CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES AND ANNEALING KILNS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Blinkhorn, of Sutton, in the County
of Lancaster, Glass Manufacturer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES AND ANNEALING
KILNS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Blinkhorn
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 17th March 1858.
I, WILLIAM BLINKHORN, of Sutton, in the County of Lancaster, Glass
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES AND ANNEALING
KILNS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS," to be as follows:-
My Improvements apply, first, to the furnaces employed for melting
or fuzing the "metal;" and, secondly, to the furnaces or kilns for
annealing or tempering the plates, discs, or sheets of glass. The
peculiar construction of furnace which I employ for melting or fuzing

page_text: the "metal" has the fireplace at one end. Immediately behind the
said fireplace is a bridge of fire-brick, about the same height as the
melting pots or "cuvettes," or rather higher. The melting pots or
"cuvettes" are placed behind the bridge, and at the other end of the
furnace is a descending flue. The whole of the furnace is arched over
from end to end, and is furnished at one or both sides with doors for
removing and replacing the "cuvettes." The flame from the furnace
passes over the bridge, and thence over the "cuvettes;" the hot air,
&c. descending by the flue, which ultimately conducts it to a general
chimney, with which the flues of all the furnaces communicate. If
the furnaces are arranged end to end, so that the hot air, &c. from
two furnaces passes down one flue, all the smoke may readily be con-
sumed by supplying fuel to the two furnaces alternately.
By this
construction of furnace it will be seen that the conical chimneys usually
employed to each furnace are dispensed with. The heat is also greatly
economised, and more under control, and there is less liability of
"
"
melting the " cuvettes, as frequently happens under the system
hitherto practised. The peculiar construction of annealing kiln which
I employ has the bottom or bed sunk below the mouth of the kiln, and
is furnished with an iron plate or "receiver," which is capable of
moving in a lateral direction, and also of being tilted or canted" over.
The plates or sheets of glass to be annealed are brought to the mouth
of the kiln upon the "table" in the usual in manner. The "receiver
being at one side of the kiln, a number of plates, discs, or sheets of
glass, according to size, ate placed thereon. The receiver" then
tilted over until they are placed in an almost perpendicular position,
with their lower edges resting upon the bed of the kiln, and their
upper edges resting against the side of the same. The "receiver "is
then moved slightly in a lateral direction; and another series of plates,
discs, or sheets of glass similarly adjusted, and so on until the kiln is
"charged;" the annealing process is then carried on in the usual
manner. By the use of this mechanical means of adjusting the plates,
&c., instead of the usual method of performing the same by hand,
the liability of spoiling or breaking the plates is considerably lessened.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Blinkhorn, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 17th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM BLINKHORN, of Sutton, in the County of Lancaster, Glass
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Blinkhorn, Her especial licence that I,
the said William Blinkhorn, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Blinkhorn, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES AND ANNEALING KILNS EMPLOYED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Blinkhorn, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Blinkhorn, 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 and accompanying drawings, that is
to say:
My improvements in the construction of furnaces and annealing
kilns employed in the manufacture of glass apply, first, to the furnaces
employed for melting or fuzing the "metal;" and, secondly, to the fur-

page_text: "
naces or kilns for annealing or tempering the plates, discs, or sheets of
glass. The peculiar form or construction of furnace which I employ
for melting or fuzing the "metal" is provided with a furnace or fur-
naces at each end. Immediately behind the furnaces or fireplaces are
placed low bridges of fire brick or clay. The melting pots or "cuvettes"
are placed behind the bridges, between them and a descending flue
which is in the centre of the furnace. There is also a low bridge in
front of the said flue in order to prevent the molten glass from running
into the flue, in the event of any of the melting-pots or "cuvettes
fusing or breaking. The roof of the furnace is constructed in the form
of a pointed arch, in order that if any portion of brick or stone com-
posing the same should become fused it will run down the sides of the
furnace, instead of dropping into the "cuvettes," and damaging the
glass. The furnace is furnished at one or both sides with openings or
doors for removing and replacing the "cuvettes." The flame from the
fires passes over the bridges, around and over the "cuvettes," to the
descending flue, which conducts it to a general chimney, with which
the flues of all the furnaces communicate. The heat is thus distributed
much more equally around the "cuvettes" than in furnaces of the
ordinary construction, and there is less liability of melting the
"cuvettes," as frequently happened heretofore. The heat is also
greatly economised, and more under control: and by supplying fuel
to the furnaces alternately, all the smoke, &c. may be consumed. By
this construction of furnace also the conical chimneys usually employed
to each furnace may be dispensed with, or, if preferred, they may be
employed as chimnies by partially enclosing them above the furnace,
and connecting the flue thereto. The peculiar form of annealing kiln
which I employ for annealing or tempering the plates, discs, or sheets
of glass is constructed as follows:-
"
The mouth of the kiln is, as usual, level with the casting table; but
the bottom or bed of the kiln, instead of being level with the mouth, is
sunk below the same. The kiln is furnished with a table or "receiver,"
formed of iron or other suitable material, which is so arranged as to be
capable of being moved in a lateral direction, and also of being tilted
or "canted" over. The plates, discs, or sheets of glass to be tempered

page_text: or annealed are brought to the mouth of the kiln upon the table in the
usual manner. The "receiver" being at one side of the kiln, a num-
ber of plates, discs, or sheets of glass, according to size, are placed
thereon. The "receiver" is then tilted over until they are placed in
an almost perpendicular position, with their lower edges resting upon
the bottom or bed of the kiln, and their upper edges resting against the
side of the same. The "receiver" is then moved slightly in a lateral
direction, and another series of plates, discs, or sheets of glass similarly
adjusted, and so on until the kiln is charged. The annealing or tem-
pering process is then carried on in the usual manner.
By the use of this mechanical means of adjusting the plates, &c.,
instead of the ordinary method of performing the same by hand, the
liability of spoiling or breaking the plates is considerably lessened, and
time and labour greatly economised.
In order more distinctly to illustrate my said improvements, and the
practical application thereof, I have annexed hereunto two sheets of
drawings representing the same, and have marked thereon figures and
letters of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation
thereof. In Sheet 1, of the drawings, Fig. 1, represents a longitudinal
section of my improved form or construction of furnace for melting or
fuzing the "metal."
Fig. 2, is a vertical transverse section, and
Fig. 3, an horizontal section of the same. a, a, a, a, are the walls of
the furnace; and b, b, b, b, are the openings for removing and replacing
the "cuvettes," which are closed, as usual, by means of moveable fire-
brick doors; c, c, c, c, are the fireplaces, two at each end of the furnace;
d, d, d, d, are the bridges, immediately behind which, on the floor e, e, e, e,
of the furnace, the melting pots or "cuvettes" are placed; f.ff.f, is
the descending flue; and 9.9.9.9, are bridges to prevent the molten
glass from running into the flue in the event of any of the melting pots
or "cuvettes" breaking or melting. The opening of the flue f, f, may
drawing, or it may be formed in
"
be either transverse, as shewn in the
a longitudinal direction. h, h, h, h, is the roof of the furnace, which
is constructed in the form of a pointed arch for the purpose above
mentioned. In using this construction of furnace the conical chimnies
may be dispensed with, but I prefer placing them below the said

page_text: chimnies, as usual, in which case it is necessary to enclose the greater
part of the chimney above the furnace, leaving only a small space for
draught. The flue f, f, ff, must then be made to ascend outside the
furnaco, and communicate with the chimney above the enclosure.
My improved construction or arrangement of kiln for annealing
or tempering the metal is shewn in Sheet 2, of the drawings; Fig. 1,
being a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 2, a transverse section;
and Fig. 3, an horizontal section. a, a, a, a, are the walls of the
kiln, b, b, b, b, the roof, and c, c, c, c, the floor or bed of the same, which,
it will be observed, is much lower than the mouth d, d, d, d. The
furnace is shewn at e, e, c, e, and the openings to the flue or flues at
|ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ 9, 9. y, g, is the table or "receiver," which is supported upon
friction rollers, h, h, at each end, running in grooves or upon rails
formed for that purpose. Immediately underneath the centre of the
receiver g, g, is a shaft i, i, i, i, capable of turning loosely in suitable
bearings, and having two spur pinions k, k, keyed thereon. These
pinions are in gear with two toothed racks 1, 1, 1, 1, one at each end of
the furnace. The outer end of the shaft i, i, i, i, is squared, and upon
it is placed a winch-handle m, m, by turning which it will be evident
that the "receiver" can be moved to and fro in a lateral direction.
Upon the shaft i, i, i, i, is placed loosely a tube n, n; at one end of
which is a cranked lever o, o, attached also to the edge of the "receiver,"
and at the other is a hand-wheel p. p, p, p, by means of which the
"receiver" can be held steady whilst being charged with plates, discs,
or sheets of glass, and subsequently tilted or "canted" over, in order to
adjust the same in the required position.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said improve-
ments in the construction of furnaces and annealing kilns employed in
the manufacture of glass, together with the manner of carrying the
same into practical effect, I would remark that I claim as my Inven-
tion, firstly, the peculiar form or construction of furnace for melting or
fuzing the "metal," as shewn in Sheet 1, of the annexed drawings, and
above particularly described, more especially the descending flue, and
the pointed form of the roof; and, secondly, I claim the peculiar con-
struction of annealing kiln, shewn in Sheet 2, of the annexed drawings,

page_text: and above described, having the floor or bed thereof sunk below the
level of the mouth, and having a table or "receiver" capable of being
moved in a lateral direction, and of being tilted or "canted" over, in
the manner and for the purpose above more particularly set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Blinkhorn, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
WILLIAM BLINKHORN. (L.S.)