Abstract: A blow back control device (10) for use in a glass tempering system (12) is disclosed as including an air supply member (28) mounted between a glass heating furnace (14) and a quenching station (24). The air supply member (28) supplies a planar jet of high pressure blow back control air generally in a direction of glass sheet conveyance (A) away from an exit opening (20) of the furnace (14) and toward the quenching station (24) at an angle in the range of between 0.degree. and 25.degree. formed between the planar jet of high pressure air and a plane of conveyance of a glass sheet (16) along a conveyor (22) to deflect cooling air, supplied by blastheads (26,26') from entering the furnace (14).

Abstract: A glass bending and tempering apparatus (10) is disclosed as including a first platen (14) for receiving a heated glass sheet (12) to be bent. The first platen (14) is deformable and includes an actuator (16) for deforming platen (14) from a planar shape to a bent shape. A second platen (22) is mounted above lower platen (14) for bending and quenching glass sheet (12) therebetween the platens. A template (24) is located on the other side of the second platen (22) away from glass sheet (12). Second platen (22) is pressed against template (24) as first platen (14) is deformed from the planar shape to the bent shape to bend the heated glass sheet thereagainst second platen (22), the second platen (22) conforming to template (24). Quenching gas is supplied by both platens (14,22) through quench openings (18) that move with the platens (14,22) to temper the bent glass sheet between the platens.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for bending glass sheets (12) disclosed provides press bending between a shaping surface (16), and a press ring (26) of a complementary shape. The apparatus (10) utilizes vacuum drawn through vacuum chambers (22, 30) and thereby on the shaping surface (16), to control the bending and avoid negative curvature associated with press bending sharp bends into glass sheets (12).

Abstract: A controlled zone defrosting system is provided for disbursing electrical energy, according to predetermined priorities, to a plurality of defrosting devices, formed of an electrically conductive glass coating material, in an automobile or the like. The defrosting devices could, for example, be effectively located to melt ice formed on such areas as the driver and passenger sides of a windshield, a rear window, etc. The disbursement of electrical energy may, in addition to being dependent on preselected priorities, be made dependent on a number of factors such as time, temperature and the remaining amount of energy. The electrical energy may be supplied by an associated automobile's battery, an independent battery, or an electrical energy generating mechanism such as a photovoltaic device. Available remaining electrical energy may be monitored and, as it is diminished, be disbursed only to zones given top priorities.

Abstract: A gas burner (20) disclosed has general utility but has particular utility when utilized in a closely spaced relationship to roller conveyed glass sheets to provide forced convection heating. The burner (20) includes a combustion member (38) in which gas and air are introduced in a tangential relationship with respect to its inner surface to provide a swirling motion that mixes the gas with the air for combustion prior to discharge through outlets (46) to provide the forced convection heating. A glass sheet heated by this gas burner forced convection on the roller conveyor and subsequently cooled has reduced roll-wave distortion and reduced edge distortion as compared to radiantly heated glass sheets.

Abstract: A controller for use in connection with a central control for a glass sheet processing system including an operator interface and a master computer, the controller including a slave computer, a port for two-way communication of data signals between the master computer and the slave computer, a position encoder corresponding to each of the movable components monitored by the controller, and a port for communicating a digital signal representative of the position of the movable component, issued by the position encoder, to the slave computer. The slave computer includes logic for receiving position information from the position encoders and continuously comparing this information to preselected position parameters downloaded from the master computer to determine whether an unsafe condition exists, sending a signal for deactivating the power switch to the drives for the affected components, and sending an error condition message back to the master computer.

Abstract: A temperature monitoring and control system for a glass sheet processing system includes a temperature sensor mounted at a preselected location in the system, a display, and a computer connected to the temperture sensor for periodically receiving a series of signals corresponding to temperature values transmitted by the sensor. The computer includes memory for storing selected values received from the temperature sensor and memory for storing one or more preselected threshold values. The computer also includes control logic for comparing the temperature values with one or more of the preselected threshold values, selecting and storing a set of those temperature values which satisfy a predetermined criteria, and displaying the set of temperature values as a profile taken along the length of the glass sheet in the direction of conveyance of the sheet through a glass processing system.

Abstract: A combined bending and quench station (30) disclosed comprises a roller conveyor (36) proximate a glass heating furnace (32). The roller conveyor (36) includes elongated rolls (38) spaced from each other in a parallel relationship. A plurality of molds (40) are located generally between the rolls (38). Each mold (40) has a glass engagement surface (42). An actuator (48) engages the glass engagement surfaces (42) with the heated glass sheet (34) to provide bending. Upper and lower blastheads (44,46) supply quenching gas that impinges with the bent glass sheet (34) while engaged with the molds (40) to fix the shape and provide tempering of the bent glass sheet.

Abstract: In a glass tempering system (11) a blow back control device (10) disclosed includes a housing (24) having a pair of housing portions (34) defining a pair of suction chambers (26) mounted above an exit opening (20) of a glass heating furnace (12). Housing (24) has a slot (32) including slot portions (36) extending along and opening into suction chambers (26). Blowers (30) are connected to each suction chamber (26) for drawing spent cooling gas into suction chambers (26) through slot portions (36) and for discharging the gas away from exit opening (20) of furnace (12) to avoid temperature swings in the furnace caused by cooling gas entering the furnace.

Abstract: A device (10) for registering together two cooperable glass article handling components (12,14) is disclosed as including a first registering member (16) on one of the handling components and a second registering member (18) on the other component. The registering members (16,18) are movable toward one another in a direction of registration A,A' and one of the registering members includes fixedly spaced rollers (20) for engaging the other registering member with rolling contact to provide registration between the handling components (12, 14) during glass article handling.