IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND WORKING OF PLATE AND OTHER GLASS
Year: 1834

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
JOSEPH GREEN, JOHN OGDIN BACCHUS, and WILLIAM GAMMON, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Glass Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the First day of September, in the fifth year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and. grant unto us, the said
George Joseph Green, John Ogdin Bacchus, and William Gammon, our
exors, adñiors, and assigns, His especial license that we, the said George
Joseph Green, John Ogdin Bacchus, and William Gammon, our exors, adñiors,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said George Joseph Green, John Ogdin
Bacchus, and William Gammon, our exors, adññiors, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England and Wales and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND WORKING
OF PLATE AND OTHER GLASS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso obliging us, the said George Joseph Green, John Ogdin Bacchus,
and William Gammon, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals,
or under the hand and seal of one of us, particularly to describe and ascertain
the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in His Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
George Joseph Green, John Ogdin Bacchus, and William Gammon, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention, and the manner in which the same is
to be performed, are fully described and ascertained in and by the following
description thereof (that is to say) :-
It is well known to glass manufacturers that in working the metal from the
pots, according to the plans now in use, there is at all times a quantity of
scum or impurities, commonly called stones or cordes, on the surface of the
metal, which renders it requisite that the same should be skimmed or raked
off from time to time; this operation not only removes the impurities, but
also much of the pure glass, which creates waste; at the same time, in the
working off the glass from such pots so skimmed, there is still required much
care, otherwise the impurities constantly rising are taken up with the glass.
Now, the object of the Invention consists in keeping a clear surface on the
metal in the pots by means of rings which, lying on the surface of the metal,
prevent the impurities which rise all around the sides of the pots from entering
into the interior of such rings, by which means the surface of metal within
the rings having been once cleared of impurities will remain clear, and thus
the metal may be drawn from the surface within the rings with but little
hazard of taking up impurities.
In order that the Invention may be fully understood, we will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of carrying the same into effect. The rings
used for the purposes of the Invention may be of a circular, oval, or any other
form, but we prefer the form to be circular, or the circle, for convenience,
may be divided into two or more parts, and they are made of the same descrip-
tion of clay that is used for the pots. These rings are to be dried and burned
(in like manner to the pots) before using. And in order to keep them as
near the middle of the surface of the metal as possible, it is desirable there
should be two or more projecting arms formed opposite each other on the
outer sides or edges of each ring, either attached or separate from the ring,
which, running against the sides of the pot, will keep the ring itself near the
middle of the pot. It will be desirable to remark, that the rings should be
of as large a diameter as will conveniently enter the mouths of the pots;
and we have used the rings of about two inches and a half thick, either with
or without a projecting rim or flanch at top, of about an inch. The first time
of placing a ring on to the surface of the metal, the pot is to be closed till
the whole is sufficiently heated, and on opening the pot for working off the
metal any impurities which may be within the ring are to be removed by
raking or skimming the same to the sides or out of the pot; and such is to
be the case should any impurities by accident arise within the ring whilst

page_text: working off the metal. But the usual tendency of the impurities are to arise
on the sides of the pot and flow inwards towards the centre. And it is with a
view to keep so much of the surface clear that the rings above described are
placed in the pots, the impurities being thereby only permitted to approach
so near the centre of the pots as to arrive at the outside of the rings, where
their further flowing towards the centre will be stopped. It will be evident
from the above description that the metal is to be constantly worked off from
the space within the ring.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, we would remark, that we do not confine our-
selves to the precise manner of constructing the rings above described, nor do
we confine ourselves to the use of the same description of clay as is used for
making the pots. At the same time, in departing from this recommendation,
it is requisite that care should be observed to have such materials as will
not chemically injure the glass and will stand the requisite degree of heat.
And we would have it understood that what we claim as the Invention com-
municated to us from abroad are the improvements in working the glass or
metal from a clear surface kept by means of rings floating on the surface
thereof, as above described.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Joseph Green, John Ogdin
Bacchus, and William Gammon, have hereunto set our hands and
seals, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.
(L.S.)
(4.3.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-seventh day of
February, in the year of our Lord 1835, the aforesaid George Joseph Green
came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged
the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
Inrolled the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.