IMPROVEMENTS IN GLASS MELTING FURNACES
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 15th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 16th Apr., 1887.
We, DAN RYLANDS, of Hope Glass Works, Stairfoot near Barnsley, in the county
of York glass bottle manufacturer; and HAMILTON LINDSAY-BUCKNALL of 127,
Leadenhall Street, London in the county of Middlesex, civil engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN GLASS MELTING FURNACES
to be as follows:-
According to our present invention we form around the blocks which constitute the
side of the tank furnace a tramway which tramway we arch over or cover over by
means of fire brick quarries in such way as to allow for the passage on this tramway
of suitably formed trucks made of iron or other suitable metal which trucks carry one
or more fire-brick slabs, on which slabs are placed moulds for receiving the molten
glass intended to form castings. The tramway referred to comes between the side of
the arch of the furnace and the blocks forming the sides or the blocks which support
the sides of the tank; thus the heat of the furnace plays direct on the arch or on the
fire-brick coverers or quarries, which coverers or quarries are thickest where the trucks
enter and are gradually reduced in thickness until the truck is nearly in position to
receive the molten glass, then becoming gradually thicker as the truck is drawn away
until the truck is drawn clear away from the furnace. At the place where the truck
receives the molten glass there need not be a quarry or coverer so that there the truck
may be completely open to the heat of the furnace. This arrangement of varying
thickness of quarries or coverers allows for the trucks to be gradually heated, the
heat becoming more intense as the trucks get into that position where the mould
receives the molten glass, after which the heat is gradually diminished by a similar
arrangement as regards the fire brick quarries or coverers.
It will be well understood that the thickness of the quarries or coverers will vary
according to the heat that may be required to bring the mould for receiving the
molten glass to the proper beat by the time that it is in position for receiving
the class.

page_text: If it is found necessary to cool off the glass castings more gradually we continue
the tramway along the outside of the furnace either lower down or around the
regenerator chamber and for a sufficient number of times around this regenerator
chamber or around the lower part of the furnace to properly graduate the cooling; or
where it is preferred and practicable the tramway may be continued upwards and
brought round in such a way that the waste heat from the furnace may be utilised to
prevent the glass casting cooling too rapidly.
This tramway arrangement we work either by means of an endless chain or by any
other suitable mechanical arrangement. The shape of the tramway will vary according
to the special shape of the furnace used.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Glass Melting Furnaces.
We DAN RYLANDS, of Hope Glass Works Stairfoot near Barnsley, in the County
of York Glass Bottle Manufacturer; and HAMILTON LINDSAY-BUCKNALL, of 127,
Leadenhall Street, London in the County of Middlesex, civil 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:-
Our invention has for its object the utilisation of the heat of Glass Melting Furnaces
for the purpose of annealing cast or other glass articles to attain which we construct
the Furnace in the following manner:
Around the outer side of the side blocks of the Tank Furnace a tramway is placed,
which tramway is arched or covered over by means of fire-block quarries or coverers
in such a way that a passage or kiln is formed. On the said tramway suitable trucks
are placed, which trucks are composed of one or more fire-brick slabs which have
placed on them the moulds for receiving the molten glass intended to form castings.
The tramway referred to comes between the side of the Furnace and the blocks
forming the sides of the Tank or part of the Furnace which contains the molten
glass.
The heat in the Furnace plays direct on to the firebrick quarries or coverers which
cover the passage or kiln and the said quarries or coverers are made thickest where
the trucks enter the passage or kiln and are gradually reduced in thickness until the
truck is nearly in position to receive the molten glass. The said quarries or coverers
then become gradually thicker until they reach the end of the Furnace where the
trucks, after passing along the tranway through the passage or kiln are drawn clear
therefrom.

page_text: At the part of the kiln where the mould on the truck receives the molten glass there
need not be a quarry or coverer over the passage or kiln so that in this particular part
of the kiln the top portion of the truck and the mould are completely exposed to the
heat of the Furnace.
The variation in the thicknesses of the quarries or coverers allows for the trucks to
be gradually heated the temperature becoming higher as the trucks progress towards
that part of the passage where the moulds receive the molten glass, after which the
temperature gradually falls as the trucks recede from said part of kiln where the
moulds receive the molten glass.
The thicknesses of the quarries or coverers vary according to the temperature that
may be required to bring the mould for receiving the molten glass to the proper heat
by the time it arrives into position for receiving the same; and the thicknesses of the
quarries or coverers also vary according to the time required for the gradual cooling
or annealing of the cast or other glass articles.
Where it is preferred to cool off the glass castings more gradually we continue the
tramway and passage or kiln along the outside of the furnace, either lower down or
around the regenerators and for a sufficient number of times around said regenerators
or around the lower part of the furnace to properly graduate the cooling. Or where
preferred and practicable the tramway and passage or kiln may be continued upwards
and brought round so that the waste heat from the Furnace is utilised for preventing
the cast or other glass articles cooling too rapidly.
Any suitable mechanical arrangement may be applied for the purpose of moving
the trucks in and out of the passage or kiln and along the tramway.
The shape of the tramway and passage or kiln will vary according to the particular
form of the Furnace.
In order to make the main features of our invention fully understood we hereunto
attach drawings of which the following is a description.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of our improvements in connection with
a Regenerative Gas Furnace taken on line at a¹ of Fig. 3 (sheet 2).
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same one half of which is on line
half on line e c of Fig. 3 (sheet 2).
and the other
Fig. 3 (sheet 2) is a transverse sectional elevation taken on line d' d' of Fig. 1.
The tramway is arranged on the outer sides of the Tank blocks band is arched or
covered over with the fire-brick quarries or coverers 7, which rest on the side-
blocks and the outer wall a of the Furnace; by this means a passage or kiln K is
formed.
On the tramway we suitable iron trucks T are placed which carry one or more fire-
brick slabs s. On these slabs s are placed moulds m which are to receive the molten
glass from the Tank F for the purpose of forming castings.
The tramway and passage or kiln K come between the sides a of the Furnace
and the blocks which constitute the sides of the Tank F, so that the flame issuing
from the Ports p and q plays direct over the arch kiln or passage K, and the heat
is conducted through the quarries, which are thickest at e where the trucks T enter
the kiln K, and are gradually reduced in thickness until the truck T arrives nearly
into position at Y for receiving the molten glass; then the quarries or coverers
become gradually thicker as the trucks T recede from Y until the end of the kiln
is reached, where the trucks T are withdrawn from the Furnace.
K
At Y, where the moulds m on the trucks T receive the molten glass, there need be
no coverer or quarry 7, over the kiln A so that as the trucks T arrive at said part of
the passage or kiln K, the moulds m together with the top portions of the trucks T
are completely exposed to the heat of the Furnace.
The arrangement hereinbefore described of varying the thicknesses of the quarries q
so that they are thickest at e where the trucks T enter the kiln K, and gradually
diminish in thickness until part Y of the kiln K is reached, (at which place a portion
of the said kiln is open at the top or uncovered to the furnace), and then the
quarries q being gradually increased in thickness until the exit end of the kiln K is

page_text: reached, causes the temperature in the kiln K to gradually increase from e to Y, and
gradually diminish from Y to .c.
The thickness of the quarries or coverers vary according to the amount of heat
required to be conducted therethrough.
The tramway and kiln K may where preferred be continued along the outside of
the furnace walls a either on the same level or lower down or around the
regenerators R. Or the tramway w and kiln K may be continued upwards and travel
along the crown of the Furnace either over or alongside thereof, so that the waste
heat of the Furnace may be utilised for the purpose of annealing the glass articles as
will be well understood.
The trucks T may be moved along the tramway w by any suitable means.
The shape of the passage or kiln K will vary according to the special form of the
Furnace.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is:
1. In Regenerative Gas Furnaces for melting glass a passage or kiln K having
firebrick quarries or coverers, which vary in thickness over which the flame in the
Furnace plays, and through which the heat thereof is conducted, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2. In Regenerative Gas Furnaces for melting glass a passage or kiln K with a
tramway running within, whereon travel trucks which carry moulds for glass
articles which are required to be gradually heated and cooled, substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
3. In combination with a Regenerative Gas Furnace for melting glass, a passage or
kiln K which comes between the side wall a and blocks of the Tank F and which
passage K is partially or wholly covered or arched over with fire-brick quarries or
which may vary in thickness substantially as described and shewn at
coverers
Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
4. In combination with a Regenerative Gas Furnace for melting glass having a
passage or kiln K, the extension of said passage or kiln K either outside the
Furnace above or below or around the regenerators, or over the top of the Furnace,
substantially as hereinbefore described and for the purpose specified.