Patent ID: 7624597
Filing Date: 2009-12-01
Classification: C03B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for making glass fibers, comprising: a spinner spinning molten glass into molten glass fibers; an induction heater having metal guard plates at least partially surrounding AC induction coils inducing medium frequency AC to elevate the spinner and the molten glass to molten glass temperatures; panels providing electrically insulative shielding reducing costly AC power drain, by being positioned between respective metal guard plates and the AC induction coils and reducing AC electromagnetic induction heating of the respective metal guard plates by the AC induction coils; the metal guard plates having respective laterally extending ledges; the panels having respective downwardly facing edges impinged against the respective laterally extending ledges to removably connect the panels to the respective metal guard plates; and the panels being resistant to the molten glass temperatures.