Described is automated glass manufacturing equipment, and in particular to devices known as “takeout holders,” as well as systems that use the takeout holders and methods of making and using the takeout holders.

Described is automated glass manufacturing equipment, and in particular to devices known as “takeout holders,” as well as systems that use the takeout holders and methods of making and using the takeout holders.

A glass tube element having hollow cylindrical section that has a shell enclosing a lumen and extends along a main extension and an optical delay of a light ray. The shell has a surface facing away from the lumen. The optical delay has values that all fall within a range having a size of between 3 and 30 nm. The optical delay being an optical measurement of the glass tube element by the light ray extending along a measurement path in a direction of perpendicular to the main extension and tangent to a surface of the shell. The measurement path touches the surface for different measurements at different positions each having a different azimuth angle within a cylindrical coordinate system fixedly attached to the glass tube element and having an origin on a center axis of the glass tube element.

An apparatus and method for manufacturing glass containers handles the containers individually after a hot forming process and annealing to prevent glass-to-glass contact. By handling the containers individually and preventing glass-to-glass contact damage to the containers in the form of checks and scratches is avoided. To prevent contact of the containers and damage arising from the contact, the equipment including conveyors, pushers, starwheels, shuttles, and transfer heads that move the glass containers through the apparatus maintains the glass containers in uniform spaced relationship at each stage of container processing until the containers are packaged.

Various aspects of systems and methods are provided herein wherein a method, is provided including the steps of: depositing a hot, flexible ribbon material along a plurality of sequentially conveyed molds; rolling a pinch roller over the surface of the ribbon, such that at least one pinch region is actuated in the ribbon as the ribbon is pinched between a pinch edge of the pinch roller and the surface of the mold; and rolling a pin roller over the surface of the ribbon, cooling the ribbon to thereby separate the ribbon along the pinch region into discrete parts.

Various aspects of methods and systems are provided, which detail: a method, comprising: depositing a hot, flexible glass-containing ribbon along a plurality of sequentially conveyed molds; rolling a pinch roller over the surface of the glass-containing ribbon, such that at least one pinch region is actuated in the glass ribbon as the glass ribbon is pinched between a pinch edge of the pinch roller and the surface of the mold; and cooling the glass ribbon, separating the glass ribbon along the pinch region into discrete glass parts.

The invention relates to a device for supportingly holding, and moving, a glass preform, such as a gob, wherein the device has a carrier device, at least one rod-shaped support element, which during operation is substantially vertically aligned, wherein, at its upper end, the rod-shaped support element opens into at least one point-shaped upwardly directed support surface; and/or the device has at least one support element which during operation is substantially vertically aligned, has a substantially inverted U-shape, and has a support surface which is upwardly directed and connects the substantially vertically extending vertical portions of the support element.

The invention relates to a device for supportingly holding, and moving, a glass preform, such as a gob, wherein the device has a carrier device, at least one rod-shaped support element, which during operation is substantially vertically aligned, wherein, at its upper end, the rod-shaped support element opens into at least one point-shaped upwardly directed support surface; and/or the device has at least one support element which during operation is substantially vertically aligned, has a substantially inverted U-shape, and has a support surface which is upwardly directed and connects the substantially vertically extending vertical portions of the support element.

A tempering furnace for tempering a glass object may include a housing, a heating device for heating the glass object, and a cooling device for cooling the glass object. Additionally, the tempering furnace may further include a turning device provided for turning the glass object inside the housing. The turning device is configured to counteract an effect of gravitational forces on the glass object when the glass object is heated to its softening phase.

Test dummy for detecting at least one process variable in the manufacture of glassware of identical or similar design along a production line, comprising a base body which is adapted to the shape and/or dimension of the glassware in such a manner that it can pass through the production line instead of a glassware, at least one sensor system mounted on the base body for detecting the at least one process variable on the base body, and at least one transmission apparatus mounted on the base body for transmitting the at least one detected process variable to a digital receiving unit.