摘要 |
An adjustable seal (20) for an access opening (58) of a furnace (12) including a horizontal conveyor (30) for conveying glass sheets within the furnace heating chamber. The adjustable seal (20) includes an elongated ceramic seal member (60) of fused silica having a rotational axis about which a support (62) rotatably mounts the seal member above the access opening (58) of the furnace. An elongated sealing portion (64) of the seal member (60) moves toward and away from the plane of conveyance upon rotation of the seal member to thereby control the size of the opening. The ceramic seal member (60) preferably includes a pair of round ends (66) having associated end caps (80) and a pair of bearings (68) for mounting the end caps. An intermediate section (70) between the round ends has an outer surface including a partially circular surface (72) and a flat surface (74) which have a junction defining the sealing portion (64). The adjustable seal (20) can be used at both entrance and exit ends of the furnace but has particular utility at the exit end when utilized in a tempering system adjacent its quench unit to thereby prevent quenching air from entering the furnace.
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