Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Making Hollow Glass Articles..
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1898
icated from abroad by GEORGE W. BLAIR, of Fittsburg, and HARRY 1.
HAYS, of Baldwin, both in the County of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania,
one of the United States of America, Manufacturers.]
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Making Hollow
Glass Articles..
I, WILLIAM BURGELAND JOHNSON, of 4, Clayton Square, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
-
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specifi-
fication in which,
Figure 1 is a partial side elevation, partly in section, showing one form of
apparatus for carrying out my invention, and Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views
of modified forms of blanks.
My invention relates to the manufacture of hollow glass articles, whether such
articles are to be afterwards changed in form, or are made of their final form, and
is designed to greatly cheapen and improve the manufacture of such articles. To
that end, it consists in forming a blank of any desired shape, supporting or holding
up the base portion of the blank, and then elongating the blank vertically while
at least a portion of the same is out of contact with the matrix in which it was
formed. It also consists in forming a blank, whether hollow or solid, in a matrix,
releasing at least a portion of the blank from contact with said matrix, and then
stretching the blank longitudinally, as well as in other features and combinations
as herein after more fully described and set forth in the claims.
In the drawings, 2, represents a two-part press-mold, hinged to and carried upon
a suitable vertical standard 3, 4, is the two-part mold-ring, the parts of which are
hinged to a lug, 5, projecting from a ring, 6, secured to the standard. The lug, 5,
is provided with a projection, 7, arranged to prevent any side motion of the mold-
ring when the parts are clamped together. Projecting through a hole in the
bottom of the press-mold is a vertical supporting rod, S, having a stop-ring, 9,
which abuts against the base of the mold in the uppermost position of the rod,
and provided in its upper end with a screw-threaded recess 10 which forms a central
extension of the matrix-cavity of the mold, the parts of the rod around the recess
supporting the base of the blank. This rod moves within a guide, 11, in a suitable
table 12, and is supported and moved by a horizontally extending pin 13, which
extends through vertical slots in the guide, and at its ends is pivotally connected
by links 14 with levers 15 secured at their outer ends to a shaft, 16. The shaft, 16,
is carried in suitable bearings in a bracket, 17, secured to the vertical support, 3,
and is rotated by a handle, 18, keyed thereto. The table, 12, may be carried on
CD

page_text: the same vertical support, 3, by means of a suitable collar, 19 surrounding such
support, 20 is the usual reciprocating plunger of the press, and 21 is a small annular
recess, in the sides of the cavity in the mold-ring, in which a small projecting ring
is formed upon the glass blank so as to secure the same therein.
The operation is as follows:-The parts of the mold and the mold-ring being in
the position shown, and the plunger being raised, a suitable quantity of glass is
dropped into the mold cavity. The plunger, 20, then being depressed, the glass
is forced into all parts of the mold cavity, thus securing the upper end to the mold-
ring and the lower end to the vertical support 8. The parts of the press-mold, 2,
are then separated and moved apart so as to release them from the glass. The
blank is supported by the operator, who by means of the hand levers 18, holds up
the support, 8, and air then being allowed to pass down through the plunger, the
blank is expanded and the operator gradually allowing the support, 8, to move
downwardly, or forcibly moving the same down when its gravity is not sufficient
to effect the purpose, draws out and elongates the blank, the air pressure being
maintained upon its interior. This operation is continued as far as desirable, the
glass being gradually drawn or stretched and expanded into the form of a glass
cylinder or "roller."
The elongation of the blank is controlled by holding or
supporting it by the support, 8, so that its elongation is rendered rapid or slow as
needed. If desired, a mold having a cylindrical mold cavity may be placed around
the blank before, during, or after its stretching in order to obtain a more truly
cylindrical shape, and I have shown such a mold in dotted lines in Figure, 1. This
mold, however, is not necessary to the formation of the cylinder, as it has been found
in practice that these cylinders, suitable for cracking and flattening into window
glass, may be formed without the use of a blow-mold. If desired, molds having
cavities arranged to form chimneys, globes, or any hollow glass articles, may be
placed about the blank, either before, during, or after its stretching, and the desired
articles obtained by stretching, and at the same time, or thereafter, expanding the
blank into the mold cavity.
I have shown the blank as having its upper portion entering by the plunger so
as to make such portion hollow, but this is not necessary, and I may form other
blanks without this hollow portion, such, for instance, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
In Fig. 3 I show an upwardly projecting lip or ring, a, which may be formed upon
the upper end of the blank shown in this figure. It will be noticed that the blanks
are made narrower at the end which is moved in elongating. This, as well as the
seizing of the blank at the centre, are found to be important, in that they give an
even flow and regular elongation to the blank. It will be noticed that the blank is
pressed so that the greater body of glass is below (beyond) the pressing device or
plunger. The consequence is that such body of glass is not chilled, but retains its
heat and constitutes an easily extensible plastic mass from which the article can be
elongated vertically, while a portion of the same at least is out of contact with the
matrix. And by "elongation" I mean extending into hollow form by any means,
whether by a mechanical stretcher, or otherwise. This I consider to be broadly new.
The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art,
since the operation of forming hollow glass articles, (whether such articles be after-
ward changed in form, as for instance, by cracking and flattening into a sheet, or
be in final form, as where a mold having a mold-cavity in the form of a chimney or
other desired article is placed about the blank), is greatly cheapened and facilitated.
The use of skilled labour is almost entirely eliminated, and the capacity of out
put is enormously increased. The advantages of the invention in the manufacture
of glass pipe will be obvious, since long lengths with suitably shaped male and
female end portions may be easily and quickly formed with substantially uniform
sides and contour and without the use of skilled labour, a cylindrical mold being
preferably employed to surround the stretched blank.
The blank after its formation by pressing or otherwise may, if desired, be removed
to another table or machine, wherein either one or both end portions are moved
vertically so as to stretch and elongate the glass, air being supplied or other means

page_text: employed to expand the blank during stretching, and an enclosing shaping mold.
being employed or not as desired. Means may be provided for rotating the support
and the blank or for rotating the mould, or both, during the expanding and stretching
and many other changes may be made without departure from my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1. The method of forming hollow glass articles, consisting in forming a blank, elon-
gating it vertically while at least a portion of the sides of the blank is out of lateral
contact with the matrix in which it was formed, and supporting the bottom of
the blank and thereby controlling its elongation.
2. The method of forming hollow glass articles, consisting in forming a blank in
a mold, releasing at least a portion of the sides of the blank from said mold, and
drawing out the blank vertically.
3. The method of forming hollow glass articles, consisting in pressing a blank in
a mold, securing the upper end of the blank, releasing the sides of the blank from
the press mold, and expanding and drawing out the said blank downwardly.
4. The method of making hollow glass articles, consisting in forming a blank,
seizing the centre only of one end of the same, and elongating and expanding the
same vertically.
5. The method of making hollow glass articles, consisting in forming a blank,
seizing the centre only of one end of the same, supporting the glass about the point
of attachment, elongating the same vertically and forcing air therein.
6. The method of making hollow glass articles, consisting in forming a blank,
elongating the same while its body is out of contact from the matrix in which it was
formed, and thereafter expanding the elongated blank into contact with a matrix.
7. In apparatus for forming hollow glass articles, the combination with a mold
in which a glass blank is formed, of means for releasing at least a portion of the
blank therefrom, and a stretcher arranged to move the blank vertically after its
release.
8. In apparatus for forming hollow glass articles, the combination with a press
mold in which a blank is formed, of means for releasing the blank therefrom,
means for holding one end of the blank, and means for stretching the blank longi-
tudinally and expanding it into form.
9. The combination with a press mold, of a mold-ring having means for securing
the blank thereto, means for releasing the mold from the blank, and a vertically
movable support for the blank arranged to stretch the same vertically.
10. In apparatus for forming hollow glass articles, the combination with a mold
in which a glass blank is formed, of means for releasing the blank therefrom
laterally, a vertically acting stretcher arranged to elongate the blank after its
release, and a fluid supply arranged to expand the blank during stretching.
11. The combination with a blank forming matrix of means adapted to seize
the blank formed therein at the centre only of one end, while the other end is held
by the matrix, and a stretcher arranged to elongate the blank.
12. The combination with a blank forming matrix, of vertically acting mechanism
adapted to seize the centre only of the bottom portion of the blank, and a sur-
rounding support.
13. The combination, with a blank forming matrix, of means for releasing there-
from at least a portion of the sides of the blank, and a vertically acting support
for the blank, said support being under the control of the operator.
14. The combination of a blank forming matrix, a second matrix in vertical line
therewith, means for releasing the body of the blank, a stretcher arranged to stretch
the glass within the second matrix, and an air inlet arranged to admit air for
expanding the blank.
15. The method of forming hollow glass articles, consisting in pressing a hollow
blank with the greater body of the glass beyond the pressing device or plunger

page_text: expanding the blank, elongating the blank vertically while at least a portion of the
same is out of contact with the matrix, and supporting the bottom of the blank,
and thus controlling its elongation.
Dated this Twentyseventh dow of December 1897