Patent ID: 7302814

Claim:
An apparatus for producing an optical fiber preform using MCVD (Modified Chemical Vapor Deposition) that deposits deposition compositions on an inner surface of a substrate tube by heating an outer surface of the substrate tube supported by a horizontal lathe with the use of a main heat source moving along the horizontal lathe, the apparatus comprising: an additional supporting device including a substrate tube additionally supporting part for supporting the substrate tube in a load direction in contact with the substrate tube, a vertical transport member for transporting the substrate tube additionally supporting part perpendicularly to an axial direction of the substrate tube, and a horizontal transport member for transporting the vertical transport member to the axial direction; a main heat source location detecting sensor for detecting a location of the main heat source; a supporting location control sensor for detecting a location of the additional supporting device when the additional supporting device reaches a predetermined supporting location of the axial direction; and an additional supporting device control part for receiving a signal indicative of the location of the main heat source from the main heat source location detecting sensor and then moving the additional supporting device using the horizontal transport member, the additional supporting device control part controlling the vertical transport member to raise the substrate tube additionally supporting part perpendicularly to the axial direction and thus support the substrate tube.