An Improved Method of and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Glass for Skylights and the like
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr, 1895-Accepted, 1st June, 1895
('OMPI ETF SPECIFICATION
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for the Manufacture of
Glass for Skylights and the like
I, CIFON HENRI FONDEUR of No 108 Prospect Street, Can tota, in the
County of Madison, State of New York, United States of America, 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 relates to the method of and apparitus for the manufacture of
glass for sky lights etc, in which wire netting or fabric is embedded to strengthen it
The object of my invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for the
manufacture of such glass, whereby a cheaper and improved article may be
produced
My invention consists in the combination with the melting tank, of a gathering
chamber at one end of said tank, a horizontal slot in each side of the gathering
chamber, rollers on opposite sides of one of said slots, and means whereby said
1ollers may be moved relatively to each othei
And my invention consists in other combinations hereinafter described and
specifically set forth in the claims
In the drawings accompanying this Specification, and forming a part hereof,
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of the melting tank, the gathering
chamber and the rollers, Figure 2 is a side view of the same,
Figure 3 is a view of the opposite side showing the rollers,
Figure 4 is a sectional view on line xx of Figure 1,
Figure 5 shows a side and edge view of the netting attached to a pipe or rod
before it is dipped or covered with glass,
Figure 6 shows the gearing between the two rollers, also gearing and revolving
fans for cooling the sheet as it passes from between the rollers
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the annealing furnace, Figure 8 is a top plan
view of the same with the top thereof removed to show the interior,
Figure 9 is a view of the plate carrier holding a plate or sheet of glass
detached from the track,
Figure 10 is an enlarged view of the plate carrier, cham conveyor, etc, and
Figure 11 is a top plan view of a portion of the conveyor chain and the track
Referring specifically to the drawings, A is the melting tank, beneath which is a
furnace, of any suitable and well known form of construction, to heat the tank
A is the gathering chamber extending from one end of the tank
and chamber are covered by an arched roof
Both the tank
The said chamber is preferably narrower than the tank and somewhat lower and
communicates with the tank The wall between the tank and the chamber, above
the opening between the receptacles, is preferably made double, as shown in the
drawings, so that it may better stand the heat
On each side of the gathering chamber A', just above the level of the melted
glass, A, is a horizontal slot, B, of suitable length and width for the purpose of
admitting the wire fabric, a, on one side of the chamber, and withdrawing it from
the chamber on the opposite side coated with the glass in which it is dipped while
in the chamber
In order to easily hold and handle the piece of netting before and after it is
dipped, I attach a pipe or rod, a³, to one edge, as shown clearly in the two views

page_text: of Figure 5 of the drawings The rod or pipe is longer than the width of the
netting and the slots are somewhat longer than the pipe The pipe is introduced
first through the slot on the right hand side of the chamber, shown in Figure 2,
and is pushed or diawn by hooks or tongs across the chamber toward the opposite
slot, through which it is drawn with the netting secured thereto covered with a
thick covering on both sides of soft glas, Now, in order that this glass may be
made of even thickne, it is immediately, or as it is drawn from the chamber,
passed between two rolluis, C, and C, which I will now proceed to describe
The rollers extend horizontally and parallel with each other, one being above
and the other below the <lot Any suitable means may be employed to adjust the
distance between them for various thicknesses of glass but I have shown simply
rims o collars a", on the ends of the rollers to hold them apart The lower
roller, C, is stationary or turns in stationary brackets at each end while the upper
roller is movable toward and from the lower roller, that is, it is adapted to be
raised, when grappling for the pipe attached to the wire glass, and lowered, when
diawn out between the rollers In order to rust the said toller, I fulcrum it in a
swinging frame, b, hinged to the roof of the chamber, A', and provide the frame
with a handle b¹ The rollers ate rotated by means of cranh, c, and gear
wheels, c¹, on the ends of the rollers which intermesh the crank being keyed to
the shaft of the lower roller
For the purpose of cooling the glass as it is drawn from between the rollers, I
may provide any suitable and well known means for circulating the an, but 1
prefer, and show in Figures 4 and 6, two rotable fans d and d', having each four
blades, one fan--the lower one-d, being mounted to turn in stationary brackets
below the junction of the two rollers, and the other, or upper fan, d', being
mounted to turn in projections on the swinging frame, b, so that it will be raised
and lowered with the upper roller
One end of each of the shafts on which the fans are mounted is provided with a
pinion, d, and these pi nons are rotated by intermediate pinions journaled in the
said bracket and frame and intermeshing with the gear wheels c¹, on the ends of
the rollers When the rollers are turned to move and press the glass, the fans
are revolved to cool at on both sides One of the rollers may be ribbed or
corrugated, if desired
After the sheet or plate of wire glass 18 withdrawn from the rolls it is passed
through an annealing oven for the purpose of straightening it
The main body of the annealing oven, D, is rectangular and oblong At each
end and extending outward from one side of the oven is a nariow chamber,
the narrow chamber, D¹, on the left hand end of the oven is that into which
the sheet of wire glass is first introduced, and the other chamber, D", on the
right hand end of the oven is that from which the said sheet 1 drawn after it
has passed through the body of the oven
Said narrow chambers are each provided with a track, I, which is secured
to the sides of the chamber by brackets, e, e, etc the said tracks extend
straight through into, and entirely across the oven near the top thereof and
also through the openings in the ends of the chambers above the doors, f, f, there of
On each of these tracks is a truck consisting of a bar, g, with a depending hook, g³,
at each end and two wheel, gl, to travel on said track Ihese trucks support
the sheets of wire glass, the hooks holding the pipe, a', on each side of the sheet,
as shown clearly in Figures 7 to 10, inclusive, of the drawings
A suitable furnace below the narrow chamber, D', generates heat which is passed
upward on each side into the said chamber by means of a series of flues h, h, etc, in
the walls thereof as indicated by dotted lines
After the sheet of wire glass, to be annealed or straightened, is suspended
from the truck on the track, it is passed into the narrow chamber, D', which is
highly heated and the door is closed It is soon straightened by the hent and its
weight, and then it is passed into the mun part of the oven which is sime-
what ider than the pipe connected to the sheet of glass The sheet is then

page_text: carried face forward from one end of the oven to the opposite end by means of a
chain conveyor to be hereinafter described Then the conveyor automatically
deposits the sheet upon the truck upon the right hand track, Lin position to
receive it and it is drawn forward through the narrow chamber, D", and through
the doorway thereof
The sheets are passed successively through the oven in this manner, many of
course passing therethrough at the same time
The conveyor, for carrying the sheets or plates of wire glass from one track to
the other, consists of four wheels or pulleys F, two teach end of the oven and
on each side thereof facing each other Ihese pulleys are fulcrumed in the walls
of the oven, one of them being provided with a canh, F', on the outside of the
oven, for operating the conveyor
The wheel piovided with the crank has a gear wheel, 1, keyed to its shaft,
which gear wheel meshes with a gear wheel on counter shaft, G, extending across
the oven above and to one side of the said pulleys Gear wheels, ¹ connect the
opposite pulley with the said counter shaft, so that both pulleys are turned when
the crank, F, is operated
The pulleys, f, at the other end of the oven are turned simultaneously by
means of the pair of chains connecting them together The chains are made up
of links, k, rollers, k¹, at the Junction of said links, and bolts, passing through
the rollers and the ends of the links Said links are each provided with a
cavity, k, in which one end of the pipe, a', may be supported A pair of
tracks, H, H extend between the pulleys, one on each side of the oven for the
Tollers on the upper portions of the chains to roll on so that the chains will not sag
while carrying the sheets of glas
Each of the pulley, F, nie provided with arms, I, I, etc, on then peupheries,
which radiate therefrom a distance apart depending upon the length of the links
in the chain These armis pick up the pipe from the hooks of one truck, and
deposit it upon the chain in the cavities provided for it, and when the pipe reaches
the pair of pulleys at the other or right hand end of the oven, then aims receive
the pipe and deposit it upon the hooks of the second truck, as clearly shown by the
drawings
Pins, 1, extending from the side of the links, bear upon the e arms, I, I, etc
and prevent the slipping of the chuns upon the pulleys and hold the links,
with the cavities therein, in proper position for the reception of the ends of the
pipe, a¹
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 the method of making wine glass which consists in pissing wire fabric
through a body of molten glass, causing the grass to adhere thereto, then regulating
the thickness, and then hanging the glass covered fabric in a vertical position,
substantially as set forth
2 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wire glass, the combination of a
melting tank, a gathering chamber at one end of said tank, a horizontal slot
in each side of the gathering chamber, rollers on opposite sides of one of sud
slot, and means whereby said tollers may be moved relatively to each other, as
set forth
3 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wire glass, the combination of a
melting tank, a gathering chamber at one end of, and narrower than said
tank, a horizontal lot in each side of the gathering chamber and opposite each
other, rollers on opposite sides of one of said slots, and means whereby said rollers
may be revolved and moved relatively to each other, as set forth
4 In in appuatus for the manufacture of wire glass, the combiration of a
melting tank, a gathering chamber communicating with the tank, horizontal slots
in opposite sides of the gathering chamber, rollers near and parallel with one of
'

page_text: said slots, gear wheels on the ends of said rollers, a swinging frame holding one
of said rollers, and means to operate said rollers, as and for the purpose set
forth
5 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wne glass, the combination of
melting tank, a gathering chamber communicating with the tank, horizontal slots
in opposite sides of the gathering chamber, a stationary roller below and parallel
with one of said slots, a roller above the first mentioned 1oller, a swinging frame
for the upper rolleis adapted to raise the latter, gears on the ends of suid rollers,
and means whereby the rollers may be rotated, as set forth
6 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wire glass, the combination of a
melting tank, a gathering chamber at one end of and narrower than said tank,
a horizontal slot in each side of the gathering chamber and opposite each other,
rollers on opposite sides of one of said slots, a rotable fan neai each roller, and
means whereby said rollers may be revolved and moved relatively to each other, as
set forth
7 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wire glas, the combination of a
melting tank, a gathering chamber communicating with the tank, horizontal slots
in opposite sides of the gathering chamber, a station uy oller below and parallel
with one of said lots, a roller above the first mentioned 1oller, a swinging fiame
for the upper roller adapted to raise the latter, gears on the ends of said rollers, a
rotable fin below the plane of the Junction of said 1ollers and parallel therewith, a
second fan above said plane journaled in the swinging fiame, and means whereby
the rollers may be rotated, as set forth
8 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wire glass, the combination of a
melting tank, a gathering chimber communicating with the tank, horizontal slots
in opposite sides of the gathering chamber, a stationary roller below and puallel
with one of said slots, a roller above the first mentioned roller, a swinging fiame for
the upper roller adapted to raise the latter, gears on the ends of said rollers,
rotable fan below the plane of the junction of said rollers and parallel therewith,
a second fan above said plane journaled in the swinging frame, gearing for communi-
cating motion from the ioller gears to the fans, and means whereby the rollers may
be rotated, as set forth
9 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wire glass the combination with a
furnace and an annealing oven, narrow chambers at each end extending from one
side thereof and communicating with the oven, tracks at each end extending through
said chambers and oven, tiucks on said tracks, an endless conveyor extending
between the said tracks, and means for operating the same as and for the purpost
descubed
10 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wite glass, the combination with a
furnace and an annealing oven, nariow chambers at each end extending from
one side thereof and communicating with the oven, tracks at each end extending
through said chambers and oven, trucks on said tracks, an endless conveyor on each
side of the oven connected together, means for removing the plate from one truck
and depositing it on the other automatically, and mean for operating the same as
set forth
11 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wine glass, the combination with a
furnace and an unealing oven, narrow chambers at each end extending from one
side thereof and communicating with the oven, tracks at each end extending
through said chambers and oven trucks on said tracks, pulleys at opposite ends and
on opposite sides of the oven, endless chains on said pulleys, a counter shaft and
gearing, arms radiating from said pulleys, and means for operating the conveyor, a
set forth
12 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wire glass, the combination with a
furnace and an annealing oven, narrow chambers at each end extending from one
side thereof and communicating with the oven, tracks at each end extending through
said chambers and oven, trucks on said tracks, pulleys at opposite ends and on
opposite sides of the oven, endless chains on said pulleys, a counter shaft and gealing,

page_text: arms radiating from said pullevs, tracks between the pulleys on each side of the
oven, and means for rotating the pulleys, as set forth
13 In an apparatus for the manufacture of wire glass, the combination with a
furnace and an annealing oven, narrow chambers at each end extending from one
side thereof and communicating with the oven, tracks at each end extending through
said chambers and oven near the top thereof, trucks on said tracks, pulleys at
opposite ends and on opposite sides of the oven, endless chains on said pulleys
provided with rollers, tracks between the pulleys on each side of the oven for the
upper portions of the chains to bear upon, a counter shaft, gearing between the
pulleys and the counter shaft, arms radiating from said pulleys, and means for rotating
the pulleys, substantially as set forth
Dated this 6th day of April 1895
CLEON HENRI TONDEUR
Haseltine, Lake & Co,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, WC, Agents for the Applicant