SYSTEM FOR SUPPLYING RAW MATERIAL, METHOD FOR SUPPLYING RAW MATERIAL, AND APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING GLASS PLATE

摘要

The present invention relates to a system for supplying raw materials which includes a hopper for storing raw glass material; a transfer pan for transferring, to a glass melting bath, the raw glass material dropped from the hopper; and a reciprocating mechanism for reciprocating the transfer pan to and from the glass melting bath. The system is adapted to include a cutter movable between a cutting position in the raw glass material on the transfer pan and a standby position above the raw glass material on the transfer pan; and an insertion member to be inserted into the raw glass material on the transfer pan. The system is further adapted such that as the transfer pan is moved forward, the insertion member relatively divides the raw glass material on the transfer pan into a plurality of groups of the raw material which are arranged in the direction of width of the transfer pan; and as the transfer pan is moved backward, the cutter at the cutting position causes at least part of each group of the raw material on the transfer pan to be relatively pushed from the transfer pan and thereby charged into the glass melting bath.