Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Cleaning Sheets of Glass.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Cleaning
Sheets of Glass.
I ALFRED HUGH HARMAN, of the Britannia Works, Ilford, in the County of
Essex, Manufacturer of Dry Plates, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the method of cleaning
sheets of glass.
My invention consists of a series of rollers or travelling bands, or of rollers and
bands combined, suitably mounted; over which the glass is caused to travel; the
sheets of glass being supplied to the machine either from a hopper containing a
number of sheets of glass laid one upon another, so as to be successively fed to the
machine; or the glass may be fed to the machine in single sheets by hand.
The sheets of glass are then operated upon by a cylindrical brush, revolving at
a high rate of speed whereby all grit and dust is removed from the glass.
The glass is then operated upon by a series of rubbers or brushes, or rubbers and
brushes in combination, fed with a mixture of whiting or rouge, or other analogous
material; after which another series of rubbers or brushes, or rubbers and brushes in
combination, fed with sprays of water, are applied; whereby all traces of the previous
mixture are removed.
Dad 15 D1000
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Cleaning
Sheets of Glass.
I ALFRED HUGH HARMAN, of the Britannia Works, Ilford in the County of
Essex, Manufacturer of Dry Plates, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the method of cleaning
sheets of glass, and in apparatus for effecting the same.
My invention consists of a series of rollers or travelling bands, or of rollers and
bands combined, suitably mounted, over and between which the glass is caused to
travel, the sheets of glass being supplied to the machine either from a hopper con-
taining a number of sheets of glass laid one upon another, so as to be successively
fed to the machine; or the glass may be fed to the machine in single sheets by
hand.
The sheets of glass are then operated upon by a cylindrical brush, revolving at a
high rate of speed, whereby all grit and dust is removed from the glass.
The glass is next operated upon by a series of rubbers or brushes, or rubbers and
brushes in combination, fed with a mixture of whiting or rouge, or other analogous
material; after which another series of rubbers or brushes, or rubbers and brushes
in combination, fed with sprays of water, are applied; whereby all traces of the
previous mixture are removed.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and
ascertained reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1. is an elevation showing the method of sustaining the sheets of glass upon a

page_text: number of rollers placed very near together; and Fig. 2 is an elevation showing
the method of sustaining the sheets_of_glass_upou a series of bands.stretched upon
rollers.
The
Referring to Fig. 1, a a are a series of rollers mounted in any suitable manner,
and geared so as to revolve at the same speed in the direction of the arrow.
rollers are made rather longer than the width of the sheets of glass to be cleaned. The
rollers a¹a' are fitted with an endloss band b upon which the sheets of glass are laid
either by hand or from a hopper, or by other suitable means. cc are rollers fitted to rest
upon the upper surfaces of the travelling sheets of glass. These rollers are free to
revolve upon their axes, and are intended to prevent the shoets of glass rising upon one
another. d is a cylindrical dry brush, fitted diagonally to the path of motion and
caused to rotate at a high speed, to brush away grit and dirt from the surface of the
glass. e is a wet cylindrical brush revolving at a high rate of speed, for the purpose
of cleaning the underside of the glass. g is a cistern containing whiting and water,
or rouge and water, fitted with a pipe and regulating tap g', through which the mixture
falls on to the glass sheets as they travol along. f are two rubbers, mounted upon
vertical axes (eccentrically) which distribute the mixture equally upon the surfaces of
the plates. hh are jets of water falling upon the surfaces of the glasses. The
eccentrically mounted rubbers f¹f complete the cleansing of the plates, and the
water is allowed to drain away as the plates travel over the rollers a³, which are fitfed
with rubber rings.
The only difference of the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 from that shown in Fig. 1
is, that the plates are sustained upon bands bb instead of a continuous line of
rollers. The bands bb are kept taut by means of adjustable rollers kk, which may
be assisted by weights, springs, or other well known means. The bands and rollers
may be otherwise fitted. m is a draining slab which may be substituted for the
rollers a shown in Fig. 1.
It is obvious that the number of rollers, brushes, rubbers and other parts of the
apparatus may be varied, and that other variations may be made without departing
from the principle of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The method of cleaning sheets of glass, by causing the same to travel under,
over, or between revolving brushes, rubbers, or analogous appliances, substantially
as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The manufacture and use of apparatus for cleaning sheets of glass, constructed
arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
3. The general construction, arrangement, and combination of the several and
respective parts together constituting my invention of improvements in the method
of and in apparatus for cleaning sheets of glass, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
1000
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.