US925864A - Glass-furnace. - Google Patents

Description

H. BROOKE.

GLASS FURNACE.

APPLIOATION TILED MAY 19, 1898,

925,864. Patented June 22, 1909.

2 spams-sum 1.

H. BROOKE.

GLASS FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 189B.

Patented June 22, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7m ATTORNEY R 0 T N E V N UNITED S'ITES ATENT OFFICE.

HOMER BROOKE, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

GLASS-FURNACE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER BROOKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Imrovement in Glass Furnaces, of which the ollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to furnaces, and the articular object of the invention is to provi e a glass furnace having a number of oscillating crucibles or melting pots.

Heretofore, constructions for melting glass have existed, consisting of a main furnace in which are placed a number of comparatively small crucibles containing batches to be melted. In operating a furnace of this character the crucibles or pots are removed from the interior of the furnace and the contents poured therefrom into molds or other suitable receptacles in which the molten material is given formation; or the pots or crucibles are left in the main furnace and the contents taken therefrom by 'athering. In my construction the molten gIass is flowed from the pots or crucibles by tilting or oscillating the same while they are in the main furnace.

In the drawings I have illustrated a construct-ion embodying my invention, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a lan view, partly broken away and partly in section. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing a ortion of the furnace in vertical section witfi a crucible in position. Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of a portion of the furnace. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the furnace opening closed. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of one of the crucibies; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the neck of a crucible showin the same entirely closed.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to these drawings in detail 1 des- ,ignates the furnace or heating chamber which is of the usual Cll'CI la! form and provided with a crown or do e 2. The floor of the furnace, designated by the numeral 3 is pro vided with a series ofblocks 4 which are de signed to support the crucibles 5. These crucibles arqprovided with journal lu s 6 projecting on each side. These journal ugs are provided with two bearing surfaces, one

w ich 7 is designed to rest upon the blocks 4 to support the crucible in its normal 11 right position while the other 8 supports t e Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 19, 1898. Serial No. 681,174.

Patented June 22, 1909.

crucible in its lowermost position, the two surfaces 7 and 8 meeting in an oscillating point 9 upon which the crucible is rocked or tilted to discharge its contents.

Each of the crucibles is provided with a pouring mouth or neck 10 to which is preferably secured some means of tilting or oscillating the crucible on the blocks 4. The

means hero illustrated consist of a rod 11 which is secured to the neck of the crucible by a collar 12, said rod 1 1 having at its other end a split ring 13 which surrounds an arc-sha ed roc 14 secured to a circumferential ban 15 supported on standards 16 extending from the walls of the furnace. The split ring 13 may be provided with a clamping handle 17 if desired, for the purpose ofsecuring the same to the rod 14 in order to support the crucible in any desired position.

The front wall of the furnace or heating chamber 1 is provided with openings 18 through which the crucibles are moved in and out of the furnace when it is desired to do so. Normally these openings are partially closed by blocks 19 as illustrated in Fig. 1, leaving a lon itudinal opening 20 through which the neeif; of the crucible projects. In the operation of drawing oil the molten glass from the crucible, it is necessary that the heating chamber should be kept closed so as to confine the heat within the same and prevent the flames from issuing through any opening, as they would prevent or render difficult the manipulation of the crucible by the operator on the outside. For the purpose of keeping the longitudinal opening 20 closed I provide blocks 21 and 22, the block 21 being a gravity piece sliding in a way 23 and bearing u on the neck of the crucible. The block 22 s ides in the way 24 and is secured by any desired means, as a chain 25, to the neck of the crucible. It will be seen that by these means the heating chamber is kept closed throughout the oscillation of the crucible to discharge the molten glass.

In crucibles heretofore constructed for the purpose of melting glass, it has been customary to construct the same with an open- .ing through'which the batch to be melted is by pouring the whole contents. In my'im I and discharging of the glass.

I vention, I construct the crucible with a single epeni'ng through the neck 10 which opening is rovided with a large portion 26. The n'ec of the crucible is also provided with a dischar e conduit or groove 27 through which the mo ten glass is drawn ofi. While the batch is being melted the entire opening in the neck of the crucible is closed, by the stopper 28, but during the operation of drawing ofi the contents the stopperZS is removed and the stopper 29 placed in position. This stopper 29 only closes the large portion 26 of the opening, leaving the discharge conduit 27 unobstructed so as to permit of the flow of molten glass through the same. By these means it will be seen that the heat is confined within the crucible during both the melting Located in the interior of the crucible is a skimmer or floating dam 30, consisting of a bridge or cross-piece of firebrick or other suitable material. This skimmer extends across the interior of the crucible floating upon the molten glass, being kept in position by the lugs 31'which constitute guides. In the o eration of the device, the surface of tli e molten glass next to the neck of the vessel dammed oil by the skimmer is skimmed of the surface impurities, bubbles and the like, and when the glass is drawn off the skimmer dams back the surface glass and permits the flow to come from the middle portion of the molten-mass where the glass is clear and free from impurities, the skimmer gradually descending as the surface of the molten glass is lowered. V

While I have described the crucible as oscillating upon lugs on approximately the center of its s1de walls I do not wish to limit myself thereto, as it will be obvious that other .means of tilting or rocking the crucible might be availed of and such means I deem the equivalent of the device shown. And an advantage of pivoting. the crucible so as to oscillate on its central point is that the range of movementof the neck of the crucible to and from the center of the heating chamber is minimized so that there is no undesirable projection of the neck of the crucible from the heating chamber.

The operation of the device will be ob- "viousf Assuming the crucibles to be filled ceases pieces hav ng oppositely inclined supporting surfaces, substantiallyas specified.

2. A device for containing molten glass,

consisting of a heating chamber closed on all sides, a crucible contained by and supported therein, said crucible being provided with gournal pieces on opposite sides, blocks upon wh ch said ournal pieces rest, means for rocking said journal pieces on said blocks and 'means for securing the crucible in desired tilted position; substantially as described.

.3. A glass furnace comprising a heating. chamber, one or more. crucibles provided with vjournal pieces having two straight oppositely inclined supporting surfaces, blocks upon which said crucibles are supported, means for oscillating or tilting said crucibles,

and means for securing said crucibles'in the desired tilted position, substantially as speci- 4. A crucible for containing molten glass,

having an opening therein divided into an.

upper filling portion and a lower discharge portion in combination with a stopper adapted in one position to entirely close said opening and in another position to close only the filling portion of said opening.

5. A crucible Ior contaimng molten glass,

.having an .opening therein divided into an upper filling portion and a lower discharge portion a stopper adapted in one position to entirely close said opening and in another po sition to close only the filling portion of said opening, means for oscillating the crucible to discharge its contents, and means for securing thecrucible in desired tilted position, substantially as described.

. 6. A device for cont ining molten glass, the same consisting of a crucible provided with an opening divided into an upper. filling portion and a lower disch arge portion, a stop per adapted to entirely close said opening, and a stopper adapted to close only the upper filling portion and leave the discharge portion unobstructed, substantially as described.

7. A glass .furnace comprising a heating chamber provided with an extended opening,

a crucible'loc-ated in said heating chamber, a

neck to said crucible projecting through the opening in the heating chamber, means foroscillatmg said crucible independently of the heating chamber, means for closing said eX- tended opening above and below the mouth of the crucible throughout the oscillation of the same, and means 'forsecuring the crucible in desired tilted posit-ion, substantially as specified.

in witness whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOMER Witnesses: Seton J. Lr'ennsrrnin, Snanusr C. h'lASTIGE.

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