An Improved Process for Fixing Glass Heads to Pins.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar.,
1897
An Improved Process for Fixing Glass Heads to Pins.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street
Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and
Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil 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:-
This invention relates to a process for securing glass heads upon pins. This
operation has been hitherto performed either by hand or by mechanical means.
Whilst the first system is a very slow and therefore expensive one, the latter has, as
hitherto carried out not led to any satisfactory results, so that it does not present any
advantages over the hand work as hitherto employed.
The present invention effects the securing of the glass heads upon the pins, which
by means of a mechanical apparatus is effected with the aid of a certain amount of
hand power quite independent from the working of the machine. The machine
effects the presentation of the pins, their uniform turning for the purpose of rounding
the heads when set on as also the disposal of the same, whereas the setting on of the
head as well as the supporting of the smelting flame and a subsequent advancing on
of the glass rod is effected by hand independently of the quick or slow motion of the
machine.
Referring to the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 shows a side view.
Figure 2 a front view, and
Figure 3 a plan view of the same.
These figures clearly show the arrangement upon which the present invention is
based as well as the method of bringing the glass material to the pins by hand. In
the box a the pin shafts m m which are to be provided with heads are placed and the
same roll upon its sloping bottom until they reach the forwarding discs bb. They
then place themselves horizontally towards the axis d in the grooves c c cut out along
the periphery thereof. Through the revolving of the discs which may be
regulated according to will to be either constant or intermittent the pins progress
under the steel strip which presses them upon a middle disc g in the upper half of
their periphery placed between the discs and revolving loosely upon the axle d. As
already explained the two forwarding discs are firmly fixed to the axle d whilst
the middle disc g revolves loosely upon the same. This revolution is effected by
means of the wheel h and may have any desired speed. In consequence hereof the
pin shaft m m lying upon the middle disc g and pressed down by the steel band fare
compelled to revolve whereby they utilise the slots c c in the forwarding discs 6 b as
bearings.
The supply of the glass to each pin shaft is effected by hand. Figures One to Three
show this clearly. For this object a Bunsen burner 1 with air inlet 2 and gas inlet 3
is arranged. The glass rod 5 is brought by the workman into the flame, and flame as
well as glass so arranged that the revolving pin shafts moving forwards pass in contact
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page_text: with the hot soft end of the glass rod 5 and the soft glass is thereby coiled around the
shafts. It is consequently completely under the control of the hand of the workman
to regulate the smelting flame, as also to bring the glass rod more or less in contact
with the flame.
The operation of setting the head is as follows :—
As soon as the pin shafts m m in quick or slow revolution of the piece d arrive out
of the box a under the steel band f, they are placed by means of the middle disc g in
motion (adjustable as may be desired), and brought into contact with the end of the
glass rod 5 which is being smelted by the flame, whereby a portion of the said glass
rod is rolled around the head of the revolving pin. This pin is propelled in slower or
quicker rotation forwards. The rotation effects the rounding off of the soft glass body
detached and forms it into a round head. The shafts now provided with heads are in
this manner led to the end of the steel band at the point whereupon they either fall
off by themselves or are guided by pieces ii placed on both sides of the forwarding
discs b b into the receiving box.
The advantages of the above described process are :-
1. The setting on of the head is rendered a continuous process.
2. The pin shafts together with the soft glass head attached to the same continuously
rotate in the same direction whereby a round head is obtained.
3. The moving up of the glass rod is easily effected without interruption of the
formation of the head.
4. There is a great saving of time.
5. The glass rod is completely independent of the motion of the machine which sets
the pin shafts revolving, and can by the hand of the workman be applied in any
manner and in any direction and to any extent to the revolving shaft. If for instance
a small head is to be formed the shaft has imparted to it the necessary double quick
motion and the glass rod is brought so into the flame that less glass is smelted and
that the same touches the shaft very little. For large heads the glass is more strongly
heated and the saune brought into more intimate contact with the pin. As the glass
rods have hitherto not been manufactured quite alike in thickness and the same glass
rod often smelts in part with difficulty and in part easily it is altogether impossible to
divide such unequal materials by mechanical means to the pin shafts in a uniform
manner. The workman has however by the use of my invention the opportunity of
supplying the glass as required and in any desired manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
The process for fixing glass heads to pinshafts characterised by the continuous
pushing forward of the shafts brought into rotary motion by means of a mechanical
device into contact with the glass rod smelted by heat and held independently from
the operation of the machine and inovable and regulatable in every manner and in
every direction and more or less in contact with the said pin shafts, substantially
. as described.
Dated the 11th d..
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