Glass Blocks; Owens-Illinois patents by Leonard Soubier & Harold Eastus

INVENTIONS AND INVENTORS

The present is a period of great patent activity. Inventions are developing rapidly in every field of glass making, as witness fiber glass, structural glass, safety glass. Respite this activity, THE GLASS INDUSTRY has purposely avoided the field of patents as a regular feature of its reportorial service; to do otherwise, it seemed, would be a duplication of similar functions already being satisfactorily performed by the scientific societies. However, last January the anti-monopoly hearings brought interest in the subject to more than normal intensity. We began to sense anew something that had always bothered our subonscious: that the last word in a patent service had still to be spoken, and that we should speak that word. Our problem was to discover the proper formula.

The following summaries represent a new and novel type of information service on patents. Its objective is to present every two months a digest of the patents issued by the V. S. Patent Office, and to maintain a certain degree of informality in discussing the inventors and their inventions. We have selected a bi-monthly rather than a more frequent presentation in the belief that the bi-monthly presentation would have the advantage of indicating more clearly the type of problem which is being most intensively studied by the glass industry. It will he our object to point out industrial trends and activities and the extent to which they may be reflected by the issuance of patents.

There follows below a summary of patents issued in May and June.

We would welcome comments from readers on this new form of presentation for patents. Does it offer a useful service to you? — The Editor.

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Glass Blocks

Two new Owens-Illinois patents affect glass blocks. Leonard D. Soubier's patent 2,164,093 covers a method of joining together the two pre-formed sections of a block. An apparatus brings the sections together after their edges have been submerged in molten metal and while they are being moved in molds at the discharge end of the forming machine. Patent 2,156,623 granted to Harold L. Easlus describes a hollow block having at least one side recessed for the retention of bonding mortar.

A patent to Corning Glass (Edward J. Winship, 2,162,9871 covers a modified design of glass block and the wall assembly on which it is used.

Edwin E. Slick of Pittsburgh patented a hollow block wall construction of which only the exterior faces of the blocks are glass (2,163,454).

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