Improvements in the, Manufacture of Plate and other Glass,, and; . Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 4th Aug. 1892-Accepted. 19th Nov. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the, Manufacture of Plate and other Glass,, and; .
Apparatus therefor.
I, LEONARD WEST of Ravenhead St. Helens in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature. of this invention to be as follows:-
Usually, in the manufacture of plate glass and glass of finer qualities, the glass
material is fused and refined in pots. My invention relates to means of effecting
the fusion and part of the refining in tanks and completing the refining in pots.
For this purpose, I provide an annular furnace chamber in which I cause to revolve
step by step an annular turntable carrying a number of glass pots arranged on it.
At one side. I make a communication by which molten glass flows by gravity from
a tank to charge one of the pots, and I then move the turntable onwards advancing
another pot which is also charged and so on successively. The charged pots pass
round to another part of the chamber subject to a regulated teinperature until their
contents are settled and refined. I then remove each pot and cast its contents,
substituting an empty pot to be charged in its turn. In order to maintain and
regulate the temperature in the chamber, I may admit to it a portion of the hot
products of combustion from the tank.
Dated this 24th day of November 1891.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
· Improvements in the Manufacture of Plate and other Glass, and
Apparatus therefor.
I, LEONARD WEST of Ravenhead, St. Helens in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Usually, in the manufacture of plate glass and glass of the finer qualities, the
glass material is fused and refined in pots. My invention relates to means of
effecting the fusion and part of the refining in tanks and completing the refining in
pots. For this purpose, I provide an annular furnace chamber in which I cause to
revolve step by step an annular turntable carrying a number of glass pots arranged
on it.
At one side I make a communication by which molten glass flows by gravity
from a tank to charge one of the pots, and I then move the turntable onwards
advancing another pot which is also charged and so on successively. The charged
pots pass round to another part of the chamber subject to a regulated temperature
until their contents are settled and refined. I then remove each pot and cast its
contents, substituting an empty pot to be charged in its turn. In order to maintain
and regulate the temperature in the chamber, I may admit to it a portion of the
hot products of combustion from the tank.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section and Fig. 2 is a sectional
plan of part of the tank and the annular furnace arranged to operate according to
my invention. T is part of the glass melting tank, S is a spout leading from it
to charge one of the pots P a number of which are placed upon the annular
turntable A. This turntable is carried on rollers running on a circular track or
rail R and is connected by diagonals G to a ring or wheel W which is fitted to
revolve around the central column B of the furnace structure. The turntable and

page_text: pots revolve within an arched annular chamber E from which several flues F lead
to the chimney flues C. Other flues H are connected by a flue K to the producer
so that flame can be caused to circulate through the chamber E to maintain the
required heat. D D'are doors by which full pots can be withdrawn and empty
pots can be introduced. Motion may be imparted to the revolving turntable by
worm gear or otherwise, the movement being intermittent, so that there are
intervals of rest during-which a pot is being filled and other pots are being taken
out or put in.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is..
In combination with a glass tank, a furnace chamber with turntable carrying
pots, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 4th day of August 1892
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.