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.

A method for producing a silica aerogel, the method including preparing a reactant by adding a basic catalyst to a first silica precursor solution, performing primary gelation in which the reactant is stirred to form a gel precursor, introducing a second silica precursor solution to a fiber, and performing a secondary gelation in which the gel precursor is introduced to the fiber to which the second silica precursor solution was introduced to form a silica aerogel.

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; 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 drive means 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; 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 drive means coupled at each end of each second shaft to simultaneously move the supporting structures and scoops, radially.

In illustrative implementations of this invention, a crucible kiln heats glass such that the glass becomes or remains molten. A nozzle extrudes the molten glass while one or more actuators actuate movements of the nozzle, a build platform or both. A computer controls these movements such that the extruded molten glass is selectively deposited to form a 3D glass object. The selective deposition of molten glass occurs inside an annealing kiln. The annealing kiln anneals the glass after it is extruded. In some cases, the actuators actuate the crucible kiln and nozzle to move in horizontal x, y directions and actuate the build platform to move in a z-direction. In some cases, fluid flows through a cavity or tubes adjacent to the nozzle tip, in order to cool the nozzle tip and thereby reduce the amount of glass that sticks to the nozzle tip.

In illustrative implementations of this invention, a crucible kiln heats glass such that the glass becomes or remains molten. A nozzle extrudes the molten glass while one or more actuators actuate movements of the nozzle, a build platform or both. A computer controls these movements such that the extruded molten glass is selectively deposited to form a 3D glass object. The selective deposition of molten glass occurs inside an annealing kiln. The annealing kiln anneals the glass after it is extruded. In some cases, the actuators actuate the crucible kiln and nozzle to move in horizontal x, y directions and actuate the build platform to move in a z-direction. In some cases, fluid flows through a cavity or tubes adjacent to the nozzle tip, in order to cool the nozzle tip and thereby reduce the amount of glass that sticks to the nozzle tip.

The present invention relates to a method for cooling a space around a sleeve shaft, a device for guiding a fluid along an outer surface area of a sleeve shaft, a sleeve shaft including such a device, and a refractory tube with such a sleeve shaft inserted. The present invention also relates to a system including such a device, which system may also include such a sleeve shaft and such a refractory tube.

The present invention relates to a method for cooling a space around a sleeve shaft, a device for guiding a fluid along an outer surface area of a sleeve shaft, a sleeve shaft including such a device, and a refractory tube with such a sleeve shaft inserted. The present invention also relates to a system including such a device, which system may also include such a sleeve shaft and such a refractory tube.

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.