USRE18004E - Sylvania - Google Patents

Description

W. A. MORTON GLASS LEER Original Filed March 14, 1925 U U U 7 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY mmmmmimmmmi III w. A. MORTON GLASS LEER March 17, 1931. Re. 18,004

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ATTORNEY W. A. MORTON Marth 17, 1931, GLASS LEER 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 ori inal Filed March 14, 1925 ATTORNEY.

W. A. MORTON March 11, 1931. GLASS Re. 18,004

Original Fild MarCh 14, 1925 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY v W. A. MORTON Mmh 17, 1931. GLASS Re.1 8 ,004

Original Filed March 14,1925 '7' She etsSheet 6 ramrzmzmmmzz zmrzmzzm'cllzm QEIIZEIIZEI ATTORNEY.

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Reiseued Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM A. MORTON, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO AMSLER- MORTON COMPANY, O]! PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLYANIA GLASS LEEB Original No. 1,684,289, dated September 11, 1928, Serial Ie.'15 ,507, flledjlamh 14, 1925. Application for reissue filed June 24, 1929. Serial No. 873,417.

This invention is for an improvement in glass leers, and particularly leers of the endless conveyor type.

In annealing glassware in annealing apparatus of the class to which my in.- vention relates, it is very desirable to introduce the ware to the annealing chamber at a temperature corresponding to the maximum temperature of the annealing chamber, and to gradually reduce the temperature of the ware from the point of introduction toward the point of discharge 1 Considerable difiiculty has been encountered in maintaining the entrance end of the leer at a high temperature, the maximum temperature usually being attained several feet back from the entrance. In recent installations of leers using an endless conveyor, it has been the ractice in certain instances to have the muifib of the leer overhang the forward or receiving end of the conveyor, and to provide flues in the overhang through which a large portion of the gases of combustion are drawn, to thereby heat the forward end of the leer.

Even in this overhang type of leer, however, the temperature increases gradually from the entrance to a point several feet back of the entrance, but the point of maximum temperature is considera and the maximum temperature obtained is considerably higher;

For instance, in the old style leer, having a mufile of about fifty feet in length, the point of maximum temperature was, on the average, between twent and thirty feet back from the entrance, an the maximum temperature obtainable was little above 500 C, while the tem erature a'tthe point of introduction was a at 100 C. In the overhang type of leer, the int of maximum -temper-, ature is reached etween twelve and fifteen feet back from the entrance to the mufile.

The maximum temperature obtainable approaches 600 C., while the temperature at the point of entrance is between 300 and 400 C. In muflies of shorter length, approximately the same ratio of maximum temperature and distance obtains.

1y nearer the entrance of the leer than in the old style,

perature of the point of entrance is very close to the point of maximum temperature a short distance back from the point of entrance.

A further object of the-invention is to prov1de a leer having the conveyor preheated preabsorption at the point of entry is materially decreased, and in some cases, entirely eliminated.

The advantages are obvious to those skilled in the art. There is, as has been proved in actual installations, a smaller percentage of breakage and a greater percentage of satisfactorily annealed articles. There is also a more eflicient annealing, as shown, of course, by the reduction in breakage and increase in satisfactorily annealed ware, and there is an appreciable saving of fuel.

These and other objects and advantages are attained by the invention, which may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate desirable embodi inents of the invention, but it will be understood that various changes and modifications are contemplated within the spirit of the invention. In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a muffle leer embodying one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a divided horizontal section partly in the plane of line AA of Fig. 1 and partly in the plane of line B-B of Fig. 1, the division of the sections being along the longitudinal center line of the figure; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section below the plane of section BB on line OC' of Fig. 1; 4 is a vertical transverse section on line IVIV of Fig. 1: Figs. 5 and 6 are similar sections on lines V-V and VI-VI of Fig. 1, respectively; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form; Fig.

8 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing Lsecceding its entry into the muflle, whereby heat acteristic temperature curves for the old style leer, the overhung leer, and my imill proved leer, as plotted from installations now in use.

The type of leer shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive may be first described. This is the usual overhung front type of leer, such for instance as that shown in United States Letters Patent to lValter O. Amsler, No. 1,533,-

298 of April 14, 1925, but having my improvement appliedthereto. Much of the construction of the leer thus being old, the construction of the leer broadly need be only. generally referred to.

In the drawing, 5 designates the outer side walls of a leer, having an arched top 6. 'The bottom of the leer is designated 7. Spaced from the top, side and bottom walls of the leer inside thereof is the mufile chamber 8, having a.floor or bottom 9, side walls 10, and an arched top 11, the walls of the m uflle preferably being constructed in the usual manner of paneled tiles.

Between the top of the muflle and the top of the leer is a combustion space that may be divided by a transverse partition 12 into a forward chamber 13 and a rear chamber 14.

The usual vertical flues 15 are provided at the sides of the muflle. In the drawings, only those flues after the first three are designated 15, the first three being designated 15a, and being hereinafter more fully described.

The flues 15 open into the space 16 under the floor 'of the muflle,'and in this space are suitably arranged baffles 17. The space 16 may be divided by a transverse wall 18 as shown 'in Figure 2, so that the hot gases will flow from the combustion chamber down some of the fiues 15, circulate under the bottom of the muflle, pass up into the rear chamber 14, flow downother of the passages 15,

again circulate underthemufile, to the rear of wall 18, and finally pass out of the rear most vertical fiues 15?) into the main stack,19. The arrows in Fig.2 indicate this up and down flow of gasesthrough the several flues. This general arrangement is now incorporated in present forms of leers.

A suitable burner 20 may be provided at the top of the leer, and damper plates 21 may be provided in the several fines 15 for regulating the flow of gases through the several flues to control the temperature graduation,

as will be understood by those skilled in they art.

In the front wall 5a of the leer is a feeding-in opening 55. Spaced back from the door is a shaft 22, having sprocket wheels 23 thereon over which an endless conveyor 24 passes from its return movement under the floor of the leer in the muflle chamber. Along the bottom of the muffle chamber are guide rails 25 for this conveyor, of which, for the sake of clearness, onlya small portion is shown.

As will be seen in Fig. 1, the front end of the leer and muflie overhangs the conveyor pulleys or wheels 23. In order to draw heat to the front part of the 'muflleabove and forwardly of the alleys, orentrance point of the conveyor, t e first side flues, as for instance the first,three side flues 15a, areprovided,as-in said patent of Walter O. Amsler. Of these, the foremost leads into a vertical passage 26 in front of the pulleys, said passage having a damper for regulating the flow of hot gases therethrough.

The next two flues, in order that there may be a draft'therethrough, are joined at their lower ends with an opening into the first flue as indicated by the dotted lines at 15d in Fig.

1 and as shown in the upper part of Fig. 2. By manipulation of dampers 21., the desired amount of hot gases from the combustion chamber may be directed through these forwardmost flues to draw heat to the forward or overhung portion of the muflle.

While I have mentioned three flues, it is for the purpose of illustration merely, as .the 1 number of flues so arranged is immaterial so long as they rovide' for drawing some of'the heat to the orward part of the leer. F urthermore, the second two flues 150 could be joined to the first flue 15, as illustrated in the said Amsler patent, rather than joining with the' first flue 15a, although the latter form is desirable. The point is that none of the side flues can be blind or dead-ended.

The vertical passage 26 narrows toward its lower end, and its lower end opens horizontally into the sub-structure 27, as shown in Fig. 3. This structure is of a refractory construction, havin a chamber 28 therein in which are suitab y arranged baflles 29 to insure a spreadingof the gaseous flow and a wide distribution of. heat. The forward part of the sub-structure is preferably about the same width as the leer. Several feet back from the entrance, it narrows down into a flue passage 30, divided at 31 into spreading passages 32 opening into vertical passages 33 'going to the secondary flue 34. Provision is preferably made for closing the secondary flue 34, as indicated, for instance, by damper 34a, so that after the flue passages of the leer have become hot enough to establish a draft,

the gases passing through the sub-structure may be directed through ports 30a leading up to and communicating with flues 15, so as to utilize all the available heat.

It will be seen that the sub-structure 27 extends under the sprocket wheels 23, ,and under the'conveyor, several feet back from the point where it enters the-leer. It. is fully as wide as the conveyor, and preferably has thin tile on its upper surface, over which the conveyorrides,'so as to radiate a maximum of its heat to the conveyor. Just above the top of the sub-structure are rails 35 to guide the return section of the conveyor below ,the

til

bottom of the leer and above the top of the sub-structure. With this arrangement, the returning portion of the conveyor, which travels at a relatively slow speed, can be raised to approximately the temperature of the forward part of the leer. This is done, however, without sacrificing any of the heat available for heating. the front end of the leer. The excess heat passing down the first flue is utilized to its fullest extent. Not only does this arrangement heat the conveyor, but it heats the air around the conveyor, so that the air which enters the mufile around the sprocket wheels and shaft is highly preheated.-

The result of the invention may be readily appreciated by referring to Fig. 11, which is a chart plotted against temperature measurements of actual leer installations of corres onding dimensions. 7

the chart, which shows the temperatures of the muflle, line A, is plot-ted against a leer of the Amsler or overhung type, modified to incorporate the present invention. The dotted line B shows the temperature curve of the usual Amsler or overhung type without the present invention. The dot-anddash line C is the temperature curve of the usual type of endless conveyor leer without the overhung muflle chamber.

Line C indicates that at the point of entry, the temperature is about 100" C., and it increases quite gradually back from the entrance until the maximum of about 510 C.

is reached, about twenty-six feet back in the fifty-foot muflle. Line B shows that the tem perature at the entrance point is considerably higher in the overhung type of leer, it being about 350 C. The maximum temperature of about 575 C. is rather gradually ap- Eroached between eleven and thirteen feet ack from the entrance. Line A shows the temperature at the entrance to be above 600 C., and that there is an increase from this point of only about 20 C., this maximum temperature point being less than six feet from the entrance.

Curve A approaches a practically ideal condition for annealing glassware, and in practice, it has been found that the leer reduces breakage to a percentage far below any heretofore obtainable. The conditions are also ideally suitable for heat-resistant ware of the well known Pyrex type, and all heavy poorly distributed glasses.

In the construction shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, I have followed the same general idea adapted to a leer wherein the return of the conveyor travels partway through the mufile chamber to-thereby become preheated- In these figures, 40 designates the side walls, 41 the front wall, and 42 the top of a leer construction. The muflle chamber is desi ated 43, and it has a top wall or roof 44, side walls 45, and a bottom 46, which is considerably lower than the muflie bottom in the Fig. 1 construction. This bottom 46 is dropped below the level of the upper conveyor guides 47 and below the bottom 48 of the annealing tunnel 49; Bottom 46 is ex-' tended at 50 under the bottom of the tunnel, and it is through the space or opening 51 that the return of the conveyor enters the muflle, lower guides for the conveyor being shown at 52. The conveyor is designated 53. Near the forward end of the mufiie are sprockets 54 around which the conveyor passes.

The muffle chamber is spaced from the walls of the leer, so as to provide the combustion chamber and side flues as hereinbefore de: scribed in connection with Figs. 1 to 6 in-v drawn to the forward part of the muflle chamber, as explained in connection with the leer of the type shown in Fig. 1. The rear of passage 56 terminates in spreading flues 59?) that lead to the chimney 60. Only the first few of the side flues 58 communicate withpassage 57 The other side flues 59 communicate with the heating chambers 55, as above mentioned, The last series of side flues 59 also lead to the chimney 60. The

arrows in Fig. 8 indicate the general up and down flow of gases, the arrows pointing upward in the drawing indicating the up-flow of gases, and the arrows pointing downward, the downflow of gases.

With this arrangement, the gases of combustion that heat the front of the muflie through the side flues 58 serve to heat the center of the bottom of the mufiie chamber.

The advantage of the separate passage 56 is to obtain a better control of the flow of hot gases to the several parts of the leer. This control of gas flow can further be regulated by the provision of the usual dampers 61.

In this construction the return portion of the conveyor enters the muille well back of the forward portion of the leer and is gradually preheated until it is at the temperature of the muflle when it reaches a position to receive the ware. As it is desirable to gradually reduce the heat from the front of the leer back, the conveyor, entering the cooler end of the leer, assists, by its absorption of heat,

in maintaining this condition. The return portion of the conveyor, furthermore, moves close to the bottom of the muffle, and is heated to a very high temperature, and the gases that are used in heating the forward end'of the muflie assist in heating the conveyor.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have, by preheating the conveyor before bringing it into the top of the-forward end of the muflie, made a remarkable improvement in leers, and have done this wlthout greatly adding to the cost of the construction. The invention utilizes heat that has heretofore been wasted, so that, besides giving greatly improved annealing conditions and attainlng higher maximum temperature, it effects a saving'of fuel, in that more of the available heat is delivered to the muflie.

What I claim is:

1. In a glass, leer of the mufiie type having an endless conveyor for carryin wares therethrough, and in which the mu e overhangs the forward end of the conveyor, said leer having passages for the circulation of gases around the sides and under the bottom of the muflie, other passages at the sides of the forward end of the muifle for heating the portion of the muflle overhanging and in advance of the conveyor, and a surface over and in close proximity to which the forward end of the return portion of the conveyor moves,

and a circulatmg passage under said surface through which gases passing through the said passages at the forward end of the muflle flow to heat the conveyor.

2. In'a glass leer, a mufile, a conveyor havingaportion extending through the muflie and a return portion below the muflle, the forward end of the conveyor entering the muflie a short distanceback from the forward end of the mufiie whereby the muflie overhangs the forward end of the conveyor, gas circulating chambers .above and below the muffle and flues at the sides of the muflle connecting the upper and lower chambers, a separate flue at the sides of the portion of the mufile overha 'ng the conveyor, and a sub-structure exten 'ng under the forward end of the return portion of the conveyor and below the mufile, and offor heating the overhung substantially the same width as the conveyor,

said sub-structure having a circulating chamber therein with which the said separate flues fle communicate, said su structure constituting a heating means for the conveyor.

3. In a mufile leer, of the type having an endless conveyor with the muflle passage overhanging the point where the returning portion of the conveyor entersthe muflie, separatepassages at the sides of the muflie for heating that portion of the muflie which extends in advance of the conveyor and that portion of the muflle through'which the conveyor passes, and a sub-structure under the conveyor having a circulating chamben therein heated from gases leaving those flues that heat the sides of the muflie in advance of the tivel portion of the mufconveyor for heating said conveyor immediately in advance of where it enters the mufiie.

4. In a leer of the muflle type having an endless conveyor with a portion extending through the muffle and a return portion below the mufile, said return portion entering the mufile back from the forward end thereof so that the forward portion of the muflie overhangs the conve or, an upper combustion and circulating c amber above. the mufile, a lower chamber under the mufile andto the rear of theentrance point of the conveyor, a conveyor heating means under and in close proximity vto the return portion of the conveyor at its point of entry into the mufiie, fiues around the overhung portion of the Inufile leading from said upper chamber to the conveyor heating means, and'flues at the sides of the mufile rearwardly of the point where the conveyor enters the muflie connect ing the upper chamber with the chamber below the muflle.

5. In a muflle leer having an endless conveyor passing through the muflie thereof and of the type in which the muflle extends forwardly beyond the forward end of the conveyor, as circulating forwar part of the mu e in advance of the forward end of the conveyor, other gas circulating passages around the sides of the muflle back from the-forward end of the con veyor and means utilizing gases passing through said first mentione clrculatmg flue for heatin the return portion of the conveyor, sai means including fpassages disposed under the forward end 0 the conveyor and in communication with the said gas circulating passages at the forward part of the muflle. a

6. In a glass leer, a mufiie, a conveyor having a portion extending through the muflie assages around the v with the forward end of the conveyor entering the muflie a short-distance back from the forward end of the muflle, whereby the mufile overhangs the forward end of the conveyor, gas circulating chambers above and below the 'muflie, fines at the'sidesof the muflle connect: ing the upper and lower chambers, a substructure under the conveyor having a relawi de circulating chamber at the forwar end of the sub-structure, a passa e leading from the wide rcirculating c amber through the sub-structure, a chimney, a'nd-a valve-controlled flue in communication with the last named assage and the chimney. y

' 7. In a glass lizer, a 'mume, a conveyor having a portion extending through the muflle with the forward end of-the conveyoren'teb ing the muflie a short distance back from the forward end of the mufie, whereby the muflie' overhangs the forward end ofthe conveyor, gas circulating chambers above and below the muflle, flues at the sides of this muflie connects ing the upper and lower chambers, a substructure under the conveyor having a relativel wide circulating chamber at the for war end of the sub-structure, an extended floor portion, projecting inwardly from the muflle, a chimney, a passage under the extended floor in communication with the relatively wide passage of the sub-structure, and a valve-controlled flue in communication with the passage under the floor and the chimney.

8. A leer of the continuous conveyor type for heat treating glassware, comprising an annealing tunnel, a plurality of heating flues associated with said tunnel, a plurality of combustion chambers externally of said tun nel and non-communicative therewith, each of which is but a portion of the length of said heating flues, means for withdrawing the products of combustion from one of said combustion chambers to one of said heating flues, means for withdrawing the products of combustion from the other of said combustion chambers through the other of said heating flues, and damper regulated means in communication with said flues for gradually reducing the temperature from the front toward the rear of said tunnel.

9. A leer of the continuous conveyor type for heat treating glassware, comprising an annealing tunnel, a plurality of heatin flues associated with said tunnel, a plurality of combustion chambers externally of said tunnel, non-communicative therewith, and in communication with said flues one of which is located near the forward end of said tunnel and the other located between the first combustion chambers externally of said tunnel and non-communicative therewith, each of which is but a portion of the length of said heating flues, means for withdrawing the products of combustion from one of said c0m bustion chambers to one of said heating flues, means for withdrawing the products of combustion from' the other of said combustion chambers through the other of said heatin flues and through said first named flue, an damper re lated means in communication with said ues for controlling the temperature of said tunnel.

11. A leer of the continuous conveyor type comprising an annealing'tunnel, a heatin flue extending longitudinally beneath sai tunnel, a combustion chamber externally of said tunnel and non-communicative thereond flue parallel with said first named flue and communicating with the latter, exhaust means for drawing the products of combustion through said flues and damper regulated means for withdrawing the products of combustion from said heating flue at intervals to control the temperature gradient in the heating fine and tunnel.

13. A leer for treating glassware comprising an annealing tunnel, a continuous conveyor passing through said tunnel; a combustion chamber externally of said tunnel and non-communicative therewith, a heating flue beneath said tunnel extending from the forward end of said tunnel, longitudinally thereof and in communication with said combustion chamber, said flue having a heating wall.

in close relation with and exposed to the forward end of said conveyor to condition the same for receiving the glassware. exhaust means for drawing the hot gases from said chamber through said heating flue to produce the highest temperature in the forward end of said tunnel and damper regulated means in communication with said heating flue for controlling the flow of the gases through said flue and for gradually reducing the temperature from the front toward the rear of said tunnel.

14. A leer for treating glassware comprising an annealing tunnel, a conveyor for moving glassware therethrough, a heating flu'e adjacent the ware bearing strand of said conveyorextending longitudinally of said tunnel, a combustion chamber externally of said tunnel and noncommunicative therewith, regulable means for drawing hot gases from said chamber to maintain a predetermined annealing temperature at the front of said tunnel and damper regulated means controlling the flow of the gases from said chamber through said heating flue and for regulating the temperature in said flue beyond said chamber to thereby vary at will the temperature gradient in the said tunnel.

15. A leer for treating glassware comprising an annealing tunnel, a conveyor for moving the glassware therethrough, a combustion chamber externally of and non-communicative with said tunnel, means for heating said chamber to the required annealing temperature to produce a predetermined vol ume of gases therein, a temperature regulat-- in'g flue adjacent the ware-bearin strand of said conveyor extending longitu ally be- 5 yond said chamber, exhaust means for said flue and combustion chamber,, and damper regulating means for increasing the volume of gases flowing in said regulating flue to regulate the temperature in said flue beyond 10 said chamber without varying the volume of gases produced b the heating means to thereby vary at w1ll the temperature gradient in the said tunnel.

16. A leer for treating glasware compris- 15 ing an annealin tunnel, a conveyor for moving glassware t erethrough, regulable heating means for producing the required annealing temperature at the forward end of said 7 tunnel, additional regulable heating means for maintaining the required annealing temperature in the heating zone of said tunnel, a temperature regulating flue extending longitudinally of said tunnel beyond said heating means, and damper regulating means a for increasin the flow of the regulating medium in said flue to thereby vary at will the tempe ature gradient in the tunnel inde- I pendent y of variations of said heating means. a

in WILLIAMVLMORTON.

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