The conventional view that George Ravenscroft’s patent of 1674 was granted for the invention of lead glass has been questioned in recent years, the wording in the patent entry book stating, quite simply, ‘A grant to George Ravenscroft Gent. of the sole use and benefit of his invention of Cristaline Glass resembling Rock Cristall, for drinking glasses, for the term and space of seven years, March 19th 1673/4.’ Undoubtedly lead glass emerged from this early enterprise, but this seems to be more the result of changes to the raw materials used rather than being part of the original concept.

To establish a comprehensive numerical model for automotive glass forming, firstly, this paper conducts material tests of 3·2 SG glass to obtain detailed material properties. Through thermal expansion experiments, the thermal expansion coefficients including glassy and liquid states are obtained; then by using three-point bending stress relaxation and differential scanning calorimetry experiments, the stress relaxation and structural relaxation properties of the glass are obtained. Finally, a comparison analysis of the simulation and the actual spherical deviation for an actual automobile glass product is carried out. The result shows that the product simulation and the actual product spherical deviation correspond. The maximum value of the spherical deviation is within 0·94 mm between simulation and the actual product spherical deviation. The accuracy can meet the design requirements, and the established numerical model is reliable.

he archaeological digs carried out into Castleford’s past have revealed a great amount of glass fragments. More than 2400 pieces of vessel glass were found from a minimum of 238 vessels, more than 800 pieces of bottle glass from a minimum of 48 containers, more than 200 pieces of glass and frit beads, 46 gaming counters and 50 tesserie were found. From the catalogued finds by trenches the finds were: glass vessels 148 fort, 454 vicus and 26 from areas which covered both fort and vicus; and the glass objects were 74 fort, 223 vicus and 12 from both.