Homer Brooke

Glass Molds and Presses.

Those of our friends who are engaged in glass making will be interested in the following, published in a Boston journal toward the close of the Centennial Exposition, relative to the display made by Homer Brooke, mold maker, Centre street, corner of White street, New York.

Among the many goods in the Machinery Hall none attracted more general attention than those exhibited by Homer Brooke of New York, for molding and pressing glass. He has made a specialty all his life of manufacturing for glass manufacturers molds for making table ware, lamps, ink stands, chimneys, lantern globes, etc., and for proprietors of patent medicines, perfumers, pickle packers, and for fruit jars, wines, bitters, lager beer bottles, etc., for inventors, and for every conceivable thing in glass, and has gained an enviable reputation for skill, and accuracy of judgment, and workmanship, being a thoroughly practical mold and press maker. And we are happy to congratulate him on receiving from the Judges of Awards, the highest and only award, for excellence of workmanship, thoroughly and practically constructed, of best material, and fineness of finish. His goods at the Centennial Exhibition consisted of three sizes of presses, and thirty to forty press and blow molds, some of them not designed for exhibition, but taken out of stock, and others out of glass factories, some of them two to three years old, and entered for competition against the world. The same is also the case in two of the presses of his regular standard patterns made five years ago, of which many are in use in the United States and other countries, one being a side lever press of medium size for ordinary work, capable of making the smallest articles to a ten to twelve inch oval dish, or a quart pitcher, its medium capacity being goblet glasses. The screw spindle, rock shaft, spring rods, lever, wrist pins, are all cast steel, the connecting rods are wrought iron with steel bushings; diameter of screw spindle, 2 inches, rock shaft, 2 5-8 inches, wrist pins, 1 15-16 inch diameter, 2 inches long; the press spindle has a stroke of ten inches. Different diameters of molds are provided for by wrought iron guides adjusted by screws; gun metal glides are fitted to the ends of the cross head and follower plate, to take up for wear, and setting them mathematically true; the moving parts are equally balanced by a counterweight attached to the rock shaft under the table of the press. The whole is erected on a wrought iron frame made of angle iron, and is on four wheels the two front ones (swivel) so as to be readily moved about the factory. A cup foot goblet mold is set in the press to show its working; price is $350. The smaller press is what is called a swing press, adapted for making special articles, such as covers for fruit jars, insulators, etc. It is built on a table plate on one end of which is fastened the mold, on the other end a standard which supports in trunions the whole press movement on which is fastened the plunger and to lower of the mold, and is swung off and over the mold by means of the lever which likewise does the pressing. He first constructed this pattern ten years ago and very many are now in use.

The third and larger press is constructed very similar to the medium press, side lever, the pattern and designs of which were got up expressly for the Exhibition; it has many new and excellent features, and is for large work requiring a long, accurate and powerful pressure. It can be adjusted to any length of stroke not exceeding 12 inches. The spindle is cast steel, 2 1/2 inch diameter, the lower nut on it which takes the pressure being also cast steel; rock shaft 2 5-8 inch diameter; guide rods and wrist pins are 1 3/8 inch diameter, the latter with a bearing 2 1/4 inches; the ends of the connecting rods are bushed with cast steel to fit the same; spring rods and lever, cast steel. The lever is fastened to one of the disks on the end of the rock shaft, in which is also fastened one of the wrist pins. The lower end of lever is doweled into a block piece, which is fastened on to the rock shaft disk, and is 3 7/8 inches, and tapers to within four feet of the end to 1 1/2 by 3/8 inches, on which is fastened wood for handle and covered with leather, making it very strong without excessive weight, and a smooth and soft handle for the workman.

The two standards on each side of the table are designed after the Corinthian order of architecture, and represent two pilasters, the inner sides of which are planed out 2 1/2 by 1 1/4 inches deep, to receive the slides on the plunger cross-head. As also the follower plate, the top of the standards are fitted with sheaves attached to the top pieces, which form the capitals in which the guide rods work, the guide rods being fastened to the cross-head, on the ends of which are wrist pins, on which the connecting rods are fitted. The spring mechanism is so arranged that any amount of spring pressure can be obtained, or none at all; the counterweight to the movable parts is under the table within the frame. The table is supported by an iron frame, heavily molded on top and base, round corners, paneled, which forms a pedestal or base. Openings are made for the rock shaft disks, and with circular head doors, which open into the cupboard made for the reception of tools. To the back of the frame are two wheels, on which the press rests, the front corners of the frame resting on the floor when in a position for working. But to the front of the press hangs a handle, which by lifting to a horizontal position, operates on a pair of toggle links connected with a third wheel, which elevates the front part of the frame off the floor about two inches, thereby the press is made to rest on the three wheels. The third wheel is made to swivel by means of the handle, the dropping of which lowers the press on the floor, making it immovable. Heretofore they have had to block the wheels with stones, set screws, etc. The whole is constructed in the best possible manner, and is a model of strength and a thing of beauty; price $500.

Of the molds there are many kinds. In particular we noticed molds for making the renowned Mason fruit jar. Of these molds alone we are informed Mr. Brooke has made as many as would build a pyramid twenty feet square by twenty feet high, weighing a few hundred tons. They are all made with his patent bottom. We also notice cylinder bottles with patent "push up" bottoms, peg lamps, bracket lamps, bull's eye chimneys, pickle bottles, goblet molds, fruit jar covers, ink stands, etc., etc, Accompanying all the molds are glass articles which they make, of which we noticed samples of screw telegraph insulators for telegraph poles, which are made under patents granted to Mr. Brooke, and which are now in general use, not a message being sent over the wires but what are supported by his patent screw insulator, and like many other inventors contributing to the public good by his ingenuity and inventive talent. He also makes molds for telegraph battery zincs. He receives orders from all parts of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, England, Germany, France, Austria, and other countries where his goods are sold and give general satisfaction. Besides being an expert in mold making Mr. Brooke understands glass making in all its branches, having served his time in one of the largest glass manufactories in the country (Dummer & Co., Jersey City), and had been located at White, corner of Centre street, New York, seventeen years, and makes the manufacturing of these goods a specialty.