Patent ID: 8650908

Claim:
A method of thermally strengthening glass containers on a conveyor belt subsequent to the completed forming of the glass containers in the hot end of a glass container manufacturing line, the method comprising: following the completion of the glass container molding process, reheating 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 while the glass containers are located on the conveyor belt, simultaneously cooling the outer and inner surfaces of the glass containers rapidly so that all of the stresses in the glass containers are locked in, wherein cooling the inner surfaces of the glass containers includes inserting a cooling tube into the interiors of the glass containers to deliver cooling air into the interiors of the glass containers and wherein cooling the outer surfaces of the glass containers includes directing cooling air through the conveyor belt onto the bottom of the glass containers.