OR IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR ROLLING GLASS
Year: 1884

page_text: We FREDERICK MASON of No 5 Grange Terrace Ryhope Road near Sunderland
Smith and JOHN CONQUEROR of N° 3 Albany Terraco Hendon Sunderland Glass-
maker do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR ROLLING GLASS" to be as follows:-
The rolling of glass into sheets has hitherto been effected in the following
manner The molten glass is poured onto a flat horizontal iron tablo on which aro
placed near its sides adjustable and removeable metal strips of a height equal to
the thickness of the sheet of glass to be made.
A heavy iron roller the ends of which bear on the metal strips described is
passed over the molten glass thoreby spreading it on the table into a sheet of
uniform thickness the width of the shect being regulated by adjustable guides
propelled with the glass along the table.
This the ordinary method of manufacture has the following disadvantages
namely that the surface of the glass which has been in contact with the iron table
is without brilliancy a portion of one end of tho sheet is wasto owing to tho
chilling effect of the table and the first action of the roll upon the molten glass
the first cost of the apparatus is great and its use is attended with great current
expense.
Our invention has for its object to obviate these disadvantages and consists of
machinery for rolling glass which said machinery is constructed arranged and
worked in the following manner.
Wo mount on a portable frame a pair of smooth cylindrical iron rolls one above
the other the axes of the said rolls aro horizontal and are situated in a plane
somewhat inclined to a vertical plane as hereinafter more particularly explained.
The said rolls are geared together so as to rotato with the same velocity in
opposite directions.
They are driven by steam or other motive power and aro provided with the
ordinary appliances for adjusting them at the required distanco apart.
In front of the rolls that is at the side at which anything introduced between
the rolls is carried forward by them and delivered from between them at the
opposite side is an inclined plate adjustable and removeable the lower edge of
which is nearly in contact with the upper part of the lower roll. This inclined
plate has a breadth equal to the length of the rolls. The glass is received upon
the lower roll and by the motion of the said lower roll is carried forward and
seized between the two rolls and delivered from between them on to the table
hereinafter described,

page_text: The upper roll is in advance of the lower roll that is the plane in which the axes
of the rolls are situated is inclined as hereinbefore pointed out the upper part of
the said plane being more distant from the front of the rolls than the lower part.
At the back of the rolls that is the side at which anything carried forward between
the rolls is delivered is an inclined table adjustable and removeable of a width
equal to the length of the rolls the upper edge of the said table being nearly in
contact with the upper part of the lower roll.
The said machinery is used as follows. The rolls having been adjusted at the
proper distance apart to produce a sheet of glass of the required thickness a
suitable quantity of molten glass to produce the required sheet is transferred from
the melting pot by means of a lathe or otherwise to the inclined plate in front of
the rolls.
The molten glass runs from the inclined plate onto the lower roll and the rolls
being in motion in the required direction the said glass is carried between the two
rolls and emerges at the back of the rolls in the form of a sheet of the required
thickness and bright on both sides. The sheet is received on the inclined table at
the back of the rolls along which table it is conducted from the rolls and trans-
ferred to the flattening and annealing kiln. The rolls and their axes may be made
hollow for the purpose of permitting of the introduction of heating or cooling
media as may be found desirable and the inclined plate on which the molten glass
is placed on its transference from the melting pot may be covered by a hood and
provided on its underside with a casing or jacket in which heating or cooling
imedia may be introduced as required. The inclined table on which the rolled
glass is received may also be provided with a similar hood or jacket or both.
The inclined plate on which the molten glass is deposited is provided with metal
guides to regulate the width of the sheet of glass to be made.
Rolls of different sizes may be employed in the manufacture of sheets of different
sizes and thicknesses and the machine may be supported on rollers or castors for
facilitating its removal from place to place."
One or both rolls may have on them any required pattern or patterns the
counterpart of which will be impressed on one or both sides of the sheet of glass
by the rolling process.,
Dated this 30th day of January 1885.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
We FREDERICK MASON of N° 6 Grange Terrace, Ryhope Road near Sunderland
Smith and JOHN CONQUEROR of No 3 Albany Terrace, Hendon, Sunderland
Glassmaker do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR ROLLING GLASS" and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The rolling of glass into sheets has hitherto been effected in the following
manner. The molten glass is poured onto a flat horizontal iron table on which are
placed near its sides adjustable and removable metal strips of a height equal to the
thickness of the sheet of glass to be made.
A heavy iron roller the ends of which bear on the metal strips described is
passed over the molten glass thereby spreading it on the table into a sheet of
uniform thickness the width of the sheet being regulated by adjustable guides
propelled with the glass along the table. This the ordinary method of manufacture
has the following disadvantages namely that the surface of the glass which has
been in contact with the iron table is without brilliancy, a portion of one end of
the sheet is waste owing to the chilling effect of the table and the first action
of the roll upon the molten glass; the first cost of the apparatus is considerable
and its use is attended with great current expense.
Our invention has for its object to obviate these disadvantages and consists of
machinery for rolling glass which said machinery is constructed, arranged and
worked in the following manner.
We mount on a portable frame a pair of smooth cylindrical adjustable iron rolls
one above the other; the axes of the said rolls are horizontal and are situated in
a plane somewhat inclined to a vertical plane as hereinafter more particularly
explained.
The said rolls are geared together so as to rotate with the same velocity in
opposite directions.
They are driven by hand or by steam or other motive power and are provided
with appliances for adjusting them at the required distance apart.
In front of the rolls, that is, at the side at which anything introduced between
the rolls is carried forward by them and delivered from between them at the
opposite side, is an inclined plate adjustable and removable provided with metal
guides hereinafter mentioned, the lower edge of which is nearly in contact with
and has the same curvature as the upper part of the lower roll. This inclined
plate has a breadth very nearly equal to the length of the rolls. The glass is
received upon the lower roll and by the motion of the said lower roll is carried
forward and seized between the two rolls and delivered from between them onto
the table hereinafter described.
The upper roll is in advance of the lower roll, that is, the plane in which the
axes of the rolls are situated is inclined as herein before pointed out, the upper part
of the said plane being more distant from the front of the rolls than the lower
part. At the back of the rolls, that is, the side at which anything carried
forward between the rolls is delivered, is an inclined table, adjustable and
removable, of a width nearly equal to the length of the rolls, the upper edge of

page_text: the said table being nearly in contact with the upper part of the lower roll.
The edge of this plate has the curvature of the part of the roll with which it is
nearly in contact.
"
The said machinery is used as follows:—The rolls having been adjusted at the
proper distance apart to produce a sheet of glass of the required thickness and the
guides having been placed on the front plate and adjusted to the required width
a suitable quantity of molten glass to produce a sheet of the size and thickness
required is transferred from the melting pot by means of a ladle or otherwise to
the inclined plate in front of the rolls and deposited inside the guides. The molten
glass runs from the inclined plate between the guides onto the lower roll and the
rolls being in motion in the required direction the said glass is carried between
the two rolls and emerges at the back of the rolls in the form of a sheet of the
required size and thickness and bright on both sides; the molten glass in its course
down the inclined plate may be directed and the rear part of the stream shaped
by a metallic "ferret or hoe like instrument. The sheet is received on the
inclined table at the back of the rolls along which table it is conducted from the
rolls and is passed either directly to the annealing and piling kiln over the inclined
table or passed from the inclined table over a cooling plate or turntable and thence
to the kiln where if necessary it can be rubbed down. The sheet may be gently
pulled forward with tongs if necessary to promote its motion on or over the
inclined table. The table on which the sheet of glass is received may be horizontal
instead of inclined. The rolls and their axes may be made hollow for the purposo
of permitting of the introduction of heating or cooling media as may be found
desirable and the inclined plate on which the molten glass is placed on its
transference from the melting pot may be covered by a hood and provided on
its underside with a casing or jacket in which heating or cooling media may be
introduced as required. The inclined or horizontal table on which the rolled glass
is received may also be provided with a similar hood or jacket or both; as may
also the cooling plate or turntable aforesaid.
"
The inclined plate on which the molten glass is deposited is provided with
removable adjustable metal guides to regulate the width of the sheet of glass to be
made and to keep the molten glass within proper working limits. Rolls of different
sizes may be employed in the manufacture of sheets of different sizes and thick-
nesses and the machine may be supported on rollers or castors for facilitating its
removal from place to place.
One or both rolls may have on them any required pattern or patterns the
counter-part of which will be impressed on one or both sides of the sheet of glass
by the rolling process.
Our Invention is applicable to the manufacture of sheets of coloured as well as
uncoloured glass and also to the manufacture of opaque or semi-opaque sheets of
glass both white and coloured.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in end elevation; Figure 2
in vertical section and Figure 3 in plan a machine constructed according to our
invention. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts.
a and b are the rolls of equal diameter, the axes a², 6ª of which work in
bearings c, d in the uprights or framing of the machine, the distance between the
said rolls being regulated by the screws and hand wheels e, f. The said rolls are
not immediately over one another the upper roll being in advance of the lower
roll, that is, the axes of the said rolls are situated in a plane at right angles or
nearly so to the face of the plate g herein after referred to.
One end of each of the axes a², 62 carries a toothed wheel a³ ³ which toothed
wheels are geared together as seen in Figure 1. The rolls a, b are driven by
means of the large hand wheels x, x the axis or spindle of which carries a pinion y
which pinion gears with the toothed wheel b³. On giving motion to the hand
wheels x, x, a slow motion is communicated through the pinion y and toothed
wheels b³, as to the rolls a, b which are thus made to rotate in opposito directions
their opposed parts travelling in the same direction as indicated by the arrows in

page_text: Figure 2; g is the inclined plate at the front of the rolls, on which plate the molten
glass to be rolled is poured and hh are metal guides between which the molten
glass is poured and confined and by which the width of the sheet to be produced
is determined. These guides are removable and their distance apart is regulated
by screws and nuts at i, i. The lower ends of the guides h have the same
curvature as the parts of the rolls against which they are in contact as repre-
sented in the drawing. By changing the distance of the said guides hh apart the
width of the sheet of glass produced may be varied. The inclination of the plate g
may be adjusted in the following manner.
The said plate g is supported by carriers l, l, a rib g³ on the underside of the
plate dropping into a recess in each of the carriers, L. The carriers l, are
supported by the adjustable arms k, k. The lower ends of these arms are jointed
to the framing of the machine and their upper ends engage by means of screws
and screw nuts in one of a series of holes in the upper ends of the carriers l, l.
These holes are marked in Figure 1: m is an inclined table at the back of the
rolls, which table m is supported and adjusted in a way similar to that already
described with reference to the plate g. It will be seen by an examination of
Figure 2 that the lower edge of the plate g and the upper edge of the table maro
curved to fit that part of the lower roll to which they are presented and that the
said lower edge of the plate g and the upper edge of the table m are either in
actual contact or very nearly in contact with the roll b.
A quantity of molten glass sufficient to form a sheet of the size and thickness it
is intended to manufacture, is transferred from the melting pot by means of a ladle
or otherwise to the plate g on which it is poured between the guides hh. The
said molten glass runs down the inclined plate g its motion being regulated by the
"ferret " herein before referred to until it reaches the rolls a, b when being seized
by the rotating rolls having motion in the direction indicated by the arrows in
Figure 2 it is made into a sheet having a thickness equal to the shortest distanco
between the rolls and of a width somewhat greater than the distance between the
guides h, h. The sheet of glass thus formed travels down the inclined table m.
The table m may be horizontal although we prefer to give it the inclination
represented and the sheet of glass as it passes from the rolls a, b to the table m
may be pulled gently forward with tongs if necessary. The rolled sheet of glass
may pass from the table m either directly to the annealing and piling kiln or it
may pass over a cooling plate or turn-table and thence to the annealing and piling
kiln. As the said cooling plate and annealing kiln constituto no part of our
invention we do not think it necessary to describe the same.
The machine is supported upon rollers or wheels n, n by which it may be readily
transferred from place to place.
Both sides of the sheet of glass produced when the rolls a, b have a smooth
cylindrical surface are very bright. When desired one or both of the rolls may
have any required pattern or patterns upon it or them the counterpart of which
pattern or patterns will be produced on one or both sides of the sheet of glass
rolled by the machine.
The machine may be driven by steam or other power instead of by hand power
as described and represented in the drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is of "New or improved machinery for rolling glass
33
First The combination of a pair of smooth cylindrical rolls either plain or
ornamented, with an inclined plate in front of the said rolls, the said plate being
furnished with moveable and adjustable metal guides, the said inclined plate
receiving the molten glass which on running down the said plate between the
guides is limited laterally within proper working limits by the said guides, thereby
determining the width of the sheet of glass produced by the passing of the stream

page_text: of molten glass between the rolls, the several parts being combined or arranged
and worked substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawing.
Secondly Placing the top roll of the pair of rolls in advance of the bottom roll
to such an extent that the plane in which the axes of the two rolls are situated
shall make a right angle or nearly a right angle with the inclined plate on which
the molten glass is received substantially as herein beforo described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing.
"
Thirdly Making the lower edge of the inclined plate in front of the rolls on
which plate the molten glass is received and also making the inner or lower edges
of the metal guides on the said inclined plate of such curvatures that they will
respectively fit the portions of the roll or rolls against which they bear or with
which they are in contact or nearly in contact substantially as hereinbofore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated thin Thin fith Inc. as Amil 100K