Improvements relating to methods of and apparatus for annealing glassware

250,634. Frink, R. L. Dec. 13, 1924. Annealing-furnaces; tunnel furnaces. - Glass articles are conducted singly and spaced apart through a number of inclined heating and cooling chambers in an atmosphere travelling through the chambers under the tendency of the heated gases to rise, the direction of flow of the gases being in some chambers the same as and in other chambers opposite to the direction of travel of the articles. The chambers 1 - - 7 are arranged side by side or one above another and are connected by inclined curved runways 11 - - 16, the articles being carried by conveyer belts 8 supported by guides 9 in each chamber. The delivery end of each chamber is arranged above the receiving end of the next chamber and the runways are sufficiently inclined to allow the articles to slide down them by gravity and be picked up by the conveyer belt of the next chamber, the articles travelling through the chambers and runways 1, 11, 2, 12 - - 6, 16 to the chamber 7 from which the final discharge takes place. Doors or valves 10 are provided along each chamber to control the rate of flow of air into or out of the chambers and burners 17 regulate the temperature within the chambers. The flow of gas in the chambers 1 - - 4 is in the same direction as the travel of the articles while in the chambers 5 - - 7 it is in the opposite direction, the rate of this flow may be separately adjusted in the several chambers so that it is greater than equal to or less than the rate of travel of the articles. The air admitted to the chambers 5, 6 may be preheated and the chambers may be lined or covered with insulating material.