Patent GB-1211431-A (GB)
Title: Cutting glass sheets
IPC: C03B33/03
Filed: 1968-01-31
Abstract: 1,211,431. Cutting glass sheets. CENTRAL GLASS CO. Ltd. 31 Jan., 1968 [8 Feb., 1967], No. 4982/68. Heading C1M. A method for cutting glass sheets comprises the steps of forming longitudinal score lines on one face of a horizontally moving glass sheet, altering the position of the glass sheet relative to its direction of movement whilst it is maintained in the horizontal plane and snapping apart the re-positioned glass sheet along the score lines. A sheet of glass is fed on to rolls 2 of a conveyer and is brought to rest by the leading edge engaging stops 5. The stops automatically cause alignment of the front edge of the sheet beneath a plurality of cutting members 4 arranged transversely of the sheet such that the cutting lines will be formed normal to the leading edge of the sheet. Simultaneously a photoelectric switch 7 actuates the cutting unit lowering it into contact with the sheet, an air cylinder to cause retraction of the stops 5 and drive. means for the rollers 2 of the conveyer. The cutting unit comprises a plurality of pivotable angled levers 13 one end of which is attached to a retaining spring 14 connected to an adjustable stop 15. The other end of lever 13 carries a cutting head 4 and its housing 10 which is also attached to a suspension rod 16. When the switch 7 is activated a stop 23 is rotated anticlockwise to allow spring 14 to pivot the lever 13 and bring the cutting head 4 into contact with the glass. Any of the cutting heads not to be used in a given operation are made inoperative by suitably locating the head of rod 16 in a slot 18 of frame member 17. Lubricant is applied to the sheet to be scored by a wick 20. After scoring as the trailing edge of the sheet passes over switch 7 the stops 5 are raised as also are the cutting heads 4. The scored sheet is now conveyed on to a turntable 25 having two sets of rollers 26, 27 at right angles to each other with rollers 26 above rollers 27. When on table 25 the leading edge of the scored sheet actuates a switch 48 which stops rotation of rollers 26. A piston-cylinder arrangement 40 is then operated to move the two sets of rollers 26, 27 relative to one another such that the sheet becomes supported on rollers 27. A motor rotates the turntable clockwise through 90 degrees and the drive to the rollers 27 commences whereby the sheet is transferred on to rollers 49 of the snapping conveyer. When the next sheet is located on table 25 the relative positions of rolls 26 and 27 are reversed and the table rotated anti-clockwise 90 degrees. The sheet of glass with its score lines now transverse to its path of movement passes along rollers 49 which as they approach the snapper form an elevated path. Between the last two rolls the sheet passes under and in pressurized contact with a roller (50, Fig. 4). After leavng the last roll 49 the leading edge of the sheet contacts a roll 52 which makes the sheet flex on to a downwardly moving path and snaps it along a score line. The snapped-off piece is then conveyed away on rolls 49<SP>1</SP> which rotate at a faster speed than rolls 49. Finally the various pieces pass through a washing unit 54 where they are subjected to blasts of hot water and steam. A second snapping unit may precede the longitudinal scoring apparatus.