Method and apparatus for manufacturing patterned glass products which simulate antique glass
AssigneeGuardian Industries Corp.
InventorJames Burnham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for manufacturing patterned glass sheets. In certain embodiments, the resulting glass sheets have a pattern defined therein which is designed so as to simulate conventional glue chipped glass sheets or antique glass. A heated glass ribbon exits a furnace or melter and proceeds through a nip defined between opposing rollers. Pressure on one or both of the rollers in the direction of the nip, combined with a glue chipped simulating pattern or antique pattern defined in an exterior surface of at least one of the rollers, causes the pattern to be transferred from the roller (s) into/onto a surface (s) of the hot glass ribbon. After being patterned, the glass ribbon is annealed and cut into a plurality of different sheets.
Claims16
A method of manufacturing patterned glass sheets having a visual appearance simulating an appearance of antique glass, the method comprising:
- providing a furnace or melter;
- providing first and second opposing rollers which define a nip therebetween, and providing at least one of the first and second rollers with an antique glass pattern comprising a plurality of intersecting ridges of different lengths defined in an exterior surface thereof, wherein at least some of the ridges intersect one another at angles of from about 5-80 degrees;
- a ribbon of glass exiting the furnace or melter and proceeding toward the nip;
- the ribbon of glass reaching the nip between the first and second rollers at a temperature of from about 1,900-2,400° F.;
- forming an antique pattern in at least one surface of the glass ribbon in the nip, by causing the antique glass pattern to be transferred from the at least one roller to the ribbon of glass;
- the patterned glass ribbon exiting the nip;
- annealing the patterned glass ribbon after the ribbon has left the nip;
- and
- cutting the patterned glass ribbon into a plurality of sheets which simulate antique glass sheets from a visual perspective.
A method of manufacturing antique patterned glass sheets, the method comprising:
- providing a furnace or melter;
- providing first and second opposing rollers which define a nip therebetween, and providing at least one of the first and second rollers with a pattern including a plurality of intersecting ridges of different lengths defined in an exterior surface thereof;
- a ribbon of glass exiting the furnace or melter and proceeding toward the nip;
- the ribbon of glass reaching the nip between the first and second rollers at a temperature of from about 1,900-2,400° F.;
- forming a pattern in at least one surface of the glass ribbon at the nip, by causing the pattern to be transferred from the at least one roller to the ribbon of glass;
- the patterned glass ribbon exiting the nip;
- and
- cutting the patterned glass ribbon into a plurality of antique patterned glass sheets.
A patterned glass sheet aesthetically resembling a conventional antique glass sheet, the patterned glass sheet comprising:
- a sheet of glass including first and second opposing major surfaces;
- a pattern simulating a conventional antique pattern defined in at least one of said first and second major surfaces of said sheet of glass;
- wherein said pattern includes a plurality of intersecting striations of different lengths formed by a pattern roller and defined in said surface of said sheet, said striations being formed of glass;
- and
- wherein certain of said striations intersect others of the striations in a manner such that the pattern simulates a conventional antique pattern.
A method of manufacturing antique patterned glass sheets, the method comprising:
- providing a furnace or melter;
- providing first and second opposing rollers which define a nip therebetween, and providing at least one of the first and second rollers with a pattern including a plurality of intersecting ridges of different lengths defined in an exterior surface thereof;
- a ribbon of glass exiting the furnace or melter and proceeding toward the nip;
- forming an antique pattern in at least one surface of the glass ribbon at the nip, by causing the pattern to be transferred from the at least one roller to the ribbon of glass;
- the antique patterned glass ribbon exiting the nip;
- and
- cutting the antique patterned glass ribbon into a plurality of antique patterned glass sheets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.