A glass forming apparatus includes a glass delivery vessel, a forming body with a forming body inlet and a downcomer (48) between the glass delivery vessel and the forming body. The downcomer includes a downcomer tube (100) with an inlet end (110) for receiving molten glass from the glass delivery vessel and an outlet end (109) for discharging molten glass to the forming body inlet. An upper heating zone (110) and a lower heating zone (150) positioned downstream from the upper heating zone (110) encircle the downcomer tube and a lower controlled atmosphere enclosure (155) is positioned around and sealed to the downcomer tube (100) in the lower heating zone (150). The lower controlled atmosphere enclosure (155) includes at least one heating element (156) for heating molten glass flowing through the downcomer tube within the forming body inlet.

A glass forming apparatus includes a glass delivery vessel, a forming body with a forming body inlet and a downcomer (48) between the glass delivery vessel and the forming body. The downcomer includes a downcomer tube (100) with an inlet end (110) for receiving molten glass from the glass delivery vessel and an outlet end (109) for discharging molten glass to the forming body inlet. An upper heating zone (110) and a lower heating zone (150) positioned downstream from the upper heating zone (110) encircle the downcomer tube and a lower controlled atmosphere enclosure (155) is positioned around and sealed to the downcomer tube (100) in the lower heating zone (150). The lower controlled atmosphere enclosure (155) includes at least one heating element (156) for heating molten glass flowing through the downcomer tube within the forming body inlet.

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.

A method for producing a glass product, preferably a sheet-like glass product, is provided that includes conveying a molten silicate glass through a conduit system from one area of a glass product producing installation to another area of the glass product producing installation. The conduit system includes noble metal and is configured to conduct an electric current through the noble metal so as to generates Joule heat in the conduit system. The current is an alternating current for which the time integral over a positive and a negative half-wave results in a zero value.

A method for producing a glass product, preferably a sheet-like glass product, is provided that includes conveying a molten silicate glass through a conduit system from one area of a glass product producing installation to another area of the glass product producing installation. The conduit system includes noble metal and is configured to conduct an electric current through the noble metal so as to generates Joule heat in the conduit system. The current is an alternating current for which the time integral over a positive and a negative half-wave results in a zero value.

A glass manufacturing apparatus is disclosed including a vessel configured to convey molten glass, a conduit extending from the vessel, the conduit including a distal end with a concave heating member joined thereto, a first electrical flange joined to the conduit, and a second electrical flange joined to the concave heating member. A method of preventing devitrification of a molten glass forming material is also described.

A glass manufacturing apparatus is disclosed including a vessel configured to convey molten glass, a conduit extending from the vessel, the conduit including a distal end with a concave heating member joined thereto, a first electrical flange joined to the conduit, and a second electrical flange joined to the concave heating member. A method of preventing devitrification of a molten glass forming material is also described.

Provided is a glass production method with which oxidation can be easily prevented and productivity can be increased. The glass production method includes a step of allowing a melt (11), which is obtained by melting a glass raw material, to flow into a mold (13) and a step of cooling the melt (11) to yield a glass (18). A partition member (16) is disposed in the mold (13), forming an inflow portion (17) surrounded by the mold (13) and the partition member (16). In the step of allowing the melt (11) to flow into the mold (13), the melt (11) flows into the inflow portion (17) while the mold (13) is moved relative to the partition member (16) to increase the capacity of the inflow portion (17).

An apparatus is provided for producing thin glass ribbons from molten glass. The apparatus includes a drawing tank, a direct heater, and an indirect heater. The drawing tank has a lower elongated nozzle opening through which the molten glass can exit downwards. The direct heater has one or more heating circuits operable to heat the drawing tank in a first heating zone. The direct heater has a power source for each on the heating circuits. Each heating circuit has connections to connected to a wall of the drawing tank so that current from the power source flows through at least a portion of the wall and heats the wall. Each heating circuit also includes current-carrying portions of the wall. The indirect heater has one or more heating elements to heat the drawing tank in a second heating zone.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method of making molten glass. The apparatus includes a vessel for conveying the molten glass and at least one flange configured to supply an electric current to the vessel through the flange, the flange including a first ring extending completely around the vessel in a closed loop, the first ring comprising a first portion including a first thickness and a second portion including a second thickness different from the first thickness, wherein the first portion and the second portion overlap in a plane of the flange such that at least a portion of the first portion is positioned between at least a portion of the second portion and the vessel wall, and neither the first portion nor the second portion extends completely around the vessel. Also disclosed is a method of making glass using the disclosed flange.