Improvements in and connected with Machinery for Rolling Sheets of I C. . Glass.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 16th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Machinery for Rolling Sheets of
I C. .
Glass.
.:.
I, WILLIAM WINDLE PILKINGTON, of Saint Helens, in the County of Lancaster,
Glass Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide machinery whereby sheets of glass
can be more easily and economically rolled with a pattern or figure and without
liability of the pattern becoming indistinct or distorted, and also whereby the
sheets of glass when rolled can be readily inserted into the annealing kiln without
risk of being crumpled or distorted.
For these purposes I provide a pair of rollers carried in a frame preferably
free to run to and fro on guides or rails. The rollers can be caused to rotate by any
convenient gearing. The lower one of the pair of rollers carries the pattern which is
to be impressed on the glass. The upper one of the pair of rollers may be, and prefer-
ably is, movable concentrically about the lower one so that such upper roller
can be lowered to nearly the level of the centre of the lower roller at the commence-
ment of rolling a sheet and afterwards raised to normal position, so that the first
portion of the sheet is formed by the raising of the upper roller, the sheet being
completed by rotating the rollers. A hopper or guide plates is or are provided for
supplying or feeding the molten glass between the pair of rollers, and when the
upper roller is made movable such hopper or guide plates is or are made to move
with it. A guide or directing plate is also provided for directing the rolled
sheet of glass from the rollers. The glass follows the contour of the lower pattern
roller for some distance, and thereby becomes so much cooled that the pattern
formed on the glass is not afterwards liable to become indistinct or be distorted.
A table or plate is provided beneath or between the guides on which the frame.
carrying the rollers runs, on to which table, as the frame and rollers travel along,
the sheet of glass is delivered by the directing plate. This table is preferably
mounted on a pillar, so that it can be swivelled in any direction so as to present
the end, preferably the hottest end, of the sheet to the mouth of the annealing
kiln, and a pusher is provided whereby the plate of glass on the table can be
pushed into the annealing kiln. Instead of moving the frame and rollers over.
the table, the table may be passed under the frame which would then remain
stationary. In this case the movable table may either be itself on a swivel or it
may pass onto a separate swivel or turntable so that the end of the movable table
may be turned to the mouth of the annealing kiln. The above swivelling table
might be dispensed with and in such case the plate of glass would be deposited
on a table either stationary or movable and drawn or pushed from thence by the
cold end on to a separate swivelling table from whence it could be pushed into the
annealing kiln.
Dated this Twenty first dor of Bahru 1900

page_text: Improvements in and connected with Machinery for Rolling Sheets of
Glass.
I, WILLIAM WINDLE PILKINGTON, of Saint Helens, in the County of Lancaster,
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 reference being had to the accompanying
drawings:-
1
Hitherto in rolling patterned glass it has been the practice to form the pattern
on the upper surface of the sheet and there is always great liability of the pattern
being indistinct or distorted in consequence of the short time the roller is in
contact with the glass.
The object of this invention is to provide machinery whereby sheets of glass 1
can be more easily and economically rolled with a pattern or figure and without
liability of the pattern becoming indistinct or distorted, and also whereby the
sheets of glass when rolled can be readily inserted into the annealing kiln without
risk of being crumpled or distorted or fractured.
For these purposes I provide a pair of rollers carried in a frame preferably
free to run to and fro on guides or rails. The rollers can be caused to rotate by any
convenient gearing. The lower-one of the pair of rollers carries the pattern which is
to be impressed on the glass. The upper one of the pair of rollers may be and prefer-
ably is, movable concentrically about the lower one so that such upper roller
can be lowered to nearly the level of the centre of the lower roller at the commence-.
ment of rolling-a-sheet and afterwards raised to normal position, so that the first
portion of the sheet is formed by the raising of the upper roller, the sheet-being-
completed by rotating the rollers. Guide plates are provided for feeding the
molten glass between the pair of rollers, and when the upper roller is made
movable such guide plates are made to move with it. A guide or directing plate
is also provided for directing the rolled sheet of glass from the rollers. The
glass follows the contour of the lower pattern roller for some distance, and thereby
becomes so much cooled that the pattern formed on the glass is not afterwards
liable to become indistinct or the sheet distorted.
A table or plate is provided beneath or between the guides on which the frame
carrying the rollers runs, on to which table, as the frame and rollers travel along,
the sheet of glass is delivered by the directing plate. This table is preferably
mounted on a pillar, so that it can be swivelled in any direction so as to present
the end, preferably the hottest end, of the sheet to the mouth of the annealing
kiln, and a pusher is provided whereby the plate of glass on the table can be
pushed into the annealing kiln. Instead of moving the frame and rollers over
the table the table may be passed under the frame which would then remain
stationary. In this case the movable table may either be itself on a swivel or it
may pass on to a separate swivel or turntable so that the end of the movable table
may be turned to the mouth of the annealing kiln. The above swivelling table
might be dispensed with and in such case the plate of glass would be deposited
on a table either stationary or movable and drawn or pushed from thence by the
cold end on to a separate swivelling table from whence it could be pushed into the
annealing kiln.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section on the line A A on Fig. 2, and Fig. 2, is a plan
of apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. 2, 3 are a pair of
rollers, the lower one 3 is carried in bearings in a frame 4, provided with wheels 5.

page_text: on shafts 6, and free to run to and fro on guides or rails 7 supported on
standards 8 or otherwise as desired. The rollers are preferably geared together by
toothed wheel 9, 10, and can be caused to rotate by any convenient gearing, such
as by toothed wheels 11 on a shaft 12 carried in the frame 4. 13 is a spur wheel
on the shaft 12, operated by a pinion 14 on a shaft 15. The shaft 15 may be
operated by hand or any convenient power such as an electric motor if desired.
The lower one 3 of the pair of rollers carries the pattern which is to be impressed
on the glass. The upper one 2 of the pair of rollers is carried in bearings in a
movable frame 16, pivotted at 17, on the shaft of the roller 3 so that such roller 2,
can be moved concentrically about the lower one 3 from or into the position shown
by the dotted line 16º. 18 is a chain attached at one end to the frame 16 and
passing over a pulley 19 on the shaft 20 supported by the frame 4. The chain is
attached at the other end to the barrel 21 on a shaft 22. The shaft 22 can be
rotated by the handle 23 so as to wind up the chain and raise the frame 16 into
the position 16". 24 is a ratchet wheel on the shaft 22 and 25 is a pawl for holding
the shaft 22 stationary when the movable frame 16 has been raised. Any other
convenient means for raising the frame 16 can be used if desired. 26 are guide
plates for feeding the molten glass between the pair of rollers. These guide
plates are secured to the movable frame 16 by bars 27, so that they move therewith.
28 is a guide or directing plate for directing the rolled sheet of glass from the
roller 3. This guide or directing plate 28 is secured to the frame 4 in any desired
way and in such position that the glass can follow the lower roller for some
distance before reaching such plate. 29 are chain wheels on the shafts 6 of the
wheels 5. 30 are pitch chains passing round the chain wheels 29 and round
chain wheels 31 on the shaft 12. By means of these chains and chain wheels
when the roller 3 is rotated by the shaft 12, the wheels 5 are also rotated and
carry the frame 4, and all the apparatus supported thereby along the rails 7.
At the commencement of rolling the sheet the roller 2 is preferably lowered
nearly level with the centre of the lower roller 3 as shown, the molten glass is
placed between the guide plates 20 as shown at 32 the roller 2 is then raised by
means of the chain 18 into the position 16 thus forming the first portion of the
sheet against the roller 3. The roller 3 is then rotated by its gearing in the
direction shown by the arrow, and the sheet of glass thus formed follows the
contour of the lower roller 3 for some distance and is then directed down the
guide or directing plate 28, and, as the frame 4 travels along the rails 7 in the
direction shown by the arrow at 33, such sheet of glass 32" is laid on the table 34.
The dotted lines 4" show the position of the frame 4 when it has reached the end
of its travel and the completed sheet 32" is laid on the table 34. In some cases
the frame 16 may be dispensed with the roller 2 being stationary at the position 16
and carried in bearings in the frame 4. The table or plate 34 is arranged beneath
the rails 7, and is mounted on a pillar 35, so that it can be swivelled in any direc-
tion. The dotted lines 34" show the table swivelled round at right angles to its
normal position so as to present the hottest end of the sheet, that is the end which
last left the rollers, to the mouth of the annealing kiln 36, into which it is pushed
by a pusher 37 or other glass moving device acting against the coolest end of the
sheet. By using the pusher at the coolest end of the sheet there is much less
liability of the sheet becoming distorted or fractured by the strain necessary
to push the sheet into the kiln as the cooler end of the sheet is much stiffer than
the other end and can withstand the necessary strain of the pusher. When the
pusher is used at the hottest end of the sheet there is great liability of the sheet
being distorted owing to its softness.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line B B on Fig. 4 and Fig. 4 is a
plan of a modification of apparatus in which the receiving table traverses under
the rollers. In this modification the roller 2 in its frame 16 and the roller 3
are carried in a stationary frame 38 and the table 34 is mounted on a carriage 39,
carried by wheels 40 free to run along rails 41. The toothed wheels 11 on the
shaft 12 besides turning the roller 3 also gear into the racks 42 on the table 34

page_text: so as to draw the table along. As the rollers 2 and 3 rotate, the sheet of glass is.
formed and directed down the guide plate 28 on the table 34. When
the table has passed under the rollers and received the complete sheet it can be
swivelled round for the sheet to be pushed into the annealing kiln as before
described.
Fig. 5 is a view of a modified arrangement of receiving table. In this view the
movable table 43, on which the sheet of glass 32 has been laid by rollers as before
described, is run on to a separate swivel or turntable 44 which is then turned so
so that the end of the movable table 43 and the hottest end of the sheet of glass
thereon may be presented to the mouth of the annealing kiln into which the
sheet can then be pushed by a pusher acting against the coolest end.
Fig. G is a view of another arrangement of receiving table. In this view the
movable table 43 is run up to a separate swivelling table 45 with the coolest end
of the sheet next to such swivelling table on to which it is drawn by a pair of
tongs applied to the coolest end of the sheet. When the sheet has been drawn on
to the table 45 such table can be swivelled round so as to present the hottest
end of the sheet to the annealing kiln 36 into which it is pushed by a pusher
acting on the coolest end.
I do not confine myself to the above described arrangements of parts as many
variations may be made without departing from the essential features of my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In apparatus-for-rolling-patterned glass the combination of an upper and a
lower roller, the lower roller carrying the pattern and so arranged-as-to-allow-of-
the sheet of glass following the contour of such pattern roller, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
2.In-apparatus for rolling_patterned glass the combination of an upper and
a lower roller the lower roller carrying the pattern, and so arranged-as-to-allow
of the sheet of glass following the contour of such pattern roller; and the upper
roller being movable concentrically about the lower roller, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
3. In apparatus for rolling patterned glass the combination with a pair of
rollers, the lower one of which, carries the pattern, of a directing plate to receive
the sheet of glass from the lower roller and arranged in such position as to allow
of such sheet following the contour of such lower roller for a certain distance,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. In apparatus for rolling patterned glass the combination with a lower roller
having the pattern thereon, of an upper roller movable concentrically about the
lower roller and means for moving such upper roller concentrically and retaining
it in position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. In apparatus for rolling patterned glass the combination of a lower pattern
roller, an upper roller, means for rotating the rollers, a directing plate to receive
the sheet of glass from the lower roller, a table whereon the sheet is laid, said
table being adapted to swivel, and means for moving the rollers relatively to the
table, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. In apparatus for rolling patterned glass the combination of a lower pattern
roller, an upper roller, means for rotating the rollers, a directing plate to receive
the sheet of glass from the lower roller, and a movable table whereon the sheet
is laid, and means for swivelling such table, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
7. In apparatus for rolling patterned glass the combination of a lower pattern
roller, an upper roller, means for rotating the rollers, a directing plate to receive
the sheet of glass from the lower roller, and a swivelling receiving table adapted
to allow of a glass moving device being applied to the coolest end of the sheet

page_text: of glass for delivering such sheet to a kiln, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
8. In apparatus for rolling patterned glass the combination of a lower pattern
roller, an upper roller, means for rotating the rollers, a directing plate to receive
the sheet of glass from the lower roller, and a movable receiving table adapted to
allow of a glass moving device being applied to the coolest end of the sheet of
glass for delivering such sheet to another table or to a kiln, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Dated this Fifteenth day of November 1899
W. B. JOHNSON,
4, Clayton Square, Liverpool, Agent.