Patent ID: 8627686

Claim:
A below-bushing chopping process, which consists in forming chopped glass strands directly from molten glass, said molten glass having passed through orifices made in at least one bushing so as to form a plurality of filaments, said filaments being combined into at least one glass strand, said strand being drawn and directed after a sizing operation to at least one chopper designed to chop at least one strand into a plurality of chopped glass strands of desired length, and thus following a path between the bushing and the chopper, characterized in that it comprises: taking hold of at least one glass strand with at least one gripping member by movement of the gripping member toward the at least one chopper, said member movable between a first location in which it takes hold of said strand and a second location in which it releases said strand; controlling movement of the gripping member from an open position to a closed position by at least one control member; transporting the at least one gripping member by a conveying loop between the first location on the loop and a second location on the loop and remote from said first position; and moving a lever from an engaging position in which a passing of the at least one gripping member transported by the loop is in a position to secure the at least one glass strand and a non-engaging position in which the at least one gripping member transported by loop is out of position to secure the at least one glass strand; wherein the control member comprises at least one movable cam, said cam actuated by the lever and being positioned in line with said at least one glass strand, said cam being provided with a guiding surface, wherein said gripping member is arranged to move from a closed position to an open position upon contact with said guidance surface.