Improvements in Apparatus for Forming Molten Glass into Sheets.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1893
Complete Specification Left. 2nd Mar., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr.,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Forming Molten Glass
into Sheets.
I WILLIAM WINDLE PILKINGTON of St. Helens in the County of Lancaster
Glass Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Many attempts have been made to produce sheet glass by the action of rollers
on molten glass, but hitherto such attempts bave not had satisfactory results.
Now the object of my invention is to provide apparatus or machinery by which
molten glass shall be rolled into uniform and homogeneous merchantable sheets
with or without a waved or patterned surface.
Apparatus under my invention consists essentially in the combination of a pair
of rollers on horizontal axes one above the other, adjustable side pieces and a take
off table or tray when the above parts are constructed and. operated as hereinafter
set forth so that the glass moves forward in liquid semi plastic and solid condition
without injurious compression buckling or other strains.
For the above purpose the under or foundation roller is made sufficiently large,
or with part of its circumference so shaped that there is a horizontal or nearly
horizontal surface in front of the top roller upon which the molten metal is fed.
Both rollers are carried in bearings at the required distance apart and are so
connected by gear that the surface speeds are equal. When the under or foundation
roller has a flat portion, the upper roller travels along such portion before the said
under roller commences to rotate. In making patterned surfaces, I introduce a
pattern roller behind the top roller. The width of the sheet is regulated by
adjustable side pieces fitting between the rollers on the entering side. The take off
table is disposed with its edge as close as possible tangentially to the lower roller,
and stands at such an angle that the resistance to motion of the sheet over the
table is counterbalanced by the action of gravity on the descending sheet, in this
way no back pressure can come on the semi plastic glass on the foundation roller.
When the required length of glass is deposited on the table, a rotating or oscillating
blade moving with the foundation roller severs the sheet from the following glass
on the said roller. The said table is carried on rocking arms or pivots or like
mechanism geared with the foundation roller in such manner that as each sheet
is deposited, the table swings out of the way and is replaced by another table which
receives the following sheet.
Appliances may be attached by which the glass may travel direct from the
foundation roller to the kiln.
Dhin the dew of May 1803

page_text: >
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Forming Molten Glass
1
into Sheets.
I WILLIAM WINDLE PILKINGTON of St. 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 :-
Many attempts have been made to produce sheet glass, by the action of rollers
on molten glass, but hitherto such attempts have not had satisfactory results.
Now the object of my invention is to provide apparatus or machinery by which
molten glass shall be rolled into uniform and homogeneous merchantable sheets with
or without a waved or patterned surface.
Apparatus under my invention consists essentially in the combination of a pair
of rollers on horizontal axes one above the other adjustable side pieces, and a take
off table or tray when the above parts are constructed and operated as hereinafter
set forth so that the glass moves forward in liquid, semi plastic, and solid condition
without injurious compression, buckling or other strains.
For the above purpose the under or foundation roller is made sufficiently large,
or with part of its circumference so shaped that there is a horizontal or nearly
horizontal surface in front of the top roller upon which the molten metal is fed.
Both rollers are carried in bearings at the required distance apart, and are so
connected by gear that the surface speeds are equal. When the under or foundation
roller has a flat portion the upper roller travels along such portion before the said
under roller commences to rotate. In making patterned surfaces, I introduce a
pattern roller behind the top roller. The width of the sheet is regulated by
adjustable side pieces fitting between the rollers on the entering side. The take
off table is disposed with its edge as close as possible tangentially to the lower
roller, and stands at such an angle that the resistance to motion of the sheet
over the table is counterbalanced by the action of gravity on the descending
sheet, in this way no back pressure can come on the semi-plastic glass on the
foundation roller. When the required length of glass is deposited on the table, a
rotating or oscillating blade moving with the foundation roller or glass, severs the
sheet from the following glass on the said roller. The said table is carried on
rocking arms or pivots or like mechanism geared with the foundation roller in such
manner that as each sheet is deposited the table swings out of the way and is
replaced by another table which receives the following sheet.
Appliances may be attached by which the glass may travel direct from the
foundation roller to the kiln..
DESCRIPTION OF. THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 are elevations at right angles to each other and Fig. 3 is a plan
of my improved apparatus.
In these figures A is the larger or foundation roller on each side of which and
accured thereto are racks C. C. B, is the small roller. D. D. are pinions on the
ends of the said roller B, which gear into the racks C. C. The diameters of these
racks and pinions are such that the surface velocities of the peripheries of the
rollers are as nearly equal as possible. E E are side pieces fitting against the
rollers A and B, on the entering side, and they are adjustable as to the distance
apart by means of screw bolts and nuts E', E, for the purpose of regulating the
width of the sheet.
The said rollers A and B are provided with shafts free to rotate in bearings on a
frame F, and motion is communicated to the roller B by means of pulley and chain

page_text: or equivalent gear B¹. The pinions D D. on the roller B. impart motion by means.
of the racks C, C, to the roller A.
For cutting off the sheet when a sufficient length has been rolled, the appliances
shown in detail more particularly in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, are used. In Figures 6.
and 7, A is the large roller. a is a shaft or bar on which is fastened an arin /
carrying the circular cutter c. The shaft a can rotate and slide in the supporting
brackets d. d. When the cutter is out of use, it is placed in the position indicated
by dotted lines in Fig. 7. When in use, it is placed in the position shown in full
lines in Figures 6 and 7 and then pushed across to the position shown in dotted.
lines in Fig. 6. During this movement across the sheet, the cutter is pressed.
through the sheet by putting the necessary torsional stress on the sliding shaft a by
the handle e. The shaft a is located diagonally across the sheet, and the said
cutter is moved along at a rate of speed corresponding to the forward travel of the
said sheet, so as to cut the sheet at right angles or nearly so.
Figure 8 shows a cutter made by fixing a steel knife c into a slit in a small roller
or shaft f, which when a sufficient length of sheet has heen rolled, is caused to.
rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows. When not in use, the knife is.
turned to the position indicated by the dotted lines or other position away from the
roller, so that the sheet can pass underneath the cutter without touching it. The
roller can be placed to cut the sheet before it leaves the large roller, or if desired
it may be placed to cut it after it leaves the large roller on a plate o down which it
slides.
Figure 9 shows another arrangement for cutting off, here there are two rollers f¨¨
carrying steel knives c.
These rollers are geared together and on being rotated
cause the knives to come together, slightly overlapping each other and so shear off
a length of the sheet.
The cutters are actuated by hand.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3. When a length of sheet has been cut off, it.
slides down over the plate 9 to, and is received by the oscillating and travelling
table or tray G in the position shown by full lines. h stop to arrest the cut off
sheets on the table. The said table G' is then turned into the position shown by
the dotted lines and taken away to the annealing or flattening kiln. The tray or
table G is then placed by the roller to receive the next length cut off which when
received on the tray is taken to the kiln as before and so on. H represents the
molten glass, and H¹ the sheet being formed.
Figures 4 and 5 are elevations at right angles to each other showing an arrange-
ment of the apparatus with part of the lower or foundation roller having a flat or
nearly flat surface A', on which the molten glass is poured when the rollers are in
the position shown in Fig. 4, the position of the roller B, at this time being repre-
sented by the dotted circle B'. As soon as the metal is poured on the flat part A',
the roller B is caused to travel to the position shown by the full lines, after which
the lower roller commences to rotate with the same surface speed as the upper
roller by means of gearing as hereinbefore set forth. i are levers resting on the
ends of the roller shaft B, and having notches into which enter the ends of the
shaft of the upper roller when it reaches the position B, for the purpose of holding
the said roller B in that position whilst it and the foundation roller rotate with the
same surface speed.
Although I have described the glass sheet as descending by gravity alone, its
motion may be assisted by pulling if necessary. The rollers may be hollow with
water-circulating connections to prevent them from becoming too hot.
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 I
claim is :
First. In apparatus for forming molten glass into sheets, the combination of a
pair of rollers A and B geared together and operating conjointly substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: Second. In apparatus for forming molten glass into sheets, the combination of
two rollers A and B when the roller B has a horizontal or nearly horizontal motion
and also a motion of rotation substantially as and for the purpose set forth in Figs. 4
and 5.
Third. In apparatus for forming molten glass into sheets, the combination of a
pair of rollers A and B with adjustable side pieces E, E, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
Fourth. In apparatus for forming molten glass into sheets, the combination of a
pair of rollers A and B, with an oscillating table G as and for the purpose
set forth.
Fifth. In apparatus for forming molten glass into sheets, the combination of
rollers A and B with adjustable side pieces E, take-off plate y and oscillating
table G, as and for the purpose set forth.
Sixth. In apparatus for forming molten glass into sheets, the combination of
rollers A and B with cutters, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Seventh. Apparatus for forming molten glass into sheets constructed and operating
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Deted the lot dow of Mamb 1001