US1872587A

US1872587A - Sheet glass apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1872587A
Application number: US445463A
Authority: US
Inventors: John C Henderson
Original assignee: LIBBEY CWENS FORD GLASS COMPAN
Current assignee: LIBBEY CWENS FORD GLASS COMPAN; LIBBEY-CWENS-FORD GLASS Co
Priority date: 1930-04-18
Filing date: 1930-04-18
Publication date: 1932-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 1949-08-16

Description

Aug. 16, 1932. c b so l,872,587

SHEET GLASS APPARATUS Filed April 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Jhn C. Her) ders on ATTORNEY 1932- J. c. HENDERSON l,872,587

SHEET GLAS S APPARATUS Filed April s, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR John C. Henderson ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1932 PATENT OFFICE JOHN C. I-IENDERSON, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO LIBBEY-CWENS-FOED GLASS COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OI-IIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO SHEET GLASS APPARATUS Application filed April 18, 1930. Serial No. 445,*163.

The present invention` relates to apparatus for producing sheet glass.

In the Colburn process for producing sheet glass as exemplified in Colburn Patent 1,248,809, granted December 4, 1917, the glass sheet is continuously drawn upwardly 'rom a mass of molten glass contained in a suitable receptacle or pot and after becoming substantially set, although while still in a semiplastic condition, is defiected into the horizontal plane about a rotatable bending roll and passed horizontally over a combined drawing and fiattening table into and through an annealng leer. The drawing and flattening table referred to above is usually in the form of an endless movable conveyor constructed ofa plurality of pivotally associated metallic links.

An important object of this invention is to render possible the omission of the movable draw table referred to above and to provide in its place a novel type of stationarytablc of simple and inexpensive Construction and which' will both facilitate and improve the flattening and annealiig of the glass sheet as it is caused to travel thereover.

Another object of the invention is the provision of stationary means for supporting the sheet and over and in contact with which said sheet may be dragged while in a semi-plastic condition, said means producing a wiping action upon the sheet to smooth or flatten out any surface irregularities or defects therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel type of stationary sheet supporting and flattening table, together with improved means 'or supporting and adjusting the same.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

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

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through apparatus provided by the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved sheet supporting table or plate showing the neans for heating the same,

Fig. 3 is a detail section showing one way in which the table or plate may be adjustably mounted, and

Fg. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of F ig. 3.

in the apparatus illustrated in the drawings, there is provided a relatively shallow receptacle or draw pot 5 containing a mass of nolten glass 6 supplied thereto from any suitable type of furnace. The glass sheet 7 is drawn upwardly from the surface of the molten mass 6 and is deflected about a rotatable bending roll 8 into a substantially horizontal plane within which said sheet is successively supported and carried along upon a series of rolls 9, the improved supporting and fiattening table 10, and a second series of rolls ll into and through the annealing leer 12. a

The sheet supporting and flattening table 10 comprises a substantially rectangular metallic plate 13 extending transversely beneath the sheet 7 and being arched or arcuately curved transversely as shown so that the sheet contacts with the plate at substantially the transverse center thereof while the opposite side portions of said plate curve downwardly away from said sheet to reduce the area of contact between the plate and sheet and also to permit a varying of the point of contact of said plate with said sheet upon adjustment of the former as will be more fully hereinafter explained. The plate 13 is preferably formed from a suitable non-Corrosive metal such as nichrome, monel or the like and is arranged within a temperature controlled compartment 14.

The metallic plate 13 is supported at opposite ends and also at one or more points intermediate its ends, if desired, by the upwardly diverging arms 15 secured at their lower ends to a shaft 16 which extends 'at opposite ends through the side walls 17 of temperature controlled compartment 14 and is journaled at each end within a cylindrical member or block 18 eccentrically thereof. The cylindrical members 18 are mounted within brackets 19 supported upon suitable supporting structures 20. The member 18 at one end of the shaft 16 projects outwardly beyond the respective bracket 19 and carries around its periphery a worm gear 21 with which meshes a worm 22 carried by bracket 19 and operable by a hand wheel 23. The shaft 16 projects beyond member 18 and the projecting portion 24: thereof carries a Worm ear 25`with which meshes a worm 26 carried %y member 18 and operable by a hand wheel 27. The means just described for mounting the table 10 permits it to be readily adj usted so as to vary the point of contact between the table and sheet and also permits of its being moved bodily Vertically. Thus, when it is desired to adjust the table 10 so as to present a new surface in contact with sheet 7, the hand wheel 27 is rotated to efiect rotation of shaft 16 through worm 26 and worm gear 25 whereupon the plate 13 will be rocked in the desired direction. On the other hand, when it is desired to raise the table bodily vertically, the hand wheel 23 is rotated so as to effect rotation of the members 18 through worm 22 and worm gear 21. It will be apparent that due to the arcuate curvature of the plate 13, when this plate is rocked about shaft 16 to any appreciable extent, the upper surface thereof will be either raised or lowered slightly with respect to the plane of the glass sheet and it is therefore desirable that means be provided for moving the plate vertically to compensate for any change in the level thereof due to its rocking movement.

As the sheet 7 is dragged horizontally over and in contact with the stationary plate 13, said plate will produce a`wiping action upon said sheet to smooth or flatten out surface irregularities therein so that a flatter, smoother and more uniform thickness of sheet may be produced. The plate 13 is also adapted to be heated preferably `by the passage of an electric current therethrough. This heating of the plate will in turn efiect the desired heating of the sheet 7 as it comes into contact therewith to facilitate the flattening thereof and the removal of surface irregularities therefrom. In addition, the

uniform heating of the plate will efl'ect a uniform heating of the sheet throughout its entire width as it is dragged thereover so as to facilitate the annealing thereof.

A wiring diagram of the electrically operated means which may be employed for heating the table 10 is shown in Fig. 2. Leading from the positive and

negative mains

28 and 29 are the wires 30 and 31 respectively connected to the coil 32 of the variable transformer 33, while leading from the coil 34 of said transformer is a wire 35 connected to one end of the plate 13 and a second wire 36 connected to the opposite end thereof. Interposed within the length of wire 30 is a main c antrol switch 37. In operation, and when the switch 37 is closed the electric current will pass from the positive main 28 through wire 30, coil 32 of the variable transformer and wire 31 to the negative main 29 to complete the circuit. The passage of the current through the coil 32 will produce a flow of current through the coil 34 which current will flow through wire 35 into the plate 13 at one end, through the plate and outwardly thereof at the opposite end through wire 36 and back to the coil to complete this circuit. Due to the fact that the plate 13 is formed of a suitable resistance material, it will ofi'er opposition to the passage of the electric current therethrough with the result that theelectrical energy will be converted into heat. Upon proper operation of the variable transformer, the desired heating of the plate may be accurately controlled.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment 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 thescope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. lu sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet upwardly from a mass of molten glass, means for deflecting the sheet from the vertical to a horizontal plane, and a statonary plate extending transversely beneath the sheet-and over and in contact with which said sheet is dragged while traveling horzontally, said plate being arcuately curved transversely throughout its entire upper surface.

2. ln sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet upwardly from a mass of molten glass, means for deflecting the sheet from the Vertical to a horizontal plane, a stationary plate extending transversely beneath the sheet and over and in contact with which' said sheet is dragged while traveling horizontally, said plate being arcuately curved transversely throughout its entire' upper surface, andmeans for passing an electric current through said plate to heat the same.

3. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing asheet upwardly from a mass of molten glass, means for deflecting the sheet from the vertical to a horizontal plane, and a horizontal stationary metallic plate of a noncorrosive material extending transversely beneath the sheet and over and in contact with which said sheet is dragged while traveling horizontally, said plate being arched trans-' versely so that the sheet passing thereover has substantially line contact therewith.

4. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet upwardly. from a mass of molten glass, means for deflecting the sheet from the vertical to a horizontal plane, a horizontal stationary metallic plate of a non- Corrosive material extending transversely beneath the sheet and over and in contact with which said sheet is dragged while traveling horizontally, said plate being arched transversely so that the sheet passing thereover has substantially line contact therewth, and means for passing an electric current through said plate to heat the same.

5. In sheet glass apparatus, a metallic plate arcuately curved transversely throughout its entire upper surface for supporting and producing a wiping efl'ect upon a semi-plastic sheet of glass passing thereover to remove surface irregularities therefrom.

6. In sheet glass apparatus, a metallic plate arcuately curved transversely throughout its entire upper surface for supporting and producing a wiping efl'ect upon a semi-plastic sheet of glass passing thereover to remove surface irregularities therefrom, and means for passing an electric' current through said plate to heat the same.

7. In sheet glass apparatus, a transversely arcuately curved stationary member for supporting a glass sheet passing thereover, and means for adjusting said member to vary the point of contact between said member and sheet.

8. In sheet glass apparatus, a transversely arcuately curved stationary member for supporting a glass sheet passing thereover, and means for rocking said member to vary the point of contact between said member and sheet.

9. In sheet glass apparatus, a transversely arcuately curved stationarymember for supporting a glass sheet passing thereover, means for ad usting said member to vary the point of contact between said member and sheet,

and means for moving said member bodily vertically.

10. In sheet glass apparatus, arcuately curved stationary member for supportin a glass sheet passing thereover, means for roc (ing said member to vary the point of contact between said member and sheet, and eccentric means for moving said member bodily vertically.

11. In sheet glass apparatus, a transversely arcuately curved stationary member for supporting a glass sheet passing thereover, a shaft supporting said member, a cylindrical 'member within which the shaft is eccentri-' end, means for rotata-' cally mounted at each bly supporting said cylindricalmembers, and means for rotating said cylindrical members to move the first mentioned member bodily vertically. p

12. In sheet glass apparatus, a trans'versely arcuately curved'stationary member for supporting a glass sheet passing thereover, a shaft supporting said member, a cylindrical member within which the shaft is eccentrically mounted at each end, means for rotatably supporting said cylindrical members, means a transversely JOHN C. HENDERSON.