IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN SMOOTHING PLATE GLASS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Windle Pilkington, of St. Helens, in the County
of Lancaster, Glass Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN SMOOTHING PLATE GLASS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Windle Pilkington
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th March 1880.
WILLIAM WINDLE PILKINGTON, of St. Helens, in the County of Lancaster, Glass
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN SMOOTHING PLATE
GLASS."
This relates to smoothing apparatus in which the runner is actuated through a
crank and connecting rod, and controlled by a radius rod.
The main objection to apparatus of that kind, as heretofore used, has been that
the glass plates forming the surface of the runner have moved successively over
exactly the same curvilinear paths, and hence the plates being smoothed have been
left with uneven surfaces.
For
Now the object of my Invention is to avoid the formation of unevennesses.
that purpose I have devised mechanism whereby there is imparted to the runner
motions varying at intervals or continuously the travel of the runner during
smoothing.
Convenient apparatus is provided by placing an excentric or crank at either end
of the radius rod, but by preference at the pillar end, and automatically actuating
the same. When an excentric is used a ratchet wheel and pawls, or their
equivalents, are suitable agents for altering the excentricity at the desired intervals.
And when a crank is employed a worm wheel and gearing are suitable.
It will be evident that other mechanism than the excentrics and cranks above
described may be used to bring about the desired alteration of lateral travel of the
runner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Windle Pilkington in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th September 1880.
WILLIAM WINDLE PILKINGTON, of St. Helens, in the County of Lancaster, Glass
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN SMOOTHING PLATE
GLASS."
This relates to smoothing apparatus in which the runner is actuated through a
crank and connecting rod, and controlled by a radius rod.
The main objection to apparatus of that kind, as heretofore used, has been that
the glass plates forming the surface of the runner have moved successively over
exactly the same curvilinear paths, and hence the plates being smoothed have been
left with uneven surfaces.
For
Now the object of my Invention is to avoid the formation of unevennesses.
that purpose I have devised mechanism whereby there is imparted to the runner
motions varying at intervals or continuously the travel of the runner during
smoothing.
Convenient apparatus is provided by placing an excentric or crank at either end
of the radius rod, but by preference at the pillar end, and automatically actuating
the same. When an excentric is used a ratchet wheel and pawls, or their
equivalents, are suitable agents for altering the excentricity at the desired intervals. 2
And when a crank is employed a worm wheel and gearing are suitable.
It will be evident that other mechanism than the excentrics and cranks above
described may be used to bring about the desired alteration of lateral travel of the
Fig. 1 is a plan view of apparatus constructed under my Invention; a is the
glass to be smoothed, supported on a bed of any usual or desired construction; b is
the runner for smoothing the glass; c, crank actuated by any convenient power for
giving motion through the connecting rod d to the runner b; e, radius rod for
controlling the motion of the runner. The said radius rod is connected at one end
to the rod d and at-the other to the excentric through the strap g. The excentric f
is formed with, or has attached thereto, the ratchet wheel h, and both are free to
revolve around the fixed pin i. j, pawl on the radius rod d; the said pawl by
means of the oscillation of the said radius rod gives intermittent rotary motion to
the wheel h and excentric f. The motion of the said wheel and excentric varies
the centre of oscillation of the radius rod, and consequently the path of the runner;
k, pawl for preventing the ratchet wheel h from turning back.
Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3, a side view, and Fig. 4, an end view of so much
of apparatus for smoothing glass as shows a modification of mechanism for varying
the centre of oscillation of the radius rod; 1, radius rod; m, pin on which the said
radius rod oscillates. The pin m is secured to the disc n free to rotate on the
shaft o.
The said disc n is formed with worm wheel teeth p and receives motion
from the worm q. The worm q is operated through the ratchet wheel r and link
and pawls s, actuated by the oscillation of the radius rod l. As the disc n revolves
it carries with it the pin m, and varies the centre of oscillation of the radius rod,
the path of travel of the runner being thereby altered.
Instead of the pin m being secured to a revolving disc it might be attached to a
rack, or other suitable means might be used for varying the position of the pin m.

page_text: Having now described and illustrated the said Invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim,-
Imparting a varying motion to the runner of glass smoothing apparatus by
appliances substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Windle Pilkington, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. W. PILKINGTON. · (L.S.)