Patent ID: 8132427

Claim:
A method for preventing gas from occupying a spray nozzle used in quenching a sheet of hot glass during a scoring process, comprising: providing a source of pressurized quenching liquid, a main liquid supply line leading from said pressurized quenching liquid source, a spray nozzle including a body having a nozzle passageway in communication with said main liquid supply line, and a tip connected to said nozzle body in communication with said nozzle passageway, said tip having an orifice adapted to release a jet of said quenching liquid, and a gas removal device adapted to remove gas from said quenching liquid; removing gas from said quenching liquid using said gas removal device to prevent said gas from occupying said spray nozzle; spraying a jet of said quenching liquid through said tip orifice onto said sheet during a scoring process without interruption in said jet; and shutting off said jet of said quenching liquid without a substantial time delay once said scoring process is complete, wherein said gas removal device comprises a purge opening at an upper location of said spray nozzle in fluid communication with said nozzle passageway; a purge line leading from said purge opening to a discharge location remote from said nozzle purging gas in said nozzle, a primary valve disposed in said main liquid supply line and a secondary valve disposed between said spray nozzle and said discharge location; said method further comprising removing said gas by opening said secondary valve and directing said liquid through said purge opening and along said purge line to said discharge location.