Apparatus For Use In The Glass Industry And Method For Processing Molten Glass

Abstract

Apparatus, which is suitable for being surrounded by molten glass, the apparatus having a shank which has at least one at least partially seamless tube consisting of an oxide dispersion-strengthened PGM material, the shank having at least one thickened portion on which an actuating device is arranged.

1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . An apparatus which is suitable for coming in contact with molten glass, comprising:
 a hollow shank which is entirely seamless along an axial length of said shank, and said shank being formed of an oxide dispersion-strengthened PGM material;   a first sleeve which is entirely seamless along an axial length of said shank, said first sleeve being formed of an oxide dispersion-strengthened PGM material, and said sleeve being fastened to said shank with a weld free fastener arrangement.   
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , further comprising at least one molten glass agitator, and said molten glass agitator extending radially out from said sleeve. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein said weld free fastener arrangement fastening said sleeve and shank comprises a shrink fit fastening relationship between said sleeve and shank. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein said weld free fastener arrangement fastening said sleeve and shank comprises a friction fit push-on fastening relationship. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein said shank and sleeve are completely seamless over their full axial length. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , further comprising a molten glass agitator, and wherein said first sleeve supports, on an exterior surface thereof, a base portion of said molten glass agitator, and said molten glass agitator extends radially out from said first sleeve, and wherein said molten glass agitator is formed solely of ODS-PGM material, and wherein said molten glass agitator is fastened to said first sleeve by a weld structure. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein said shank has an upper body portion that is thicker than a lower body portion, and said first sleeve is fastened to said thinner body portion. 
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein said thicker body portion is formed of a plurality of telescoped shank tubes defining a thicker shank wall region. 
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein, in addition to said first sleeve, said apparatus comprises a second sleeve, and said second sleeve is fastened to the thicker shank wall region and is secured to a molten glass agitator which is welded with a weld to said second sleeve, and wherein there is a vent formed in at least one of said shank tubes defining the thicker shank wall region and which vent is substantially axially aligned with the weld in said second sleeve. 
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , further comprising a molten glass agitation assembly and wherein said first sleeve represents a first sleeve amongst a plurality of sleeves mounted on said shank, and said shank having different thicknesses along an axial length thereof, and wherein said agitating assembly comprises a plurality of axially spaced agitation members, with each of said agitation members being fastened to a respective one of said sleeves, and each of said sleeves being seamless and of ODS-PGM, and said sleeves being joined to different wall thickness regions of said shank. 
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein each of said agitation members include a disc portion that is welded at an interior region to an exterior surface of a respective one of said sleeves, and wherein each of said agitation members further comprises an above extending flange member and a below extending flange member with each flange member extending axially away from said intermediate positioned disc portion. 
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , further comprising a first cap member received within an upper portion of the hollow shank so as to seal off the upper open end of said hollow shank. 
     
     
         56 . The apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein said cap member is formed of ODS-PGM material and includes an axially extending outer periphery flange portion which abuts an interior surface of said hollow shank and said cap member further comprising an interior portion that extends radially inward as to form a sealing region at the upper end of said shank. 
     
     
         57 . The apparatus of  claim 56 , wherein said apparatus further comprises a second cap member which is secured at a lower open end of said shank so as to at to form a seal off region at the lower open end of said shank, and said shank comprising a first vent port arranged to vent a region extending between said first and second cap members. 
     
     
         58 . The apparatus of  claim 57 , wherein said second cap member is secured to said first or a second sleeve member that is arranged on the lower end of said shank, and said second cap member comprises ribs extending in radial fashion. 
     
     
         59 . An apparatus which is suitable for coming in contact with molten glass, comprising:
 a hollow shank which is entirely seamless along an axial length of said shank, and said shank being formed of an oxide dispersion-strengthened PGM material, and said shank having a first, thicker axially extending wall region and a second axially extending wall region that is thinner than said first wall region;   a molten glass agitator that is supported on said shank; and   a first cap member received within an upper portion of the hollow shank so as to form a sealed off upper end region in said shank.   
     
     
         60 . The apparatus of  claim 59 , wherein said cap member is formed of ODS-PGM material and includes an axially extending outer peripheral flange portion which abuts an interior surface of said shank and an interior cap portion that extends radially inward relative to the outer peripheral flange to form the sealed off upper end region in said shank. 
     
     
         61 . The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein said apparatus further comprises a second cap member which is secured at a lower end of said shank so as to at to form a seal region at the lower end of said shank, and said shank comprising a first vent port arranged to vent a region extending between said first and second cap members. 
     
     
         62 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein said shank comprises a plurality of thickened portions and said second cap member is secured to a first sleeve member that is arranged on the lower end of said shank and represents one of the plurality of thickened portions. 
     
     
         63 . The apparatus of  claim 59 , wherein the thickened portion of said shank is defined by a plurality of telescoped shank tubes and said first member cap is secured to an interior wall of one of said telescoped shank tubes. 
     
     
         64 . The apparatus of  claim 59 , wherein said first cap member comprises an outer peripheral flange portion which abuts an interior surface of said shank and an interior cap portion that extends radially inward relative to the outer peripheral flange to form the sealed off upper end region in said shank, and wherein said flange portion extends radially upward and defines a recessed region in said first cap member which is configured to receive, in nesting fashion, a drive or holding extension for use with said apparatus. 
     
     
         65 . An apparatus which is suitable for coming in contact with molten glass, comprising:
 a hollow shank which is entirely seamless along an axial length of said shank, and said shank being formed of an oxide dispersion-strengthened PGM material, and said shank having a plurality of first, thicker axially extending wall regions and a plurality of second axially extending wall regions that are thinner than said first axially extending wall regions, and wherein one or more of said first axially extending wall regions is defined by (a) an entirely seamless sleeve fastened to an internally positioned shank tube surface, with said sleeve being formed of an oxide dispersion-strengthened PGM material, and wherein one or more further of said first axially extending wall regions is defined by (b) a stepped differential in thickness in a wall of said shank or (c) a plurality of telescoped shank tubes; and   a molten glass agitator that is supported on said shank by one of said first wall regions.   
     
     
         66 . The apparatus of  claim 65 , wherein an upper region of said shank comprises means for securement to a drive or holding extension for use with said apparatus, and said upper region represents one of said first axially extending wall regions that is defined by (c). 
     
     
         67 . The apparatus of  claim 66 , wherein said shank includes a plurality of sleeves (a) and a plurality of molten glass agitators secured to respective sleeves, and with one or more of said sleeves being secured to regions of said shank represented by (b) or (c) and one or more of said sleeves not being supported on regions (b) and (c) of said shank. 
     
     
         68 . The apparatus of  claim 66 , wherein said means for securement is an oxide dispersion-strengthened PGM material cap member configured to seal off a region at an upper portion of said shank and said molten glass agitator is secured to a sleeve (a) of said shank with said sleeve (a) being configured as a second cap member positioned to close off a lower opening in the hollow of said shank, and said shank further comprising a vent port positioned to release gas present between said first and second cap members. 
     
     
         69 . The apparatus of  claim 65 , wherein at least one of said thickened portions is defined by (c) with an interior one of said shank tubes having a vent port formed therein that opens into the hollow of said shank. 
     
     
         70 . A method of processing molten glass comprising contacting molten glass with the apparatus according to  claim 45 , wherein the apparatus is used at an operating temperature of 1000° C. to 1500° C., and with a torque in a range of 10 N·m to 100 N·m. 
     
     
         71 . The method according to  claim 70 , wherein the apparatus is used with a torque of up to 50 N·m, at an operating temperature of between 1400° C. and 1500° C. 
     
     
         72 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein said first sleeve and said shank each have an aperture into which said molten glass agitator extends, and said molten glass agitator being welded to said sleeve at an external portion of said sleeve defining a boundary region of the aperture formed in said sleeve and receiving said molten glass agitator. 
     
     
         73 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , where said shaft has diametrically opposing apertures and said sleeve has diametrically opposing first and second holes, and said molten glass agitator extends through said diametrically opposing holes and apertures, and said molten glass agitator is secured to said sleeve by a first weld at a boundary region of said first hole and a second weld at a boundary region of said second hole.