GB410547A - Method and apparatus for conveying sheets of glass to the annealing lehrs in the discontinuous rolling process of manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

410,547. Glass-annealing leers. FORGES ET ATELIERS DE CONSTRUCTIONS ELECTRIQUES DE JEUMONT, 75, Boulevard Haussmann, Paris. Dec. 17, 1932, No. 35820. Convention date, Dec. 17, 1931. [Class 51 (ii).] Charging.-Relates to a method of conveying glass sheets by a roller conveyer 5 from an intermittentrolling apparatus 1, Figs. 1, and 2, to a number of leers I, II arranged side by side at right angles to the direction of movement of the sheets. According to the invention, the first group a of conveyer rolls, which receive the sheets from the rolling-apparatus, rotate initially at a circumferential speed which is equal to the speed of formation of the sheets, while the remaining rolls are rotated with speeds which increase from roller to roller, so that the soft sheets of glass are stretched and straightened while they are being carried towards the leers. The conveyer rolls 5 can be rotated either by the motor 6, Fig. 2, of the rolling-apparatus 1 or by an auxiliary motor 7, the speed of the motor 6 being adjustable between zero and a given maximum. The motor 6 drives a shaft 10 which is geared to a shaft 12 that drives the first group a of the conveyer rolls, the length of the group being equal to that of one glass sheet. The circumferential speed of this group is equal to, or slightly greater than, the speed of formation of the sheets, so that the soft glass sheets do not become wrinkled. The shaft 10 is also connected by a ratchet clutch 13 with a co-axial shaft 14 which is connected in turn by an electromagnetic clutch 17 with the motor 7. Thus the shaft 14 can be driven by the motor 7 at a greater speed than the shaft 10, or it can be driven by the shaft 10 when the clutch 17 is disconnected. The speeds of the rollers in the second group b increase from roller to roller, so that a glass sheet is stretched while on this group of rollers and the amount of stretching force can be increased by driving the shaft 14 at a higher speed than the shaft 10. The rollers of the third group c are driven from the shaft 14 through a clutch 19, so that it is possible to stop these rollers. In use, a glass sheet is divided into two sections, as it is formed, by a cutting roll 3, and the first section is moved rapidly along the conveyer while the second section is being formed. The rollers of the group c can be stopped when the first section of a sheet is opposite the leer I, so that this section can be stowed into the leer while the succeeding section is still moving along the conveyer. In a modification, the speed of the rolls in the first group a is reduced immediately after the formation of a glass sheet, in order to allow time for the glass to cool before it reaches the leers. The driving-devices are so constructed that the point from which the second group of rollers begin can be altered. The apparatus is also provided with elevators 21, 22 for facilitating the stowing of the glass sheets into the leers. Each elevator consists of a grid the bars of which are situated between the conveyer rolls. When the device is raised, the bars lift the glass sheet off the conveyer rolls and support it while it is being pushed into the leer.