US1701161A

US1701161A - Width-maintaining means for sheet-glass apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1701161A
Application number: US153510A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph M Neenan; James P Weaver
Original assignee: Libbey Owens Sheet Glass Co
Current assignee: Pilkington North America Inc
Priority date: 1926-12-09
Filing date: 1926-12-09
Publication date: 1929-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 1946-02-05

Description

Feb. 5, 1929. 1,701,I61

J. M. NEENAN ETAL WIDTH MAINTAINING MEANS FOB SHEET GLASS AFPARATUS Filed Dec. 9, 1926 Joseph /V\; Ncnan James D. Weave r atman,

, Patented Feb. 1929.

` UNITED *sn-r s PATENT OFFICE.

.TOSEPE M. NEENAN ANDJAMES PuwEAVER, 01' CEABLESTON, WEST VIBGINIA, AS-

SIGNOBS TO THE LIBBEY -OWENS POBATION OF OEIO.

SHEET GLASS COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A COR- e e wIDTE-IINTADTING HEARS FOB SEEET-GLASS APPAATUS.

A ucato' mea December 9, 1926. Serial No. saso.

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for producing sheet glass and more particularly for maintaining the said sheet to width.

An important object of the invention is to provide, in sheet glass apparatus, means for containing a mass of molten glass, means for drawing a sheet therefrom, and improved means engaging the edges of the sheet to lo prevent narrowng thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in sheet glass apparatus, means for continuously drawing a sheet from-a mass of molten glass, and means engaging the edges of the sheet to prevent narrowing thereof in e combinaton with means for directing a current of air onto the sheet edges before they contact with said edge engaging means.

Other objects and advantages of the inven- `y ton will become more apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing 'forming a part of this application and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of sheet glass drawing apparatus showing associated ao therewith improved width maintaining means constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlar ed top plan showing one of the improved wi th mantaining devices in position,

Fig. 3 is an inner ed e elevation of one of the improved width mantaining devices, and

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the said width maintaining devices.

The present invention relates particularly to the formation of a flat sheet of glass wherein the sheet is continuously drawn from a mass of molten glass. The type of apparatus set forth in the drawings is similar to the Construction disclosed in the Colburn Patcnt No. 1,248,809 granted Dec. 4, 1917 where- The glass is then run through a combined fiattening and drawing mechanism into an annealing leer where it is graduall reduced to room temperature as s well own in the art;

. In drawing a sheet of gla'ss vertically in this manner, it is necessary to provide some form of. means having an action on said sheet adapted to prevent narrowng thereof. In

' accordance with the Colburn patent above set forth, a pair of rotatable knurled rollers are provided at both edges and on opposite sides of the sheet toiorn an edge thereon sufficiently viscous to prevent narrowing of the sheet to an appreciable extent. It is an aim of the present invention to substitute for these knurled rollers, improved width main taining members to obviate the necessit for the driving mechanism formerly emp oyed and to also cut down the amount of waste that has heretofore been had.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided at each edge of the sheet 7 and preferably closely adjacent the base or meniscus 9, a pair of preferably hollow statonary members 10 and 11 which engage the opposite sides of said sheet.. These members, which may be formed of Monel or any other desirable and suitable non-Corrosive metal alloy, are carried b the inner ends of su porting arms 12 an 13 and a rtion of t e adjacent faces thereof are slig tly cut away to form a slot 14, terminating at its inner end in an enlarged and preferably circular opening 16; The sheet ed e is -adapted to be drawn upwardly throu the slot 14 and the openin 15. and it will %e noted upon reference to ig. 2 that the sheet edge contacts only with the walls of the opening 15 and does not contact with the walls of the slot 14. As will be more fully pointed out later, the

members 10 and 11 are internally cooled even though the walls of the slots 14 do not actually contact with the sheet. As is shown, they are arranged relatively close to said sheet edges in a manner that -they will absorb heat from said sheet; Obviousl this 'acts to strengthen the edges, there y reducing the tendency of the sheet to narrow. In this way, a relatively wider sheet can be drawn from a given width of ot for the reason that it is possible to cap c oser'to the edge of the sheet. Furthermore, by the use of this `invention it is possible to do away with the formation of such a roughened edge on the sheet as now results from the use of the knurled rollers.

The outer ends of the supporting

arms

12 and 13 are mounted upon a base 16 slidable within a guide-way 17 so that the width maintaining members 10 and 11 may be moved towards and away from the sheet as desired.

The base 16 is rigidlysecured in the desired by means of a pivot pin 19. A spring 20 acts to normally urge the arm 12 about its pivot 19 so as to move the width maintaining members 10 and 11 into engagement with the sheet edge but this spring is of course sufciently Weak or resilient to permit the drawing of the sheet between the said width maintaining members.

In order to prevent the width maintaining members 10 and 11 from overheating, pipes 21 are carried by the supporting arms 11 and 12 to permit the contnuous circulating of a suitable cooling medium, such as relatively cool water, through the said members. This cooling medium enters through the pipe 22 and after 'passing through the said width maintainers passes outwardly through pipe 23.

One of the most important features of the present invention is the provision of means for directing a current of air onto the sheet edges before they contact with the width maintainng members 10 and 11 and, as shown, suitable pipes or the like 25 may be provided for accomplishing this purpose. i By the use of this air, a relatively heavy edge' will be formed' on the sheet below the edge engaging means and as stated, the sheet will pass between the said members without ac tual contact except in the circular opening 15. r The lower faces of the members 10 and 11 are curved downwardly and outwardly as ndicated at 24 in. order that the sheet will not contact therewith as it is being drawn and so that a relatively wider sheet can be drawn from a given width of pot due to the 4 slot 14 and opening 15 and because of the inherent tendency of molten glass, a certain amount of frictional resistance will be had between the moving glass and the members. This frictonal retardation causes a lowering of the temperature of theglass which is further accelerated by means of the cooling medium and the current of air being directed on the edges of the sheet. This cooling is not so severe that the glass becomes set but it. is of such a nature that the edges of the glass will be compara'tively viscous to the main body of the glass, thus being sufficiently strong to prevent the glass sheet from narrowing at its base.

While the present invention has been de-` scribed herenabove in connection with one particular type of process, yet. it is to be understood that its use is not to be restricted to any one specific' form of sheet glass apparatus inasmuch as it may be used just as satisfactorily in other types of pmcesses.

'It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to betaken as the preferred enbodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet from a mass of molten glass, including width maintaining means, and means for directing a jet of air onto the edges of the sheet betore the said edges contact with said width maintaining means.

2. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet from a mass of molten glass, including stationary width maintaining members engaging the opposite edgesof the sheet being drawn, and means for playing a current of air on the edges of the sheet before the said sheet edges. contact wit said width maintaining members.

3. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet from a mass of molten lass, including stationary width i naintaning members engaging opposite edges of the sheet being drawn, means for directing a jet of air on the edges of the sheet before they contact with said width maintaining members, and means for circulating a cooling medium through said width maintaining members.

4. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet from a mass of molten glass,

and a pair of width maintaining members 0- sitioned at each edge of the sheet being drawn, each pair of members being arranged to form a slot for receiving the sheet edge and each slot terminating at its inner end in an enlarged opening, the distance between the walls of the slot being greater than the thickness of the glass sheet being formed, whereby tht sheet Contacts in the enlarged opening on y.

5. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet from a mass of molten glass, a pair of width maintaining members positioned at each edge of the sheet being drawn,

each pair of members being arranged to form a slot for receiving the sheet edge and each ing on1y`with the walls of saidopening, and

means for playing a jet of air on the sheet edge before it contacts with the width maintaining members. 7. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet from a mass of molten glass, and a pair of non-rotatable width maintaining members arranged ;at each edge of the sheet -and positioned closely adjacent the -base thereof, the width maintaining members comprising a pair being adjustable with respect to each other, said members being provided with faces curvingeaway from said sheet to prevent contact tween said faces and the sheet or the molten glass from which the sheet is drawn. e s 8. In sheet 'glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet from a mass of molten glass, and a pair of width maintaining members positioned 't each edge of the sheet bem drawn, each pair of members being arrange to form a slot for receivin the sheet edge and each slot terminatin at its inner end in an enlarged opening, t e lower faces of said members being curved to prevent the sheet subsequently drawing ,t e said sheet edges' into contact with sheet width 'maintaining means. p

10. In sheet glass apparatus, a recept-acle containing a rass of molten glass, means for drawing a sheet therefrom, a pair of non-rotatable members arran ed at each edge of the sheet, portions of said members Contacting with-the sheet edges, means for normally urging the pair of members at each edge toward each other, and means'for directing a current of air on the sheet edges beneath said nonrotatable members.

11'. The method of producing sheet glass consisting in drawing a sheet from a mass of molten ass, directing a current of air on the edges o the sheet, and subsequently moving the sheet edges in contact with stationary frictionalsurfaces.

Signed at Charleston in the county of Kanawha and State of West Virginia, this 2nd day of December, 1926.

' JOSEPH M. NEENAN. JAMES P. WEAVER.