AN IMPROVED MODE OF FLATTENING CYLINDER GLASS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Walenn, of 46, Regent Street,
London, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF FLATTENING CYLINDER GLASS."-A commu-
nication from William Penn Walter, of Philadelphia, State of Penn-
sylvania United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Henry Walenn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 5th November 1855, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY WALENN, of No. 46, Regent Street, London, in the County of Middle-
sex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE
OF FLATTENING CYLINDER GLASS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant
unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters
Patent for the same, and have made solemn declaration that the said In-
vention is a communication from William Penn Walter, of Philadelphia,
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Walenn, do hereby
declare that the following complete Specification under my hand and seal fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-

page_text: The said Invention consists in flattening the glass cylinder by a flattening
instrument constructed with wings, as herein-after described, which is inserted
into the the cylinder with the wings closed while the cylinder is in the
flattening furnace, and as the glass becomes soft from heat has its wings
spread out, thus causing the cylinder of glass to assume a form having flat
sides.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which Fig. 1
is a side view of the instrument, representing it closed and inserted in a
cylinder, which is represented in red outline; Fig. 2 is another side view of
the instrument, representing it open or spread; Fig. 3 is an end view of the
instrument and cylinder in a condition corresponding with Fig. 1; and Fig. 4,
an end view of the instrument in a condition corresponding with Fig. 2,
shewing the cylinder flattened out. Similar letters of reference 'indicate
corresponding parts in the several Figures.
The flattening instrument is made of iron or steel, or other suitable metal.
It is composed of a central rod or shaft a, and two side or 'wing pieces 'b, b,
which are connected therewith by a number of rods c, c, which are all of
equal length, and jointed, so as to be capable of swinging towards and from the
rod. These two side or wing pieces are also connected by rods d, d, with a
slide fitted to the rod or shaft a. By moving the slide e upon the rod or
shaft a,. the rods d, d, are caused to force apart or draw together, or in other
words to expand and contract, the side or wing pieces b, b, at the will of the
operator, the said pieces being "kept parallel”
'parallel with the central rod or shaft by
the rods c, c.
The operation of flattening a cylinder is performed as follows:-The cylinder
to be flattened is gradually heated in a flattening furnace or kiln, such as is
usually employed, or of 'any suitable construction, and as soon as it is suffi-
ciently heated, the flattening instrument properly contracted is put into it, and
the cylinder allowed to rest or hang upon one of the side or wing pieces b'till 'it
is softened by heat. The operator then pushes with one hand the slide e, and -
pulls with the other the rod a, thus causing the side or wing pieces b; b, to
expand, at the same time turning the instrument as may be necessary to cause
all parts of the cylinder to be equally heated, which is essential to the flatten-
ing of the glass properly, thus extending the cylinder till two flat-sides are
produced. As soon as the flat sides are produced, 'the operator removes the
glass to the annealing oven, where it is annealed in the usual 'manner.
1
It will be observed, by reference to Figs. 1 and 2, 'that the slide e has' two
collars fand' g. The instrument may be expanded by resting the slide
between these collars on a suitable bar at the front of the flattening furnace,

page_text: and pulling or pushing the rod a; or similar collars may be put at the other
end of the rod a, and the instrument be expanded by pulling or pushing the
slide e; but I prefer the first-mentioned way as most convenient. Instead
of having only two expanding wings b, b, three may be used, placed at equal
distances apart around the rod or shaft a. This arrangement would cause the
cylinder to have three flat sides formed, or to assume the form of a triangle.
The flat sides produced by this process are separated or made into single sheets
by cutting out the portions which have been bent round the wings b, b.
One advantage of this mode of flattening glass is, that the glass retains its
original brilliancy and polish of surface. Glass flattened in the usual way is
generally burned and made rough upon its surface, and is always more or less
"cockled," or of a wavy uneven surface; and in order to make the surface as
good as when it came from the hands of the blower, it. must be ground,
smoothed, and polished, which is an expensive operation. Another advantage
is, that the expensive apparatus, such as flattening stones and carriages, are
dispensed with. I am aware that other methods have been employed of
extending glass cylinders into an oblong shape, like that represented in red
cutline in Fig. 4 of the Drawing, and therefore do not claim the extension of
the cylinder to a form having flat sides.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of the said improvements.
in the mode of flattening cylinder glass, I desire it to be distinctly understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein described, as such may
be varied or modified without departing from the principle of action thereof;
likewise I do not confine myself to the strict figure or form of any apparatus
or portions of apparatus herein described; but I claim as new and of my
Invention, the forming of the cylinder glass into an oblong or other shape,
having two or more flat sides by means of a flattening instrument, constructed
and operating substantially like that herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Walenn, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
.
WILLIAM HENRY WALENN. (L.S.)
Witness,
A. TOLHAUSEN,
7, Duke Str., Adelphi.