Abstract: The present invention refers to a glass composition and a method for the commercial production of a solar control thin green glass mainly for use in the automotive industry such as symmetric-hybrid windshields or asymmetric-hybrid windshields, sidelights and rear windows, which includes a basic composition of soda-lime-silica glass, and consists essentially, in weight percentage: from 1.30 to 2.50% of total iron expressed as Fe2O3; from 15 to 40% of Fe2+ (Ferrous) and from 0.15 to 0.65% of FeO, expressed as Fe2O3; from about 0.05 to about 0.30% of SO3; from about 0.02 to about 1.0% of TiO2; from about 0.0002 to about 0.03% of Cr2O3; and from about 0.0002 to about 0.015% of CuO.

Abstract: A method of tempering a glass sheet heated to a tempering temperature includes cooling the glass sheet at a first heat transfer coefficient at a first quench station and cooling the glass sheet at a second heat transfer coefficient at a second quench station downstream of the first quench station. The second heat transfer coefficient is greater than the first heat transfer coefficient. In a multistage process of the invention, a plurality of quench stations could be used with each downstream quench station having a larger heat transfer coefficient than the previous upstream quench station.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for thermal treatment of glass and method and thermally treated glass therefrom. The apparatus is capable of supporting the glass during thermal treatment such as tempering, annealing, bending, and/or shaping which can include any cooling or quenching to remove heat or any combination of these. The apparatus is a support member like a ring or outline mold with a horizontal surface suitable for contacting the glass. The support member has at least a surface with or without a coating for contact with the glass of one or more metals having a thermal conductivity such that the glass heated for shaping cools at a rate not much slower than the cooling rate of unsupported sections of the glass. Suitable metals include those with a thermal conductivity of greater than around 16 BTU/(hour×feet×° F.).

Abstract: The present invention provides a quench for cooling hot sheet material. The quench includes a plurality of generally horizontally extending, spaced apart nozzle assemblies, each having a longitudinally extending air supply conduit with orifices extending to an outer surface of the conduit. A first plenum is interconnected to a first end of each of the conduits and a second plenum is interconnected to a second end of each of the conduits to allow cooling fluid to pass from the plenums into each of the nozzle assemblies through the conduit. The plenums are located at positions spaced laterally outward from the nozzle assemblies.

Abstract: A horizontal press bending arrangement for press bending heat softened glass sheets during transfer into a shaping station. The glass sheet is conveyed through a roller hearth or gaseous support hearth type furnace to heat the sheet to its heat deformable temperature. The sheet is then transferred beneath a vacuum/pressure pick-up to support the glass sheet in non-engaging contact therewith. The sheet is next deposited on a lower mold. The vacuum/pressure pick-up thereafter splits in two and moves out of the shaping station to allow the sheet to be shaped between a pair of vertically aligned shaping molds. After shaping the shaped sheet is removed for further processing, e.g., tempering.

Abstract: Glass shapes and sheets are cut directly from a heated glass ribbon while maintaining the optical quality of the cut glass. A float glass ribbon is removed from a glass forming chamber and prior to annealing, a line of cut is heated to its softening temperature. A blade arrangement thereafter penetrates the glass along the heated line of cut to sever the glass. During the line heating and cutting operation, the overall glass temperature is maintained above the strain point of the glass.

Abstract: A sliding support table to support a continuously advancing glass ribbon during severing. The ribbon is supported by and moves over the sliding support table which moves along the direction of the glass ribbon travel between stationary upstream and downstream supports. Top and bottom line heaters supported on the table direct flames towards the major surfaces of the glass ribbon along a line cut. A blade and anvil arrangement supported on the table, sever the glass along the heated line of cut when the line of cut is positioned therebetween. The table advances along with the glass ribbon to support the ribbon during the heating and severing operation. The line heaters and blade and anvil arrangement may provide both a linear or nonlinear line of cut.

Abstract: In tempering a glass sheet to a high temper by heating the sheet to approximately its softening point followed by rapid chilling using a quenching composition that comprises a tempering medium having high heat transfer characterisitcs, the heat-softened glass sheets are protected from breakage during fabrication and resulting optical distortion by applying the tempering medium through exit orifices of a delivery system toward the heated glass in a novel cycle. The initially applied tempering medium has a low heat transfer rate and is mixed with a second tempering medium having a higher heat transfer rate to gradually increase the heat transfer rate of the mixed tempering medium. In a specific embodiment, dry air is the first tempering medium and a sublimable material, such as carbon dioxide, is the second tempering medium. The delivery system has an uninsulated portion that assures that initially the sublimable material is applied as a gas.

Abstract: This invention relates to method and apparatus for handling glass sheets during shaping and cooling. Each glass sheet to be treated in turn is heated to its deformation temperature and conveyed through a furnace and into a glass shaping station by a roller conveyor. The glass is lifted into engagement with a vacuum shaping mold while hot and held against the vacuum shaping mold by vacuum as the glass lifting mechanism retracts downward. A tempering ring having an outline supporting surface conforming to and slightly inside the periphery of the bent glass sheet is brought into position below the upper vacuum mold. The vacuum on the upper mold is released to deposit the shaped glass sheet on the tempering ring.