Impressions of the American Glass Industry

JSGT 1946 V30 T364-T380

A description is given of modern batch mixing and handling equipment used in the container section of the glass industry in the United States, followed by an account of machines used to deliver mixed batch to the glass-melting furnaces. In American furnaces high rates of melting are maintained, and most of them are fired with natural gas or fuel oil and operate at temperatures near 1550°. In general, the regenerators possess large volume and height, the width of the furnace ports is graded and combustion spaces are large. Improved furnace control equipment is mentioned. The forehearths in use are generally 14 feet or more in length, one type in common use being the Hartford-Empire K-type forehearth. The production speeds for containers are very high, and have been achieved by (l) light-weighting of bottles, and by alterations to bottle design, (2) a generous supply of mould-cooling air at high pressure, (3) internal cooling of containers in the blow mould, (4) double gob feeding, (5) improved forming machines and (6) improved operating technique and attention to maintenance.

T. Wardley