Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Glass.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Glass.
We, HOMER BROOKE, Manufacturer, of 40 Linden Avenue, Jersey City, County
of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, and JOHN CHIDSEY GROUT, Gentleman, of
483 Franklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, County of Kings and State of New York, both
in the United States of America, 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:-
I will describe my invention in detail, and then point out the novel features in
a claim.
In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of one
end of a tank furnace and appurtenances used in my improvement. Figure 2 is
a horizontal section of the same. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrat-
ing a modification. Figure 4 is a central vertical section of a crucible and
appurtenances embodying my improvement. Figure 5 is a view similar to
Figure 4 showing another modification. Similar letters of reference designate
corresponding parts in all figures.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, A designates a tank furnace which may be
made of the usual materials and of any appropriate construction, except as herein-
after explained. In its side wall or walls it is provided with openings a which
serve to permit of the escape of the products of combustion from the furnace after
passing over the surface of the molten glass contained therein.
I provide a number of outlets B for the discharge of glass in a molten state.
These may be coincident with the escape openings a, but they need not bear this
relation to the escape openings, but may be on a lower level. In this example of
my improvement I have shown these outlets B as in the form of tubes or pipes.
As shown in this example of my improvement they constitute siphons passing
freely through the escape openings a. The outer portions are shown as having
lugs 6 to which are attached chains C passing around pulleys e, and adapted to be
adjusted by hand or otherwise for the purpose of elevating the outer portions of
the siphons. To lower the outer portions of the siphons, it will only be necessary
to slacken the chains, for gravity will then make the desired adjustment.
In this example of my improvement I have shown a chamber D formed around
the outer portion of the outlets 1B, which is represented in detail. The purpose of
this chamber is to facilitate heating the outer portion of the outlets so as to promote
the flow of glass. Where the outlets are in the form of longitudinally adjustable
tubes or siphens, the flow may be stopped by simply elevating the outer portions.
It will be seen that in the chamber D opposite the outer extremity of the
outlet B, is an opening d through which may be introduced any device which is
to be supplied with glass.
In Figure 2 I have illustrated that the escape openings may project outwardly
and be provided with outwardly or inwardly turned flanges a¹, and that where
they have inwardly turned flanges they may be made to engage with outwardly
extended flanges or collars b¹ upon the outlets B. Of course these flanges at when
turned inwardly would limit the upward movement as well as the outward move-

page_text: ment of the outlets where these are made in the form of longitudinally adjustable
tubes. Obviously, these flanges must not be continuous diaphragms obstructing
the escape openings a. A suitable construction is illustrated near the right hand
end of Figure 1, and another is shown in said figure at the next escape opening
to the left.
The escape openings are shown as projecting outwardly from the body of the
tank furnace, so as to be somewhat removed from the heat; and this is for the
purpose of insuring that a certain quantity of glass placed in the escape openings
shall be in a plastic condition, and not in a fluid condition. This condition of the
glass in the openings is utilized for the purpose of securing some of the conduits B
to the tank, said conduits being seated or embedded in the plastic glass, whereby
an elastic connection is made between the conduits and the tank furnace which
permits of raising or lowering said conduits to control the flow of the molter
glass.
It will be seen that the outlets B made in the form of siphons are, in this example
of my improvement, below the top of the molten glass and above the bottom of
the tank containing it. This is important in order that the settlings at the
bottom may not be drawn off, and also that the scum at the top shall be left, to
say nothing of the advantage of taking the glass from that portion of the tank
where it is most uniformly molten.
In Figure 3 I have shown that a siphon outlet may be made by forming one
portion integral with the tank and turning its inner extremity upwards, so that
it will take glass from the proper point in the tank, and that the outer section
alone may be adjustable up and down to control the flow of the molten glass.
B in this example of my improvement is that part of the siphon which is in
the tank, and 12 the adjustable section outside. A convex end on one part
engaging with a concave end upon the other will make a serviceable joint. The
adjustable part will preferably he supported in a yoke or cross piece B³ in such
manner as to permit of its adjustment up and down. Exposure of the joint to the
air may be utilized to effect such chilling of the glass that it will not flow out, but
will form a packing, without solidifying so as to interfere with the adjustment of
the outer section of the outlet, and without checking the outward flow of the
glass. I may also utilize this packing of plastic glass around or under the
conduits Bo obtain an elastic connection between said conduits and the tank
furnace; and, in fact, I desire to cover the use of a hot plastic glass wherever it
is used to effect an elastic union between two parts, one or both of which is
maintained in a heated condition.
Here the outlets are entirely below the level of the escape openings, and con-
sequently, although made in the form of siphons, do not have the function of
siphons while the proper level of glass is maintained. Nevertheless, upon the
lowering of the level of glass, they would have the function of siphons. The
raising of the level of the molten glass at any time would fill them so that they
could, upon the lowering of the molten glass, operate as siphons.
In Figure 4 I have shown my improvement applied to a crucible in substantially
the same way that it is applied to a tank furnace in Figure 3. It will be seen
that the opening at is above the outlet consisting of the sections 135, 16.
Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 except that the joint between the two parts of
the outlet is made inside the crucible instead of outside.
By my improvement I am able to remove glass from the most desirable part
of the contents of a furnace or crucible, and also to discharge it with any desired
control. Thus, I may discharge it at any desired flow upon the end of a blow pipe
or rod, with the advantage of depositing it on exactly that portion where it is
desired and not elsewhere, and in proper quantity.
The outlets may, of course,
be used for discharging glass into molds or into any
devices where it is to remain, or over a flat surface to produce plates of glass.
In using the term tube or pipe as constituting an outlet, I mean to include not
merely complete tubes or complete pipes, but any segments of tubes or pipes, or

page_text: any gutters of any kind answering the same purpose, or any structure which is
for part of its length a complete tube or pipe, and in part a gutter.
When I speak in the specification and claims of adjusting the conduit, I mean
both adjusting the whole thereof as in Figures 1 and 2, or a section as in
Figures 3, 4 and 5.
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. The combination of a device for containing glass in a molten state, an outlet
thereto in the form of a projecting conduit, a connection of glass between the
conduit and the containing device and means for maintaining the glass connection
plastic, substantially as specified.
2. A device for containing glass in a molten state, an outlet thereto in the form of
a projecting conduit, said outlet being free from any internal obstruction and pro-
vided with means for adjusting its outer end, and means for maintaining said
conduit hot to permit the flow of molten glass therethrough, substantially as
specified.
3. A device containing glass in a molten state, an outlet thereto in the form of a
projecting conduit, said outlet being free from any internal obstruction and pro-
vided with means for adjusting its outer end, a connection of glass between said
conduit and containing device, and means for maintaining the glass connection
plastic, substantially a specified.
4. A device for containing glass in a molten state, an outlet in the form of a
projecting conduit, said outlet being free from any internal obstruction and pro-
vided with means for adjusting its outer end, and flanges on said device engaging
the projecting conduit, substantially as specified.
5. A device for containing glass in a molten state having an outlet in the form
of a conduit made in two sections, the inner one having its end above the bottom
of the device and the outer one being adjustable, said outlet being free from any
internal obstruction and provided with means for adjusting its outer end, and
means for maintaining said conduit hot to permit the flow of glass therethrough,
substantially as specified.
6. The combination with a device for containing glass in a molten state, of an
outlet in the form of a conduit, said conduit being free from any internal obstruc-
tion, means for adjusting the outer end of said conduit, and a heating chamber for
the projecting portion of said conduit, substantially as specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.