GB452558A - Improvements in and relating to apparatus for sealing metal to glass - Google Patents

Abstract

452,558. Uniting metal to glass by heat. BRITISH THOMSON - HOUSTON CO., Ltd., Crown House, Aldwych, London. Jan. 13, 1936, No. 1091. Convention date, Jan. 12, 1935. [Class 39 (ii)] A machine for uniting a glass collar to the end of a metal tube 16, Fig. 1, comprises a series of heads 10 at the periphery of a turret 11 which rotates about a vertical tubular shaft 12, each head being provided with a chuck 15 to receive a tube or thimble 16 on to which a glass flare 39 is placed, the end of the metal tube and glass flare then being heated by burners 51, 52 to soften the glass before it is engaged by a shoe 40 which folds it against the outer surface of the tube to form a collar thereon. The head is then indexed by the turret to the next position, where burners 73, 74 are directed upon the glass collar to enable it to be compressed upon the inner and outer walls of the tube by rollers 54, 53 respectively, the roller 54 being positioned within the upper end of the collar. Springs 58, 59 are provided for moving the rollers toward each other to effect the pressing. The heads 10 each comprise a chuck 15 into which the small end of the metal thimble 16 is inserted. The chuck is mounted upon the end of a tube 17 and is closed by lowering a collar 19 mounted below the tube 17, so that the latter is moved downwardly by a compressed spring 23, the fingers of the chuck thus being pulled downwardly within a tube 18 and closed upon the thimble. A collar 20 and nut 25 on the tube 17 form retaining means for the spring. Downward movement of the tube 17 also enables a compressed spring 26 to exert downward movement on the tube 18 surrounding tube 17 and causes notches in a collar 29 at the upper end of tube 18 to engage notches in a collar 30 which is attached to a constantly rotating tube 28, thus producing rotation of the chuck 15. The tube 28 is rotated by a gear wheel 31 thereon engaging a gear wheel 32 on a rotating shaft 33. Fig. 1 shows the position subsequent to the loading position, wherein the shoe 40, which preferably consists of a shaped block of graphite, is brought into contact with the glass flange. The shoe 40 is mounted on an arm 41 which is pivoted on a yoke 42 and linked by a rod 47 to a rocking lever 48. A bolt 50 on the yoke 42 engages the arm 41, so that when rod 47 is lowered the yoke drops until a bolt 46 thereon strikes the standard 44, whereupon further movement of rod 47 swings the arm 41 about its pivots 47<1> and carries the shoe 40 around the edge of the thimble 16, thereby folding the flange of the flare down upon the side thereof. The rollers 53, 54 disposed at the next position cf the head are mounted rotatably on pins in the ends of levers 55, 56 which are carried on a bracket 57, Fig. 4, mounted on a vertically movable rod 65. This rod is actuated so that the rollers are brought down adjacent to the outer and inner surfaces of the thimble and, when the rod approaches its lower position, the edge of the glass, which is heated by the burners 73, 74 is struck by a flattening shoe 67 carried on an arm 68, thereby making the top edge of the glass perpendicular to the axis of the thimble. Specification 435,663 is referred to.