A hot-forming tool for producing glass containers is provided. The tool includes a forming roller, a holder, and a heat sink. The forming roller has a forming surface. The holder receives the forming roller with the forming roller rotatably mounted on the holder. The heat sink is directly or indirectly connected to the holder. The forming roller is in thermal contact with the heat sink and the heat sink has an internal cooler so that process heat can be transferred from the forming roller to the heat sink.

A method for manufacturing an SiO.sub.2—TiO.sub.2 based glass upon a target by a direct method, includes a first process of preheating the target and a second process of growing an SiO.sub.2—TiO.sub.2 based glass ingot to a predetermined length upon the target which has been preheated, wherein the target is heated in the first process such that, in the second process, the temperature of growing surface of the glass ingot is maintained at or above a predetermined lower limit temperature.

A vial for packing a substance to be smoked from the vial and method for making the vial. The vial includes a first chamber. A second chamber is in fluid connection with the first chamber separated from the first chamber by a neck portion having an inside diameter less than an inside diameter of the first chamber and the second chamber. A middle portion is in fluid connection with the second chamber extending from the second chamber to the third chamber. The third chamber is in fluid connection with the middle portion. The first, second and third chambers have inside and outside diameters which are substantially the same. The middle portion has an inside and outside diameter which is less than the inside and outside diameters of the first, second and third chambers.

Systems for producing articles from glass tube include a converter having a base with a plurality of processing stations and a turret moveable relative to the base. The turret indexes a plurality of holders for holding the glass tubes successively through the processing stations. The systems further include a gas flow system or a suction system for producing a flow of gas through the glass tube during one or more heating, forming, separating or piercing operations. The flow of gas through the glass tube produced by the gas flow system or suction system may be sufficient to evacuate or purge volatile constituents of the glass from the glass tube and/or pierce a meniscus formed on the glass tube during separation, thereby reducing the Surface Hydrolytic Response (SHR) of the interior surface of the glass tube and articles made therefrom.

Systems for producing articles from glass tube include a converter having a base with a plurality of processing stations and a turret moveable relative to the base. The turret indexes a plurality of holders for holding the glass tubes successively through the processing stations. The systems further include a gas flow system or a suction system for producing a flow of gas through the glass tube during one or more heating, forming, separating or piercing operations. The flow of gas through the glass tube produced by the gas flow system or suction system may be sufficient to evacuate or purge volatile constituents of the glass from the glass tube and/or pierce a meniscus formed on the glass tube during separation, thereby reducing the Surface Hydrolytic Response (SHR) of the interior surface of the glass tube and articles made therefrom.

A tube filter for smoking a smokable substance that includes a receiving section having a receiving chamber dimensioned to receive the substance, a smoke section having a smoke chamber to output smoke produced while the substance is ignited, wherein the smoke section has a first open end into the smoke chamber and the receiving section has a second open end into the receiving chamber that is opposite to the first end, and first, second, and third indentations that are disposed between the two chambers, wherein a portion of the first indentation and a first portion of the second indentation are disposed within a first cross-section of the filter and a portion of the third indentation and a second portion of the second indentation are disposed within a second cross-section of the filter, and the third indentation is entirely disposed above the first indentation along the center longitudinal axis.

A tube filter for smoking a smokable substance that includes a receiving section having a receiving chamber dimensioned to receive the substance, a smoke section having a smoke chamber to output smoke produced while the substance is ignited, wherein the smoke section has a first open end into the smoke chamber and the receiving section has a second open end into the receiving chamber that is opposite to the first end, and first, second, and third indentations that are disposed between the two chambers, wherein a portion of the first indentation and a first portion of the second indentation are disposed within a first cross-section of the filter and a portion of the third indentation and a second portion of the second indentation are disposed within a second cross-section of the filter, and the third indentation is entirely disposed above the first indentation along the center longitudinal axis.

Systems for producing articles from glass tube include a converter having a base with a plurality of processing stations and a turret moveable relative to the base. The turret indexes a plurality of holders for holding the glass tubes successively through the processing stations. The systems further include a gas flow system or a suction system for producing a flow of gas through the glass tube during one or more heating, forming, separating or piercing operations. The flow of gas through the glass tube produced by the gas flow system or suction system may be sufficient to evacuate or purge volatile constituents of the glass from the glass tube and/or pierce a meniscus formed on the glass tube during separation, thereby reducing the Surface Hydrolytic Response (SHR) of the interior surface of the glass tube and articles made therefrom.

Systems for producing articles from glass tube include a converter having a base with a plurality of processing stations and a turret moveable relative to the base. The turret indexes a plurality of holders for holding the glass tubes successively through the processing stations. The systems further include a gas flow system or a suction system for producing a flow of gas through the glass tube during one or more heating, forming, separating or piercing operations. The flow of gas through the glass tube produced by the gas flow system or suction system may be sufficient to evacuate or purge volatile constituents of the glass from the glass tube and/or pierce a meniscus formed on the glass tube during separation, thereby reducing the Surface Hydrolytic Response (SHR) of the interior surface of the glass tube and articles made therefrom.

The invention relates to a method for producing a syringe having a piercing means, comprising the following steps: a) providing a syringe body having a distal end section, which comprises an inner channel that discharges at a distal opening, wherein the distal end section is in a formable state; b) providing a piercing means; c) inserting a proximal section of the piercing means through the distal opening into the inner channel of the distal end section; and d) shaping the distal end section by means of a first shaping tool in such a way that an inner surface of the distal end section contacts at least portions of the piercing means, as a result of which at least portions of the piercing means are secured.