Improvements in Glass-melting Plant.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 6th Apr., 1898--Accepted, 11th June, 1898
Improvements in Glass-melting Plant.
I, ERNST FRANZ WILHELM HIRSCH, of Radeberg, near Dresden, Kingdom of
Saxony, German Empire, Glass Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to glass-melting plant, and a characteristic feature
is the combination of a pot furnace and a tank furnace, the mixture of materials
being introduced into and melted or fused in one or more pots, and the molten
mass or "metal" flowing from the pots into the working tank.
Thus
Attempts have already been made to separate the melting of the glass materials
from the place from which the fused glass or metal is taken to be worked.
for instance two pots have been employed, of which one served as the melting
pot into which the further supply of mixture was charged, whilst the other
received the melted mass or metal which was worked by the glass maker from
this second pot.
Now the present invention consists in combining a pot melting furnace with a
tank furnace in such a manner that the melting of the glass materials is effected
in one or more pots, and the melted glass or metal is caused by the additional
charging of mixture into the melting pots, to pass over into the tank, which can
be acted upon by the heat of the pot furnace.
Since the glass mass or metal in being worked need not be subjected to the
same degree of heat as is required for melting the mixture and for refining the
molten mass, this arrangement effects a considerable saving in fuel, whilst
the tank has the advantage that a large number of workmen can work at the same.
Further, the combination of the pot furnace with the tank furnace has the
advantage that the operator is enabled to decide as to the degree of refining at
which the melted mass shall be admitted to the tank (which is not possible where
melting, refining and working are carried on simultaneously in one tank or in a
divided tank) because the passage of the same into the tank is only caused by
additional charging of the mixture into the melting pots. Thus a main advantage
of this arrangement may be said to be the considerable saving of the tank, which
can last for many years, because it is not necessary to charge it with material.
It is only refined glass that flows into the tank, and it remains there. The
tank walls do not come in contact with cold mixture, and therefore also the melted
mass or metal in the tank is subjected to a much less degree to impurity caused
by damaged parts of the tank, then when the preliminary melting is effected in the
tank.
In carrying out the invention, a pot furnace may be fitted with one pot or
with two pots, in which latter case one pot may receive the mixture and deliver the
melted mass for refining to the other pot.
The first pot receives the mixture through a supply pipe. The fluid mass
may, by additional charging of mixture, be forced into the second pot, rising

page_text: from the bottom of the first pot through a side tube. (Where only one pot is
employed the fluid mass or metal flows directly into the tank.)
In proportion to the flow from the first pot into the second, the melted mass
refined in the latter flows also through an ascending pipe from the bottom of the
pot into the tank of the tank furnace, which may be provided all round with work-
ing openings, except at the side where the pot furnace is situated.
In the pot furnace there are provided the usual supply openings for gas and
air, and also discharge openings for products of combustion. The heat radiated
from the pot furnace can act upon the tank furnace. The course of the flame may
however be guided in such a manner that it passes out of the pot furnace and
flows over the melted glass mass and then passes out through openings in the
walls of the tank furnace. But the tank furnace itself may also be heated.
For the purpose of radiation or of leading the flame or the products of combustion
from the pot furnace into the tank furnace, the partition wall between the two
may be perforated in a suitable manner.
It is further advisable to set the first pot in a depression in order to prevent
mixture, fragments or glass mass, which may escape from this pot when charging
additional mixture, from, flowing into the tank. The usual rings, floating vessels,
or other known devices may be employed in the tank for the purpose of preventing
the melted mass which passes from the pot into the tank from flowing directly to
the working place.
For the purpose of making very white kinds of glass, it is advisable to cover
up the melting or refining pots wholly or partially, in order to prevent injurious
action of the flame:
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Glass-melting Plant.
I, ERNST FRANZ WILHELM HIRSCH, of Radeberg, near Dresden, Kingdom of
Saxony, German Empire, Glass Manufacturer, 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:→
: My invention has reference to glass-melting plant, and a characteristic feature
is the combination of a pot furnace and a tank furnace, the mixture of materials
being introduced into and melted or fused in one or more pots, and the molten
mass or metal" flowing from the pots into the working tank.
"
Attempts have already been made to separate the melting of the glass materials
from the place from which the fused glass or metal is taken to be worked. Thus
for instance two pots have been employed, of which one served as the melting
pot into which the further supply of mixture was charged; whilst the other
received the melted mass or metal which was worked by the glass maker from
this second pot.
1
Now the present invention consists in combining a pot melting furnace with a
tank furnace in such a manner that the melting of the glass materials is effected
in one or more pots, and the melted glass or metal is caused by the additional
charging of mixture into the melting pots, to pass' over into the tank, which can
be acted upon by the heat of the pot furnace. It is generally of advantage to
provide two sets of pots, viz, a set of melting pots into which the materials: for
the mixture are charged and melted down, and a set of refining pots which: receive
DI
The mi

page_text: the melted glass mass from the melting pots and deliver it after refining into the
tank. Where only one pot or one set of pots is employed, the melted glass mass
flows directly into the tank. es!
i
Since the glass mass or metal in being worked need not be subjected to the
same degree of heat as is required for melting the mixture and for refining the
molten mass, this arrangement effects a considerable saving in fuel, whilst
the tank has the advantage that a large number of workmen can work at the same.
Further, the combination of the pot furnace with the tank furnace has the
advantage that the operator is enabled to decide as to the degree of refining at
which the melted mass shall be admitted to the tank (which is not possible where
melting, refining and working are carried on simultaneously in. one tank or in a
divided tank) because the passage of the same into the tank is only caused by
additional charging of the mixture into the melting pots. Thus, a main advantage
of this arrangement may be said to be the considerable, saving of the tank, which
can last for many years, because it is not necessary to charge it with material.
It is only melted glass, mass that flows into the tank and that remains therein.
The tank walls.do not come in contact, with mixture, and therefore also the melted
mass or metal in the tank is subjected to a much less degree to-impurity caused
by damaged parts of the tank, than when the preliminary melting is effected. in
the tank
"
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a suitable arrangement of glass
melting plant for carrying out this invention.
Figure 1 is a. vertical section through a combined pot furnace and tank
furnace, and
Figure 2 is a horizontal section (on a reduced scale) through the same..
In carrying out the invention, a pot furnace A may be fitted with one pot or
one set of pots, or with two pots or two sets of pots bc as shown, in which latter
case (that is to say when there are two pots or two sets of pots) the first pot or set
of pots receives the mixture and delivers the melted mass for refining to the other
pot or set of pots c.
Each pot of the first set of pots 6 receives the mixture through a separate
supply pipe d. The fluid mass is by additional charging of mixture, forced into
the second or refining set of pots c rising from the bottom of each pot of the first
set of pots 6 through a side tube e. (Where only one pot or set of pots 6 or c is
employed, the mixture of materials would be charged into and melted down in the
said pot or set of pots, and the fluid mass or metal would flow directly from the
said pot or set of pots into the tank g.)
In proportion to the flow from the first set of pots b into the second set of pots c,
the melted mass refined in the latter flows also through an ascending pipe e¹ from
the bottom of each pot c either directly or as shown through suitable channels h,
into the tank g of the tank furnace B, which may be provided all round with
working openings, except at the side where the pot furnace is situated. There
may be as many pairs of pots b and c as desired, the number of pairs of pots
depending on the rate of output.
In the pot furnace there are provided the usual supply openings i for gas and
air, and also discharge openings for products of combustion. The heat radiated
from the pot furnace A can act upon the tank furnace B. The course of the
flame may however be guided in such a manner that it passes out of the pot
furnace A and flows over the melted glass mass in the tank g, and then passes out
through openings in the walls of the tank furnace B. But the tank furnace itself
may also be heated.
For the purpose of radiation of the flame from the pot furnace A into the tank
furnace B, both furnaces may have free inter-communication as shown; or for the
purpose of leading the products of combustion from the pot furnace into the
tank furnace, a partition wall perforated in a suitable manner may be provided
between the two.
It is further advisable to set the first pot in a depression in order to prevent

page_text: mixture, fragments, or glass mass, which may escape from this pot when charging
additional mixture, from flowing into the tank g. The usual rings, floating vessels,
or other known devices, may be employed in the tank g for the purpose of prevent-
ing the melted mass which passes from the pots c into the tank from flowing directly
to the working place.
For the purpose of making very white kinds of glass, it is advisable to cover
up the melting or refining pots wholly or partially, in order to prevent injurious
action of the flame.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
1. In glass melting plant, the combination of a pot furnace and a tank furnace,
in which the mixture of materials is introduced into and melted in one or more pots,
and the melted mass or "metal" flows from the pot or pots into the working tank,
which latter can be heated if desired either by the heat radiated from the pot
furnace, or by the products of combustion escaping from pot furnace or by direct
firing, substantially as described.
2. In glass melting plant of the kind specified in the preceding claim, the com-
bination of one or more melting pots such as b, one or more refining pots such as c
and a working tank g arranged and operating substantially as described and
shown.
3. Glass melting plant, constructed, arranged and operating, substantially as
described and shown.
un day O APH
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.