Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Mechanics' Magazine,

MUSEUM, REGISTER, JOURNAL, AND GAZETTE.

No. 1162.]

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1845.
Edited by J. C. Robertson, No. 166, Fleet-street,

[Price 3d.

ROE'S PATENT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS PIPES.

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][graphic][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][graphic][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

ROE'S PATENT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS PIPES. [Patent dated April 22, 1845; Patentee, Freeman Roe, 376, Strand; Specification enrolled, October 22, 1845.]

The

WHEN Sir Robert Peel brought for ward his proposition for the emancipation of the glass manufacture from the combined thraldom of the exciseman and taxgatherer, he dwelt particularly on its applicability as a material for water pipes, as one among many reasons for the measure. He had "read in the Courier de l'Europe, that in France they were now manufacturing glass pipes for the conveyance of water, which cost nearly 30 per cent. less than pipes manufactured of iron." Had the Premier made enquiry of persons practically acquainted with the manufacture, he would have found that it is much easier to talk about employing glass for water pipes, than to tell how such pipes are to be made—that is, pipes of the same length as those usually made in iron, and of like uniformity of bore and substance. We are certain that he could not have produced a single glass pipe made in England of 5 feet long and uniform bore and substance; neither do we believe the authority of the Courier de l'Europe notwithstanding-that he could have searched all France and Europe through with any better success. fact is, that to make pipes of such length and quality has hitherto exceeded the glass blower's art, as well in foreign countries as in our own, and whether fettered or not fettered by fiscal interference. One good effect, however, of the attention drawn to the subject by the Minister is, that this reproach (if so it may be called) is very likely to be soon removed. In this, as in other cases, the existence of a great want has been no sooner made known, than numbers of ingenious individuals have set themselves to work to supply it; and if the thing be not speedily achieved, we may be tolerably certain, that it is only because it is not within the limits of possibility. We have now before us the specification of one patentee, who states, that he can manufacture glass pipes "of any of the lengths usually required for such purposes, (conveyance of water and other fluids,) and of uniform bore and substance, or nearly so, and with joints adapted thereto, by which they may be as readily and directly connected as any other pipes ;" and we have heard of some other patents being completed and in progress, having a similar object

in view, and from which some further improvements may be reasonably anticipated.

The processes which Mr. Roe adopts, are thus described in his specification.

"In preparing the glass of which the pipes are to be made, and bringing it into the state fit for the purpose, I employ for the melting of the same a blast of hot atmospheric air, such as is commonly known in its application to the smelting of iron, by the name of the hot blast, and produced by passing the air through a hot chamber or chambers, before bringing it to the point of application. Or I employ an air-hydrogen jet or jets, similar to what is, or are employed in autogenous soldering; or I employ a hydrogen jet in combination with the hot-air blast, and I make use of the said air-hydrogen jet, or hot-air blast, or combination of the two, either exclusively during the preparation and manufacture of the glass as aforesaid, or as an auxiliary or auxiliaries only when very high degrees of heat are required. The manner of heating the air and of afterwards conducting and applying it to the smelting furnace depends in some measure upon circumstances, that is to say, whether it is applied to an ordinary glass furnace, or whether a furnace is purposely constructed. When applied to an ordinary glass furnace, the air having been collected in a large gasometer, is then forced out by pressure through a heated flue or chamber, or in any other convenient manner, and made to circulate through such heated flue or chamber, until its temperature is sufficiently raised, after which it is applied in a manner similar to that used for the hot blast in the smelting of iron. Means however should be adopted either for shutting out the access of the cold air to the furnace altogether, or admitting it at pleasure, which object is accomplished by the use of a door or doors, so placed as effectually when shut to keep out such draft or drafts. When a furnace is purposely constructed for the application of the hot blast, it may be so formed as to leave no other draft, except only that from the hot blast, a door being left for merely supplying fuel to the furnace, either at the front or side. The apparatus for making the glass into pipes is represented in the accompanying engravings. Fig. 1 is a side view of an apparatus which I employ for the purpose of manufacturing pipes of large dimensions, and fig. 2 a front view: A, is a pot or cauldron made of fire-clay, or other suitable heat-resisting material; b, c, is a tubular

Ъ

ROE'S PATENT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS Pipes. 323

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

metal mandril (shown in section in fig. 3,) carefully coated with baked clay, which is passed through the pot A from back to front, the back orifice through which it passes being closed in around it, but the front orifice, a, being left open, and the mandril being so supported by suitable bearings at the back end, that it passes through the front orifice, exactly in the centre and without touching the sides, leaving room for the glass to flow all around it. The mandril is made a little smaller in diameter than the bore or hollow of the tube intended to be made, and the space left between it and the periphery of the front orifice a, should be as nearly equal, as may be, to the thickness desired to be given to the tube. The mandril is made hollow, in order that a blast of air may be directed continually, if necessary, through it by machinery applied to the end marked b, and situated at a convenient distance from the pot A, or by any other suitable means; d d is a tubular mould, consisting of two pieces connected by hinges, so that it can be readily opened or closed as required; f is a tubular rod, by means of which the pipe is drawn, which terminates at the inner end in an elongated cup, e, and has a disc raised upon or attached to it a little way behind the cup, which disc is of the diameter of the intended tube of glass. The pot, A. being supplied with a quantity of nearly fluid glass, an air-hydrogen jet is made to play upon the pot or upon its contents, either while in the pot or while issuing from it, so as to keep the same at any degree of temperature which may be required. The cup end e, of the long tubular rod, f, is then introduced into the orifice a, having been previously heated or prepared, so that molten glass will readily adhere to it. The rod is then drawn forward with a rotary motion, which can be easily given to it by hand, or by the other means bereafter described, which causes it to draw after it the heated glass into the mould, dd, which, as soon as it is filled is instantly closed, when the workman, by shutting a suitable valve, at the outer and open end, h, of the tubular rod f, causes the blast which is going on through the mandril, bc, suddenly to accumulate in the interior, and the glass thereby to assume the precise shape of the mould. The glass tube is then detached from the tubular rod f, and the mandril, b c, and taken to be annealed.

"For bent tubes a bent mould is required, and the operation of drawing is then best performed by hand; and by leaving an indentation, or indentations in the mould, requisite places may be obtained for applying the offsets or branches.

"For straight tubes, when drawn by machinery, any amount of rotary motion

required can be given to the iron tube, f, by simply having a portion of its exterior, ribbed obliquely, as shown in fig. 4, and by then drawing such portion through suitable couplets, the rod and couplets forming together a sort of male and female thread, running obliquely.

The

"When the glass tubes require to be of small dimensions they are made as follows. Two iron tubes are connected by passing within them a third tube or rod, as represented in fig. 5. The compound tube thus formed is then passed through an open ball mould from side to side, through orifices which serve as rests for the rods, and are afterwards closed iu, as shown in the figure. The mould is next filled with molten glass in the usual mode followed in casting glass, and is opened as soon as the glass has somewhat cooled. The ball of glass is then taken out and the inner iron rod withdrawn. ball is next heated by the air-hydrogen jet, and after blowing and drawing it alternately for a number of times, with occasional heating (two workmen co-operating in the process) the work is completed by blowing in a tubular mould, the blast being given by a similar mechanical contrivance to that used for making the well-known moulded elliptical shades. Or a workman merely gathers a mass of heated glass upon the end of the tube, then rolls it in the usual way upon an iron plate, and after heating it by means of the air-hydrogen jet, a second workman assists in drawing out the tube by the aid of an iron rod, with a drop of melted glass at the end of it. The tube is then finished in a mould, the blast being given as in the last case, when much air is required.

"The modes I adopt for connecting the sundry lengths of glass pipes, so as to adapt them for the conveyance of water, or other fluids, are represented in figs. 7 to 16, (both inclusive) of the accompanying engravings. In fig. 7, a is a joint piece made of iron or brass, or any other suitable material for connecting two lengths of glass pipe, b and c, which piece is formed with a hollow enlargement in the central part of it for admitting the introduction of any useful cement, such as a mixture of resin, tallow, and silver sand, or of shell-lac and wax. The two ends of the pipes, b and c, are first warmed and coated with the cement. The joint piece, a, being also well coated with cement in its interior, is put on while still warm, and more cement poured in through the orifice, d, when it so surrounds the pipes b and c, near to, and for some distance from their points of junction, as to unite them on cooling, in a firm and substantial manner. Any running of the cement into the interior of the glass pipe is easily prevented, when the ends of the glass pipes are not quite true, by using a band of

SUBMARINE RAILWAYS-MR. DE LA HAYE'S PLANS.

cotton, cloth, or tow. Fig. 8 is a modifica tion of fig. 7, expressly adapted for connecting lengths of pipe, when such lengths have to be fixed vertically, for which reason it is convenient to have the lip or orifice, d, placed in a position different from that adopted in the preceding case. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a joint piece which is so formed that it may be slipped over the pipes b and c, previously bound with cotton or cloth dipped into cement, and holds them tightly for some distance around the point of contact. The socket ends are next packed with tow, cotton, or other suitable material, dipped into melted cement, and rammed home. Fig. 10 is a joint piece, having within it a stop or check, g, placed about midway, which prevents either of the pipes from being thrust too far while fixing; in other respects the interior is of the same shape as fig. 9. Fig. 11 differs from fig. 9 in having a thread in its interior so as to admit of the use of a screw piece, instead of packing only, the screw piece being attached to the end of the glass pipe; the joint is made with a washer, or the screw piece may be loose, so as to form a kind of stuffing-box, as shown at the end, c. In fig. 12, the pipes b and c have flanges, which serve as a guide to a joint piece, quite plain, the ends of which are caulked as before described. Fig. 13 shows another mode by the aid of metal bolts, washers, and flanges, in addition to those left in the glass pipe; the bolt holes being drilled or made in the metal flanges only. In fig. 14, the male and female screws are made direct in the glass pipes during the operation of moulding, so that one pipe may be screwed into another, and the joint made with a link or washer. In fig. 15, the small screw and flange only are formed in the pipes b and c, and also by blowing and the rest is of metal. Fig. 16 moulding; represents the mode of forming off-sets, when it is found convenient to make them in such way, instead of leaving them in the operation of blowing and moulding by making a suitable hole in the mould."

325

ject; experience, would of course suggest such improvements as would tend to simplify the work in the details; perhaps, so as to render the construction of submarine railways a work hardly more difficult than a railway on land.

I will first allude to the mode of connecting the divisions of the tunnel temporarily under water. Previous to placing the divisions below, I would fasten a bandage or rim of wood outside, at each end; this rim would be 1 foot thick and the same in width, and formed of the shape of the outer circumference of the tunnel. After being fastened by means of bolts, I would nail several layers of tarred canvass on the wood. The divisions being sunk on their position below, end to end, and as close to each other as possible, I would prepare a sheet of lead and one of copper, of a length equal to the outer circumference of the arch; these sheets of metal being laid flat on aloft, the copper over the lead, I would place a sufficient number of pieces of wood across the metal; they should be 1 foot wide and 4 inches thick, and connected by means of hinges; and on each piece of wood I would place a thick plate of wrought-iron. It will be seen that the wood is intended merely as a medium of fastening the different sheets by means of bolts driven through the whole: this covering, which would be sufficiently wide to cover the space between the two divisions, would be thus of an immense strength, and yet could be bent on the arch; when completed, it should be let down on the ends of the two divisions, so as to rest on the rims of wood covered with canvass and tar. The principle will be seen in figure 1. fig. 1.

SUBMARINE RAILWAYS-MR. DE LA HAYE'S PLANS.

Respected Friend,-Having explained the principles on which submarine railways might be constructed, I will proceed to explain a few of the details as regards the most complicated part of the work. I do not pretend to have brought the different operations to the perfection which may be attained in a work which admits of so many modifications; the following, however, are the results of nearly three years' attention to the sub

C

C

« ZurückWeiter »