NEW USES FOR GLASS

Author(s): W. E. S. Turner
Source: Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, Vol. 91, No. 4636 (APRIL 2nd, 1943), pp. 224-235
Published by: Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
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OF THE ROYALSOCIETYOF ARTS

JOURNAL

224

April2, 1943

goblets and drinkingglasses, bottlesand

articlesto be made
flasksandmanyutilitarian
into
use in thefirst
and
brought
widespread
EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING
threecenturiesA.D. Sheet glass,alreadyin
Wednesday,January20TH,1943
evidencein thefirstcenturyA.D.,was made
by a castingprocessin a numberof places
Colonel G. P. Pollitt, d.s.o., m.sc.,ph.d., by thethirdChristian
century.Glass lamps
of mosquesweremade
Director
, ImperialChemicalIndustries
, Ltd., forthe illumination
cenin theChair.
by Arabianworkmenin the thirteenth
tury and were beautifullydecoratedwith
The Chairman,irvintroducing
the Lec- enamels. The Venetianglass industry
proturer,said : I desire,firstof all, to express duced many new utilitarian,as well as
thesincereregrets
ofLord Melchett
whowas decorative
in thethirteenth
objects,including
to havepresidedto-day,but who,owingto century
and,in thefourteenth
ships'lanterns
thesortofthingwhichhappensin war-time, century,
amountsofsheetglass,
considerable
cannotbe here. He wishesto apologisefor plain and coloured,and spectaclesmade of
notbeingpresent.
glass insteadof rock crystal; whilstlarge
I thinkthatin askinga representative
of silveredmirrorsweremade in the sixteenth
to presideto-daythe century.Galileo made and used his astrothe chemicalindustry
to nomicaltelescopein 1609; but although
Societyhas paid a veryhighcompliment
thatindustry,
becausewe do notmakeglass, Dollond, in Englandin 1758,showedhow
butonlyitspoorrelation,
! But achromatism
water-glass
was to be obtainedby comwe do makea considerable
numberof raw biningtwolenses,one made of theordinary
materialsfor glass-making,and we are crownglass, the otherof the new flintor
indebtedto Professor
Turnerfor lead glasswhichit is the distinction
extremely
of this
theassistance
he hasgivenus on manyofour country
to havedevelopedabout1670,itwas
withthem.
problemsin connection
not until 1789-1804,throughGuinand in
ProfessorTurner reallyneeds no intro- Switzerland,
thatgoodopticalglasswasmade.
duction. I shouldliketo sayjust one thing
The use of shortfocuslensesformicroabouthis work. He is a veryhighlygifted scopesgoesbacktoworkers
in Hollandandin
scientist
who has knownhow to reducethe Englandin 1677; the rollingof plateglass
andindustrial to a Frenchman,
lagbetweenscientific
discovery
Lucas de Nehou,in 1688.
to himforthis. Galileo made a glass thermometer
practiceand we are grateful
earlyin
The following
paperwas thenread:the seventeenth
centuryand othersspeedily
improvedon it. The progressof chemical
NEW USES FOR GLASS
sciencehas forcenturiesbeen dependenton
a supplyofsuitableglassapparatus.Alembics
Professor
W.
E.
S.
By
Turner,o.b.e.,d.sc., and
retortsfigureas the alchemist'sand
F.R.S.,of theDepartment
ofGlass Technology
, chemist'sstock-in-trade
fromthe Arabians
University
ofSheffield.
onwards,and the typesof articleemployed
Utilitarian Glass in Brief Historical increasedgraduallythrougha successionof
Review
centuries.Lavoisierdeclaredfromhis own
A briefhistoricalreviewmay help our experiments,
thatthesupposedexperimental
as we set out to surveythe ever proofsof some of his contemporaries
that
perspective
in the use of glass watercould be converted
intoearth(an old
wideningdevelopments
in modernlife.
belief going back to pre-Christian
Greek
Hollowobjectsin the formof vases were philosophy)could be traced to the solid
madein Egyptin thefourteenth
andfifteenthresidueextractedfromthe glass vesselsin
centuriesb.c., and bowls, by a pressing whichwaterhad continuously
been evapoof Lavoisier,at
process,at least two or threecenturiesb.c. rated. This demonstration
But,althoughsuch hollowarticlesmightbe thecloseof theeighteenth
century,
provides
usefulas containers,
the methodsof their a commentary
on the susceptibility
of conproductionwere too laboriousand costly temporary
glass to the corrosiveaction of
for them to be other than of a luxury boilingwater,acids and chemicalsolutions.
character.New tools,particularly
the glass Probablythe Britishchemists,with their
maker's blow-pipe, invented about the lead glassvessels,wereratherbetteroffthan
oftheChristian
beginning
era,revolutionisedtheircontinental
colleagues; but it was not
the handicraft,
and theirskilfuluse enabled untiltheworkofStas,publishedin 1868,that
PROCEEDINGS

OF THE SOCIETY

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April2, 1943

NEWUSESFOR GLASS

225

a good chemically-resistant
purposes
glass was pre- optical,chemicaland heatresisting
as the resultof the laboursof Abb and
pared.
The erectionof the CrystalPalace forthe Schottat Jenain Germany.
a striking
in 1851furnished
GreatExhibition
Scientific Research : A Great Diversity
exampleof thevalue of glassas a construcof Glasses
whichits use
tionalmaterialand thebenefit
The twentieth
centuryhas seen a great
broughtin floodinga buildingwith light.
of
the
acceleration
pace at which glass is
ofsheetglasseventhen,and,
The production
fora wide
into
brought
employment
being
of
the
twentieth
until
the
indeed,
beginning
has seen
no
and
of
period
was stilldependenton one of two variety purposes,
century,
fifteen
than
the
advances
fruitful
more
past
known
the
twelfth
by
processes already
century.In the MiddleAges the smallness years. The greatprogressin more recent
of the pieces available necessitatedtheir timeshasbeen due to the thoroughestabbeing set in leaden framesto produce a lishmentof thenew appliedscienceof glass
directedin partto a systematic
window; gjidup to theendofthenineteenth technology,
betweenthechemicalcomposition
size of sheetwas that correlation
themaximum
century
of glasses,thestudy
a cylinder and physicalproperties
and flattening
derivedby splitting
of high
and the development
about6 feetlonganda footindiameter.The of refractories
to
the
invenin
;
part
processes
temperature
of
had
sheets
of
glass
production verylarge
to wait until 1903 when the commercial tion of new machineryand processesfor
success of the Lubbers cylinderdrawing convertingglass into a vast number of
shapesand sizes; in part
machine,inventedin Americain 1895,was articlesofdifferent
of treatingglass
of
methods
to
a
study
automatic
achieved; andthiswasfollowed
by
glasswith
machines,one inventedand developedin surfaces; and partlyto combining
materials
ceramic
like
materials
other
metals,
both
between
in
the
other
Belgium,
America,
1903 gnd 1918, by which sheet glass was and plastics.
has proscientific
withoutthe
investigation
drawndirectand continuously
Systematic
videdus witha greatrangeofglassesavailable
need forflattening.
in i:he formanydifferent
Of otherinteresting
purposes. Their widely
developments
areexemplichemical
first
that
the
recall
I
nineteenth
compositions
divergent
may
century,
glasselectriclightbulbwas madeforEdison fiedbythemodernglassesquotedin Table I,
advances whilstthe verygreatrangeof physicalproin 1879; and thatveryimportant
thecomposition
were made between1880 and 1893 in the pertiesobtainable
byvarying
II.
in
Table
illustrated
is
for
of
use
extended
and
glass
improvement
Table I.
Chemical
ofsomeModernGlassesforSpecialPurposes.
Compositions*
!
Linde'ltr
>|
manny R
I brex
High
A . Glass

Glass
Densest
Pulir
Sodium
Modern'

p'rotModern
, ,
Mercury
J??
VapourQh
"Vycor"
Pyrex
tive Sheet Plate sealing
J".' Gas
OpUealX-Ray
VapourLamp
Glass Glass to^
l'amP
misston
mission
j
28-0
20-0
45
2*i2
72-93
72*29
SiO.
j 82-1 58*7 2i*5
96-3 80-07
4-63 -2-9 12*0 3-0 400
B203
'4
0-05 004 22-o
Ti02
'94 ~~
0-37 -3* 22-4
' 0 '8
AI2O3
'i-66/
- J
'12 *9
V
'3
i
_
/
'
Fe2Oo
8*77 12*92 CaO ... ... ... -5-9 io-o
- . 25*10
-0-20 84
2*99
MgO
-0*09
- o*6o
100
BaO
*
- j 2-
_
_30
PbO
79'9 12-96'I2.S4 J 6
0-02 3-9 i*i
NaO
6*5 ! -'5 -"87
0*2
'
f
0-02
K.O
0*32 - ! o-oi 14
o*i
AsOc
j -0*005
0*30
5
~
- Ii 66*45
LjjO
- ! I51
2*6 BeO
!
CaF2
'23 : *tv27
SO32
!
= 100%
Silica
Fused

Si02
|
chemical
ofcommercial
* Those
arefrom
andtraces
ofimpurities
analysis
indetail,
minor
constituents
precise
including
quoted
noaccount
ofimpurities.
materials
mixture
ofraw
taking
theglass-making
Theothers
arecalculated
from
employed,
samples.

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22

OF THE ROYALSOCIETYOF ARTS

JOURNAL

April.2, 1943

has been in extensiveuse. A

ultra-violet,
great varietyof shades of colour can be
notonlydecorato glass,producing
imparted
tiveeffects
butmakingitpossibleforscientific
purposesto producefiltersyieldingeither
selected
monochromatic
lightor transmitting
V
alues
Property Temperature
Range
of
portionsof the spectrum. Such glasses
in signal
are employedin opticalpyrometers,
-8
20o
C.
Density
1-84
Linear
Thermal
for
for
lenses
traffic
Expansion
goggles
lights,
protective
Coefficient
20o- 130o48- 1750
X10-8 forarc and
or again for
Point
welders,
acetylene
Softening
(Viscosity
- 11300 the
1600
rj- io8poises)
of airmenagainstthe much
protection
- 2*03
Index
Refractive
...
20o
1458
(nD)
ultra-violet
more
intense
lightin the.regions
...

Dispersionnc
0*00678
0-03142
,,
25- 70-3
in high altitudeflying,or
Constant...
Dispersion
,,
through
passed
Electrical Resistance
in thetropics. Glassescan
intenseinfra-red
(Volume Resistivity
...
c.c.inVacuo)
20o 2-9Xio7- 5x io*8 be so colouredas to blackoutall visiblelight
Ohms/
Dielectric
Constant...
,,
-3-7-16
Tensile
ultra-violet
Strength
,,
3*53
kg.mm2 and yettransmit
lighton theone
- 8-51
Modulus
ofElasticity
(E)
,,
4090
9157
kg/mm2
ontheotherandbe suitable,
hand,orinfra-red
Modulus
of Rupture

("
Plate

310- 525kg./cm. therefore,

Glass)
in secretsignallingdevices and
(Mean
435kg./cm.2
Variability
11-5%) burglaralarms. Glasses can likewisebe
^
treatedso as to becomeopalescentor opal,
oncooling,
ofparticles
Glasses have been prepared having a duetotheprecipitation
of givingcontrollable
degreesofdiffusion.The
densityfrom1-8 up to 8 ; a coefficient
thermalexpansionvaryingat least thirty- opal is densein productssuchas themodern
whichcan likewisebe colouredin
fold; a rangeofthermal
endurance
suchthat Vitrolite,
shades.
objectsmadefromsomeglassescan be heated a largenumberof different
havealso beenresponto glowingand quenchedin waterwithout Glass technologists
fracture
; a rangeofload-bearing
capacityup sible for strikingadvancesin the fieldof
materialsused in meltingglasses,
to sixandeventen-fold
resistance refractory
; electrical
million and the greatlyincreased resistanceto
varying
up to at least ten-thousand
fold; whilstthenon-corrodible
characterof corrosionexhibitedby the new refractories
ofproducing
modern
and easiestheoperation
highquality
typesis suchthattheycanreplace,
havereplacedstainlesssteel,sincetheyoffer glassin verylargefurnaces.'The largescale
" ofnotmorethan
of" Vita-glass
to steamat hightemperatures
resistance
and manufacture
iron
oxide
cent,
to
acids
and
content,provides
0-03
strong
per
manyliquids
pressure,
whicharechemically
ofotherknown an exampleof the way in whichthe glass
corrosive
andarewithoutactionon themost technologistnow controls manufacturing
materials,
sensitiveof physiological,biological and operations. In the field of optical glass
has beenmadein
Tubularcondensers
of manufacture
chemicalgreatprogress
preparations.
glass insteadof metal are comingin use, obtainingglasses with speciallylow iron
whilstglasspipelineswithsuitableflanges
are oxide content,therebyachievingcolourlessbothin
thetransmission
not only of ness and improving
employedfor the conveyance
end of the
and theinfra-red
suchas milk,butalsoofliquidsof theultra-violet
beverages,
character.
spectrum. These results have had an
verycorrosive
of glassto radiationcan important
The transparency
bearingon theimproved
powerof
be varied to an almost infinitedegree. modern photographiclenses. A striking
Glasses prepared from elementsof low recent example is the preparationof a
atomicnumber,in particular
lithium,boron colourlessDense BariumCrownopticalglass
index nD- 1*625,dishave havinga refractive
and berylliumas major constituents,"
to X-rays,whilstothers persionconstant= 60-7, and only 0*003%
greattransparency
of elementsof iron oxide,content. Similaradvancesare
containinghigh percentages
highatomicnumber,like lead and barium, being made in preparingvery dense lead
are used to absorb X-rays in protective containing
glassesfreefromcolour.
screens. A glass constituted
high
Meltingfurnacesforeverincreasing
mainlyof calhave been designedand used.
cium phosphateand boric xide vies with temperatures
silica glass in transmitting
veryshortwave- The openingyearsof the centurysaw this
lengthsin the ultra-violetregion,whilst countrytakinga prominentplace in the
of fusedsilicaglass
windowglass of specialtype,such as Vita- commercial
development
ofthe
in the in electricfurnaces.The manufacture
glass, withfairlyhigh transmission
Table II.
ThePhysicalProperties
.
ofGlasses
of
Values
obtainable
with
variation
Range
ofChemicalComposition.

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April2, 1943

NEWUSESFORGLASS

227

measure
witha substantial
is nowcarried structure
translucent
combined
product,Vitreosil,
out on sucha scale thatit has beenused for ofheatand soundinsulation.
a long time in large installationsin the
Glass is beingpreparedin blocksin the
and spongyor cellularcondition.It is verylight
chemicalindustries.The manufacture
with
use of the perfectly
varietyis in weightand it is beingexperimented
transparent
It is likelyto
in refrigerators.
rapidlyexpandingin the fieldof electrical forinsulation
afterthe
transmission.Other undergoconsiderabledevelopment
illumination
and radioglassesvyingwithfusedsilica in respectof war.
low thermalexpansionand high electrical Glass can be convertedinto beads of
resistanceare now being made in special minutesize and into flakes; and it can
gas-firedfurnacesoperatingat very high be drawn into threadsas fine as silk at
in one case, namely,the the speed of 6,000 feetper minuteand of
; or,
temperatures
"
"
mm.
glass knownas Vycor (Table I), by an diametersof the orderof 0*005-0*007
disscientific
newprocessonlymoderate One of the most interesting
requiring
entirely
increase
the
is
of
recent
coveries
great
years
temperatures.
of glass fibresas the
The influenceof the engineeris seen in in the tensilestrength
reduced(Table III).
Sheet
achievements.
is
diameter
glass
manyoutstanding
progressively
in the flatstate In consequence,thesethreadsare not only
is now drawncontinuously
by the Fourcult,the Pittsburghand the findingever increasinguses in mass for
morethana hundred heat and sound insulationand forfiltering
Libbey-Owens
processes
incheswide,and piecescan be cutto lengths purposes,but also forthewindingof copper
andfortheproduction
tohandleandsupport wireusedinarmatures,
onlylimitedbycapacity
them. Plate glass is, by the latestBritish of yarnand woventextiles.
some
process,not onlyrolledcontinuously,
Table III.
8 or 9 feet wide, but is simultaneously
groundand polishedon both sides to give
withDiameter
Variation
oftheTensile
plates of lengthagain limitedonly by the
.
GlassFibres
of
Strength
-to handle them. This so-called
capacity
" is of a
" twin
Radius Tensile
Strength
Radius Tensile
higherdegree
Strength
polishedplate
/mm.2) (mm.) (kg./mm.2)
(mm.) (kg.
of flatness
thananypreviously
made,and is
on the
a triumphof precisionengineering
x9t
0*002
o*i75
377*
largescale. ,
l6t
*34
178*
0-005
iof
126*
0-4
0*009
The successwithwhichthe operationsof
ft
0-5
o-oi8
65*
*61
39*
castingand annealinggreatmassesof glass
0-0355
22t
0-0*85
can now be carriedout is exemplified
by
in 1934of thetwo
thesuccessful
Griffiths.
production
t Gooding.
hundredinch disc, with its special ribbed
with
Combined
plastics,glass fibrehas
structure,and of weight twenty tons.
structural
into
converted
been
fire-proof
ten
The annealingof this disc occupied
withwideapplications.The material
material
months.
type.
thou- Luxoidis oneexampleofthetranslucent
By meansof automaticmachinery,
or sandwich
suchas bottlesand Fibre is used as an interlayer
sandsofdifferent
articles,
to
jars, tumblersand drinkingglasses of all betweenglass sheetsin a mannersimilar
to
laminated
obscuring
glass
give
glass
like
articles
even
plastic
jugs
kinds,
complicated
"
withhandlesand wine glasseswithfeet,are knownby its patentnameof Thermolux,"
and diffusive
machin- which has high transmission
automatic
nowproducedby entirely
turned
properties.
ery; whilstelectriclightbulbs are
modernstudyoftheoldproblem
Prolonged
onetypeofwhich
outbyautomatic
machines,
of glasshas resultedin
treatment
heat
the
of
canproducemorethanhalfa millionperday.
proGlass tubingof variouskindsand diameters the successfulapplicationof tempering
is likewiseproducedmile aftermile with cesses wherebyhigh compressionstresses
distributedin the outer layers
uniformly
uniform
dimensions.
a greatlyincreasedsafetyfactor
about
or
fluted
with
bring
Hollowglassblocks
ribbed,
haveprovidedan outstand- againstbreakage(see Table IV) and make
surfaces
prismatic
formodern its use possibleundersevereconditionsof
ingadditionto materialresources
of temvariations
and are enablingthe load and againstextreme
buildingconstruction
increased
its
of
Because
greatly
lines
new
on
architectto designbuildings
perature.
to shock
capacityand resistance
whichprovidea flood of lightwithinthe load-bearing

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228

OF THE ROYALSOCIETYOF ARTS

JOURNAL

April2, 1943

glassesare carriedout withveryhighprecision. The twinpolishedplate to which

has been made has a variationof
reference
0-005 of an inch across a
approximately
100-inchwidth,and only o-ooi inch per
100 inchesof length. By selection,small
and 2 feetsquare
platesof J inchthickness
in. 1/4
in. 5/16
in., could be obtainedwithsurfacesparallelto
in. 5/16
1/4
ten seconds. Arisingout of the precision
withwhichglasscanbe groundandpolished,
Transverse
Strength
Tests.Specimens
glass gauges,both gap and taper,havebeen
45"X10".
Modulus
ofRupand are undertrial.
prepared
turelb. per
of layersof glass with
The combination
sq.in. ... 24,980 27,160 5,420 6,890
Modulus
ofElasof
thin
transparentplastic
layers
very
lb.
ticity, per
12*6
X10 11-9X108
irox10
materialshas givenus the laminatedglass
sq.in. ... 11*3X10
for transportvehiclesand when used in
Tests.
Impact
Specimens,
14"= 10"
bullet resistingglass,as used
multi-layers,
ofdrop
in
Height
inches
of8oz.
in tanksand aeroplanes.
steelballto
Methodsof treatingthe surfaceof glass
cause
failure 129-5 159*8 16-7 23-1
havebeenworkedout bywhichglarecan be
reducedor removed,and at thesame
it is used widely in transportvehicles. greatly
oflightincreased.The
is thatit is beingused timethetransmission
Americaninformation
of
thata proportion
fact
the
from
arises
for transparent
pressurechambersin aero- glare
is
surface
on
a
the
reflected,
glass
falling
light
for
constructed
veryhigh
planes specially
by Fresnel'sLaw.
altitudeflying,and that the resistanceto itsamountbeinggoverned
so to modify
the
is
The
essential
requirement
considerable
shock
of
such
a
glassgives
impact
index.
measureof protection
againstbullets. Such glasssurfaceas to reduceitsrefractive
is
temperedglass now findsuse as a base on One of the mostsuccessfulprocesses the
whichto spraymetalforgridsto formelectric evaporationof a verythinfilmof calcium
on to theglasssurface.The process
radiators
; for the tops of hot stovesand fluoride
hoods overcookingovens; and forgeneral is not onlybeingemployedin thetreatment
but also
instruments,
doorswith of lensesin scientific
constructional
including
purposes,
metal fittings.The processhas also been plateglassrequiredforspecialpurposes.
"
"
Great advanceshave been made in the
appliedto produceso-called flame-proof
and techniqueof sealingglass
fixtures
andtohightension understanding
glassesforlighting
and metals. The latter
materials
to
ceramic
ofveryhighefficiency.
electricinsulators
The precisionshapingof glass has made maybe in theformofwire,foil,or in layers
or againin theformof
considerableadvances. The controlof the obtainedbyspraying,
advanceshavemade
These
thick
electrodes.
of
automatic
articles
made
drawing,
weight
by
of metalfilament
construction
the
is quite possible
blowingand pressingmachinery,
fortelevision,
tubes
cathode
electric
ray
lamps,
to
the
high
noteworthy,having regard
sizes
and types.
of
valves
and
radio
many
(1,000 to i,200C.) at which
temperature
in
rectifiers
arc
glass
envelopes,
Mercury
to
the
be
forming
discharged
glass may
machines.The screwthreadsformedon the operatingwith electrodesat high temperanecksof bottleshave to complywithcom- tures,are now in operationin manytransstations.
inorderthatthey former
narrowtolerances
paratively
Miscellaneous Modern Uses of
Some
fit
These
screw
modern
closures.
may
Glass
threads,are, it shouldbe pointedout, proinoutlinethevariouswaysby
In describing
ducedbytheforming
machinewhiletheglass
have producedso
is soft. Precisiondiametertubing,available whichglass technologists
a rangeof glasses,I havereferred
forsomeyearspriorto thewarin Germany, diversified
is nowbeingmadein thiscountry.Grooves alreadyto a largenumberof the individual
and threadscan also be groundout and productswhich more recentlyhave been
requirementsnowadaysfrequentlyspecify made from it. In this closing section,
I proposeto referonlyto a small
to iooothof an inch. The turning therefore,
grinding
ofspecialinterest.
of glass by tungstencarbidetools has also selectionof applications
For constructional
achieved slight headway, particularlyin
purposes,thetypesand
Germany. The grindingand polishingof sizesofglasspiecesavailablemakesitpossible
Table IV.
TypicalResultsin a Comparison
ofthe
MechanicalStrengthof Heat-Treatedand
Plate Glass
Ordinary
Heat
Treated
Ordinary
Thickness Thickness

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April2, 1943

NEWUSESFORGLASS

to devotean everincreasing
areaofbuildings
to thetransmission
oflight. Quitea number
of greatmodernbuildingsnow exist with
of glass; in somecases of
frontages
entirely
clearglass plate; in some clear plate with
bands of opal or othercolouredplate; in

22$

of
stillothersglass blocks,or combinations
etc. The
blockswithsheet,plate,Vitrolite,
undue fearof glass as a brittlesubstanceis
slowly passing away. These huge glass
of
extremes
buildingshavealreadywithstood
weatherformanyyearsand the largeglass

1.
oros.,
oycourtesy
ojnwingion
Keproaucea
andblackVitrolite
withfrontage
Newoffice
ofplateglass, glassblocks
buildings

caie
: siewari
Photograph
blocks
at
a
new
Interior
glass
incorporating
Blackpool
cafe
of

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230

OF THE ROYALSOCIETYOF ARTS

JOURNAL

April2, 1943

ofstaircases
andtheglass setin concreteforroofsand floors,and glass
panelledbalustrades
as embodied,forexample,in the blocks have shown themselvesstrikingly
partitions
of British resistantto fireand blast duringair raids.
buildingsof the RoyalInstitution
serveto giveproofofpermanence Wired glasshas, in a numberof examples,
Architects,
and durability. Constructionalglass in remainedin distortedframesin bombed
severalforms,
wiredglass,heattreatedlenses buildingswhenso muchelse was shattered

Ltd.
Bros.,
bycourtesy
ofMessrs.
Puktngion
Reproduced
and
blast
to
raid
air
-inch
wired
Resistance
plate
fire
ofquarter

1.
vy
ujmessrs.
jrwrnngivn
DTU.,

in
a
hotel
concrete
in
set
direct
lenses
Blastresistant
heat-treated
Nottingham
roof

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April2, 1943

NEWUSJ2S
FORGLASS

231

eitherby bombsor destroyed

by fire. Glass pipes,in bothlandand marineinstallations,
blockshavewithstood
verysevereconditions. are now beinginsulatedextensively
by glass
Three strikingexampleshave come to my fibre. Air filtrationmats, made up of
own notice. The firstin my own new different
gradesoffibre,coarseat thesurface
"
buildingsat Elmfield,"Sheffield,
where, and fineat thecentre,are in use in modern
duringairraids,whilstso largea partof the ventilating
systems.
windows throughputthe buildings were
destroyed,
panels of glass blockswere unscathed. The second I particularly
noted
whenvisitingManchester
onlytwoor three
daysafterit suffered
veryheavilyat theend
of December,1940. The frontage
of a large
storeembodying
great panels
departmental
ofglassblocksstoodoutconspicuously
byits
apparentlack of damage in contrastwith
buildingsin the neighbourhood.The third
is thataccordingto Americanrecordsthere
was not a singlefailureamongstthe many
installationsof glass blocks in the New
EnglandStates when subjectedto the devastatingstorm of 1938, a stormwhich
createdwidespreadhavoc,as I, as a visitor,
can personallytestify.These glass blocks
will withstanda wind load of 20 lbs. per
square foot with a safety factor of at
least2*7.
Anothermaterialcominginto extensive
in heatandsoundinsulause forconstruction
tion is glass fibrein the formof blankets,
Ltd,
Reproduced
bycourtesy
ofMessrs.
Bros.,
Pilkmgton
Undamaged
panelofglassblocks
quilts or mats,or made up with plastic
after
materialsinto boards. Boilers and steam
fierce
firein liftwell

nuHjgruyn
. ,.
with
Heat andsoundinsulation
glass
of
building
quilts
fibre
of

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232

OF THE ROYALSOCIETYOF ARTS

JOURNAL

April2, 1943

forthe glazingof glass with its faintgreenishtint by plate

A recentdevelopment
ordinary
shopwindowsis to substitute
plate havinga slighttint*chosento set off the
colour of goods displayed. These special
glasseshave been developedby a largeglass
underthe
firmin thiscountry
manufacturing
nameof 44Spectralite."
theuse of glassand
Of innerfurnishings,
is alreadywell
and fittings
steelforfurniture
to two
known. I maydirectspecialattention
objects of recentconstruction.One is a
completedoorofheattreatedplateglasswith
metalfittings.Obviously,perfectlytransplaces,be of
parentdoorscan,in appropriate
greatusefulness.The otherobjectis a glass
table,30ft.longand5 ft.10ins.widedesigned
roombyMr.KennethCheeseforaconference
man. The top consistsof f in. heat-treated
platewitha stripheaterjust belowtheunder
surfaceto providewarmth. Legs of cast
glassseton woodfeetsupportthetop. The
wholetableweighsif tons.
In the field of illumination,
the most
*1cannot
a
decorative
refrain
from
new
that
mentioning
treatment
such
tinted
for
decorative
utilising
plate
purposes
hasbeen
in
the
vonEifif
last
ten
Professor
developed a flexible
years
by
at Stuttgart.
such
wheel,
By
utilising
engraving
a
tinted
can
be
out
so
that
the
stands
plate
engraved design Such
Ltd. clearly
bycourtesy
ojMessrs.
reproduced
Filkington
Bros.,
as
theresult
ofcontrasting
transmission.
light
treatment
has
led
the
to
for
of
windows
doorsofheat-treated
production
large
Largeswing
glass
ecclesiastical
asa departure
windows
the
leaded
from
purposes,
uithmetalfittings
with
their
broken
surfaces.

: Brains,
Photograph
Liverpool
Table30feetby5 feet10 inches
inchplatesupported
on
ofheat-treated
three-quarter
roughcastglasslegs

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April2, 1943

NEWUSESFORGLASS

233

inTable I. In
modernmethodsare thosebased on metallic ofsucha glassis alsorecorded
a demandhas
lighting,
vapourlamps,such as sodiumvapourand thecaseoffluorescent
forimlighting. beenmadeon theglassmanufacturer
mercuryvapour, and fluorescent
oftubingofmoderately
wide
In orderto makethevapourlampspossible, mensequantities
it was essentialto devisenew typesof glass
to meet extremeConditionsof chemical
corrosionor high temperature.Sodium
vapourattacksglassesof the more normal
type, containing fairly high percentages
ofsilica; butglassescontaining
comparatively
lowsilicaand highboricoxidewerefoundto
resist successfullythe action of sodium
vapour. The compositionof one such
successful
glassis quotedinTable I. Sodium
been convapour lamps have, therefore,
structed
eitherwithan innerenvelopeofthis
new glass and an outerenvelopeto protect
it againsttheactionofatmospheric
moisture,
or, as in morerecentproducts,by fusinga
thinlayerof the specialglass on the inner
surfaceof a singleglassenvelope. Mercury
vapourlamps have long been knownwith
butinorderbothtoget
fusedsilicaenvelopes,
andtoimprove
a cheapercontaining
material,
still furtherthe electricalresistance,new
with.
typesofglasseshavebeenexperimented
They must,in additionto possessinghigh
standard
also
at hightemperature,
resistance
electrical
Largeglassstillincorporating
havehighsoftening
interchangeable
ground
glassjoints
point. The composition

mearte
uo.,.
oycourtesy
oj1netiemme

in operation
Glassmercury
arcrectifiers

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234

OF THE ROYALSOCIETYOF ARTS

JOURNAL

April2, I943

diameter.Atpresenta glassofthesoda-lime- If I havenotfoundspaceto deal at length

silica typeis mainlyused, but experimentswiththeseaspectsoftheuse ofglass,or with
to ascertainwhatspecial itseverwidening
use fordecorative
are now in progress
purposes,
at leastmanyofitspossibilities
intheserealms
resultscan be givenby othertypes.
In the fieldof electricalengineering
fromtheinformation
glass can be inferred
already
is entering
evermorewidely. The solution given.
APPENDIX
of the problemof sealingglass to metals
has made possiblea greatexpansionin the Exhibits
orPhotographs
(orboth)usedto Illustrate
theLecture
of A. General
use of glass. An X-raytubeconstructed
Constructional
Purposes
Blocks.
Building
glass and metalwitha voltageof 1,400,000 Glass
10inches
wide.
Glass
feet
Table,
30
long
by5feet
has been made in Americaforthe National Air
Filter
ofGlass
Fibre.
Blanket
Glass
Fibre
Bureau of Standards,Washington,and a
Boards.
Glass
Fibre-Plastic
Glass
Luxoid
(Translucent
Fibre-Plastic)-;
cyclotronacceleratorsupportof glass has
Fibre
with
Interlayer.
beenconstructed
becauseglasswas foundto Thermolux,
Panels
ofThermolux.
Artistic
Areas
with
ofPlate,
ofBuildings
front
Tempered
withstandthe severe conditionsimposed Photographs
Glasses.
orOpal(Vitrolite)
betterthan other materialstested. The
Glass
of
Modern
Buildings
incorporating
Photographs
Blocks.
Building
with thicktungsten Photographs
mercuryarc rectifiers
Fire
and
Blast
offered
Resistance
to
illustrating
andGlass
Blocks.
Glass
Lenses
Glass',
Tempered
electrodessealed into glass envelopes,some " byWired
Tinted
Windows.
Glass
for
Shop
Spectralite,"
ofthem3 feetinheightand2 feetin diameter, Types
Glass.
ofWired
Resistant
are now in widespreaduse. The aluminium B. Heat
Purposes
Products.
New
Silica
Fused
Glass.
grid-glassradiator shown illustratesthe " Vycor,"
a new
High
Temperature
over
Flame.
Direct
for
Glass
Cooking
Saucepan
of
from
the
process
possibilitiesarising
Holes.
Observation
for
Furnace
Silica
Windows
Fused
Glass
Panels.
with
Stoves
metalson toheat-treated
Safety
glass. The
spraying
are
alsoheat
E
and
F
under
of
forms
of
the
glass
Many
in this and resistant.
processis underdevelopment
othercountriesand will probablylead to C. Thermal
Insulation
Purposes
Heat
Insulation.
for
Glass
valuable peace-timedevelopments.Large Cellular
Blanket.
Glass
Fibre
Fibre
Insulated.
Glass
Store
Box.
glass insulatorssupportinghigh tension Food
orApparatus
Glass
Optical
lines have long been in use in D.All
transmission
Cells.
Glass
in
Franceand in America. In thiscountry,
Colour
Triangle.
Quality
Glass.
Non-Reflecting
porce- Glass
Germanyand manyothercountries,
Articial
for
Eyes.
Colouring
made
Glass
Barium
Crown
Dense
by
Colourless
Optical
lain insulatorshave held the field. In the
new
technique.
in
this
six
or
five
yearsdevelopments
past
Electrical
E. (1) Illumination;
; and(3)Radio
(2)General
Purposes
glass
countryhave shownthatheat-treated
for
Glass
Lamps
Mercury
Vapour
Tubing
(1)
can standup to the severestconinsulators
and
Glass
toCeramic,
Sodium
Lamp
Embodying
Vapour
Iron
Seals.
Glass
to
Copper-clad
electricaland thermal
ditionsof mechanical,
6
amps.,
Discharge
carry
LamptoFoil
Vapour
Mercury
andFused
SealsofMolybdenum
shock likelyto be experienced,and comembodying
Silica.
withthebestporcelain
Unit.
pareveryfavourably
Fluorescent
Lighting
Electric
insulators.
Tension
High
is
development
types. Anotherinteresting
Radiator.
Electric
Glass-Metal
forSubmarine,
Insulators
Forms
ofElectric
of cotton by glass fibre (2)Various
the substitution
andField
Work.
Aircraft
insulationin the copperwire windingsof
Insulation.
andTapefor
Fibre
Glass
inGlass
-Arc
Rectifier
Envelope.
Mercury
motors.A 10h.p.motorhasbeenconstructed
andMetal.
ofGlass
Valves
Radio
anda
between
in theU.S.A. withglassfibreinsulatedwire (3)SealoftheHousekeeper
Copper
Type
Glass
Borosilicate
(a=Glass
37Xio-8).
Wire
with
weighing190 lbs., as against354 lbs. in the
Point
Molybdenum
High
Softening
Sheathed
Lead.
Seals
andGlass
case of a 10 h.p. motorwithpreciselythe
Glass
of
with
Sheathed
Wires
HighSilica
Tungsten
Coefficient
Thermal
Linear
same ratingbut using cotton fibre. The
130Xio-8used
Expansion
Pressure
in
Fused
Silica
for
to
Mercury
High
Sealing
cubicspaceoccupiedwas reducedto approxiLamps. Sealsof
FoilandFused
Machine-made
Molybdenum
whilstwithglassinsulation
matelyone-half,
Silica.
SilicaSealforveryHigh
at a
Foil-Fused
the.motorcould be run,if necessary,
Molybdenum
Currents.
thantheone
highertemperature
considerably
Resistant
F. Chemical
Purposes
withcottonfibrewinding.
ofSintered
Glass.
Filters
Silica
New
Fused
Products.
materialfor "
Glass is a vitallyimportant
Glass.
a new
High
Temperature
Vycor,"
ware Sundry
Ware.
Chemical
science,in theformof glasslaboratory
Laboratory
Line
Glass
Sections.
Pipe
such as the Flanges
of all kinds,and in instruments,
Lines.
andValves
for
Pipe
Glass
Centrifugal
Pump.Ground
thecamerain
thespectrograph,
microscope,
Glass
Standard
with
Joints.
itsvariousforms,
andtheX-raytube,instru- Apparatus
All-Glass
Distillation
Massive
Incorporating
Apparatus
Glass
Ground
Joints. Tower
withmany All-Glass
mentswhichhavebeenconcerned
of
feet
Tubular
15square
Condensingwith
Surface.
Cooling
ofthefundamental
advancesin thechemical,
Valve
topassCorrosive
All-Glass
Massive
Liquids.
Audley
Filtration.
Blood
for
Glass
Filter
Unit
physicaland biologicalsciences.

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April2, 1943

AREAAFTERTHE WAR
MAINTAINING
THE PLOUGHED-UP

235

orLoad-Resisting
G. Mechanical
Shock
Purposes
anythingregardingthe use of glass for
AHeat-Treated
Glass
Door
with
Metal
Fittings.
fromthepointofviewofthedifficulty
textiles
Tank
Bullet-Proof
Window.
Multiply
Bomb-Aimer's
Bullet-Proof
Windows.
ofsplintered
fibres.
Glass
for
Heat-Treated
Vehicles.
Transport
H. Precision
Shaping
ProfessorTurner, in teply,said : Five
ofGlass
Glass
Gauges.
yearsor so ago mostof thewomenworking
inGlass.
Screw
Threads
Twin
Ground
Plate.
in
for
glass wool factorieswore protection
Glass
Turned
intheLathe.
ofBallotini
Beads
ofBlood their faces and limbs. Nowadays,one
nowusedinstorage
Samples
for
Transfusions.
rarelysees such protectionused. The
modern glass wool is of much finer
DISCUSSION
diameterthan that of a decade ago. In
Mr. JamesHogan (Master of Faculty, consequence,it is softto the touch,can be
R.D.I.)said : I shouldlike,on behalfof the benton itselfor tied intoloops and woven
Society and by reason of the manyyears into clothwithoutsplintering.The tensile
I have knownProfessor
Turner,to express strength
rises rapidlyas the fibrediameter
fortheworkhe has doneforthe is reduced.
appreciation
glass industryof this country.We are
The Chairmansaid : I thinkthatperhaps
greatlyindebtedto himforthe factthathe thediscussionwouldhave been more
active
has devotedhislifeto thiswork,and also for
had therebeenan opportunity
ofviewingthe
thefactthatwe haveat Sheffield
University
a department
devotedto the studyof glass samplesbeforehand.
I beg to proposea veryheartyvote of
ofwhichheis thehead,andwhich
technology
thanks
to Professor
Turner,and on behalfof
is unique.
the Societyto thankhim for cominghere
Professor
Turner'slectureis so farbeyond
and forall thetroublehe has takento
me technically
thatI cannottouchon that to-day
provide
samples.
eide of the subject,but it is obviousfrom
whathe has told us thatglass,as a material, ProfessorTurner said : I shouldliketo
is goingto be used considerably
morein the expressmy thanksto my colleague,Dr.
future
thanwe imagineat themoment. For Holland,and to othersin the glassindustry
of housesof who have assistedme to stage the exhibits
instance,in the pre-fabrication
thefutureit maytakea veryimportant
place displayed.
as a constructional
materialfromthe utility
pointof view.
As a designerforglassthereis one point ELEVENTH ORDINARY MEETING
of a Seriesof Ten Lectureson
whichI shouldliketo mention. The possi(Fourth
"
bilitiesof the productionof hollowblown
Agriculture
To-dayandTo-morrrow")
glass-ware
bymachineareratherfrightening.
Wednesday,February3rd, 1943
In manywaysI shouldliketheglassblower
to continueto exist,but nevertheless
the Mr. G. R. Paterson, CanadianGovernment
machinehas obviouslycome to stay- in
Animal ProductsTrade Commissioner,
Americait has been developedto a much
in theChair.
greaterextentthanit has here. Professor
The Chairman,in introducing
the LecTurner has told me that the firstglass:
to
said
We
are
here
gathered
turer,
to-day
in
and
built
was
invented
machine
blowing
thiscountry,
but it was leftto Americato listento one ofa seriesoflectureson agriculfrom ture. The subjecton whichhe is to speak
takeitup and developitintosomething
notonly
whichI haveseensamplesturnedoutwhich is one whichI believeis of interest
to
in
but also
those
the
United
Kingdom
Some
of
the
articles
incredible.
are simply
ofan artistic
apprecia- to those of us who come from Empire
producedwereworthy
and otherpartsof theworld.
tion. The machinehascometo stayandthis countries
willdevelopand the
methodofmanufacture
MAINTAINING THE PLOUGHED-UP
thisfactthebetter
soonerwe appreciate
AREA AFTER THE WAR
Turner'stalkto-day
I thinkthatProfessor
of glass,and
has madeclearthepossibilities
By G. H. Bates,
FarmInstitute
this
to thosewhohavenotbeforeappreciated
, Staffordshire
Principal
materialit has been quite a revelation.
in considering
It is impossible
thisproblem
Mr. L. S. Harley said : I shouldliketo to ignoretheeconomicaspectandto consider
ask ProfessorTurner whetherhe can say it entirelyfromthe technicalstandpoint.

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