Patent ID: 8656741
Filing Date: 2014-02-25
Classification: C03B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers after they are formed in an I.S. machine, comprising: a special tempering Lehr that reheats the glass containers to increase their temperature to a temperature that is sufficiently high to obtain adequate compressive stresses in the glass containers but not so high that the glass containers may become deformed; and a cooling station that simultaneously cools the outer and inner surfaces of glass containers in the cooling station rapidly so that all of the stresses in the glass container are locked in, the cooling station comprising: wherein the bottom cooling apparatus includes a bottom cooler defining an open central aperture and an annular cooling gap located radially outwardly from the open central aperture, the bottom cooler being configured to direct cooling air from the annular cooling gap toward the glass container.