| PAGE |
| Preface | v |
| CHAPTER I. |
| THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF GLASS. |
| Definition of the term “Glass”—Amorphous structure the common feature of all vitreous bodies—Glass a congealed fluid—Glasses not definite chemical compounds but complex solutions—Range of chemical composition available for glass-making—Considerations governing chemical composition—Influence of composition on physical properties—Chemical stability of glass—Permanence of glass surfaces—Action of water, acids, and alkalies on glass—Action of light on glass | p.1 |
| CHAPTER II. |
| THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF GLASS. |
| Mechanical properties: tensile strength, crushing strength, elasticity, ductility, and hardness—Thermal properties of glass: thermal endurance, coefficient of expansion, thermal conductivity—Thermometer glass—Electrical properties of glass—Transparency and colour of glass | p.18 |
| CHAPTER III. |
| THE RAW MATERIALS OF GLASS MANUFACTURE. |
| General considerations—Chemical purity, moisture, and physical condition, constancy of quality—Sources of silica, sand and sandstone—Felspar—Sources of alkali: Soda ash (carbonate of soda), salt-cake (sulphate of soda), pearl ash (carbonate of potash)—Alkali nitrates—Natural minerals containing alkalies—Sources of other bases: Lime, chalk, limestone, slaked lime—Gypsum (sulphate of lime)—Barium compounds—Magnesia and zinc—Lead oxide, red lead—Aluminium, manganese, arsenic—Carbon—Coke, charcoal, anthracite coal | p. 35 |
| CHAPTER IV. |
| CRUCIBLES AND FURNACES FOR THE FUSION OF GLASS. |
| Fire-clay and silica-brick—Manufacture of glass-melting pots—Drying and first heating of pots—Blocks for tank and other furnaces—Uses of silica brick—Furnaces—Coal-fired and gas-fired furnaces—Gas producers—Regenerative furnaces, principles and construction of Siemens’ furnaces—Recuperative furnaces—General arrangements of modern tank furnaces—Relative advantages of tank and pot furnaces | p.54 |
| CHAPTER V. |
| THE PROCESS OF FUSION. |
| Mixing of raw materials by hand and by machinery—The charging operation—Chemical reactions during melting of carbonate mixtures, and of sulphate mixtures—Influence of carbon on the reactions—The fining process | p.73 |
| CHAPTER VI. |
| PROCESSES USED IN THE WORKING OF GLASS. |
| Ladling, gathering, and casting—Limitations of ladling—Ladling used for rolled glass, gathering for blown glass—Rolling of glass—Blowing processes and operations—Use of moulds—Pressing—Moulding | p.84 |
| CHAPTER VII. |
| BOTTLE GLASS. |
| Raw materials—Furnaces—Predominance of tank furnaces—Process of blowing bottles by hand—Gathering, marvering, blowing—Use of fire-clay and metal moulds—Formation of neck—Improved appliances, moulds and tools—Manufacture of bottles by machinery—The “Boucher” bottle-blowing machine—Annealing of bottles—Large bottles, carboys—Aids to the blower—Sievert’s process—Large shallow vessels, bath-tubs | p.95 |
| CHAPTER VIII. |
| BLOWN AND PRESSED GLASS. |
| Raw materials—Bohemian glass and flint glass—Gathering and blowing—Chair work—Hand work—Production of tumblers by hand—Application of coloured glass to blown articles—Use of moulds as aids to blowing—Roughening effect of moulds—Fire-polishing by reheating—Use of compressed air—Pressed glass—Moulds and presses—Capacity and limitations of pressing process | p.108 |
| CHAPTER IX. |
| ROLLED OR PLATE GLASS. |
| Rolled plate glass—Furnaces—Raw materials—Process of ladling—The rolling table—Annealing—Cutting and sorting—Patterns on rolled plate—“Figured” rolled plate—Machine used for double-rolling—Polished plate—Raw materials—Casting from melting pots—Special casting pots—The rolling table—Importance of flatness—Annealing kilns—Grinding and polishing processes—Machines used for grinding and polishing—Method of holding the glass—Abrasives and polishing materials—Theory of the polishing process—Limiting sizes of polished plate—Homogeneity of polished plate—Uses of plate glass—Bent polished plate—Mirrors—Bevelling, process and machines—Wired plate glass, rolled and polished—Difficulties and limitations—Advantages of wired glass | p.122 |
| CHAPTER X. |
| SHEET AND CROWN GLASS. |
| Comparison of sheet with polished plate—Raw materials for sheet—Furnaces: various forms of tank furnaces—Blowing process—Gathering, forming the gathering on blocks, forming the shoulder of the cylinder, blowing the cylinder, opening the end of the cylinder, detaching cylinder from pipe—Cutting off the “cap”—Splitting the cylinder—Flattening and annealing—Cutting and sorting sheet-glass—Defects of sheet-glass—Variations of the process—Attempts to produce “sheet” glass by rolling—Sievert’s process—Direct drawing processes—The American process for drawing cylinders—Fourcault’s processes—Difficulties and limitations—Crown glass—The blowing process—Limitations | p.149 |
| CHAPTER XI. |
| COLOURED GLASSES. |
| Definition of coloured glass—Physical causes of colour—C
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