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.

Forehearth tank assembly for a glass distribution channel. The assembly includes a single liner, two plungers and more and a single flow washer that has first and second orifices. The plungers are arranged, at least in part, in the liner. More than three grooves are created on the inner surface of the liner. Each has, in an inner part of the liner that is intended to be in contact with molten glass, a lower portion extending over more than 10% of the length of the lower part and having a length, measured following the groove, of greater than 0.1 times the length of the lower part. The length of the lower part is measured along the axis of the liner.

A dropping nozzle includes: a flow passage part that includes a flow passage that molten glass passes through; and an opening part that includes an opening that communicates with the flow passage, the opening part dropping the molten glass as a glass drop, wherein the opening includes a plurality of inclined parts in which adjacent inner inclination angles are different from each other in a section parallel to a center axis of the flow passage part, and from among the plurality of inclined parts, a first inclined part that is closest to the flow passage part has an inner inclination angle that is smaller than an inner inclination angle of a second inclined part that is farthest from the flow passage part.

A column of molten glass is cut transversely to make a plurality of glass gobs by means of a cutting device having an elongated piece orthogonal to a conveying direction of the column and carried by a moveable frame operated by a motor controlled by a unit to rotate the piece at either constant or variable speed in one or both directions of rotation about a fixed hinged axis orthogonal to the conveying direction of the glass column.

A column of molten glass is cut transversely to make a plurality of glass gobs by means of a cutting device having an elongated piece orthogonal to a conveying direction of the column and carried by a moveable frame operated by a motor controlled by a unit to rotate the piece at either constant or variable speed in one or both directions of rotation about a fixed hinged axis orthogonal to the conveying direction of the glass column.

A reforming mandrel and a method of use reforming mandrel to reform glass are described. The reforming mandrel comprises an upstream portion, a downstream portion and an at least partially hollow interior. The upstream portion may have an intake inlet for fluid flow. The downstream portion may be axially spaced from the upstream portion. The downstream portion may have a flattened cross-section defined by flattened peripheral portions joined by curved peripheral portions. At least one curved peripheral portion may be made of porous material resistant to a temperature of at least 1000 C. The at least partially hollow interior may communicate with the intake inlet and the porous material.

A delivery conduit system for a glass manufacturing apparatus, the conduit system including a drain assembly configured to allow draining molten glass from the delivery conduit system. The drain assembly includes heating means and cooling means that can open a drain flow of molten glass from components of the conduit system and shut off flow to the forming body by selectively modifying the fluid impedance presented to the molten glass by the drain assembly.

A delivery conduit system for a glass manufacturing apparatus, the conduit system including a drain assembly configured to allow draining molten glass from the delivery conduit system. The drain assembly includes heating means and cooling means that can open a drain flow of molten glass from components of the conduit system and shut off flow to the forming body by selectively modifying the fluid impedance presented to the molten glass by the drain assembly.

A molten glass delivery funnel includes a gas permeable conduit. The gas permeable conduit is comprised of a gas permeable material such that a centering gas can flow permeably through the conduit and into an interior passage of the conduit. The permeable flow of the centering gas is able to displace a molten glass charge falling through the conduit away from an interior surface of the conduit and to create a gas cushion between the glass charge and the conduit.

A molten glass delivery funnel includes a gas permeable conduit. The gas permeable conduit is comprised of a gas permeable material such that a centering gas can flow permeably through the conduit and into an interior passage of the conduit. The permeable flow of the centering gas is able to displace a molten glass charge falling through the conduit away from an interior surface of the conduit and to create a gas cushion between the glass charge and the conduit.