IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION . OF CRUCIBLES OR POTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Bolton, of Warrington, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
.
OF CRUCIBLES OR POTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS AND OTHER
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 17th January 1871, and dated the 11th November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Bolton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 11th November 1870.
I, EDWARD BOLTON, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF CRUCIBLES OR POTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS AND
OTHER MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
In the ordinary method of manufacturing flint glass each crucible or
pot is charged separately with the material and then closed and sub-
mitted to the action of the furnace for about thirty-six hours before the
glass (or "metal," as it is called) is sufficiently melted, and in a proper
state for working. The crucible or pot is then opened and the metal

page_text: worked out. Hence the time when the metal is melting (that is, about
thirty-six hours for each potful of glass) is entirely lost.
The object of my Invention is so to construct the crucibles or pots that
the melting and working shall be continuous and both be carried on at
the same time, and hence a great saving in time and fuel will be
effected.
•
I divide the interior of the pot or crucible into two separate and
distinct halves or chambers by means of a division or wall in the centre
from top to bottom, and instead of having only one mouth or opening to
the pot I have two, one to each chamber. This division or wall is not
quite entire, but is provided with a narrow slit or aperture at or near the
bottom, forming a means of communicating between the two chambers,
so that the "metal" can flow from the first or supply chamber to the
other or delivery chamber. I make the mouths of the ordinary
horseshoe shape with hoods round the top and side and provide them
with suitable stoppers, that for the supply chamber being furnished
with a small gas hole, and that for the delivery chamber with the usual
working orifice according to the size and nature of the objects to be
made.
The method of using and working with these pots or crucibles is as
follows: The supply side being charged with the material and stopped
in the usual manner and the crucible submitted to the action of the
furnace, the metal as it melts and becomes fluid runs through the
slit or aperture in the division or wall into the second or delivery
chamber. The supply of material to the first chamber is kept up from
time to time as may be required, and the “metal" is worked from the
second or delivery chamber, and hence the first chamber being charged
from time to time (say, every three, six, or twelve hours, as the case may
be) there is a continual flow and supply of the melted "metal" into the
second chamber, and the operation may be kept up continuously for any
required length of time, without the necessity, as at present, of wholly
refilling the pots or crucibles, and then stopping them up altogether to
melt, and thus losing the use of these pots to warm and work at, and also
the supply of "metal" from them during the melting period, usually
about thirty-six hours.
It will be evident that the system of making the pots or crucibles with
chamkom communionting keening un the sunnly in one and working

page_text: from the other, is equally applicable to melting plate, crown, bottle,
and other description of glass, and that it might also be used with
advantage for other purposes, such as in melting brass, tin, or other
metal, and in fusing wax, resin, or other similar substances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent;
filed by the said Edward Bolton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BOLTON, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Bolton, Her special
license, that I, the said Edward Bolton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Bolton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF CRUCIBLES OR POTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS AND
OTHER MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edward Bolton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Bolton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):
. In the ordinary method of manufacturing flint glass each crucible or
pot is charged separately with the material and then closed and sub-
:―

page_text: mitted to the action of the furnace for about thirty-six hours before the
glass (or "metal," as it is called) is sufficiently melted and in a proper
state for working. The crucible or pot is then opened and the metal
worked out. Hence the time when the metal is melting (that is, about
thirty-six hours for each potful of glass) is entirely lost.
The object of my Invention is so to construct the crucibles or pots
that the melting and working shall be continuous and both be carried
on at the same time, and hence a great saving in time and fuel will be
effected.
I divide the interior of the pot or crucible into two separate and
distinct halves or chambers by means of a division or wall in the centre
from top to bottom, and instead of having only one mouth or opening
to the pot I have two, one to each chamber. This division or wall is
not quite entire, but is provided with a narrow slit or aperture at or
near the bottom, forming a means of communicating between the
two chambers, so that the metal can flow from the first or supply
chamber to the other or delivery chamber. I make the mouths of the
ordinary horseshoe shape, with hoods round the top and side, and pro-
vide them with suitable stoppers, that for the supply chamber being.
furnished with a small gas hole and that for the delivery chamber with
the usual working orifice according to the size and nature of the objects
to be made.
The method of using and working with these pots or crucibles is.as
follows: The supply side being charged with the material and stopped
in the usual manner and the crucible submitted to the action of the
furnace, the metal as it melts and becomes fluid runs through the slit or
aperture in the division or wall into the second or delivery chamber. The
supply of material to the first chamber is kept up from time to time as
may be required, and the "metal" is worked from the second or
delivery chamber, and hence the first chamber being charged from time
to time (say every three, six, or twelve hours, as the case may he) there
is a continual flow and supply of the melted "metal" into the second
chamber, and the operation may be kept up continuously for any required
length of time without the necessity as at present of wholly refilling the
pots or crucibles and then stopping them up altogether to melt; and thus
losing the use of these pots to warm and work at, and also the supply
of "metal" from them during the melting period, usually about thirty-
six hours.

page_text: It will be evident that this system of making the pots or crucibles
with two chambers communicating, keeping up the supply in one and
working from the other, is equally applicable to melting plate, crown,.
bottle, and other descriptions of glass, and that it might also be used.
with advantage for other purposes, such as in melting brass, tin, or other
metal, and in fusing wax, Teşin, or other similar substances.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improve-
ments in the Construction of Crucibles or Pots used in the Manufacture
of Glass and other Materials," I will now procced to describe more in
detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly
understood I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative
thereof, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference
corresponding with those in the following explanation thereof:-
In the annexed Drawing Fig. 1 is an external elevation of a doublo
pot or crucible for melting flint glass made according to my Invention ;
Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one chamber of the same, and Fig. 3
is a cross section in the opposite direction.
a, a, represents the body of the pot or crucible, the interior of which
is divided into two chambers by the wall or division b, b. Each chamber
is provided with a separate mouth c, c, covered by a hood d, d, and
closed by a stopper e, e. It will be seen that the wall or division b, b,
is not entire, but is provided at or near the bottom with a narrow slit or
crevice, through which the metal can flow from one chamber into
the other, as previously described.
It will be evident that the application of this. Invention will give a
continual supply of metal, whilst constantly retaining the use of the
pots to work at and with suitable furnaces will reduce Sunday work, and
to a great extent economise fuel.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I
claim as my Invention, the construction of crucibles or pots used in the
manufacture of glass and other materials, having two separate chambers
formed by an internal wall or division, provided with a narrow slit or

page_text: crevice, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
particularly set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Bolton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one..
Witnessed by
JOHN HUGHES,
Clerk to George Davies, C.E.,.
Office for Patents,,
Manchester..
EDWP. BOLTON. (L.S.).