JAMES ROBERT STEVENSON
Pilots at Sherwood Dr, Hartford, CT

4375368, Mar 1, 1983

Oct 19, 1981

6/313058

James F. Stevenson - West Hartford CT

Emhart Industries, Inc. - Farmington CT

C03B 523, C03B 524

65 29

An automatic cooling adjustment system for the forehearth of a glass furnace which enables the minimization of the amount of energy used in the forehearth. The system is utilized in a forehearth wherein a continually activated and adjustable cooling wind apparatus operates in conjunction with an electric or fuel fired heating system which controls or maintains the glass within a desired temperature range and at a predetermined temperature gradient range over the length of the forehearth. An automatic means is provided to adjust the amount of cooling wind and to maintain it at whatever level is required in order to minimize the opposing heating energy required. The system includes a timer which enables small automatic cooling wind adjustments during a first, relatively short time period and which enables temperature stabilization in the forehearth during a second, relatively long time period. The cycle of small adjustments is repeated as necessary to keep the heating system within pre-set energy limits.

4247733, Jan 27, 1981

Aug 27, 1979

6/069938

James F. Stevenson - West Hartford CT

Emhart Industries, Inc. - Farmington CT

C03B 502

13 6

The forehearth provides a channel for the flow of molten glass from a tank type furnace to a feeder bowl or the like in order to feed gobs of glass to one of several glassware forming machines provided with glass from a single furnace tank. The forehearth channel has sets of electrodes arranged in each of three discrete zones along the forehearth channel, with the center electrode being at a predetermined and controlled potential with respect to electrodes located at the upstream and downstream ends of each zone. The electrode associated with the downstream end of one zone is also used as the upstream electrode associated with the adjacent zone, and the glass is heated by virtue of the fact that these electrodes are immersed in the glass, with an A. C. single phase voltage being impressed thereon. Individual transformers are provided for each of the zones, and controllers for the primary of each transformer operate in response to current sensed at the downstream end of each zone, the voltage at the secondary of each transformer, and also in response to a correction signal provided for each controller and derived from a glass level measuring device associated with the upstream end of the forehearth itself.

4287380, Sep 1, 1981

Sep 18, 1979

6/076580

Richard E. Fairbanks - Manchester CT
James F. Stevenson - West Hartford CT
John F. Blumenfeld - Simsbury CT

Emhart Industries, Inc. - Farmington CT

C03B 502

13 6

A molybdenum electrode is mounted in a stepped aperture in the sidewall of the forehearth such that the inner end portion of the electrode is immersed in the molten glass where the molybdenum is effectively isolated from oxidizing agents. The outer end portion of the electrode is shielded in a high temperature alloy steel sleeve, which sleeve is spaced from the electrode to provide an annular space therebetween. A ceramic fiberous material is provided between the inner end of the sleeve and the electrode, and a high temperature alloy steel plug is threadably secured to the outer ends of both the sleeve and the electrode to seal the outer end of this annular space, and to serve as an electrical terminal for the electrode. The molten glass solidifies inside the sleeve's inner end to seal the inner end of the sleeve. The assembly is clamped to the furnace framework by an insulated bracket adjacent the outer end of the sleeve, which bracket is designed to thrust the assembly inwardly so that an annular flange on the sleeve abuts the sidewall of the refractory channel, which sidewall defines the step in the aperture of the furnace forehearth sidewall itself.