a core to cladding thickness ratio T.sub.c:T.sub.cl. The multi-layer glass melt is directed onto the surface of a molten metal bath contained in a float tank. The width W.sub.m of the multi-layer glass melt is less than the width W.sub.f of the float tank prior to the multi-layer glass melt entering the float tank. The multi-layer glass melt flows over the surface of the molten metal bath such that the width W.sub.m of the multi-layer glass melt increases, the melt thickness T.sub.m decreases, and the core to cladding thickness ratio T.sub.c:T.sub.cl remains constant as the multi-layer glass melt solidifies into a laminated glass sheet.

According to one embodiment, a method for forming a laminated glass sheet includes forming a multi-layer glass melt from a molten core glass and at least one molten cladding glass. The multi-layer glass melt has a width W.sub.m, a melt thickness T.sub.m and a core to cladding thickness ratio T.sub.c:T.sub.cl. The multi-layer glass melt is directed onto the surface of a molten metal bath contained in a float tank. The width W.sub.m of the multi-layer glass melt is less than the width W.sub.f of the float tank prior to the multi-layer glass melt entering the float tank. The multi-layer glass melt flows over the surface of the molten metal bath such that the width W.sub.m of the multi-layer glass melt increases, the melt thickness T.sub.m decreases, and the core to cladding thickness ratio T.sub.c:T.sub.cl remains constant as the multi-layer glass melt solidifies into a laminated glass sheet.