IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PLATE GLASS, AND IN FURNACES EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Walter Swinburne, of South Shields, in the
County of Durham, Plate Glass Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PLATE GLASS, AND IN FURNACES
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed tho 12th July 1861, and dated the 16th January 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Walter Swinburne
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th January 1861.
I, ROBERT WALTER SWINBURNE, of South Shields, in the County of Durham,
Plate Glass Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PLATE GLASS, AND IN FURNACES
EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
My first improvement consists in the construction of furnaces for melting or
firing materials for the manufacture of plate glass, which furnaces are con-
structed after the fashion of reverberatory furnaces, but the fire is placed at each
side, and at one end of the furnace, and not in the middle, as is now usually
practised, and the cisterns, cuvettes, or other vessels for melting the glass
material being placed in the middle of the furnace are entirely surrounded
by flame.
My second improvement consists in a new mode of casting plate glass.

page_text: For this purpose I construct a furnace capable of receiving the large pots
usually employed in the manufacture of crown or sheet glass. I place them
at such a distance from each other as will admit one or more cisterns or
movable pots to stand between them; these stand at such an elevation that
their brims or edges are level with the brims or edges of the large pots adjoin-
ing which they stand. These cisterns or movable pots are filled with "metal" or
melted glass from the large pots by means of ladles, and when filled are removed
to the casting table, whereon their contents are thrown to be rolled into plate
glass. The mode of removing them and emptying their contents on the casting
table is the special object of this part of my Invention. This is done by means
of a carriage consisting of a forceps on wheels, which is run up to the front
of the furnace to remove the cistern by clasping it with the two prongs of tho
forceps in the way usual in the manufacture of plate glass. The cistern by
means of this carriage is moved to the casting table, and there its contents are
cast on the table without removal of the cistern from the carriage, which is so
constructed that it can hold the cistern suspended over the table at the proper
place, and give it the necessary inclination, so that the metal it contains can be
properly distributed. By this I obviate the necessity of using the "cranes,"
'slings," or other instruments now in use for casting glass from cisterns.
My Invention also consists in the employment of a knife or cutter let into
the casting table for the purpose of cutting off the rounded or "crop" ends
from the plates as they are cast.
Again, in the manufacture of plate glass, instead of putting the plate into
the piling kiln direct as is usually done, I put it into a small preparatory kiln,
where the plate is kept at, for a few minutes, a higher temperature than could
be obtained in the piling kiln if it went direct into it. If in the process of
casting the plate becomes twisted or crooked, it is pressed down and flattened
in the preliminary kiln, where it is pushed through a hole into the piling kiln.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Walter Swinburne in the Great Seal Patent Office 30
on the 16th July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WALTER SWINBURNE, of South Shields, in the County of Durham, Plate Glass
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 85
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Walter Swinburne, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
Walter Swinburne, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Robert Walter Swinburne, 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 MANUFACTURE OF PLATE GLASS, AND IN
FURNACES EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Robert Walter Swinburne, 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 Robert Walter Swinburne, 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 fol-
lowing statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :-
My first improvement consists in the construction of furnaces for melting or
firing materials for the manufacture of plate glass, which furnaces are con-
structed after the fashion of reverberatory furnaces, but the fire, or a portion
of it, is so placed that the entire cistern, cuvette, or other vessel in which the
glass is melted is entirely surrounded with flame.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a plan of a furnace constructed in
this manner. a is the siege or seat for the cisterns, cuvettes, or vessels; b,b,b,b,
are the grates or fire-places placed in this instance at the four corners of the
furnace; but I do not limit myself to any particular form of furnace, or to the
position the fire-places occupy, provided the cisterns or pots are enveloped in
flame during the process of founding.
My second improvement consists in a new mode of casting plate glass.
For this purpose I construct a furnace capable of receiving the large pots
usually employed in the manufacture of crown or sheet glass. I place them
at such a distance from each other as will admit one or more cisterns or
movable pots to stand between them; these stand at such an elevation that
their brims or edges are level with the brims or edges of the large pots adjoin-

page_text: ing which they stand. These cisterns or movable pots are filled with "metal"
or melted glass from the large pots by means of ladles, and when filled are
removed to the casting table, whereon their contents are thrown to be rolled
into plate glass. The mode of removing them and emptying their contents on
the casting table is the special object of this part of my Invention. This is done
by means of a carriage, consisting of a forceps on wheels, which is run up to the
front of the furnace to remove a cistern by clasping it with the two prongs of
the forceps in the way usual in the manufacture of plate glass. On this
carriage the cistern is moved to the casting table, and its contents are cast or
thrown thereon without its removal from the carriage, which is so constructed
that it can hold the cistern suspended over the table at the proper place, and
allow of the metal being poured out and properly distributed without the em-
ployment of "cranes," "slings," or other instruments now in use for casting
glass from cisterns.
Figure 2 is a side elevation, and Figure 3 a plan, of this carriage and
forceps. a, a, are the arms or shanks of the forceps terminating in prongs and
handles b, b,; the arm a is connected to the axle c, on which the wheels d, d,
are mounted, and the arm a' is secured to the same axle, but capable of being
released when required; c is a plate secured to the arm a, and passing through
a slot in the arm a'; a pin is inserted in one of the holes formed in the plate
for adjusting the distance at which the arms are to be held apart; f is a balanco
weight. To use the forceps, place the prongs b, b, in the furnace, and remove
one of the cisterns, wheel it to the casting table, release one arm of the forceps
from the axle, and tilt the cistern and forceps upon the other arm of the forceps
resting upon the axle, whereby the contents of the cistern will be distributed
over the casting table. I do not limit myself to the precise means of turning
the forceps upon the axle, as the forceps may be otherwise turned.
My Invention also consists in the employment of a knife or cutter let into
the casting table for the purpose of cutting off the rounded or "crop" ends
from the plates as they are cast. This knife consists of a blade of iron or steel,
sharpened at the edge, and standing above the surface of the table at an eleva-
tion equal to the thickness of the glass. The roller used in forming the glass
into a plate presses it over the edge of the knife, which cuts the glass as
desired.
Again, in the manufacture of plate glass, instead of putting the plate into
the piling kiln direct, as is usually done, I put it into a small preparatory kiln,
where the plate is kept at, for a few minutes, a higher temperature than could
be attained in the piling kiln if it went direct into it. If in the process of
casting the plate becomes twisted or crooked, it is pressed down and flattened

page_text: in the preliminary kiln, where it is pushed through a hole into the piling
kiln.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my improve-
ments in the manufacture of plate glass, and in furnaces employed therein,-
First, constructing furnaces in such manner that the cisterns or pots are
enveloped or surrounded by flame during the process of founding, as herein-
before described.
Second, the mode of casting plate glass by the employment of a carriage
and forceps, constructed and acting substantially in manner herein-before
described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
And, third, the employment of a knife or cutter for cutting off the rounded
or "crop" ends from the plates as they are cast.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Walter Swinburne, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-one.
K. W. SWINBURNE. (LS.)