| CPC C03B 17/068 (2013.01) | 19 Claims |

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1. A method of manufacturing glass ribbon comprising:
feeding molten material through a minimum width of a first gap defined between a first roller and a second roller of a first pair of rollers, wherein a first pool of molten material is formed upstream from the minimum width of the first gap and the viscosity of the molten material within the first pool of molten material is from about 5 Poises to about 5,000 Poises, and wherein a ribbon of molten material exits the first gap;
producing a first fluid cushion positioned between the first roller of the first pair of rollers and the molten material passing through the first gap, wherein the first fluid cushion is produced by passing a fluid stream through each linear radial aperture of a first plurality of linear radial apertures extending through an outer wall of the first roller, each linear radial aperture of the first plurality of linear radial apertures comprising an unobstructed view of the molten material passing through the first gap, and the molten material does not contact the first roller of the first pair of rollers when passing through the first gap;
producing a second fluid cushion positioned between the second roller of the first pair of rollers and the molten material passing through the first gap, wherein the second fluid cushion is produced by passing a fluid stream through each linear radial aperture of a second plurality of linear radial apertures extending through an outer wall of the second roller, each linear radial aperture of the second plurality of linear radial apertures comprising an unobstructed view of the molten material passing through the first gap, and the molten material does not contact the second roller of the first pair of rollers when passing through the first gap; and
passing the ribbon of molten material through a minimum width of a second gap defined between a first roller and a second roller of a second pair of rollers, wherein the minimum width of the first gap is greater than the minimum width of the second gap, and wherein a second pool of molten material is formed upstream from the minimum width of the second gap and the viscosity of the molten material within the second pool of molten material is from about 10,000 Poises to about 100,000 Poises.
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