AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BLOWING GLASS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Smith, of Salford, in the County of Lan-
caster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
FOR BLOWING GLASS."
Sealed the 3rd August 1875, and dated the 6th February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by the said Walter Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th February 1875.
I, WALTER SMITH, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
5 declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
AND APPARATUS FOR BLOWING GLASS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a method of blowing glass, wherein the glass
is blown by means of air compressed into a suitable vessel by means of a
fan or air pump, instead of being blown by the breath from the lungs of
the workman.
In any convenient situation

page_text: to be capable of expansion and contraction (like a gasometer or a smith's
bellows, for instance), and weighted to give the amount of pressure
required. The fan or air pump, which is worked by steam or other
power, keeps this vessel constantly supplied with air, and a safety or
cscape valve is so applied to the vessel that if the quantity or pressure
of air increases beyond a certain limit, the valve will open and allow the
same to escape. Thus a quantity of compressed air at a given pressure
is always kept stored up in this reservoir ready for use, and from this
vessel a main pipe passes along the ceiling or roof of the workshop above
where the glassblowers stand. From this main pipe a series of elastic
tubes hang down, one within reach of the hand of each workman, and
these elastic tubes are so constructed that so long as they are allowed to
remain in their normal position no escape of air takes place, but as soon
as they are drawn down by the workman to apply to the glass-blowing
tube the compressed air escapes, and performs the office of the work-
man's lungs to assist in forming the article being blown. Thus the
workmen themselves are greatly relieved, and the pressure is at all times
even and regular.
The elastic tube can be formed in a variety of ways for this purpose.
For instance, the interior of the tube may be formed with a self-closing
throat, which always remains closed so long as the tube is in its normal
position, but whenever the tube is stretched lengthwise the throat opens
and the air escapes; or an internal valve may be made to act in a
similar manner; or, if preferred, it may be fitted with a valve which is
self-closing, and is opened by the workman pressing on a thumb piece
in catching hold of the tube. In this latter case the tube need only be
flexible and not elastic.
The workman gathers the glass on the end of his tube and mani-
pulates it in the ordinary manner, with this exception, that when any
blowing is required, instead of blowing into the tube with his breath he
applies the end of the elastic or flexible tube to the glass-blowing tube,
and thus utilizes the compressed air stored up in the vessel or receptacle
above referred to. .

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Walter Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
SMITH, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Walter Smith Her special licence that
I, the said Walter Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Walter Smith, my executors, admini-
strators, 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 "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR BLOWING GLASS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Walter Smith, 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 Walter Smith, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to
say :-
This Invention relates to a method of blowing glass, wherein the glass
is blown by means of air compressed into a suitable vessel by means of a
fan or air pump, instead of being blown by the breath from the lungs of
the workman.

page_text: In any convenient situation in or near the workshop I place a vessel
or receptacle for the compressed air, such vessel being so constructed as
<to be capable of expansion or contraction (like a gasometer or smith's
bellows,) for instance, and weighted to give the amount of pressure
required. The fan or air pump, which is worked by steam or other
power, keeps this vessel constantly supplied with air, and a safety or
escape valve is so applied that if the quantity or pressure of air increases
beyond a certain limit the valve will open and allow the same to escape.
Thus a quantity of compressed air at a given pressure is always kept
stored up in this reservoir ready for use, and from this vessel a main
pipe passes along the ceiling or roof of the workshop above where the
glassblowers stand. From this main pipe a series of elastic tubes hang
down, one within the reach of each workman, and these elastic tubės
are so constructed that so long as they are allowed to remain in their
normal position no escape of air takes place, but as soon as they are
drawn by the workman to apply to the glass-blowing tube the com-
pressed air escapes, and performs the office of the workman's lungs
to assist in forming the article being blown. Thus the workmen them-
selves are greatly relieved, and the pressure is at all times even and
regular.
The elastic tube can be formed in a variety of ways for this purpose.
For instance, the interior may be formed with a self-closing, which
always remains closed so long as the tube is in its normal position, but
whenever the tube is stretched lengthwise the throat opens and the air
escapes; or an internal valve may be made to act in a similar manner;
or, if preferred, it may be fitted with a valve which is self-closing, and
is opened by the workman pressing on a thumb piece in catching hold
of the tube. In this latter case the tube need only be flexible and not
elastic.
The workman gathers the glass on the end of his tube and mani-
pulates it in the ordinary manner, with this exception, that when any
blowing is required, instead of blowing into the tube with his breath he
applies the end of the elastic or flexible tube to the glass-blowing tube,
and thus utilises the compressed air stored up in the vessel or receptacle
above referred to.
+
And in order that my Invention may be more completely understood,
reference is given to the accompanying Sheet of Drawing, and to the
letters of reference marked there

page_text: apped thereto.
Figure 2, a plan of my Invention.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 shew respectively a longitudinal section, clevation,
and plan of a slide valve for regulating the pressure of air or wind to be
passed to the blow pipe.
Figures 6 and 7, a plan and elevation of a tap for the same purpose.
Figures 8 and 9, elevations of another arrangement of valves for the
same.
In any convenient situation in or near the glasshouse or workshop I
place a vessel or receptacle a for the compressed air. This vessel or
receptacle a may be so constructed when preferred as to be capable of
expansion or contraction (like a gasometer or smith's bellows, for
instance), and weighted to give the pressure required; but instead of
the vessel or receptacle a being capable of expansion or contraction it
may be formed similar to an ordinary boiler, and provided with a safety
or escape valve 6 for the purpose of letting off the unnecessary pressure.
For the purpose of giving the required pressure of air or wind a fan,
air pump, or other equivalent means may be employed, the air being
transmitted thereto from the fan, air pump, or other equivalent means
through pipe or tube c. By this arrangement a quantity of compressed
air at a given pressure may be always kept stored up ready for use, and
from this vessel or recptacle a the main pipes or tubes & are carried
round the glasshouse or workshop, as shewn above, where the glass-
blower stands. From this main pipe or tube d a series of pipes or
tubes e, which may be elastic, hang down in reach of each workman.
These pipes or tubes e. may be so constructed that so long as they
remain in their normal position no escape of air or wind takes place, but
as soon as they are drawn down by the workman to apply to the glass-
blowing tube the compressed air escapes, and performs the office of the.
workman's lungs to assist in forming the articles being blown. Thus the
workmen are greatly relieved, and the pressure is at all times even and
regular. But I prefer using either of the valves shewn at Figures 3, 4,
5 6 and 7

page_text: Figures 3, 4, and 5 represent a slide valve as follows:-I provide the
box f, having a cover g. Within the box f is fitted so as to slide freely
the slide valve h, which is provided with the airway i. The valve
spindles are attached thereto, and passed through each end of the
box f, as shewn. The air passes from the tube or pipe K to the glass-
blowing tube m when the holes are brought opposite each other, as
shewn by dotted lines, this being done by pressing at the handle n on
the spindle J in the direction of arrow. When the handle n is let loose
the slide valve is shut off, as shewn on Drawing, this self-acting
motion being imparted by the spiral spring o.
Figures 6 and 7 is a taper tap of ordinary construction provided with a
self-acting closing arrangement. In order to open the tap for the
passage of air the moveable arm or lever p is compressed towards the
fixed arm q. In order to stop the passage of air through the tap the
attendant takes his hand off the arms p and I, and ceases to compress
them when the lever p separates immediately from the arm q by means
of the spiral spring r. Any convenient valve, self-acting or otherwise,
may be used for this purpose.
As an instance I have shewn another arrangement of valve at Figures 8
and 9. 1 is a mouth-piece, which is composed by preference of vul-
canized india-rubber, which is fitted into an elastic pipe or tube 2. On
the exterior of the pipe or tube 2 I provide a ring 3, having the eyes or
loops 4, on which are hung the plates 5, which are loose at the ends 6.
By pressing the loose ends 6 of the plates 5 the valve or mouth-piece 1
opens at 7, through which the air or wind is admitted into the pipe or a
tube 8, thence to the blow pipe in the direction of arrows, as shewn.
The pressure being taken off the plates 5, the mouth 7 of the mouth-
piece on valve 1 closes, and stops the passage of the air or wind.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and shewn by
Drawings how the same may be carried into practice, I would bave it a
understood that I do not limit myself to the exact limits, details, or con-
figuration of the various part I have explained and shewn, as the same
may be varied or modified without in any way departing from my In-
vention, but what I do claim and desire to be secured to me by Letters
Patent is,-
Firstly. The arrangement, construction, and combination of the various

page_text: Secondly. The means employed for regulating the pressure, substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
WALTER SMITH. (L.S.)