A transport guide, in the form of a conduit, for a molten glass transport cup is comprised of a glass contact material that supports the permeable flow of cooling gas from an outer surface to an inner surface of the conduit. When a molten glass charge is received in the conduit, the permeable flow of the cooling gas through the conduit fluidly displaces the glass charge radially inwardly away from the inner surface of the conduit to create a thermal break between the glass charge and the glass contact material. This thermal break helps minimize heat flow out of the molten glass charge. In this way, the molten glass charge can be received within the conduit of the transport cup, and in certain applications transported within the cup from one location to another location, while helping to preserve thermal homogeneity of the glass charge.

A transport guide, in the form of a conduit, for a molten glass transport cup is comprised of a glass contact material that supports the permeable flow of cooling gas from an outer surface to an inner surface of the conduit. When a molten glass charge is received in the conduit, the permeable flow of the cooling gas through the conduit fluidly displaces the glass charge radially inwardly away from the inner surface of the conduit to create a thermal break between the glass charge and the glass contact material. This thermal break helps minimize heat flow out of the molten glass charge. In this way, the molten glass charge can be received within the conduit of the transport cup, and in certain applications transported within the cup from one location to another location, while helping to preserve thermal homogeneity of the glass charge.

A molten glass transport cup includes a conduit having an inlet and an outlet, and an endcap to cover or close, and uncover or open, the conduit outlet. The cup also may include a fluid exhaust outlet between the conduit and the endcap, and one or more fluid supply passages having one or more interior inlets located radially inwardly of the exhaust outlet. A molten glass transporter may include the cup and a conduit carrier including a sleeve at least partially circumscribing the cup. A related method may include receiving a molten glass charge in the cup in contact with an inner surface of the conduit, supplying fluid into the cup to displace at least a portion of the glass charge away from the transport cup, controlling an amount of the fluid between the charge and the transport cup, and moving the endcap to permit the charge to exit the conduit.

A molten glass transport cup includes a conduit having an inlet and an outlet, and an endcap to cover or close, and uncover or open, the conduit outlet. The cup also may include a fluid exhaust outlet between the conduit and the endcap, and one or more fluid supply passages having one or more interior inlets located radially inwardly of the exhaust outlet. A molten glass transporter may include the cup and a conduit carrier including a sleeve at least partially circumscribing the cup. A related method may include receiving a molten glass charge in the cup in contact with an inner surface of the conduit, supplying fluid into the cup to displace at least a portion of the glass charge away from the transport cup, controlling an amount of the fluid between the charge and the transport cup, and moving the endcap to permit the charge to exit the conduit.

A method of loading glass gobs into blank molds includes producing glass gobs falling from laterally spaced orifices along falling gob axes, and receiving the glass gobs into laterally spaced blank molds having blank mold centerlines corresponding to the falling gob axes. A related system is disclosed. Also disclosed is a multiple gob feeder that includes a feeder vessel including outlets with outlet centerlines, and feeder orifices in communication with the feeder vessel and having orifice centerlines coaxial with the outlet centerlines of the outlets of the feeder vessel and establishing gob falling axes and including orifice pipes and orifice tips below the orifice pipes. The orifice pipes include heaters to heat the orifice pipes and the orifice tips include orifice tip heaters to heat the orifice tips.

Methods and apparatus for producing fibers from igneous rock, including basalt include heating igneous rock by electrical conductive coils to achieve an homogenous melt and forming homogenous fibers from the melt.

Methods and apparatus for producing fibers from igneous rock, including basalt include heating igneous rock by electrical conductive coils to achieve an homogenous melt and forming homogenous fibers from the melt.

A gob distributor for a glassware forming machine includes: a housing; an arcuate or straight scoop located above the housing, having an upper end aligned at all times with an orifice of a feeder, and which radially moves so that its lower end coincides with the upper ends of straight fixed channels of a forming machine; an independent support structure connected by each scoop; at least one first shaft vertically placed within the housing to rotate on its own axis, including a first gear section; at least one second shaft horizontally or vertically placed within the housing to rotate on its own axis, including a second gear section, each first gear section and each second gear section are coupled together to form a housing gear; and at least one motor coupled at each end of each second shaft to simultaneously move the supporting structures and scoops, radially.

A gob distributor for a glassware forming machine includes: a housing; an arcuate or straight scoop located above the housing, having an upper end aligned at all times with an orifice of a feeder, and which radially moves so that its lower end coincides with the upper ends of straight fixed channels of a forming machine; an independent support structure connected by each scoop; at least one first shaft vertically placed within the housing to rotate on its own axis, including a first gear section; at least one second shaft horizontally or vertically placed within the housing to rotate on its own axis, including a second gear section, each first gear section and each second gear section are coupled together to form a housing gear; and at least one motor coupled at each end of each second shaft to simultaneously move the supporting structures and scoops, radially.

The present invention relates to a nickel-based self-fluxing alloy, a glass manufacturing member, a mold, and a glass gob transporting member having an improved slipperiness against a glass gob. A nickel-based self-fluxing alloy used in a glass manufacturing member for transporting or molding glass with a viscosity of log η=3 to 14.6, comprises: boron (B) in an amount of ranging from 0 percent to 1.5 percent by mass; hard particles; and silicon (Si). Preferably, the amount of boron (B) ranges from 0 percent to less than 1.0 percent by mass. Preferably, the hard particles contain at least one of a carbide, a nitrides, an oxide and a cermet. Preferably, the nickel-based self-fluxing alloy comprises at least one metal selected from Group 4, 5 and 6 elements in an amount of ranging from 0 percent to 30 percent by mass.