Process and apparatus for the production of light conducting fibers

A process and apparatus for producing light conducting fibers characterized by introducing multi-component glasses into a quartz glass crucible, melting the multi-component glasses, homogenizing and refining the melt, subsequently drawing the glass fiber through an opening in the base of the quartz crystal and then coating the fiber with an optically active synthetic material. During the homogenizing and refining of the melt, gas, such as dry oxygen, is introduced and passed through the melt. So that fibers of any length can be drawn, additional glass material in the form of premanufactured, highly pure glass rods are introduced into the crucible as necessary.