Apparatus for the Cutting of Glass by Electricity.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1893-Accepted. 15th July. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for the Cutting of Glass by Electricity.
I, LÉON HAVAUX, of Saint-Ghislain, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The device for cutting glass by electricity consists of a socket or support
preferably of ebonite surmounted by preferably four uprights of say bronze. These
four uprights by means of four rings provided with set screws support two
insulating and fire-proof rings between which is tightly compressed a circular plate
of German silver by means of four additional rings also provided with set screws.
These two rings together with the plate are capable of being raised and lowered
at will being guided by the four uprights.
The circular plate has the shape of a flattened eye or ring cut off at one point
and extended on either side of the cut by ears or lugs which are firmly retained by
means of bolts and washers upon the ends of two rods of copper.
These rods are turned true and inserted into two sleeves being capable of vertical
displacement therein. Two set-screws enable them to be secured in the adjusted
position, i.e. when the circular plate is brought to the desired level.
The opposite ends of the sleeves are soldered to the cables or conductors of a
dynamo-electric machine.
To avoid short circuiting which would be apt to occur between the two arms of
the circular plate, a breach of continuity is provided in each of the circles opposite
to the free space existing between the two arms of the said plate. The internal
diameter of the circular plate of German silver is smaller than the internal diameter
of the insulating rings, it being so proportioned that in the incandescent state its
diameter is 1 millimetre more than the external diameter of the circular line on which
the article of glass should be cut.
The dynamo, conductors, rods and German silver plate form one complete closed
and entirely insulated circuit, and an ampère-meter placed within such circuit
enables the strength of current to be measured.
As the strength of current varies in an inverse ratio to the resistance of the
German silver plate, and its resistance in an inverse ratio to its size in section, it
will be understood that the greater or smaller its section, the greater or smaller
should also be the strength of current applied to it. Thus a plate about 1 millimetre
thick, about 15 millimetres wide and of an internal diameter of say 75 millimetres
will require a current of a strength of 250 ampères.
In operation the German silver plate is first moved to the desired height according
to the required height or depth of the article to be cut. The two insulating rings
are raised or lowered together with the said plate, while the two rods are free in
their sleeves so that the space between the supporting socket and the German silver
plate is exactly equal to the height of the article to be cut. The rings are secured
in position as is also the German silver plate, by means of the rings and set-screws.
The rods are also secured to the sleeves. The current is then produced and the
German silver plate consequently hecomes incandescent. The article to be cut is
then placed upon the socket through the interior of the circular plate. In order
to ensure a uniform distribution of heat the article to be cut is turned round.
The molecules of the glass being rapidly heated along a circular line corresponding
to the inner periphery of the incandescent circular plate, then have their equilibrium
instantly destroyed with the result that a neat and even breach or cut is suddenly
produced on that circular line. And provided the glass is non-hygrometric, no loss
of current will occur during the whole operation. So long as the dynamo operates
Гр

page_text: uniformly, the incandescent plate may be relied on to retain an equal temperature
in every part and at any moment.
Dated this Fourth day of October 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for the Cutting of Glass by Electricity.
1. LEON HAVAUX of Saint-Ghislain in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer,
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:
The device for cutting glass by electricity consists of a socket or support S
preferably of ebonite surmounted by preferably four uprights cc cc of say bronze.
These four uprights by means of four collars m m m m provided with set screws &
vvsupport two insulating and refractory rings R R between which is tightly
compressed a circular plate L of preferably German silver by means of four
additional rings m³ m² m² m² also provided with set screws v¹ v₁ v².
These two rings R R together with the plate L are capable of being raised and
lowered at will being guided by the four uprights.
The circular plate L Figure 2 has the shape of a flattened eye or almost complete
ring cut through at one point and extended on either side of the cut by ears or lugs
which are firmly retained by means of bolts band washers upon the ends of two
rods t of copper.
These rods t are turned true and inserted into two sleeves M M being capable of
vertical displacement therein. Two set-screws V V enable them to be secured in
the adjusted position i.e., when the circular plate is brought to the desired level.
The opposite ends of the sleeves M M are soldered to the cables or conductors K K
of a dynamo-electric machine.
To avoid short circuiting which would be apt to occur between the two arms of
the circular plate, a breach of continuity is provided in each of the circles R
opposite to the free space existing between the two arms of the said plate. The
internal diameter of the circular plate L is smaller than the internal diameter of
the insulating rings R, it being so proportioned that in the incandescent state its
diameter is 1 millimetre more than the external diameter of the circular line on
which the article of glass should be cut.
The dynamo, conductors, rods and German silver plate form one complete closed
and entirely insulated circuit, and an ampere meter placed within such circuit
enables the strength of current to be measured.
As the strength of current varies in an inverse ratio to the resistance of the
German silver plate L and its resistance in an inverse ratio to its size in section, it
will be understood that the greater or smaller, its section, the greater or smaller
should also be the strength of current applied to it. Thus a plate about 1 millimetre
thick, about 15 millimetres wide and of an internal diameter of say 75 millimetres
will require a current of a strength of 250 amperes.
In operation the German silver plate is first moved to the desired height according
to the required height or depth of the article to be cut. The two insulating rings
are raised or lowered together with the said plate, while the two rods t t are free in
their sleeves so that the space between the supporting socket or base plate S and
the German silver plate L is exactly equal to the height to which the article is to
be cut.
The rings are secured in position as is also the German silver plate, by
means of the collars and set-screws m m and m¹ m². The rods t tare also secured in
the sleeves M M. The current is then produced and the German silver plate
consequently becomes incandescent. The article to be cut is placed upon the socket

page_text: through the interior of the circular plate. In order to ensure a uniform distribution
of heat the article to be cut is turned round.
The molecules of the glass being rapidly heated along a circular line corresponding
to the inner periphery of the incandescent circular plate, then have their equilibrium
instantly destroyed with the result that a neat and even breach or cut is suddenly
produced on that circular line. And provided the glass is non-hygrometric, no loss
of current will occur during the whole operation. So long as the dynamo operates
uniformly, the incandescent plate may be relied on to retain an equal temperature
in every part and at any moment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is :-
1. The process of cutting articles of glass by electricity consisting in placing the
article to be cut such as a tumbler within an almost complete circular metal ring
or strip (of a slightly greater diameter than that of the article) the strip being
brought to incandescence by means of a strong electric current substantially as
described.
2. A device for cutting glass by electricity consisting of an almost complete
circular ring such as L of German silver or other bad-conducting metal firmly
secured between two insulating and fire-proof rings such as R and capable of being
adjusted to the desired level while remaining in communication with the poles of a
source of electricity the current passing through the circular plate heating to
incandescence the edge thereof which projects beyond the inside of the fire-proof
rings R while the article to be cut is placed and turned round in the interior thereof
substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of June 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.