Drive system for glass furnace stirrers
First Claim
1. In a continuous tank-type glass melting furnace having a plurality of stirrers arranged in at least one row extending transversely across a section of said furnace for homogenizing molten glass as it flows through said furnace, each said stirrer including a stirring member for immersion in the molten glass, a rotary shaft extending upwardly from the stirring member through a cover over the molten glass, means mounting said shaft for rotation about its longitudinal axis, and drive means connected to said shaft for rotating said stirring member, the improvement wherein said drive means includes an individual power unit connected to said shaft of each said stirrer for driving each stirrer independently of the others, said individual power unit comprising a synchronous electric motor and control means for each said stirrer whereby rotation of individual stirrers relative to one another in said at least one row of stirrers may be synchronized.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A continuous tank-type glass melting furnace includes a melting zone into which raw materials are charged and reduced to a molten state. The molten glass then flows through a relatively narrow waist or conditioning area to refining and conditioning zones, and is then withdrawn as a continuous ribbon or sheet. Within the waist area there is provided a plurality of stirrers whose mixing and kneading action assist in homogenizing the glass as it flows through the restricted area. Each stirrer is connected to and driven by its own individual power unit so that the speed and direction of rotation of individual stirrers can be independently regulated and synchronized. Individual stirrers can also be removed and replaced with little or no interruption in operation of the remaining units.
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Citations
9 Claims
- 1. In a continuous tank-type glass melting furnace having a plurality of stirrers arranged in at least one row extending transversely across a section of said furnace for homogenizing molten glass as it flows through said furnace, each said stirrer including a stirring member for immersion in the molten glass, a rotary shaft extending upwardly from the stirring member through a cover over the molten glass, means mounting said shaft for rotation about its longitudinal axis, and drive means connected to said shaft for rotating said stirring member, the improvement wherein said drive means includes an individual power unit connected to said shaft of each said stirrer for driving each stirrer independently of the others, said individual power unit comprising a synchronous electric motor and control means for each said stirrer whereby rotation of individual stirrers relative to one another in said at least one row of stirrers may be synchronized.
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9. In a continuous tank-type glass melting furnace having a plurality of stirrers for homogenizing molten glass as it flows through said furnace, each said stirrer including a stirring member for immersion in the molten glass, a rotary shaft extending upwardly from the stirring member through a cover over the molten glass, means mounting said shaft for rotation about its longitudinal axis, and drive means connected to said shaft for rotating said stirring member, the improvement wherein said drive means includes an individual power unit connected to said shaft of each said stirrer for driving each stirrer independently of the others, said individual power unit comprising a synchronous electric motor for each said stirrer whereby rotation of individual stirrers relative to one another may be synchronized, a gear reduction unit connected to said motor, a spur gear on the output shaft of said reduction unit, and an intermeshing spur gear affixed to said upwardly extending shaft, and including means directing a supply of cooling air onto each said synchronous motor.
Specification