IMPROVEMENTS IN GLASS FURNACES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Paul at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th April 1880.
ROBERT PAUL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Glass Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GLASS FURNACES."
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of glass, or the melting of the
materials forming it in a continuous manner, and so that the glass may be always
obtained for working in a fine und homogeneous condition, and free from stones or
unmelted ingredients.
In carrying out the Invention, according to one modification, two tanks are con-
structed with the chambers or spaces over them separated from each other by a
vertical partition; or the roofing or enclosure over each tank may be quite distinct,
the tanks being however contiguous or back to back. One of the tanks, which
may be termed the melting tank, is heated by means of a furnace constructed at
the middle of the front, that is, opposite to the back or side which is contiguous to
the other tank, and this furnace and its communication with the tank chamber are
by preference constructed and arranged as described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to the present applicant and William Sanderson, and dated 11 March
1875 (No. 808). Doors or openings are provided at the sides of the furnace for
introducing the materials, and a bench is by preference constructed in the tank
upon which to place the materials, and from which they flow down as they become
melted. The fine or thoroughly melted "metal," which as is well known descends
to the bottom of the melting tank, finds its way thence through one or more
passages formed for the purpose at the bottom of the partition between the two
tanks, and enters the second or working tank in a finished condition, and free from
unmelted ingredients. The working tank is heated either by a furnace at the
middle of its front or outer side, the working holes being in that case arranged at
the sides; or by two smaller furnaces constructed one at each side, and with their
bridge flues by preference directed obliquely and partly towards the front, the
working holes being in this case arranged at the front.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Paul in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th October
1880.
ROBERT PAUL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Glass Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GLASS FURNACES."
My said Invention has for its object the manufacture of glass, or, in other words,
the melting and combining of the materials forming it in a continuous manner, and
so that the glass may be always obtained for working-in-a-fine-and-homogeneous
condition, and free from stones or unmelted ingredients.
In carrying out my Invention two tanks or tank compartments are employed,
these tanks communicating with cach other by one or more passages at or near their
bottoms, which are at about the same level. One tank or compartment is for
melting and combining the materials, and the other is for working the glass, which
passes continuously into it from the first. The spaces above the tanks are separated
by a wall or partition, and the tanks are heated by separate furnaces. In the melting
tank there is by preference a bench, or raised table, or ledge, upon which the
materials to form the glass are first put, and from which they flow down as they
become melted.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto append two Sheets of explanatory Drawings;
to be hereinafter referred to, and representing two modifications of glass furnaces as
made with my improvements.
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings are a horizontal and
a vertical section of one modification of my improved glass furnaces, and Figure 3
on Sheet 2 is a horizontal section of a second modification. In these Drawings tho 2
samo reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are
repeated.
In the modification shown in Figures 1 and 2 the glass furnace is constructed
with two tank chambers 4, 5, the bottoms or tanks and the walls and roofings being
formed of the materials usually employed for glass furnaces in which the glass is 3
made in tanks. The tank chambers 4, 5, are rectangular in form, and are placed
back to back; they may be separated by a single partition wall, but I prefer to
have double walls 6 between them, with an intervening air space to prevent over-
heating. The melting tank 4 is heated by means of a furnace 7 constructed at the
middle of the front, that is, opposite to the back or side 6 which is contiguous to 3
the other tank 5, and this furnace 7 and its flue 8 communicating with the tank
chamber 4 aro by preferenco constructed and arranged as shown in the Figures, and
as described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me and William
Sanderson, and dated 11 March 1875 (No. 898). Doors or openings 9 are provided
at the sides of the furnace 7 for introducing the materials, and a bench or table 10
is by preference constructed in the tank chamber 4, upon which to place the
materials. Upon this bench 10, which is directly under the inlet flue 8 into the
chamber, the materials receive the intense initial heating action of the fire gases,
and as the materials become melted they flow down off the bench 10 into the lower
part of the tank. Doors or openings 11 are provided at the narrow sides of the 4
tank chamber 4 for the introduction of instruments for stirring and mixing the
melted materials; and at the inner corners of the tank chamber 4 vertical outlet
flues or chimneys 12 are constructed for the egress of the fire gases, the openings
into these chimneys 12 being placed so that the gases are drawn off close down to
tho surface of the glass or "metal," as described in the earlier Specification herein- 5
before referred to.
The fine or thoroughly melted metal, which as is well known descends to the
bottom of the melting tank 4, finds its way thence through one or more passages 13

page_text: at the bottom of the partition or walls 6 between the two tanks, and enters the
working tank 5 in a finished condition, and free from unmelted ingredients.
The working tank 5 is heated by a furnace 14 at the front of its middle or outer
side, the working holes 15 being at the sides, and the outlet flues or chimneys 16
for the egress of the fire gases being at the inner corners.
The modification shown in Figure 3 differs from that shown in Figures 1 and 2,
and hereinbefore described, in having the working tank 5 heated by two smaller
furnaces 17 at the sides (instead of a single larger one 14 at the front), and in having
the working holes 15 at the front or outer side. The exit flues or chimneys are also
a little changed in position.
The furnaces 7, 14, 17, shown are for burning coal in the ordinary way, but what
are known as gas furnace arrangements may be substituted if desired.
Having thus particularly described 'my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details
herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and original and
claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The constructing of a glass furnace with two tank chambers, in one of which
the materials are melted, and from the bottom of which the fine metal proceeds by
a passage or passages to the second or working chamber, the chambers being sepa-
rately heated, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2. The constructing of the melting chamber of a glass furnace having a separate
working chamber with a bench or raised platform (10) upon which the materials
are first put, and from which they flow down as they become melted, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Paul, have hereunto set my hand and
scal, this Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
ROBERT PAUL. (LS.)