Used for the Melting of Glass.
Year: 1887

page_text: Used for the Melting of Glass.
I PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by the Société Anonyme des
Manufactures de Glaces Verres, Vitres &c., of Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium)
to be as follows
The invention relates to an apparatus designed for the purpose of superseding the
manual labour usually employed in removing and replacing the crucibles or pots in
the furnace in the process of melting and casting glass or other substances.
The apparatus consists of a frame mounted on wheels adapted to move independently
of each other and having above each a suitable worm and gear apparatus or other
means for easily turning them in any direction. The frame carries suitable upright
portions which form the supports for an inverted cylinder operated by steam, com-
pressed air, hydraulic pressure, or other means, and form also guides for the piston
rod which carries and operates an inner moveable frame. This moveable frame
carries on either side small inverted cylinders operated by suitable power, the piston
rods of which by means of cranks are adapted to turn a barrel or cylinder having upon
its face spiral grooves carrying two chains of such length that when wound in the
grooves they each occupy one half the length of the barrel. Below this cylinder is a
second smaller cylinder or roller which as well as the upper grooved one is carried in
the moveable frame. The arms of the tongs or carrier are placed between these
rollers, and the crucible being gripped by the tongs is raised by the movement of the
piston in the main cylinder pressing down the frame carrying the rollers. The pressure
being maintained, the supplementary cylinders are brought into operation and through
their piston rods and cranks turn the grooved barrel. The end of one of the chains
being fixed to this and the other end to the tongs above the pivot, the movement of
the barrel draws the tongs and the crucible from the furnace, the motion of the chain
roller is then stopped and the pressure in the cylinder diminished so as to deposit the

page_text: crucible upon a truck or wherever desired, the tongs being then opened and the
crucible released. The reverse motion is employed to place a crucible in the furnace
for which purpose a suitable reversing gear is provided for the small cylinders. One
chain is fixed to the tongs above the pivot, the other to the handle of the tongs, the
arrangement being such that as one chain unrolls, the other is rolled up.
As the tongs advance to grip the crucible the chain which is acting and being
rolled пр is that attached to the handle of the tongs, while that which effects the
removal of the crucible from the furnace unrolls and follows the motion of the pivot
towards the furnace.
As the apparatus can only act on the line which the crucible must follow on its
removal from the furnace, its position must be altered to move the next one, and for
this purpose the wheels are mounted as described.
If necessary means may be employed to take the shock or impact of the main
piston.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Handling Crucibles such as those
Used for the Melting of Glass.
I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention (a communication to me from abroad by the Société Anonyme des
Manufactures de Glaces Verres Vitres &c. of Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium)
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement
-
The invention relates to an apparatus designed for the purpose of superseding the
manual labour usually employed in removing and replacing the crucibles or pots in
the furnace in the process of melting and casting glass or other substances.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and in which :-
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation partly in section, and-
Fig. 2 an end elevation of the apparatus.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts in either figure.
The apparatus consists in the first place of a frame B, mounted on wheels R, R.
Each of these wheels is so arranged that it can be turned in any direction independently
of the others. To effect this, each wheel is mounted in a vertical forked frame C,
provided with a vertical spindle A, having a worm wheel H, keyed thereon. By
means of the handles D, and worm I, gearing into the worm wheels H, any of the
wheels R, can be set and retained in any desired position independently of the
others. By this construction the wheels can be set to admit of the frame being moved
freely in any direction that may be desired.
The frame B, carries suitable uprights, G, which serve as supports for the
cylinder E, and also as guides for the frame K, attached to piston rod r. The
cylinder E, is provided with a piston P, and with a piston rod r, and is operated by
steam, compressed air, hydraulic pressure or other means. The supply and exhaust
pipes as well as the valves and gear for controlling the operating fluid are not shown.
Connected to the piston rod r, and operated thereby is the movable frame K, which
is guided in a vertical direction by the guide bars L, running in suitable grooves in
the guides G. This frame K, carries the barrel M, and also the smaller cylinder O.
The barrel M, is grooved to receive two chains which are fastened to the barrel and
wound thereon in opposite directions, each occupying half the length of the barrel.
By this arrangement any rotation of the barrel M, causes one chain to be payed off
the barrel at the same rate that the other is wound on.
The barrel M, is operated from the pair of inverted cylinders c, c, through the
agency of the pistons p, p, piston rods t, t, connecting rods b, b, and cranks m, m,
the latter of which are keyed on the shaft of barrel M, at right angles to each
other. The cylinders c, c, are rigidly attached to the movable frame K, so that they
rise and fall with the barrel M. As in the case of the cylinder E, the cylinders c, c,
are operated by steam compressed air, hydraulic pressure, or other means.

page_text: Suitable link motion or other reversing gear is fitted to the cylinders c, c, and this
together with the supply and exhaust pipes are not shown in the drawings.
O, is a smaller barrel or cylinder also attached to the movable frame K. Its
surface is smooth and the space between it and M, is intended to receive the arms or
end Y of the usual tongs or carrier T, by which the crucible is to be handled.
The method of using the apparatus is as follows:-
The crucible being gripped or seized by the tongs, the arms or end Y of same is
placed in the space between the barrels M and O, the piston P, and with it the
frame K, and barrels M. and O, being in their raised position. The end of one of
the chains fixed to barrel M, is attached to the tongs T, above the pivot or at the
point U, the other end being attached to the arms or end Y, and sufficient pressure
being applied to the upper surface of the piston P, the roller M, will depress the arms
of the tongs and will thereby raise the crucible from its bed. The pressure in
cylinder E, being maintained, the barrel M, is caused to rotate in the proper
direction and so withdraws the tongs and crucible from the furnace. When the
crucible is entirely withdrawn, the motion of the barrel M, is stopped and the
pressure in the cylinder E, diminished so as to deposit the crucible upon a truck or
wherever desired, the tongs being then opened and the crucible released.
The reverse motion is employed to place a crucible in the furnace.
As the tongs
advance with the crucible, the chain which is acting and being rolled up is that
attached to the handle or end Y, of the tongs, while that which effects the removal of
the crucible from the furnace unrolls and follows the motion of the pivot U, towards
the furnace. As the apparatus can only act on the line which the crucible must
follow on its removal from the furnace, its position must be altered to move the next
one, and for this purpose the wheels are mounted as described.
If necessary, means may be employed (as for instance a hydraulic controlling
cylinder) to deaden the shock or impact arising from the momentum of the piston P,
and its attachments. It will be evident also that the barrel M, instead of being
driven directly by the cylinders c, c, may be driven through the agency of spur or
worm gearing if preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents; I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for handling crucibles, the combination of a pressure cylinder
such as E, with a chain-barrel such as M, capable of being rotated by cylinders c, c,
or by other means, the whole carried on a suitable frame or carriage and adapted to
act on the crucible tongs or carrier in such a way that the vertical motion of the
chain barrel serves to lift or lower the crucible, while the rotation of the chain barrel
serves to move the crucible backwards and forwards, all substantially as set forth.
2. In an apparatus for handling crucibles, the chain barrel M, capable of being
moved vertically and also rotated in either direction by fluid pressure or other motive
power and provided with two chains by means of which the crucible tongs may be
moved backwards and forwards substantially as set forth.
3. In an apparatus for handling crucibles, a frame or carriage as B, mounted on
wheels which may be independently turned in any direction by suitable gear so
that the apparatus can be readily moved in any direction, substantially as described.
4. The general arrangement of parts forming the improved apparatus for handling
crucibles such as those used for the melting of glass, substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of Santambar 1887