Patent ID: 6314761
Filing Date: 2001-11-13
Classification: C03B,Y10T

Abstract:
A feeder tube assembly for a feeder bowl of a glass melting furnace forehearth, said feeder tube assembly comprising:a generally horizontally extending elongate support arm having an opposed pair of ends;a generally vertically extending feeder tube;means carried by said support arm for releasably securing said feeder tube to said support arm at a location adjacent an end of said support arm;a generally vertically extending servo motor actuated linear actuator supporting said support arm at a location between said opposed ends, said servo motor actuated linear actuator being operable to adjust the elevation of said support arm;wherein said generally vertically extending servo motor actuated linear actuator comprises a ball screw mechanism for translating rotary motion of an output shaft of said servo motor to linear motion; andwherein said linear actuator has a housing and a member at least partly contained within said housing and being moveable with respect to said housing between first and second positions as a result of rotary motion of said output shaft of said servo motor, and further comprising;a fixed support structure, said housing being fixedly secured to said fixed support structure; andwherein said linear actuator further comprises;a block;a spaced apart plurality of rods extending from said member of said linear actuator to said block; andmeans for tightening said support arm relative to said block for preventing rotation of said support arm relative to said linear actuator.