A molten glass cutting apparatus comprises a pair of shear blades and a control unit that controls a pair of the shear blades to relatively move toward each other. The control unit controls a pair of the shear blades to relatively move so that tip parts of a pair of the shear blades overlap, and shearing force by cutting edges of a pair of the shear blade cuts molten glass extruded from an orifice formed at a bottom part of a spout. When a central part of molten glass is offset with respect to a central axis of the orifice, the control unit offsets a position of cutting by a pair of the cutting edges to a side of the central part with respect to the central axis.

A molten glass cutting apparatus comprises a pair of shear blades and a control unit that controls a pair of the shear blades to relatively move toward each other. The control unit controls a pair of the shear blades to relatively move so that tip parts of a pair of the shear blades overlap, and shearing force by cutting edges of a pair of the shear blade cuts molten glass extruded from an orifice formed at a bottom part of a spout. When a central part of molten glass is offset with respect to a central axis of the orifice, the control unit offsets a position of cutting by a pair of the cutting edges to a side of the central part with respect to the central axis.

A molten glass transport cup includes a conduit having an inlet and an outlet, and an endcap to cover or close, and uncover or open, the conduit outlet. The cup also may include a fluid exhaust outlet between the conduit and the endcap, and one or more fluid supply passages having one or more interior inlets located radially inwardly of the exhaust outlet. A molten glass transporter may include the cup and a conduit carrier including a sleeve at least partially circumscribing the cup. A related method may include receiving a molten glass charge in the cup in contact with an inner surface of the conduit, supplying fluid into the cup to displace at least a portion of the glass charge away from the transport cup, controlling an amount of the fluid between the charge and the transport cup, and moving the endcap to permit the charge to exit the conduit.

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.

A molten glass cutting apparatus comprises a pair of shear blades and a control unit that controls a pair of the shear blades to relatively move toward each other. The control unit controls a pair of the shear blades to relatively move so that tip parts of a pair of the shear blades overlap, and shearing force by cutting edges of a pair of the shear blade cuts molten glass extruded from an orifice formed at a bottom part of a spout. When a central part of molten glass is offset with respect to a central axis of the orifice, the control unit offsets a position of cutting by a pair of the cutting edges to a side of the central part with respect to the central axis.

A molten glass cutting apparatus comprises a pair of shear blades and a control unit that controls a pair of the shear blades to relatively move toward each other. The control unit controls a pair of the shear blades to relatively move so that tip parts of a pair of the shear blades overlap, and shearing force by cutting edges of a pair of the shear blade cuts molten glass extruded from an orifice formed at a bottom part of a spout. When a central part of molten glass is offset with respect to a central axis of the orifice, the control unit offsets a position of cutting by a pair of the cutting edges to a side of the central part with respect to the central axis.

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.

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.