US1892462A - Control of heat conditions in glass furnaces - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1932;

E. GE'NTlL v CONTROL OF HEAT GONDITIONSIN GLASS FURNACES Filed May 10, 1930 Patented Dec. 2 7, 19321 PATENT OFFICE EUGENE GENTIL, OF PARIS, FRANCE CONTROL OF HEAT CONDITIONS IN GLASS FURNACES Application filed May 10,

In the operation of glass melting furnaces, especially those feeding automatic ware forming devices, either for hollow ware or for sheet ware, difiiculties are experienced due to variations of heating conditions within the furnace, arising from atmospheric conditions, i. e., from the direction and velocity of the wind. The wind, as it varies in direction and in intensity, creates different pres- 10 sure conditions at the opposite ends of the furnace and, as open ports are necessary at such opposite ends for the introduction of batch and for the removal of the melted glass, these variations in pressure cause the heat at different parts of the furnace to vary at different times. As the glass is being worked at a critical temperature and the forming machines are set to work best at the viscosity corresponding to this temperature, the pro- 29 duction is decreased.

My invention comprises a method and apparatus to overcome these difficulties, and the apparatus therefor includes chambers opposite the openings in the furnace in which the pressures may be maintained uniform in spite of changes of atmospheric conditions, and it further consists in the several features of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which corresponding parts are designated by corresponding marks of reference Figure 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of an installation embodying my invention; and

Figures 2 and 3 are similar views of a modified form thereof.

In all figures of the drawing, A represents a glass tank furnace having a charging opening a and a working opening a at opposite ends thereof.

In Figures l and 2, the charging and working ends of the furnace terminate in working chambers B and C.

In Figure 1, each chamber is provided with 1930. Serial No. 451,475.

a controllable air fan bc, and a controllable air damper b c, by which the pressure in such chambers may be maintained constant, either absolutely or relatively to each other, in spite of atmospheric variation.

In Figure 2, a reversible controllable fan 6 is placed in a port communicating between the two chambers, by which the same results may be obtained;

The forms of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 require that the chambers B and C, which are presumed to be large enough to permit the proper feeding of the batch, and the working of the delivered glass, be more or less tight against the escape andentrance 60 of air, and, as these chambers are necessarily of some size and present considerable wall area, this requires that fans of large capacity be provided. In certain circumstances,

therefore, it will be desirable to use the construction shown in Figure 3, in which a small chamber B'C is placed on the exterior of the feeding and delivery openings of the furnace, a part of the wall of such chamber having a restricted working opening therein, which, if desired, may be provided with a curtain b c This curtain may be a sliding curtain or, if desired, may be a woven chain curtain, the idea, in any case, being that op-- posite the port in question a chamber is provided having only enough wall opening to permit the introduction or removal of the batch or glass, and that, in this chamber, suitable pressure is maintained. As shown in the drawing, the chambers in question 001m municate with flues b 0, having dampers -c, by which the pressure "in such chambers due to winds may be controlled. Obviously, if desired, air fans," such as shown in Figure 1, may be substituted forthe dampers to give a more positive control of pressure in the chambers inquestion. While a certain amount of air may escape through the working openings in the chamber, it will be seen that, if sulficient air is introduced therein,

back pressures can be created in the chambers sufiicient to maintain pressures constant in spite of atmospheric variation.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure is:

The hereinbefore described method of controlling the heat conditions in a glass melting furnace having ports therein, which includes maintaining constant relative air pressures outside of said ports in spite of variation in atmospheric conditions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name. i

EUGENE GENTIL.

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