Apparatus for Withdrawing Molten Glass or Molten Metals from Furnaces and Controlling the Outflow thereof, also applicable for Conveying Liquids or Chemicals of a Liquid Nature from Larger to Smaller Vessels or Receptacles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept. 1890-Accepted, 11th Oct., 1890
Improved Means
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
or Apparatus for Withdrawing Molten Glass or
Molten Metals from Furnaces and Controlling the Outflow
thereof, also applicable for Conveying Liquids or Chemicals of a
Liquid Nature from Larger to Smaller Vessels or Receptacles.
We, DAN RYLANDS of Shepcote House Stairfoot near Barnsley in the County of
York, Glass Bottle Manufacturer and JARVIS WILLIAM HORNER of 35 Western Street
Barnsley in the aforesaid County, Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of
our invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists of an arrangement of pipes or tubes made of any suitable
refractory substance such as fireclay, plumbago, asbestos, platinum or any mixture or
compound or composition consisting of these or any other suitable substance or
substances; such tubes or pipes being of any suitable sectional form or shape. These
pipes or tubes are so bent, shaped, or formed as to constitute a syphon having two
or more limbs, arms or branches of unequal length, the shorter of these limbs, arms,
or branches passes through, or over, the walls, or sides, of the furnace containing the
molten glass, or molten metals, and dips into, or passes below the surface of the
molten glass, or molten metals, the longer limbs, arms, or branches of such syphon
being outside the furnace, and are of such length as to allow of their ends being at a
lower level than the surface of the molten glass or molten metals in the furnace.
Outside the furnace and under the longer arm of syphon a vessel made of suitable
refractory material and being of any suitable size shape or form is provided. This
vessel is so placed under the longer limb of syphon that it can be raised so as to
surround this limb or any suitable portion thereof but not too closely. In order to
raise or lower this vessel we fix beneath or at some other suitable or convenient
part thereof a lever or other suitable arrangement for raising or lowering it.
This vessel is also provided with one or more openings or apertures or lips, spouts
or conduits.
Apparatus is provided for temporarily connecting the end of the longer limb or
limbs of syphon with an air-ejector or vacuum-pump for the purpose of removing the
air from the inside of syphon thereby creating a vacuum within it in the preliminary
operation of starting the syphon. The action of our invention is as follows:-When
a syphon formed according to our invention has been placed in position with its
shorter limb or limbs immersed in the molten glass or molten metals in the furnace, the
end of the longer limb of syphon is connected to the air-ejector or vacuum pump, which
on being set in action exhausts or withdraws the air from the inside of syphon, and as
the tension of the air within the syphon is diminished, the outside pressure of the
atmosphere acting on the surface of the molten glass or molten metal, forces it up into
the syphon, this operation being continued the syphon becomes filled with the molten
glass or molten metal. When the molten glass or molten metal has arrived at the
end of the longer limb of the syphon, the connection, which connects the syphon with
the air-ejector is removed, whereupon the molten glass or molten metal flows from the
syphon into the vessel under the longer limb of syphon. This vessel is then
immediately raised so as to bring the end and lower part of the longer limb of syphon
within it and the flow of glass or metal continues until the surface of the glass or
metal in this vessel attains to the level of the glass or metal in the furnace when
equilibrium is established and the flow ceases. If now this vessel is lowered the levels
of surfaces of glass or metal in this vessel and of that in the furnace are altered, the
equilibrium is disturbed and the flow of glass or metal from the furnace restarted.

page_text: The lowering of this vessel thus brings the openings or apertures therein below the
surface of the molten glass or metal, so that the molten glass or metal is free to flow
out through these openings or apertures and be discharged from the lips, spouts, or
conduits which are formed around or attached to these openings. The pipes spouts or
conduits are arranged so as to run the molten glass or metal into the moulds for
shaping it.
In order to arrest the flow of glass or metal the vessel is raised to its former level
by which operation the openings or apertures are carried above the surface of the
glass or metal and therefore the flow ceases.
The arrangements for keeping the long limb of syphon and controlling outflow
vessel at a proper heat are by exposing the greater portion of them to heat from the
furnace or from any other suitable source.
We have described the operation as applied to one limb of a syphon but where
practicable, and so preferred, any number of longer limbs or branches may be adapted
to one single feed pipe it being understood that each limb must have its own
controlling vessel.
Where it is preferred to dispense with the controlling vessel it will be necessary to
modify our invention so arranging the air-ejector as to have a direct control by means
of suitable connecting pipes and valves and air receivers over the outflow limb of
syphon. In this case we put or form a connection in the upper portion or outflow
limb of syphon to which connection we attach in any suitable manner the vacuum
pipes and valvos from the air-ejector or air receiver.
In the foregoing Specification it will be understood that the word metal is to be
taken to mean any kind of molten metal or molten substance other than glass.
Our invention may in some casos also be advantageously used for conveying liquids
or chemicals of a liquid nature from larger to smaller vessels or receptacles.
Dated this 8th day of November 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Apparatus for Withdrawing Molten Glass or
Molten Metals from Furnaces and Controlling the Outflow
thereof, also applicable for Conveying Liquids or Chemicals of a
Liquid Nature from Larger to Smaller Vessels or Receptacles.
We, DAN RYLANDS of Shepcote House Stairfoot near Barnsley in the County of
York, Glass Bottle Manufacturer and JARVIS WILLIAM HORNER of 35 Western Strect
Barnsley in the aforesaid County, Analytical Chemist, 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:-
Our invention consists of an arrangement of pipes or tubes made of any suitable
refractory substance such as fireclay, porcelain, plumbago, asbestos, platinum or
any mixture or compound or composition consisting of these or any other suitable
substance or substances; such tubes or pipes being of any suitable sectional form
or shape. These pipes or tubes are so bent, shaped, or formed as to constitute a
syphon having two or more limbs, arms or branches of unequal length, the
shorter of these limbs, arms, or branches pass through, or over, the walls, or
sides, of the furnace containing the molten glass, or molten metals, and dips
into, or passes below the surface of the molten glass, or molten metals, the longer
limbs, arms, or branches of such syphon being outside the furnace, and are of such
length as to allow of their ends being at a lower level than the surface of the
molten glass or molten metals in the furnace. Outside the furnace and under the
longer arm of syphon a vessel made of suitable refractory material and being of
any suitable size shape or form is provided. This vessel is so placed under the

page_text: longer limb of syphon that it can be raised so as to surround this limb, but
not too closely. In order to raise or lower this vessel we fix beneath or at some
other suitable or convenient part thereof a lever or other suitable arrangement for
raising or lowering it. This vessel is also provided with one or more openings
or apertures or lips, spouts or conduits.
Apparatus is provided for temporarily connecting the end of the longer limb or
limbs of syphon with an air-ejector or vacuum-pump for the purpose of removing the
air from the inside of syphon thereby creating a vacuum within it in the preliminary
operation of starting the syphon. The action of our invention is as follows:-When
a syphon formed according to our invention has been placed in position with its
shorter limb or limbs immersed in the molten glass or molten metals in the furnace,
the end of the longer limb of syphon is connected to the air-ejector or vacuum
pump, which on being set in action exhausts or withdraws the air from the inside
of syphon, and as the tension of the air within the syphon is diminished, the outside
pressure of the atmosphere acting on the surface of the molten glass or molten metal,
forces it up into the syphon, this operation being continued the syphon becomes
filled with the molten glass or molten metal. When the glass has arrived at the end of
the longer limb of the syphon, the connection, which connects the syphon with the
air-ejector is removed whereupon the molten glass flows from the syphon into the
vessel under the longer limb of syphon. This vessel is then immediately raised so
as to bring the end and lower part of the longer limb of syphon within it and the
flow of glass continues until the surface of the glass in this vessel attains to the level
of the glass in the furnace when equilibrium is established and the flow ceases. If
now this vessel is lowered the levels of surfaces of glass in this vessel and of that
in the furnaces are altered, the equilibrium is disturbed and the flow of glass from
the furnace restarted. The lowering of this vessel thus brings the openings or
apertures therein below the surface of the molten glass, so that the molten glass is
free to flow out through those openings or apertures and be discharged from the lips,
spouts, or conduits which are formed around or attached to these openings. The lips
spouts or conduits are arranged so as to run the molten glass into the moulds for
shaping it.
When it is desired to arrest the flow of glass the vessel is raised to its former
level by which operation the openings or apertures are carried above the surface of
the glass in the furnace and therefore the flow ceases in consequence of that portion
of the molten glass left in controlling vessel above the outlet being resyphoned into
the furnace.
The arrangements for keeping the long limb of syphon and controlling outflow
vessel at a proper heat are by exposing the greater portion of them to heat from the
furnace or from any other suitable source.
We have described the operation as applied to one limb of a syphon but where
practicable, and so preferred, any number of longer limbs or branches may be adapted
to one single feed pipe it being understood that each limb must have its own controlling
vessel.
Where it is preferred to dispense with the controlling vessel it will be necessary to
modify our invention so arranging the air-ejector as to have a direct control by
means of suitable connecting pipes and valves and air receivers over the outflow limb
of syphon. In this case, we put or form a connection in the upper portion of outflow
limb of syphon to which connection we attach in any suitable manner the vacuum
pipes and valves from their air-ejector or air receiver.
In the foregoing Specification it will be understood that the word metal is to
be taken to mean any kind of molten metal or molten substance as well as molten
glass.
Our invention may in some cases also be advantageously used for conveying liquids
or chemicals of a liquid nature from larger to smaller vessels or receptacles.
Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation; Fig. 2 a front elevation
partly in section; Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional elevations of controlling vessel;

page_text: and Fig. 5, a view of outer limb of syphon with attachment for producing a
vacuum.
In Figs. 1. 2. 3. 4 and 5, a is the molten metal in the furnace, b the syphon pipe
formed in one with the ascension pipe c, d a bent pipe communicating through tap e
with an air-exhauster or vacuum pump, suitably situated but not shown in the
drawings. A controlling vessel is carried upon distance piece of refractory
material g on the upper portion of an hydraulic ram h; i is the cylinder in which
the ram h works, and j an hydraulio valve controlling the admission and release of
fluid to the cylinder i; ka hole formed in spout of controlling vessel for the delivery
of the molten metal as afterwards explained. In Fig. 1 the controlling vessel is
shown at its highest position the molten metal being at the same level in the vessel
as in the furnace. Fig. 3 shows the controlling vessel in its lowest position; the vessel
being now full, the molten metal will escape through the opening & provided for it
as shown. This opening may be any desired shape.
The operation of the above described apparatus is as follows:-The controlling
vessel being in the position shown by Fig. 1, a quantity of molten metal is charged
into the controlling vessel to a height sufficient to effectually close the end of the
syphon pipe 6. The vacuum tape being now opened the metal will ascend the two
limbs of the syphon pipe, a portion being drawn from the furnace and the
remainder from the controlling vessel. The syphon pipe being now charged with
metal and the vacuum tap closed, the controlling vessel is now through action of
ram h, lowered to the position shown in Fig. 3, when the metal from the furnace
will flow through the syphon pipe filling the vessel to the desired height and
causing an overflow or discharge to take place through opening k. It will be
seen that any desired quantity of metal can be abstracted from the furnace and
delivered through opening k by altering the stroke of the controlling vessel and that
when once the syphon tube is charged it will remain so, and will at any time
abstract metal from the furnace on a down movement being given to the controlling vessel.
Fig. 2 shows the general arrangement of the syphon pipe, the hydraulic cylinder
and the two furnaces l. l. which are provided for supplying heat to the controlling
vessel and preventing the metal contained in it from becoming chilled by exposure
to the outer air. The connection of the syphon with the air exhausting apparatus
may be accomplished in various other ways. One of these ways is shown at Fig. 4
where the outer limb of the syphon is provided with a branch or elbow m into which
the pipe leading to the air exhausting apparatus is secured. In this case the end
of outer limb of syphon is closed by a washer o of asbestos or other suitable
jointing material carried by the bottom of controlling vessel. The syphon pipe and
vessel being in the position shown and the air being exhausted from interior of
syphon by pipe n will result in the metal being withdrawn from the furnace as
previously explained.
Another way is shown at Fig. 5 with an attachment applied to the outer limb of
syphon, and consists of a tubular handle formed with an annular holder for the
reception of a ring or washer o of asbestos. The attachment being held firmly against
the lower end of outer limb of syphon pipe and the air being exhausted will result
in the syphon becoming charged with metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is or may be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. Means or apparatus consisting of the combination of a syphon-pipe with a
controlling vessel raised & lowered by any suitable mechanical means for withdrawing &
controlling the outflow of molten glass or molten metal from furnaces.
2. The special combination of the air-ejecting arrangements with the syphon
& controlling vessel or any mere modification thereof.
3. The special combinations of the air-ejecting arrangement with the syphon pipe
or any mere modification thereof.

page_text: 4. The special combinations of the syphon, the controlling vessel & the firing
arrangements for maintaining a proper heat for working the same.
5. The combination of the syphon and the controlling vessel for conveying liquids
or chemicals from larger to smaller vessels.
Dated this 10th day of September 1890.