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Title:
THE PRODUCTION METHOD OF A HOLLOW, THICK- WALLED THREE DIMENSIONAL GLASS SCULPTURE
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2019/120340
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
In the process of sculpture creation a spatial model of the sculpture, including a surface spatial relief art motif, is first made from a sculpting modelling material. By moulding of this model an inner as well as outer part of the future mould is made also with an inclusion of a respective excess for shrinkage, the mould is completed and alternatively thermally conditioned. The glass grit which consists of particles with a homogeneous chemical composition and is thus characterized by a homogeneous viscosity curve of the glass, and which is free from powdery content so that the minimal size of the particles is 3mm, is then dosed in cold conditions into the unwarmed mould. After that follows the phase of sintering, fusing, and alternatively devitrificating processes during which time the sculpture is created by a co-action of natural gravitation and a specific temperature curve comprising characteristic intervals of heating and cooling. Following the dismantling of the moulding set the created sculpture is taken out, cleaned and the surface may be finished by refining processes.

Inventors:
DOSTAL JIRI (CZ)
CIZEK PAVEL (CZ)
STANICKY PETR (CZ)
HREBICEK MILAN (CZ)
TICHANEK PETR (CZ)
Application Number:
PCT/CZ2018/050062
Publication Date:
June 27, 2019
Filing Date:
December 19, 2018
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
TOMAS BATA UNIV IN ZLIN (CZ)
International Classes:
C03B19/09; C03B25/02
Domestic Patent References:
WO2015027969A12015-03-05
WO2011158616A12011-12-22
Foreign References:
US5630857A1997-05-20
US5649987A1997-07-22
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
GÖRIG, Jan (CZ)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

1. The method of the production of a hollow, thick-walled three-dimensional glass sculpture in the form of a cylindrical corpus with a central cavity created within the sintering and fusing process, and which contains at least on part of its outer surface a created sculpture in the form of a spatial frieze of a relief art motif visually accessible all along its perimeter, provided that in the process of the creation of this sculpture the spatial model of the sculpture is first made from a modelling sculpting material, including the surface spatial relief art motif, then by moulding of this model an outer as well as inner part of the future mould is made also with the inclusion of a respective excess for shrinkage, the mould is completed and if necessary thermally conditioned, after which process in the co-action of sintering, fusing and alternatively devitrificating processes the glass sculpture itself is made, which is after dismantling of the mould set taken out, cleaned and its surface alternatively finished by refining processes. The method is distinctive by the fact, that the glass grit, consisting of particles with chemically homogeneous composition and thus characterized by a homogeneous viscosity curve of the glass, and which is free from powdery content so that the minimal size of the particles is 3mm, is dosed in the cold conditions into the completed unwarmed mould, after which follows the phase of the sintering, fusing, and alternatively devitrificating processes, during which processes the sculpture is created by a co-action of natural gravitation and specific temperature curve containing the following characteristic intervals of heating and cooling a) heating up of the glass grit at a sintering temperature (Tsin) in the span of approx. 550 to 700 °C according to the given viscosity curve of glass grit

a) keeping at the sintering temperature (Tsin) for a period of minimum one hour, depending on the type of glass used

b) heating up at the fusing temperature (Tslin) of 750 to H00°C depending on the chemical composition of the glass grit and its viscosity curve while assuring that the heating up is realized within the maximum possible rate provided by the capability of the given fusing furnace

c) keeping at the fusing temperature (Tslin) for a period of at least one hour depending on the wall thickness of the sculpture and an artistic intention of the created visual 3D effect of the sculpture

d) rapid cooling to the upper cooling temperature given by the transformation point of the glass (Tg) according to the given viscosity curve of the glass grid, raised by l0°C e) keeping at this temperature up to the point of elimination of the temperature gradient in the wall of the sculpture, i.e. up to the equalizing of temperatures in the whole volume of the sculpture,

f) slow cooling of the article in the cooling interval at a rate depending on the thickness of the sculpture according to the formula:

where (h) is the rate of cooling in °C per one minute

(a) is the thickness of the wall of the hollow article in cm

g) cooling of the article below the lower cooling temperature (Tdch) at a triple rate than was the rate of the cooling interval

2. The method according to the claim 1 is distinctive by the fact that the glass grit is the glass waste with a homogeneous chemical composition characterized by a viscosity curve.

2. The method according to the claim 1 is distinctive by the fact that the time of the keeping interval at the sintering temperature (Tsin) according to the point b) of the specific temperature curve of the heating and cooling is at least one hour, depending on the character of the viscosity curve of the glass and according to the point c) of the time of the keeping interval at the fusing temperature (Tslin) which is 1 to 3h depending on the character of the viscosity curve of the glass.

3. The method according to the claim 1 is distinctive by the fact that the upper cooling temperature according to the point e) of the specific temperature curve of the heating and cooling given by a transformation point of glass (Tg) raised bylO°C is for the soda-potash crystals in the range of temperatures between 490 to 530 °C, for lead glasses this temperature is lower, and for sheet glass the temperature is higher.

4. The method according to the claim 1 is distinctive by the fact that the sufficient time of keeping interval at the cooling temperature according to the point f) of the specific temperature curve of the heating and cooling is for an article with a wall thickness of up to 5cm one hour.

5. The method according to the claim 1 is distinctive by the fact that for a slow cooling of the article in the cooling interval, the cooling interval of l00°C is standardly used for the calculation.

6. The method according to the claim 1 and 6 is distinctive by the fact that in case of increased demands for the cooling of the article a time reserve is used of up to half the rate of cooling than is the value calculated according to the point g) of the specific temperature curve of the heating and cooling.

Description:
THE PRODUCTION METHOD OF A HOLLOW, THICK- WALLED THREE DIMENSIONAL GLASS SCULPTURE

Technical field

The invention deals with a method of production of a hollow, thick-walled three-dimensional glass sculpture formed by a corpus with a central cavity created within the sintering and fusing process. This corpus has at least on the outer part of its surface a sculpture in a form of spatial frieze of a relief art motif created within the sintering and fusing process which is visually accessible along all of its perimeter.

The existing state-of-the-art

The character of the existing glass sculptures is mostly a relief sculpture of a more or less superficial character intended for a merely one-sided - i.e. front side perspective.

For example the object of the Chinese utility design pattern n. CN2354792 is the coloured relief glass sculpture with a potential fluorescent effect. Its relief motif is partly transparent and partly coloured with pigments, or alternatively also with fluorescent ingredients. The sculpture may be used as an art object (parallel of painting), decorative building element (part of the wall, partition) or even as an industrial object - e.g. screen monitor.

The object of another Chinese utility design pattern n. 2148883 is a decorative object made by a combination of relief glass and a light. Here a piece of glass with a relief sculpture is fixed on the front part of the light source of the lamp so that the light beams may radiate through the glass relief and thus create specific visual effects.

As far as 3D free-standing art objects are concerned, these are presently mostly represented by specific statuary sculpture works - the so-called free objects.

The absence of relief sculptures intended as a whole for being viewed from more perspectives is presently dealt with by a hollow three-dimensional glass sculpture according to utility design pattern of the Czech Republic n. 26941 which is formed by a cylindrical corpus with a central cavity created within the melting process and at least on the part of its outer surface is a created sculpture in the form of spatial frieze of a relief art motif produced within the melting process visually accessible from more sides.

The above mentioned hollow three-dimensional glass sculpture production method is subject to the patent of the Czech Republic n. 305112. Based on this method, the spatial model of the sculpture is first made out of sculpting modelling material, including the surface spatial relief art motif. By moulding of this model the outer as well as inner part of the future mould is made already with the inclusion of the corresponding excess for shrinkage, the mould is completed and thermally conditioned. Then the glass melt is cast into the mould and by the use of fusing processes with a specific temperature curve comprising also the cooling curve the glass sculpture itself is made. Following the dismantling of the moulding set the sculpture is taken out, cleaned and the surface is finished by refining processes.

The drawback of the above mentioned procedure based on the patent of the Czech Republic n. 305112 is the fact that the preparation of the glass melt and its manipulation during the casting of the sculpture necessitates complete equipment of the glassworks together with corresponding specialized personnel. A highly demanding technology is thus concerned not only from the economical but also ecological and personnel point of view to the extent that it is practically impossible that the above mentioned procedure be realized directly in the studio or, as the case may be, in the workshop of a designer creating his own artistic three-dimensional glass sculpture. It is therefore imperative that only a part of the patented method is realized at the designer's premises, i.e. the part related to the preparation of the mould, but the casting process of the sculpture from the glass melt has to be entrusted to specialized glassworks. This however makes the process of art sculpture creation more difficult and complicated and also brings about the corresponding time losses and elevated costs.

The substance of the invention

The production method of the hollow thick-walled three-dimensional glass sculpture based on the invention contributes to the elimination of the above mentioned drawbacks. Such sculpture is, similarly to the three-dimensional glass sculpture according to utility design pattern of the Czech Republic n. 26941, formed by a corpus with central cavity created within the sintering and fusing process, and has at least on a part of its outer body a created sculpture in the form of spatial frieze of a relief art motif produced within melting process which is visually accessible all along its perimeter.

In the process of the creation of this sculpture, similarly as is the case with the method based on the Czech Republic patent n. 305112, a spatial model of the sculpture is first made out of sculpting modelling material, including the surface spatial relief art motif. Then by moulding of this model the outer as well as the inner part of the future mould is made already with the inclusion of the corresponding excess for shrinkage, the mould is completed and, if necessary, thermally conditioned. Throughout the combination of sintering, fusing or alternatively devitrificating processes the glass sculpture itself is then made. Following the dismantling of the moulding set the sculpture is taken out, cleaned and the surface is finished by refining processes.

The substance of the invention consists in the fact that the glass grit consisting of particles with a homogeneous chemical composition and thus characterized by a viscosity curve of homogeneous glass, and which is free from powdery content so that the minimal size of the particles is 3mm, is dosed in cold conditions into the completed unwarmed mould. After that the sintering, fusing and, alternatively, devitrificating processes take place when the sculpture is created by co- action of natural gravitation and a specific thermal curve containing the following characteristic phases of heating and cooling.

a) heating up of the glass grit at the sintering temperature in the span of approx. 550 to 700 °C in order to eliminate the organic impurities and chemically bound water

b) keeping at this temperature for a period of minimum one hour, depending on the type of glass used c) heating up at the fusing temperature of 750 to H00°C depending on the chemical composition of the glass grit and its viscosity curve while assuring that the heating is realized within the maximum possible rate provided by the capability of the given fusing furnace

d) keeping at the fusing temperature for a period of at least one hour depending on the wall thickness of the sculpture and artistic intention of the created visual 3D effect of the sculpture

e) rapid cooling to the upper cooling temperature bound with the transformation point of the glass T g [°C] according to the given viscosity curve of the glass grid raised by l0°C

f) keeping at this temperature up to the point of elimination of the temperature gradient in the wall of the sculpture, i.e. up to the equalizing of temperatures in the whole volume of the sculpture g) slow cooling of the article in the cooling interval at the rate depending on the thickness of the

_ 4

sculpture according to the formula h a 2

where (h) is the rate of cooling in °C per one minute

(a) is the thickness of the wall of the hollow article in cm

h) cooling of the article below the lower cooling temperature at a triple rate than was the rate of the cooling interval

Qualitative conditions:

The glass grit may consist of ground glass waste of a homogeneous chemical composition character ized by a viscosity curve.

The time of keeping interval at the fusing temperature according to the point c) of the specific tem perature curve of the heating up is advantageous of 1 to 3h depending on the character of the viscosity curve of the glass.

The upper cooling temperature according to the point e) of the specific temperature curve of the heating and cooling bound with the transformation point of glass T g [°C] raised by l0°C is for the soda-potash crystals in the range of temperatures between 490 up to 530 °C, for lead glasses this temperature is lower, and for sheet glass the temperature is higher. The sufficient time of keeping interval at the cooling temperature according to the point f) of the specific temperature curve of the heating and cooling is for an article with a wall thickness of up to 5cm approximately one hour. There is no general formula for the calculation of this interval because it depends on the equalization of the temperatures in the furnace itself, in the mould and subsequently in the article itself.

For a slow cooling of the article according to the point g) of the specific temperature curve of the heating and cooling, the cooling interval of l00°C is generally used for the calculation. In case of increased demands for the cooling of the article a time reserve is used of up to half the rate of cooling than is the value calculated according to the point g) of the specific temperature curve of the heating and cooling.

Explanation to the charts

For better clarification of the substance of the invention the attached drawings show:

pict. n. 1 - general form of a viscosity curve of the glass with the technologically important temperatures:

Tdch - lower cooling temperature

Thch - upper cooling temperature

Tsin - sintering temperature by which the porous structure of the corpus is formed

Tli - Littleton softening point

Tslin - fusing temperature by which the porous structure disappears

pict. n. 2 - viscosity curves of different types of glass:

1 - soda- lime glass

2 - hard borosilicate glass

3 - glass for TV screens

4 - lead crystal

Example of the realization of the invention

The hollow, thick-walled three-dimensional glass sculpture in the exemplary realization is formed by a hollow cylindrical corpus. This cylindrical corpus contains a central cavity formed within the process of melting and at least on the part of its outer surface is a created sculpture in the form of spatial frieze of a relief art motif produced directly within the melting process which is visually accessible from more sides.

In the process of the creation of the hollow three-dimensional glass sculpture a spatial model of the sculpture from the sculpting modelling material is made first, including the surface spatial relief art motif. Then follows its moulding - casting of the mould from the mixture of plaster and glass sand at a weight ratio of 1: 1. Thus an outer as well as inner part of the future mould is made also with an inclusion of the excess for shrinkage. The mould is reinforced against breaking with a reinforcement from the wires or wire mesh, cleaned from the remains of the modelling material, completed and dried.

Glass grit, which in the exemplary realization consists of glass waste of homogeneous chemical composition - concretely on the basis of soda-potash crystal (see pict. 2 curve n. 1), is dosed in cold conditions into the completed unwarmed mould. The glass grit must be free from powdery content so that the minimal size of the contained particles is 3mm.

In the following phase of sintering, fusing and, alternatively, also devitrificating processes a sculpture is then created by a co-action of natural gravitation and specific temperature curve containing following characteristic intervals of heating and cooling:

a) heating of the glass grit at the sintering temperature Tsin 650°C according to the given viscos- ity curve of the glass grit (see pict. n. 1, respectively a concrete viscosity curve nearing the curve n. 1 in the picture n. 2)

b) keeping at a temperature of 650 °C for a time of one hour

c) heating up to a fusing temperature Tslin 900°C (see pict. 1, respectively a concrete viscosity curve nearing the curve n. 1 in the picture n. 2), while assuring that the heating is realized at a maximum possible rate provided by the capability of the given fusing furnace

d) keeping at the fusing temperature for a time at least 1,5 hours

e) rapid cooling to the upper cooling temperature of 540 °C

f) keeping at this temperature in order to eliminate the temperature gradient in the wall of the sculpture, i.e. to the equalization of the temperatures within the whole volume of the sculpture. The sufficient time of a keeping interval at a cooling temperature according to the point f) of the specific temperature curve of the heating and cooling is for an article with a wall thickness of up to 5cm one hour. There is no general formula for the calculation of this time interval because it depends on the equalization of the temperatures at the given furnace, in the mould and subsequently in the article itself

g) slow cooling of the article to a temperature which is by l00°C lower than is the upper cooling temperature, i.e. 440 °C for a time period of 44 hours

h) cooling of the article below the lower cooling temperature for a time period of 56 hours by a temperature gradient of 7 °C/min

The created glass sculpture is after the dismantling of the mould set taken out, cleaned and its surface finished with refining processes depending on available technologies for the glass treatment: cutting, sanding, grinding, polishing etc.