Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Glass Bottles by Machinery, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 15th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 18th Mar.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Glass Bottles by
Machinery, and Apparatus therefor.
-
I, LUDWIG GROTE, of 84B, East India Dock Road, Poplar, London, E., Manager
of Works, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows;-
This invention relates to the manufacture of glass bottles by machinery &
apparatus therefor or for use in conjunction therewith & according to my present
invention I proceed as follows:
I arrange & construct the mould advantageously as a composite mould that is
with the part for forming the mouth or neck of the bottle (which part I will
term the neck-mould) separately constructed from the rest of the mould &
arranged & mounted in suchwise as to be capable of being easily turned upside
down or reversed in any suitable manner & having an air supply pipe leading
thereto with special means as hereinafter described for regulating directing &
controlling such air supply in its passage to & through said neck mould & for
applying said air to blow the bottle.
To act in conjunction with this neck mould I provide two other moulds to be
applied thereto & used alternately viz: first a preliminary measuring mould &
secondly the final body mould in which latter the body of the bottle is finally
shaped & finished which part of the mould I will term the body mould the parts
of which latter may either be hinged to the machine or may advantageously be
formed as a separate appliance (not attached to the machine) for instance this
body part of the mould may be divided vertically & each such half hinged to a
bottom piece to form the bottom end of said mould & provided with means to
clasp same upon & hold same closed tightly around the neck mould.
The measuring mould is likewise constructed arranged & adapted to be closed
upon & clasp & hold tightly on to the neck mould.
The air supply apparatus & means for regulating directing & controlling said
air supply is as follows:-
The air supply is led through a hollow axis on which the table or support
carrying the mould revolves or turns or is otherwise suitably conducted from
the source of supply to the mould but before reaching said mould it is or may
be conducted through a coiled or twisted pipe or passage so as to have a tortuous
passage & thereby change its direction as it flows to the mould & a stop cock
or valve for opening & closing said air supply is provided of peculiar construction
viz: a central horizontal opening through the revolvable conical or other plug
therein is provided at each end with a graduated depression or channel (or
these latter may be formed on the valve seating or interior side wall of the cock
or valve) in suchwise that as the said plug is turned the shallowest part of the
said depression will first come opposite the air supply pipe & consequently the
direction of the air will be changed as it passes to said plug & will again be
changed at the exit therefrom as it passes on towards the mould.

page_text: Between this stop cock or valve & the mould (advantageously at right angles
to said cock) I arrange & mount a plunger chamber or cylinder or device bored
or formed with a passage-way therethrough in & through which a plunger or
regulating rod is adapted to slide-the said plunger or rod being adapted to be
operated by a lever or other suitable means connected to said rod while the end
of said rod is of a rounded form & is adapted to be protruded or moved a short
distance into the neck mould to form a slight depression in the mass of molten
glass in the latter-means being provided to prevent said plunger entering too
far into the molten glass in the neck mould.
The said plunger & its cylinder or casing are so formed that when said plunger
is forced into the neck mould in this position they serve to entirely & automati-
cally cut off the air supply (independently of the aforesaid stop cock) for instance
said plunger may be conical or of two diameters so that when pushed in the
larger part of said plunger will close the air passage & no air can pass until
the plunger has been moved out to such an extent that the smaller part of the
plunger comes opposite the air inlet passage whereupon air will be admitted to
the annular space between said smaller part of the plunger & the cylinder or
casing wall & thence will pass to the full width of the cylinder below the end
of the plunger & thence to the depression in the molten glass--the cylinder or
casing being advantageously bored or formed with two diameters to correspond
or may conical or may be partly cylindrical & partly conical.
The neck mould is so arranged & mounted as to be adapted to be closed on
to & (while closed) to clasp & hold tightly onto the exterior of that end of said
cylinder or casing through which the said rounded end of the plunger is
protruded & withdrawn.
A portable marver or somewhat spoon-shaped device may be used by which
the bottom of the molten mass or partly formed bottom of the bottle is operated
on or worked by hand manipulation as hereinafter explained which device I will
hereinafter refer to as the spoon.'
An adjustable or other table or tray or support may be arranged upon or in
conjunction with my aforesaid machine.
The operation is as follows:-
The neck mould is closed & clasped on the air outlet & the measuring mould
(which is quite open at its bottom end) is closed & clasped on the closed neck
mould as aforesaid & the composite mould thus formed (or any equivalent or
other suitable form or construction of mould) is turned upside down or placed
with the bottom upwards & the charge of molten glass is now placed in said
mould so as to either exactly fill said mould or fill same to a mark or otherwise-
the aforesaid plunger being pressed into the mouth or neck of the neck mould
& thus I can ensure the same regular or measured quantity of glass for making
each bottle in succession. The mould is now reversed (i.e. with the neck upper-
most) & the measuring mould is now opened & laid back or removed so as to
leave free the lump of molten glass (which is to form the lower or body part of
the bottle) & while still in a plastic state depending (in the air) from the still
closed neck mould & held & suspended thereby.
This depending lump of molten glass is now worked in the open air with the
aforesaid shaping spoon or ladle & is subjected to a preliminary blowing also in
the open air & while being worked with the spoon.
When the partly blown plastic lump has been worked sufficiently with the
shaping spoon to properly form or prepare the bottom the body mould is affixed
to the neck mould & shut so as to enclose the partly blown lump, the air supply
is turned on & the blowing is completed inside said mould.
The body mould containing the now finished bottle is then disconnected from
the neck mould the latter is opened & the bottle taken away.
Any number of body moulds can be employed for the same machine.
In regard to the manipulation of the lump of plastic glass with the shaping
spoon, when the measuring mould is opened the glass lump uncovered exhibits

page_text: the internal form of said preliminary mould in outline & is shaped or worked
by using gentle air pressure internally & by working with the spoon externally
(especially the bottom end) until the desired shape of or operation on the bottom
is obtained this working being commenced when the lump begins to sink by
its own weight & is completed by the time it has sunk to the extent desired.
This treatment cools & regulates the thickness of the bottom & in combination
with the working of the peculiar air system described tends to prevent & remove
the formation of lumps inequalities corners angles cracks or other defects in
the bottom the structure of which is thus controlled & the glass distributed in the
thickness & strength required.
Under other systems a punch ram or plunger is pushed into the neck or body
of the bottle to make a cavity for the admission of the air. This implement
usually makes a cavity leaving angles or corners in the plastic glass when these
different heated surfaces having unequal powers of resistance are exposed to the
blast of compressed air they are liable to yield unevenly & tend to cause fissures
corners & inequalities in the bottle produced.
Under other systems the compressed air is applied in the form of a small
current or jet which by being frequently concentrated on certain spots is liable
to lead to the formation of air globules lumps cracks or other defects.
Under other systems the size of the air jet does not correspond to the size of
the cavity into or through which it is to be blown.
The defects mentioned cause difficulty, delay, irregular blowing & unsatis-
factory work.
By my invention it is not necessary to push any implement into the neck or
body of the bottle, I place in the mouth of the bottle the end of the regulating
rod or plunger aforesaid which being spherical or rounded in form leaves an im-
pression which is free from corners or angles with only one curved surface
exposed to the air pressure.
The size of my air discharge nozzle advantageously corresponds with the
dmeter of the cavity or depression in the molten glass--the air is admitted in
the form of a ring & distributed around all sides of the plunger & being perfectly
controlled & regulated by my system of double check as described it enters the
cavity and is maintained at any degree of gentleness or force required, & plays
with equal pressure upon all parts of the cavity. The neck being supported by
the neck mould, the centre yields uniformly to the pressure, the air is propelled
in a straight line through the centre, the glass expands truly & evenly, the
formation is controlled & regulated as described & thereby producing a bottle
in a regular & reliable manner.
T
1
1 .
P
1
1000
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Glass Bottles by
Machinery, and Apparatus therefor.
I, LUDWIG GROTE, of 84B, East India Dock Road, Poplar, London, E., Manager
of Works, 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;-
This invention relates to the manufacture of glass bottles by machinery and

page_text: :
apparatus therefor or for use in conjunction therewith my present invention
forming certain improvements in or in connection with my Patent Application
dated 1st July 1898 No. 14539.
My present invention consists essentially in an improved system of admitting
the air from the supply pipe into the mould in a specially regulated manner
and in the employment of a plunger adapted to form a special depression of only
a limited extent in the molten glass, special air admitting device and special
air valves or means to repeatedly change the direction of the flow of the air
supply.
I wish it to be clearly understood that I make no claim herein to anything
described in the Provisional Specification of my earlier Patent Application
No. 14539 of 1898.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a glass bottle blowing machine i.e. with the neck
mould clasped onto a moulding on the air admission device and the measuring
mould clasped on to the neck mould-and the preliminary mould thus formed
is shown inverted ready to receive the charge of molten glass.
Fig. 2 is a view of the same machine but with the measuring mould and neck
mould reversed.
Fig. 3 is a front view in elevation of Fig. 2 showing the measuring mould
open and laid back and the molten mass of glass held by and depending from the
still-closed neck mould.
Fig. 4 is a "local"
front elevation (i.e. at right angles to Figs. 1 and 2) show-
ing the final body mould placed in position round the partly formed bottle and
clasped on the neck mould.
Fig. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale of the measuring mould (inverted)
clasped to the neck mould.
Fig. 6 is a diagram of the partly formed bottle showing the "spoon" by which
I manipulate or work the bottom of the molten glass.
Fig. 7 is a view of the partly formed bottle after manipulation by the aforesaid
spoon.
Fig. 8 is a view showing the finished bottle having a flat bottom thereto with
the central part of said bottom raised (i.e. concaved) to form the "kick-up."
Fig. 9 is a "local" vertical cross sectional view of the neck-mould and plunger
-the latter in position to form the depression in the upper end of the mass of
molten glass depending from said neck mould.
Fig. 10 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view-on a greatly enlarged scale-
of the air admission mechanism with the plunger and plunger chamber or device
through which said plunger or regulating rod is adapted to slide showing the
air admission cock wide open.
Fig. 11 shows the air admission valve partly closed.
Fig. 12 shows the air admission valve only very slightly open.
The invention illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 and the description thereof
constitutes the essential part of my present invention as hereinafter set forth and
finally pointed out in the claims.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout.
a is platform carrying standard or frame b which latter supports or carries
thereon the various parts of the apparatus according to my present invention.
cis vertical turn-table or face plate journalled at e in the bearing 6 in said
frame and having a stop c¹ which comes against the stop b¹ fixed or formed on
the frame b so as to limit the movement of said turn-table c in one direction
and the stop to limit the movement of said turn-table in the other direction,
or provided with other suitable means to hold said plate c at the limit of the half
turn thereof.
d is adjusting wheel by which the position of said plate c (carrying the
moulds etc.) can be adjusted with respect to the fixed frame b.
e is air supply pipe which passes through the hollow trunnion or sleeve c

page_text: on which the plate c revolves and terminates in the bent pipe E leading to the
interior of the mould.
f is the neck mould made in two parts hinged or pivoted on the hinge pin g
carried on the face plate c, and h is the measuring mould made in two parts also
hinged on the hinge pin g; the two parts of the neck mould f being provided
with suitable means to fasten same together for instance in any well-known or
suitable manner now employed for securing the two parts of a mould together,
and the two parts of the mould h are similarly provided or otherwise suitably
arranged to be fastened together.
The exterior of the lower part of the neck mould is of such a form as to be
adapted to be clasped and locked to the measuring mould which latter is corres-
pondingly formed internally near one end (i.e. the neck end) thereof. For
instance the exterior of the neck mould f may be formed as shown in Figs. 5
and 9 with a circular tongue fl and groove 2 the interior of the neck end of the
measuring mould being formed as a counterpart thereto i.e. with corresponding
groove hand tongue 2 see Fig. 5.
The upper end (i.e. the neck end) of the final body mould (see Fig. 3) is
formed internally corresponding to the measuring mould h whereby said body
mould is adapted to be clasped on and locked tightly to the exterior of the
neck mould f as shown in Fig. 4.
Furthermore the upper end of the neck mould is formed internally as a counter-
part to fit on and be clasped to the specially-shaped moulding fixed formed or
carried on the casing 0 of the air-admitting device hereinafter described sec
Figs. 9 and 10.
M is mandrel or plunger which has the double purpose of serving, when moved
inwards, to cut off the air supply and at same time to form a slight and specially
shaped depression. (of concave form) in the molten glass, and when moved in the
opposite direction to admit an annular jet of air under pressure in a specially
regulated manner for the operation of blowing the bottle.
n is handle on the plunger operating lever n pivoted at n² to the turn table c
this hand lever being connected to the plunger M in any suitable manner so
that movement of the hand lever is imparted to the plunger M for instance
a pin m on the outer end of the plunger M and extending laterally therefrom
may pass through the slot n³ in the hand lever with a nut m' and washers m²
thereon see Figs. 2 & 10. The plunger M is advantageously made with 2
diameters viz. it is of a smaller diameter at M² from the point M¹ to the rounded
end M³ thereof-its cylinder or casing 0 being of two diameters internally and
finally tapering viz. the upper part from the stuffing box or screw cap 0* to the
point Ofitting closely the larger diameter of the plunger M while below the
shoulder there is an annular space or clearance between the smaller part M²
of the plunger M and the interior wall of the casing O down to the point 02 and
then the bore is tapered through the moulding somewhat as shown in Fig. 10
and finally at the lower end of said bore it fits accurately and closely around the
lower end of the plunger M near the specially shaped (rounded) end M³ thereof
see Fig. 9.
With the bore or opening in said casing ( the air pipe or passage EP is in
communication (see Fig. 10) such passage being controlled by a valve or faucet Q
of special construction as follows:-
The valve plug Q is advantageously of an ordinary taper form fitting accurately
and adapted to revolve in a correspondingly taper socket in the casing P¹ (sec
Fig. 10) and provided with means to tighten and secure same thereon and further-
more provided with a handle Q¹ by which to turn said valve plug in its casing.
This plug Q has the ordinary passage Q2 therethrough to allow communication
from the passage E to the passage P-but according to my invention I provide
graduated grooves or depressions Q which extend from each end of the pas-
sage Q2 partly around the circumference of the plug and being deepest next the
passage Q2 gradually diminish in depth as shown--the course the air supply will

page_text: be caused to take when this valve is only partially opened being a very divergent
one as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 respectively i.e. the direction of the air supply
is repeatedly changed on its way to blow the bottle.
a
r is work-table on which the body moulds may rest (any suitable number
of said moulds being provided as desired) said table being carried and supported
on the vertical slides s which are guided by and slide vertically on the frame
pillar in the slots 62 therein after the manner of a lathe slide rest; t being
vertical screw journalled in the said frame and adapted to be revolved therein
the said screw passing (screwing) through the internally screwthreaded sleeve
or nut » fixed on said table r so that by revolving said vertical screw shaft t (for
instance by a hand or spoke wheel t¹) thereby the height of the work-table r. can
be accurately adjusted (i.e. lowered or raised) according to whether a longer or
shorter type of bottle is to be made and thus support the rather heavy body
mould thereon in just correct position to enable same to be closed around the
partly formed (partly blown) glass bottle and clasped and secured onto the neck
mould (as shown in Fig. 4) advantageously without having to lift or raise
said body mould z off the work-table r.
The final body mould z is shown vertically divided in two halves each hinged
at the bottom at ¹ to the bottom 2 the upper face of which latter may be of any
suitable form according to the character or shape which it is desired to impart
to the bottom end of the bottle (flat, convex, concave, etc.) in the case illustrated
this bottom piece has the upper face thereof of a convex form (see Fig. 2)
in order to form a corresponding concavity in the bottom of the finished bottle-
see Fig. 8.
yy (Fig. 3) are set screws by which the whole machine (which may run on
small wheels or rollers ) can be fixed to the floor or ground.
(Fig. 9) is the mass (measured quantity) of molten glass depending from the
closed neck-mould f after the measuring mould has been removed and before
the blowing operation or self-extending action or manipulation with the spoon w
(shown in Figs. 3 and 6) has taken place.
The body mould z is provided with any suitable means to fasten the two halves
firmly together when closed for instance a locking device (on a movable
handle on one half of the mould) is adapted to be locked into the other half
which latter is provided with a fixed handle ***.
And similarly with respect to the part moulds f and h respectively provided
with handles f* f** and h* ** and any suitable means to fasten together the two
parts of each said mould when closed.
The operation is as follows:-
I commence by filling quite full of molten glass the preliminary mould formed
by the combined neck mould and measuring mould h in the inverted position and
locked together as shown in Fig. 1.
By this means an equal quantity of glass can be obtained with certainty in
making each bottle of any given size.
The preliminary mould fh is next reversed into the position shown in Fig. 2
and the measuring mould h (which is now in position underneath the neck-
mould f) is opened and removed or laid back as shown in Fig. 3 whereby the
lump of molten glass u hangs freely suspended from the still closed neck mould f
-the lump is now worked by means of the shaping spoon or tool w and sub-
jected to a preliminary and gentle blowing operation (by withdrawing the
plunger M and slightly opening the valve Q of the air supply) while thus
suspended from the neck in the open air with the body part of the said mass u
unenclosed by the measuring mould or any mould.
After the mass u (Fig. 9) has been worked with the shaping spoon w and
partly blown as shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 7 unenclosed (i.e. in the open air-but
still suspended in the neck mould Fig. 4) then in order to finish the blowing
and finally and properly shape the bottle (particularly the bottom of the bottle)
the body mould is now moved into position under the depending partly blown

page_text: bottle (see Fig. 3) and is closed and clasped upon or affixed to the neck mould
(see Fig. 4) and there secured as hereinbefore set forth and the body mould =
now completely surrounds the said partly formed bottle.
The full air supply is now admitted to the interior of the bottle and as soon
as the bottle has been thoroughly blown within the finishing mould formed by
the combined neck mould f and body mould these latter are opened and the
now moulded and finished bottle (still resting on the bottom of the body mould-
the latter now open as in Fig. 3) is detached from the neck mould and set aside
to cool down.
The cooling can be effected apart from the machine and any number of body.
moulds z can be employed for the same machine whereby a considerable economy
of time is effected.
With reference to the manipulation of the bottom of the molten mass or
inchoate bottle with the shaping spoon w which has been already mentioned
when the measuring mould is opened the mass of molten glass u exhibits the
form shown in Fig. 9. To form the bottom of the bottle its lower portion is then
shaped by working it in the hollow of the hemispherical shaping spoon w the
employment of gentle air pressure coupled with suitable movements of the spoon
imparting a rounded and uniform shape all over the bottom as shown in Figs. 6
and 7.
In this manner the formation of lumps or inequalities in the wall of the made
bottle is avoided or reduced and any such that inay already exist in the molten
glass are dispersed or distributed.
Fissures and irregularities of surface are also removed by this method and
consequently the structure of the bottom. is regulated in such a manner that the
mass is not forced out and driven apart laterally as the result of pressure.
This treatment with the shaping spoon is advantageously commenced when
the mass of molten glass u Fig. 9 begins to sink, this procedure affording ample
time for carefully and accurately performing the task in hand during the interval
occupied by the sinking of the glass to the desired extent and during the pre-
liminary blowing operation; and moreover this special manipulation of or opera-
tion on the bottom ensures the absence of corners and angles in this part of the
bottle.
If now the body mould be put in position underneath the depending and now
partly-formed bottle--the coolest portion of the bottle takes up a position upon
and in direct contact with the bottom 22 of the mould without being able to tear
or fissure. The hot portion however is exposed to the force of tension (extension)
by its own weight so that the formation of the bottom edge consequently proceeds
with ease;
and thus the completion of the bottle proceeds very quickly.
This treatment is the reverse to that of existing or former methods, since
heretofore the thick inner portion of the mass of molten glass was the hottest
and the edge part the coolest and most brittle so that the formation of the bottom
edges was a difficult matter whereas by means of the present treatment this
operation (the formation of the bottom edges) is facilitated.
The machine may be made single as shown or double (i.e. two apparatus back
to back) or more than two such apparatus may be arranged and mounted in one
machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a machine for making glass bottles-the combination with the air supply
passage of a cock or valve adapted to control said passage, a faucet or valve
plug with a passage way therethrough,.and graduated grooves or channels com-
municating with said passage way and extending laterally around said plug to
thereby give full control of the air current as it passes to blow the bottle sub-
stantially as and for the purposes described.

page_text: 2. A valve for machines for making glass bottles having a conical plug in
a conical casing, a passage way through said plug and a graduated groove at
each end of said passage way and extending laterally and diminishing in depth
as it recedes from said passage way substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. In a machine for making glass bottles--the combination with and at the
end of the air supply pipe, of a cylindrical casing to the interior of which said
air-supply leads, a piston or plunger to slide in said casing and adapted when
moved in one direction to close said air supply and when moved in the other
direction to leave an annular space in communication with the air supply which
can thus pass to the mould clasped on said casing, and a conoidal or rounded
end on that end of the plunger which extends from said casing a slight distance
into the neck mould substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. In a machine for making glass bottles-a cylindrical casing to the interior
of which the air supply is led, a plunger sliding within said casing and adapted
at one end to extend a slight distance from said casing into the mould clasped
on said casing and in this position to close the air supply and when such end is
retracted within the casing adapted to open said air supply to the mould, a
conoidal or rounded end to said plunger, and means to prevent said rounded end
from being projected too far into the neck mould substantially as and for the
purposes described.
5. In a machine for making glass bottles-the combination with the air supply
pipe of a valve Q therein, graduated grooves Q* extending laterally from each
end of the passage way Q2 in said plug, a casing into which said air supply:
pipe leads, a plunger M of 2 diameters in said casing, and a conoidal or rounded
end M to said plunger the latter adapted to be projected a slight distance only:
from said casing substantially as and for the purposes described.
1000
Dated us
1000.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.