A method and apparatus for forming a glass parison are disclosed. The method of forming a glass container in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure includes flowing molten glass to a glass feeder spout located immediately upstream of die rollers; feeding molten glass through an annular space established between an orifice ring of the glass feeder spout and a plunger of the glass feeder spout; blowing gas through the plunger into the molten glass to form a continuous tube of molten glass; and die rolling the continuous tube into a continuous string of glass containers.

Stirrer (1) for stirring molten glass (16), whereby the stirrer (1) comprises a shaft (2) having a tip (4) and having a central longitudinal axis (L), and one or more inner stirrer blades (5,6) which are attached to the shaft (2), and one or more outer stirrer blades (7,8) which are attached to the shaft (2), whereby the inner stirrer blades (5,6) are attached closer to the shaft (2) than the outer stirrer blades (7,8), whereby, when considering the stirrer in a cylindrical coordinate system (11), both the one or more inner stirrer blades (5,6) as well as the one or more outer stirrer blades (7,8) are disposed at an angle (, ) to the central longitudinal axis (L), whereby said angle (, ) is between 0 and 90 not including these values, and are disposed having a least a blade section with a normal vector (N, P, Q, R), on the side directed towards the tip (4), with an angular component (N.sub.A, P.sub.A, Q.sub.A, R.sub.A).

Stirrer (1) for stirring molten glass (16), whereby the stirrer (1) comprises a shaft (2) having a tip (4) and having a central longitudinal axis (L), and one or more inner stirrer blades (5,6) which are attached to the shaft (2), and one or more outer stirrer blades (7,8) which are attached to the shaft (2), whereby the inner stirrer blades (5,6) are attached closer to the shaft (2) than the outer stirrer blades (7,8), whereby, when considering the stirrer in a cylindrical coordinate system (11), both the one or more inner stirrer blades (5,6) as well as the one or more outer stirrer blades (7,8) are disposed at an angle (, ) to the central longitudinal axis (L), whereby said angle (, ) is between 0 and 90 not including these values, and are disposed having a least a blade section with a normal vector (N, P, Q, R), on the side directed towards the tip (4), with an angular component (N.sub.A, P.sub.A, Q.sub.A, R.sub.A).

A method and apparatus for forming a glass parison are disclosed. A glass parison forming apparatus includes a feeder spout having an orifice ring, a plunger carried in the feeder spout and including a blow conduit therethrough, and a neck ring located immediately downstream of the orifice ring, with no chutes, scoops, or other gob handling devices therebetween. A glass container produced by the disclosed method and apparatus is also described.

A method and apparatus for forming a glass parison are disclosed. A glass parison forming apparatus includes a feeder spout having an orifice ring, a plunger carried in the feeder spout and including a blow conduit therethrough, and a neck ring located immediately downstream of the orifice ring, with no chutes, scoops, or other gob handling devices therebetween. A glass container produced by the disclosed method and apparatus is also described.

A refractory orifice ring of a glass forming apparatus. The orifice ring includes an annular side wall and a base wall. At least one discharge hole is formed in the base wall. The discharge hole includes a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the top opening has a surface area greater than a surface area of the bottom opening.

A refractory orifice ring of a glass forming apparatus. The orifice ring includes an annular side wall and a base wall. At least one discharge hole is formed in the base wall. The discharge hole includes a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the top opening has a surface area greater than a surface area of the bottom opening.

A molten material furnace system having a liquid cooled flow control mechanism and method are disclosed. In particular, the flow control mechanism can include a needle including: a longitudinal axis; an outer conduit including an outer base end, an outer body, and an outer free end; an inner conduit including an inner base end, an inner body radially spaced from the outer body, an inner free end, and a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end. Also disclosed is a needle control assembly to position the flow control needle relative to a stilling tank outlet orifice to control flow of molten material through the outlet orifice.

A molten material furnace system having a liquid cooled flow control mechanism and method are disclosed. In particular, the flow control mechanism can include a needle including: a longitudinal axis; an outer conduit including an outer base end, an outer body, and an outer free end; an inner conduit including an inner base end, an inner body radially spaced from the outer body, an inner free end, and a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end. Also disclosed is a needle control assembly to position the flow control needle relative to a stilling tank outlet orifice to control flow of molten material through the outlet orifice.