Method of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Sheet Glass.”
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1903-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1903
86
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Method of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Sheet Glass.”
We, WILLIAM ALBERT PAGE, c/o Pressed Prism Plate Glass Company of Mor-
gantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States of America, Manu-
facturer, and FRANK LAWTON OLCOTT WADSWORTH, of 27 Riverview Avenue,
Allegheny, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States of America, 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 fol-
lowing statement:
-
Our invention consists in an improved method of and apparatus for rolling
sheet glass, whether plain or figured.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing is a side elevation shewing, one form of
apparatus for carrying out our invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same,
partly broken away. Figs. 3. and 4 are respectively a partial cross-section and a
partial longitudinal section on a larger scale. Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic
sectional views, shewing modifications, and Figs. 7 and 8-are cross-sections on
the lines VII-VII and VIII-VIII of Fig. 5.
In the drawings referring to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, 2 represents a supporting
frame, which we have shewn as mounted on wheels 3. The side members 4, +
of the frame are provided with tracks or slide-ways in which slide the shoes 5,
at the sides of the moving table 6. This table is hollow and is provided in its
top with a series of small perforations leading downwardly into the cavity 7.
A vacuum pump is connected to the interior of the table by means of a pipe 8
having a three-way cock 9, and leading to a pair of stationary branch pipes 10
which project through the end of the table and through a rectangular cross-
head 11, which fits within the cavity 7, and is provided with suitable packings 12,
The glass forming-rollers 13 and 14 are mounted on shafts 15 and 16. The
shaft 16 of roller 14 is carried in fixed bearings 17, 17, attached to the frame of
the machine. The larger roller 13 is hollow, and rotates on its shaft 15 which is
also hollow, and is connected at one end with a pipe 18, having jointed connection
with an exhaust pipe 19, also leading to the vacuum pump. Within the roller 13
the shaft is surrounded by sleeve 20, having radial partitions 21 forming between
them a vacuum chamber 22, the partitions bearing against the inner surface of
the roller and having longitudinal packings 23, and end circumferential pack-
ings 23. The roller 13 is provided with small perforations 24 which lead to its
interior, and the sleeve and shaft to which it is attached are prevented from
rotating by connection at the ends with links 25, 25, pivoted to the side members
of the frame. Holes 26 extend through the hollow shaft and the sleeve within
the cylinder, and lead into the vacuum chamber between the partitions.
Attached to
one
gears
end
with
of
is
a
roller
the larger
toothed wheel
a toothed wheel
on
28 carried
a stub
27 which
shaft 29, mounted in a pivotal link 30 and having loose engagement with a
pin 30 projecting from the frame of the machine as shewn in Fig. 4. This link
is pivoted on the axle of the roller and may be adjusted by moving the slot over
the pin and then clamping it by any desirable form of clamping means.
The

page_text: stub shaft 29 is provided with an operating crank handle 31 and its wheel 28
gears in turn with a toothed wheel 32 on a stub shaft 33, mounted on the frame.
The stub shaft 33 is provided with a second toothed wheel 34 gearing with a
rack 35, secured to the side of the table. Another toothed wheel 34' similar to
the wheel 34 is mounted on a stub shaft in the frame at the other side and gears
with a similar rack 351. The axes of the wheels 34, 34' are in line and the wheels
themselves gear with pinions 37, 37' upon a shaft carrying a roller 38 arranged
to hold the glass against the large roller. Another roller 39 is used for this
same purpose which roller is driven by a pinion 40 at one end gearing with
wheel 34. Wheel 34 also gears with a wheel 41 keyed to the shaft of the roller 14.
The pitch diameters of the wheels 27, 32, 34, 37, 40 and 41, are such that when
the driving wheel 28 of the system is turned the rollers 13, 14, 38, 39 and the
table 6, move together at the same peripheral speed. The relative distance
between the surface of the roller 13 and the rollers 14, 38, 39, may be adjusted
by means of the swinging links 25, 25, and the adjustable link 30. A hooper 42
is provided above the rollers to receive the glass, the ends of the hopper forming
cheek-pieces which bear against the ends of the rollers 13, 14, 38, and 39 and also
receive and support the shafts above referred to.
In carrying out our invention with this apparatus, the plastic glass is fed into
the hopper between the two main rollers, and as the crank 31 is actuated the glass
is rolled downwardly into sheet form. At the same time the valves leading from
the chambers 22 and 7 are opened and the air is rapidly exhausted therefrom by
means of the vacuum pump. As the sheet is fed down it is held to the surface of
the large roller by the pressing rollers 38 and 39 and also by the suction within
the segmental chamber of the larger roller acting through the perforations. The
glass is thus held to the larger roller by the pressing rollers and by suction with-.
out the application of retarding friction to the outer surface of the glass such as
would be caused by the use of a stationary pressing block. When the glass sheet
reaches the table it passes beyond the suction chamber of the roller and is pressed
by the roller on the top of the table which is moving forward at the same speed
as the peripheral speed of the rollers. If the smaller forming roller is figured,
the table is correspondingly figured, and so adjusted in position that as the
figured face of the sheet is pressed down upon the table, it fits thereon as the
table moves forward. The glass is held down upon the table by the suction
within the chamber in front of the crosshead.
The sheet, therefore, is formed by rolling it between the rollers and holding it.
in contact with one of them until partially set; and it is then transferred to a
table which has the same contour as one of the rollers. The sheet is then held
in contact with the table until it is set in final form.
Various modifications of the mechanical arrangements whereby the two latter
steps of the operation are carried out may be employed. Thus in Fig. 5 we shew
a form of the invention wherein the receiving table, which is moved as in a pre-
vious form, is set at an inclination to the horizontal, the positions of the forming
rollers 13 and 14¹ being changed accordingly.
In this case gravity will assist in holding the glass to the larger roller, and one
of the small rollers 39 may be dispensed with. An additional roller 44 is added
behind the main roller 13 to assist in holding the glass sheet down upon the
table 6, after its transfer to the table. In this case we have shewn the smaller
roller as having circumferential grooves a a Fig. 7 to form longitudinal recesses
and projections on the sheet. The table is correspondingly provided with longi-
tudinal grooves, as shewn in the sectional view Fig. 8 a' a¹, as is also the small
holding roller 38.
In the arrangement at Fig. 6, we shew the table as horizontal, the forming
roller 13 as provided with longitudinal corrugations on its surface, and the
roller 14 as plain. In this case a pattern or figure is formed on the upper sur-
face of the glass, and to hold this in shape after it leaves the roller until finally

page_text: set, we provide a feedway 45 inclined downwardly toward the roller and support-
ing a set of shapers 46 having their under faces shaped to fit the figure given to
the upper surface of the glass. The side edges of these shapers are beveled or
inclined so that as one of them passes beneath the flange 47 of the feedway, the
next will slide into place. The vacuum may be used in this form as in the pre-
vious form, to hold the glass against the roller.
The advantages of our invention result from the forming of both sides of the
sheet by rollers, the preservation of the formed surface by retaining it in contact
with one of the forming rollers until it has partially set, and the final transfer
and pressing of the formed sheet upon a travelling table. The glass is held upon
the table until finally set so that there is no liability of its changing its form or
contour. Sheets of glass having bright and polished surfaces on both sides and
with either plain or figured contour of sharp and accurate outline can thus be
produced.
It will be obvious that many variations may be made in the form and arrange-
ments of the apparatus without departing from our invention.
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:—
1. The process of making glass sheets, which consists in depositing a mass of
glass between two rollers, rolling the same into sheet form by feeding it between
the rollers and at once applying a positive pressure to hold the sheet in contact
with the surface of one of said rollers while the sheet is acquiring a set, and then
transferring the sheet to a table having the same cross-sectional contour as one
of the rollers, substantially as described.
2. In the process referred to in the first claim, actuating the table so as to
travel at the same speed as the surface speed of the roller that deposits the glass
sheet thereon, substantially as described.
3. In the process referred to in the first and second claims, the employment of
means for holding the glass sheet upon the travelling table substantially as
described.
4. The method of forming figured glass sheets consisting in passing the glass
between rollers, one of which is figured, supplying a positive pressure to hold the
sheet in contact with the surface of the rollers until partially set, transferring
the figured sheet to a table, and pressing it upon said table, substantially as
described.
5. Apparatus for making glass sheets comprising a pair of rollers arranged
to shape a mass of glass into sheet form means acting without friction on the
glass for applying a positive pressure for holding the glass in contact with one
of the rollers while it is acquiring a set, and a travelling table to which the glass
is transferred, substantially as described.
6. In apparatus such as is referred to in the fifth claim constructing the one
roller with a figured surface, the table being also formed with a correspondingly
figured surface for producing glass figured on one side means being provided for
pressing the glass against such figured surfaces, substantially as described.
7. In apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding claims, effecting the
requisite pressure of the glass against the one roller and against the table by the
application of exhaust behind the glass, substantially as described.
8. Apparatus for forming sheet glass comprising a pair of rollers, one of the
said rollers being hollow and perforated, mechanism for forming a partial vacuum
within said roller through a part of its circumference, and means for pressing the
glass sheet against the perforated roller through such portion of the circumfer-
ence, substantially as described.
9. The combination with the hollow perforated roller referred to in the pre-
ceding claim, of a hollow travelling table perforated on the surface that receives

page_text: the glass and provided with means for creating a partial vacuum within the table
substantially as and for the purpose described.
10. Apparatus for rolling sheet glass constructed and operating as herein des-
cribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of October 1903.
ABEL & IMRAY
Agents for the Applicants.