Process of and Apparatus for Embedding Wire Netting in Glass.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1894--Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
Process of and Apparatus for Embedding Wire Netting in Glass.
I, JOHN EDWIN PARKER, of 1241 South Twenty-first. Street, City of
Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Draftsman, 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 an improved process of manufacturing sheets or plates
of glass having embedded therein, wire, or wire netting, and ordinarily known as
"wire glass," and further to certain improved mechanism by which said process
may be carried into effect. Sheets of glass of this character are especially valuable
in skylights, vaults for port holes of vessels, etc., where strength is required.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my
invention and by which my improved process may be carried into effect, and
Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same on the line 2-2 of
Fig. 1.
In carrying out my invention, I propose to embed the wire, or wire netting,
in the glass before rolling the same into a sheet, and to this end I have devised a
process which may be carried into effect by various mechanisms, the preferable
construction of machine being that illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Referring to the drawing, D1, D2, represent two pressing rollers which may be
adjusted at such distance from each other as may be necessary to form a sheet of
any required thickness. Over the lower roller, D³, of the pair is an inclined table, A,
which, with the upper roller, forms a hopper, or receiver, into which the molten
glass is poured, and on the opposite side is a receiving table, B, having a curved
upper face arranged to receive the resultant sheet. The wire or wire netting is
guided centrally into the rollers, preferably, by fixed guides, h, secured rigidly to
the framework in front of one or both of the rollers, D', D³, at each end, and, if
desired, additional guides may be employed in the length of the rollers. The guides
are preferably curved, as shown in the drawing, and quite thin to prevent as little
displacement of glass as possible. They may be of any suitable construction.
In operation the sheet of wire netting is passed between the rollers, D', D2, in
such manner as to be positively guided centrally between the rollers and as they
revolve the wire netting is gradually fed through. After the starting of the
netting the molten glass is poured on to the table, A, from the ladle, or other
vessel, and passes through the meshes of the wire netting; the glass then flows, or
is drawn, between the rollers and is compressed around the netting, the netting
being firmly embedded within the now formed sheet of glass as it emerges on the
opposite side of the rolls.
The wire netting may be introduced in my above described process either in
cold or heated condition; it may be introduced cold in my process as the wire in
being fed through the large body of molten glass in the hopper will be readily
heated to a temperature which will tend to prevent the subsequent unequal
contraction of the wire in the resultant sheet. It is clear that the wire being first
centrally provided and the glass poured around it and through the meshes that
the surface to be rolled will not be chilled, as is likely to occur in other known
processes of this class, nor is the upper surface liable to contain particles of air, as
where the wire is forced through such surface after the first roll has passed over
the surface, or even before it has passed over, and such surface is not thereby in

page_text: any manner disturbed. It is clear that a smoother more highly finished sheet of
glass can thus be produced.
It will be understood that various other mechanisms may be employed for
carrying out the process described, but the construction illustrated and described
is deemed preferable.
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 :-
1. The herein described process of centrally embedding a strip of wire netting
in a sheet of glass, consisting in flowing molten glass through the meshes of the
wire netting, of passing the glass with the wire centrally embedded therein between
two compressing rollers, of welding the two surfaces of glass formed on opposite
sides of the netting together through the meshes of the wire netting, substantially
as described.
2. The process of manufacturing sheets of wire glass, said process consisting in
primarily passing a sheet of wire netting through a body of molten glass and
thereby raising the temperature of the said netting, second centrally guiding said
sheet of wire between two pressing rollers, third passing the molten glass through
and between said pressing rollers compressing the glass on each side of the
netting firmly together through the meshes of the netting and welding together the
glass forming a layer of glass on each side of said wire netting, the whole being
formed into a single sheet of wire glass, substantially as described.
3. A machine for manufacturing wire glass consisting in a hopper, two compressing
rollers disposed opposite each other and two series of thin guiding plates disposed
at right angles to the line of the axes of the rollers, said series of guiding plates
being secured in said hopper opposite each other at the entrance to the compressing
rollers for centrally guiding the wire netting between the compressing rollers and
at the same time to allow of the admission of the molten glass between the rollers on
each side of the wire, substantially as described.
4. In a wire glass machine rollers, D', D³, hopper provided above the rollers
and two series of guiding plates, h, set at intervals and at right angles to the line
of the axes of the rollers, said series of guiding plates being disposed opposite each
other at the entrance to the rollers, for centrally guiding the wire between the said
rollers, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of March 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.