IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF CERTAIN KINDS OF ORNAMENTAL GLASS, AND IN THE PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Couper, the younger, of the City Flint · Glass
Works, and John Elcock, Pattern Maker, both of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURING OF CERTAIN KINDS OF ORNAMENTAL GLASS, AND IN THE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Couper and John
Elcock at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st March
1881.
JAMES COUPER, the younger, of the City Flint Glass Works, and JOHN
ELCOCK, Pattern Maker, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF CERTAIN KINDS OF
ORNAMENTAL GLASS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
"
This Invention, which relates to certain improvements in the manufacturing of
certain kinds of ornamental glass, and in the means or apparatus employed
therefor, has reference more especially to the ornamentation of gas globes or
shades and other kinds of blown glass. The object is to produce in a rapid and
equable manner the divisions, such as "escaloping," commonly called scoloping or
corrugating or otherwise indenting, both on the inner and outer sides, the article
of such glass the horizontal contour of which when it leaves the blower's hand is
circular.
The apparatus by which this object is effected consists of a table, in the central
part of which is the escaloped, or scoloped, corrugated or indented portion, by
which the interior part is shaped. The article to be shaped by this apparatus is
placed over this central portion whilst in the hot state, and immediately thereafter
there is caused to descend upon and against its exterior a series of blocks
correspondingly shaped, that is to say, whose surfaces which bear against the
outside of the glass article are escaloped or scoloped, corrugated or fluted in the
reverse of the escalopo or scolops, corrugations or flutings of the central piece..
Price 8d1

page_text: The surfaces of the blocks which pass against the outer surfaces of the glass or
the surfaces of the central block may, if desired, have ornamental devices produced
on them either in intaglio or in relievo, which are imparted to the contiguous
surfaces of the glass itself. The whole of the outer blocks are either hinged or
otherwise suitably connected to the table, and they are further connected by links
to a treadle for the purpose of drawing them all down simultaneously at the
required moment, whilst a central spring on the treadle being forced to pull up or
lift the same does so when the pressure on the treadle is released, so that the
article which has undergone this manufacturing process is free to be removed from
the apparatus.
It is to be understood that in place of operating the apparatus hereinbefore
described by means of a treadle, a hand lever, counterweight, or other well known
simple form of manual appliance may be used. It is also to be understood that
the apparatus is equally applicable for ornamenting bodies having straight sides or
partly straight and partly curved sides and other forms in addition to those
hereinbefore described.
For the purpose of producing such ornamental forms to bodies of glass which
are larger at their central parts than at the part where the central portion of the
ornamental producing apparatus passes thereinto, such central portion is provided
with an expanding apparatus, such as the well known expanding cone, springs, a
conical screw, or the mechanical equivalent of these, by means of which, after the
hot glass body has been placed upon the central portion it (the central portion)
may be rapidly expanded out to the requisite diameter, and immediately after
which the outer portions are drawn against the outer surface of the glass by the
means hereinbefore described or by means equivalent thereto.
In place of using either of the means hereinbefore described for bringing the
outside blocks into contact with the glass body so as to press it into shape a ring
may be used which will bear simultaneously upon each of the blocks and cause
them to descend together upon the hot glass article to be formed or shaped, or the
blocks may be made in two, three, or more segments as required and caused to
slide in upon the table against the central portion, the sliding motion of the said
blocks being performed either by one or more eccentrics, by quick threaded screws,
by racks and pinions, or by the equivalents of these.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Couper and John Elcock in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th September 1881.
JAMES COUPER, the younger, of the City Flint Glass Works, and JOHN
ELCOCK, Pattern Maker, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF CERTAIN KINDS OF
ORNAMENTAL GLASS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.'
"
Our said Invention relates to improvements in the manufacturing of certain
kinds of ornamental glass ware, and in the means or apparatus employed therefor,
and has reference more especially to the ornamentation of gas globes or shades
and other kinds of blown glass. The object of our said Invention is to produce in

page_text: a rapid and equable manner the divisions, such as escaloping, commonly called
"scoloping," or corrugations or flutings, or other indentations, both on the inner
and outer sides of the article of glass the horizontal contour of which, when
it leaves the blower's hands, is circular.
The apparatus by which this object is effected consists of a table supporting an
escaloped or "scoloped" corrugated, fluted, or otherwise indented portion, by which
the interior part of the glass article is shaped, and also a series of hinged or.
moveable blocks, by which the exterior part of the glass article is shaped, the said
blocks being escaloped, " scoloped," corrugated, fluted, or otherwise indented to a
pattern corresponding to but the reverse of the pattern of the central portion.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents in plan, and Figure 2 in
vertical section, apparatus constructed according to our Invention. The table A
supports the central piece B, the external surface of which is of the form to be
imparted to the glass operated upon. Blocks C are hinged to the said table A, the
said blocks being connected by links to a treadle o*. Springs d draw up the
treadle to sustain the blocks C in their raised or opened out position. The article
to be shaped by the apparatus is prepared by the blower in the ordinary way and
is transferred to the "post" or carrying rod and opened out to an extent sufficient
to enable it to be placed over the part B, which is done whilst the article is in a
hot or plastic condition. When so placed over the said central part B the treadle o³
is depressed and the blocks C are thereby brought down upon the said article,
imparting to the interior of the said article the shape of the part B and to the
exterior the shape of the series of blocks C. The treadle c³ is then released and
the springs & cause the blocks C to be opened out or raised from off the formed
article, which is then removed from the central part B by means of the "post" or
carrying rod to which it is attached.
Figure 3 represents in plan, and Figure 4 in vertical section, the upper part of
an apparatus, constructed according to our Invention essentially as hereinbefore
described, but wherein the central part B and the blocks C are of the shape
requisite to give a crimped or wave-like form to the edge of the glass article.
Figure 5 is a plan, and Figure 6 is a vertical section of the upper part of an
apparatus constructed according to our Invention essentially as herein before
described, but wherein the central portion B.is of a shape requisite to give a fluted
conoidal configuration to the glass article, the blocks C being narrow and curved on
their faces to correspond to the inward curves of the part B.
For the purpose of producing ornamental forms upon articles of glass, which are
larger at their central parts than at the top or bottom the central portion (B) is
provided with means for expanding it, such as, for example, the well known
expanding cone or springs, or a conical screw, or the mechanical equivalent of
these, by means of which after the hot plastic glass from which the ornamented
article is to be formed has been placed upon the central portion the said central
portion may be rapidly expanded out to the requisite extent, and immediately
after which or simultaneously therewith the outer portions are drawn against the
outer surface of the glass after the manner hereinbefore described. Figures 7 and 8
represent vertical sections in two different positions of an apparatus constructed
according to this modification of our Invention. The central part B is replaced by
binged or moveable blocks b connected by the links b' to the rod of the treadle c³.
The outer blocks C are arranged and operated similarly to those hereinbefore.
described. The blocks O and b respectively have their inner and outer faces of a
form corresponding to that of the article to be formed. The plastic glass is placed
over the central blocks b when they are in the position shewn in Figure 7, and on
the treadle being depressed the said blocks 6 move outwards and the blocks C
move inwards simultaneously and impart the necessary form to the glass. By
connecting the links c of the blocks C to a separate treadle (or by any other
convenient arrangement for the purpose) the blocks b may be caused to act first
and the blocks C to act immediately afterwards. Where the moveable blocks b
are used the blocks C may, if desired, be replaced by an immoveable outer part

page_text: having the contour of the exterior of the article to be produced, provided that the
article is of such form that it can be withdrawn from the said immoveable outer
part.
The blocks C and 6 and central part B may be of any suitable material. If
made of wood or other material liable to injury by heat the surfaces which_bear
upon the glass may be protected by copper or other plates. The said surfaces of
the blocks and central part may have any desired ornamental devices produced
upon them either in intaglio or relievo, which devices will be imparted to the
glass.
We do not confine ourselves to operating the blocks (C, b) by means of a treadle.
as equivalent devices, such as. a hand lever or counterweight, or other suitable
appliance for this purpose may be employed; or the outside blocks could be moved
inwards by means of a ring which bears upon all of the blocks and on being
depressed will force the said blocks inwards essentially as hereinbefore described;
or the blocks may be caused to slide upon the table, their sliding motions being
imparted to them by an eccentric or eccentrics by quick threaded screws, by racks
and pinions, or the equivalents of these. We do not limit ourselves to any
particular number of blocks which we employ in the apparatus constructed
according to our Invention.
It will readily be understood that the blocks and central part of the apparatus
constructed according to our Invention may be shaped to give any desired
straight, curved, or partially straight or partially curved contours to the glass
articles.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion, that
what we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to us by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
The improvements in the manufacture of articles of ornamental glass, consisting
in subjecting the glass when in a plastic condition to the operation of a machine or
machines such as are herein before described, the glass in the said plastic condition
being placed upon a central expanding or non-expanding central portion having the
contour to be given to the interior of the article, and the said glass then being
compressed between this central portion and a moveable or non-moveable outer
portion or portions having the contour to be given to the exterior of the article,
essentially as hereinbefore described; also the machines or apparatus for this
purpose constructed or arranged essentially as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Couper, the younger, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.