Patent ID: 8171754

Claim:
A cooling flange for a glass fiber forming apparatus including a bushing block holding a supply of molten glass, and a bushing in flow communication with said bushing block and having a plurality of orifices therein for the extraction of glass fibers from said bushing, the cooling flange comprising: an inner flange portion formed from a first material and being connected to said bushing to transmit heat from said bushing and said bushing block into said inner flange portion, said inner flange portion extending around a perimeter of said bushing at an interface between said bushing and said bushing block; an outer flange portion formed from a second material and being in a heat transfer relationship with said inner flange portion to receive heat therefrom, said outer portion extending around a perimeter of said inner flange portion; and a cooling tube affixed to said outer flange portion to circulate a cooling fluid therethrough and reduce a temperature of said outer flange portion below a temperature at which said molten glass solidifies and form a thermal seal between said outer flange portion and said bushing block to prevent molten glass from leaking past said bushing block, wherein said first material is a precious metal alloy and said second material is a non-precious metal alloy.