The Indiana State sentinel., 1894-11-14

Ine manufacture or glass mas pro-
gressed so rapidly in the last Twelve
years that 1t may now pertinently be
asked, What cannot be done with this
material? VI. Henrivaux a prominent
French manufacturer and an original
and enthusiastic inventor, has recently
proved, by means of a veritable museum
of curious samples. that everything is be-
coming possible to the modern glassmak-
er. Even conducting pipes of large di-
ameter have been made of it, tiles, drains,
tubes. curtains, furniture, chimneys and
even houses. Glass is now Blown me-
chanically. NJ. L. Appert, vice-presdent
Of the society Of civil engineers, some
years ago substituted for the human
breath an injection of compressed air.
This was a great advance in the per-
fecting OF giassmaking. The work of
blowing was painful and injurious to the
health Of the workman. Today it is the
machine which blows. while human lungs
rest. As this machine has the breath of
giant, it has become very easy to
manufacture objects of great size. This
industry has been still further revolu-
tionized by mechanical molding.
This was formerly done by placing the
glass, which had been made plastic ~
heat, between two metallic surfaces. But
these surfaces cooled so quickly, and tho
glass with them, that IL was impossible
TO obtain large pieces. Mr.. Appert wen.
resolutely to work to find some way OF
molding while the glass was in a mat
leable condition, so that larger pieces
could be made At a short distance from
the melting oven Is fixed 4 post, 10 which
a vertical mold is attached. which opens in
two or three places. on hinges. This mold
Is of very thick cast iron and retains the
heat. A vertical core moved by a machine
crosses the mold from side to side. The
melted glass Is poured into this mold ili
suitable quantities. The core is turned
rapidly, driving the glass againSt the
walls of the mold and compelling 1t to
take the impressions. Several molds are
grouped and form a battery. If pipes are
to be nodded q length of two meters IS
given TO each one; the battery is COM
prised of eight molds and cores; these
easily perform fifteen operations in an
hour and produce thirty meters of pipe,
which, with the waste, gives production
Of 500 meters a day.
BY this method glass pipes are pro-
duced which rival those of sandstone and
even of cast iron, and which have the ad-
vantage of not being affected by the soil.
The resistance of glass is very great.
Glass slabs can easily support carriages
of great weight, and champagne bottles
are veritable explosive machines charged
with Il pressure Of twenty-five atmos-
phereS For certain experiments IN pnyS-
les, gas with a pressure of 100 atmos-
pheres has been sometimes placed in glass
tubes. NJ. HenrivauX hopes to have
house made entirely of glass as one Of
the sights OF the next international eX-
position. The walls will be constructed
OF an iron skeleton on which viii be
placed slabs Of glass in such q manner
as to form a double wall in the interior
of which hot air Will be circulated in
winter, and in summer compressed air,
which will cool the walls. The roof will
be of glass on a network Of iron, and also
the walls and the staircases. As glass
lends itself readily to all kinds of deco
rations, brick, marble and other materials
can be readily initiated. Flat surfaces
are being manufactured which are very
pretty. On one of the surfaces are shown,
in relief, various designs obtained at the
moment of cooling by the action of a
stamping roller. These can be gilded or
silvered in various combinations. They
are to be used In decorating walls and
ceilings. 1t is said that there will soon
be glass hangings and tapestries. NJ.
Henrivaux draws on glass with an alum
inum pencil. The metal remains on the
glass and the designs appear in very
soft tones.