IMPROVEMENTS IN GLASS BLOWERS' MOLDS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Libbey, of New Bedford, of the State of
Massachusetts, of the United States of America, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GLASS BLOWERS' MOLDS."-A communication
from Samuel Redlon Bowie, residing at said New Bedford, of the
said State of Massachusetts
Sealed the 22nd August 1871, and dated the 24th June 1871.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henry Libbey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 24th June 1871, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
LIBBEY, of New Bedford, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United
States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GLASS BLOWERS MOLDS," and have petitioned Her Majesty-to-grant-unto
me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that the same is a

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Libbey, do hereby declàre
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what |
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement :-
The nature of my Invention consists as follows,-
First. Of a rotary mold for forming the outer surface of a blown glass
article.
Second. Of the combination of a stationary axial bed or bottom former
with the rotary mold or body former..
Third. Of a mold as made with a series of peripheral rollers.
Fourth. Of a rotary mold made in two sections or parts and provided
with mechanism for opening and closing the same.
Fifth. In combining with the stationary axial bed or bottom former 1
and the rotary mold mechanism for rotating the latter.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 denotes a side elevation of
the mold and its operating mechanism, and Figure 2 a vertical and
central section of the same; Figure 3 is a top view of the circular mold
supporting plate and mold showing the mold as open; Figure 4 is a 2
side elevation of one-half of the mold as formed with a plain or smooth
inner surface.
It is a fact well known that in molding articles of glass wherein the
mold is stationary, and made in two or more sections, that a seam or ridge
is formed in the articles molded at each joint of the mold.. This is very 2
objectionable and greatly injures or mars the appearance of the moulded
article. To remedy this defect or to impart to such molded article a
smooth and uniform surface is the object of my Invention.
My Invention has special reference to the molding of articles having
curved surfaces.
3
In the said Drawing A denotes a circular plate upon which the two
halves or sections B, B, of the mold are mounted. Each of the said
sections is so attached to a slider C or C³ as to be capable of sliding
diametrically toward and away from each other as circumstances may
require. D is a centralizing base or table to receive and support a 3
stationary bottom former or plate E, which is provided with a foot or
spindle c that extends down through a hollow standard or sleeve F, and

page_text: is stepped in the base plate G. The said standard or sleeve has its
upper end securely affixed to the under surface of the plate A, projects
downward through a supporting arm H depending from the frame I, I,
and rests upon a table or shelf J of the said frame, which is securely
bolted to the base plate G. K is a bevelled wheel which is disposed
upon the said hollow sleeve F, and engages with another bevelled
wheel L arranged upon the driving shaft M, the latter being provided
with a crank N by which rotary motion may be imparted to the said
mold.
The mechanism for opening and closing the mold is as follows :—0 is
a tubular collar embracing the sleeve F, and so as to be capable of
sliding freely up and down thereon. The said collar is connected with
the sliders C, C³, before mentioned by two series of levers c, c³, c¹¹ d, d¹³, d",
which are formed, connected, and arranged as shown in Figures 1 and 2,
each of the levers c¹ and d¹ being pivoted to a U-shaped support P and P¹
depending from the mold plate as shown in such Figures. R is a bent
lever whose upper bifurcated arms are pivoted to a sliding collar R¹
resting upon a washer, its lower end being pivoted as shown at s to a
hand lever S the rear of which is pivoted to a standard extending up
from the base G. U is a slotted upright by which the hand lever is:
guided in its vertical movements. The inner surface of the mold or the
portion for forming the sides of the molded article I make of a series
(not limiting myself to the number) of vertical rollers e, e; the axis of
each is arranged in a circle concentric with the axis of the stationary
bottom former or the mold plate A. The forms of such rollers may be
various, depending entirely upon the surface or shape of the article
to be molded. In the present instance the Drawing exhibits a mold
to produce an ordinary cylindrical glass jar. Each of the rollers has a
compound rotary motion, viz., on its own axis and on the common axis
of the mold, whereby great rapidity and evenness of the moulded glass is
attained.
I would remark that if desirable instead of the rollers a series of
stationary uprights having the same vertical curvature of the rollers
may be employed, or the rollers and the uprights may alternate. Also
that each of the two parts or sections of the mold may be made smooth
or with an unbroken surface, the revolution of the mold around the
glass serving to give an even surface thereto. Furthermore, as a means
of rotation, each of these rollers may have a pinion formed on its lower

page_text: end to engage with a rack formed on the periphery of the stationary
bottom former E, or the said rollers at their lower ends may be so
formed as to impinge against the edge of the plate E so as to be driven
by friction therewith as in the present instance. The said mold and its
adjuncts may be made of iron, steel, or any other known suitable material t
or materials.
In using my improved mold the stationary bottom former or plate E
is to be placed upon the centralizing boss D; next, the glass blower, with
a mass of molten or plastic glass upon the end of his pipe sufficient to
form the article deposits such mass upon the central part of the support 1
or bottom former; the two parts of the mold are next closed. The glass
blower then commences to blow and inflate the glass in the mold in the
ordinary manner, rapid rotary motion being imparted to the mold by
means of a hand applied to the crank or by any other motor, a smooth
and even surface will be given to the moulded article. After the article 1
may have been molded the mold may be readily opened by pressing
down the hand lever and the article removed from the mold.
Having described my Invention, what I claim is as follows:-
1st. The rotary mold for forming the outer surface of a blown glass
article when constructed substantially as herein set forth.
2d. The combination of a stationary axial bed or bottom former with
the rotary mold or body former, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
3d. A. mold as made with a series of peripheral rollers, as and for the
purpose set forth.
4th. In combination with a rotating mold made in two parts or
sections B, B, as described, mechanism for opening and closing the
same, as set forth.
2
2
5th. In combination with the stationary support or bottom former
and the rotary mold or parts B, B, mechanism for rotating the latter, 3
substantially as set forth.