Abstract: An end effector includes a cutting mechanism, a gripping mechanism, and a pivot component. The cutting mechanism and the gripping mechanism are coupled to the pivot component. The cutting mechanism is coupled to a first portion of the pivot component and the gripping mechanism is coupled to a second portion of the pivot component.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a glass workpiece includes: a device configured to heat a glass until it softens; an inner molding tool configured to mold inner lateral surfaces of the workpiece; an outer molding tool configured to mold outer lateral surfaces of the workpiece, the outer molding tool having a shaping roller with a shaping surface; an accommodating device configured to accommodate the shaping roller, the shaping roller being mounted in a freely rotatable manner in the accommodating device and is fixable during a shaping process by a lockable locking device, the shaping roller being locked with a releasable connection such that the shaping roller can be released and rotated through an angle ? in the locking device between individual shaping processes; and an apparatus configured to apply a lubricating oil to the shaping surface of the shaping roller and having an outlet opening configured to dispense the lubricating oil.

Abstract: The present invention provides a molding apparatus and a molding method of glass casings capable of improving a productivity of glass casings. In a molding apparatus 1 of glass casings being a molding apparatus of glass casings in which a plate-shaped glass material 50 is press-molded by molding molds formed of an upper mold unit 11 and a lower mold unit 12, and the molding apparatus has a heating plate 3b, pressing plates 4b and a cooling plate 5b performing a heating process, a pressing process and a cooling process, respectively, on the mounted glass material, and a control unit controlling the respective processes, and a plurality of upper molds and lower molds provided to the upper mold unit 11 and the lower mold unit 12 are respectively and independently held within each unit in a movable manner in a horizontal direction.

Abstract: A device for bending panes is described. The device has a pre-bending ring, a movable bending ring holder, a final bending ring, a preheating region for preheating at least one pane, a pre-bending region for a further bending of the at least one pane, a heating region for a final bending of an edge of the at least one pane and for a surface pre-bending of the at least one pane, a second bending region for a further surface bending of the at least one pane and a cooling region.

Abstract: A method for bending a sheet is described. The method includes the following steps: a) at least one sheet is inserted into a pre-bending ring with a movable bending ring holder, the at least one sheet is heated at least to an approximately softening temperature, and the at least one sheet is prebent in the pre-bending ring to 5% to 50% of a final edge bending, b) the pre-bent sheet is lifted out of the pre-bending ring by means of a suction device and is bent further, beyond a bending obtained in the pre-bending ring, c) the at least one sheet is laid down by means of the suction device in a final-bending ring on the movable bending ring holder and the at least one sheet is bent to a final bending, and d) the at least one sheet is cooled down in the final-bending ring and the at least one sheet is bent by means of the suction device to 100% to 130% of an overall final edge bending.

Abstract: A molding apparatus for optical elements is provided, which reduces thermal influence receiving from adjacent production steps by a simple structure and simple process steps, and which can carry out molding of precision optical elements. The apparatus comprises a conveying path 2 having a plurality of tables 6 continuously arranged to circulate a mold 15 constituted by a top mold, a bottom mold and a body mold, and the apparatus applies heating, press-molding and cooling steps to the mold 5 placed on the tables 6 during the circulation, wherein a gap of at least about a half of the length of the mold in the conveying direction is provided between the tables for different process steps. The mold 5 is conveyed between the tables 6 as it is lifted up from the tables 6 at a time of conveying the mold 6.

Abstract: A method and a device for bending and cooling a glass pane or a bundle of glass panes, in which the glass panes heated to their bending temperature are bent in a horizontal position into a desired shape using a molding ring, and the bent glass panes placed on the molding ring are cooled in a cooling station by blowing cooling air using blowing plenums and then conveyed to a removal station. In the path between the bending station, the cooling station, the removal station, and its return to the bending station, the molding ring travels in an entirely closed path, particularly a circular path.

Abstract: A method for forming glass sheets is performed by a system (10) that includes a furnace (12) having a heating chamber (14) in which a topside transfer device (20) has a downwardly facing surface (22) to which vacuum and pressurized air are supplied to receive and support a heated glass sheet from a conveyor (16) without any direct contact. A forming station (24) located externally of the furnace has a vertically movable upper mold (28) whose temperature is not greater than 500° C. The upper mold (28) cooperates with a horizontally movable lower ring (34) that transfers the heated glass sheet from the topside transfer device (20) to the forming station under the control of a first actuator (40). A second actuator (42) moves the upper mold (28) downwardly to cooperate with the lower ring (34) in forming the glass sheet. The external forming station (24) includes heat loss reducing apparatus (43) for reducing heat loss of the hot glass sheet during the forming.

Abstract: A method for forming glass sheets is performed by a system (10) that includes a furnace (12) having a heating chamber (14) in which a vacuum platen (20) has a downwardly facing surface (22) to which a vacuum is supplied to support a heated glass sheet received from a conveyor (16). A forming station (24) located externally of the furnace has a vertically movable upper mold (28) whose temperature is not greater than 500° C. The upper mold (28) cooperates with a horizontally movable lower ring (34). A first actuator (39) moves the vacuum platen (20) vertically to transfer a heated glass sheet from the conveyor (16) to the lower ring (34) which is then moved by a second actuator (40) to the forming station (24). A third actuator (42) then moves the upper mold (28) downwardly to cooperate with the lower ring (34) in forming the glass sheet. The forming station (24) includes apparatus (43) for reducing heat loss of the glass sheet during the forming.

Abstract: The present invention provides large, high-purity quartz glass plate with a high degree of smoothness and flatness, its manufacturing method and equipment. The invention is characterized by the procedure in which a quartz glass tube with an opening over a specific width, in the direction of the tube shaft, that is preferably band-shaped, is heated and softened in a band-shaped area over the entire width, in the direction of the tube shaft, progressing sequentially along the direction of tube circumference from a specific position on the glass tube. While softening and heating, the quartz glass tube is pulled in a line approximately tangential to the specific position to flatten the glass tube.

Abstract: Multiple fold, single tube glass vessels, as well as a process and device for producing multiple fold, single tube glass vessels. An even number of parallel glass tubes open at both ends are assembled under the influence of heat into a multiple fold, single tube glass vessel that is characterized by an essentially constant wall thickness and by an essentially constant inside diameter. The object of the invention is to produce multiple fold, single tube glass vessels suitable in particular as discharge vessels for compact lamps.

Abstract: A method for forming a glass preform into an optical element utilizing a formation chamber having a central axis and including a plurality of glass preform heaters, a plurality of glass preform pressing molds, and a conveyor, an exchanging chamber and a controller, comprises the steps of providing the heaters and the pressing molds along a circular path substantially concentric with the formation chamber and providing the conveyor to rotate coaxially with the central axis of the formation chamber. The operating condition of the heater is detected, the glass preform is conveyed from the exchanging chamber to a heater based on the detected condition of the heaters, and the glass preform is heated.

Abstract: To produce a blank mold for glass fiber optical waveguides with a core and a single or multilayer sheath, in which the core glass material is applied to the inner wall of a glass tube by chemical deposition from the vapor phase, the internally-coated glass tube is caused to collapse by temperature treatment, and this blank mold is finally drawn out into a glass fiber, the temperature treatment for collapse is carried out along the glass tube in accordance with a temperature profile that is determined by an upper region of maximum glass temperature along the treated section of glass tube (hot zone) and a lower region at the glass softening temperature (soft zone). The region of maximum glass temperature shows a largely uniform temperature level with a width along the section of glass tube that is approximately equal to the width of the region at the glass softening temperature.

Abstract: A glassware forming machine having a blank station (A) at which a parison is formed, an intermediate station (B) at which the parison is allowed to reheat, and a blow station (C) at which the parison is formed into an article of glassware as a patter plate (12) at the intermediate station (B). The patter plate (12) is movable between an operative position in which it screens the underside of the parison from updraughts of air and an inoperative position in which the patter plate (12) is not beneath the parison. The machine also comprises moving means (17) operable to move the patter plate (12) between its operative and inoperative position at appropriate times in the cycle of operation of the machine.

Abstract: A method of and a device are provided for the high-precision manufacture of glass lenses where a roughly metered volume of softened glass is transferred in a product holder from a furnace to a position between two moulds, the moulds being subsequently moved towards one another and the excess glass being pressed from between the moulds. The moulds and the product holder are moved at such a mutual speed that both moulds simultaneously contact the article, and the movement of the moulds is terminated when they reach a given position with respect to one another.

Abstract: In order to react gases and/or vapors to deposit optically suitable layers of doped silicon dioxide on an inner wall of a glass substrate tube to produce a preform from which optical fibers are drawn, the glass tube is heated by a mixture of combustible gases. The combustible gases are directed along passageways in a housing of a torch assembly which confines a portion of the length of the tube and then out of the passageways to produce a flame that engages the confined portion of the length of the tube. The housing and walls that define ends of the passageways adjacent the tube are cooled to an extent which substantially eliminates oxidation of the material from which the housing and the walls of the passageways are constructed.

Abstract: Glassware forming apparatus includes a parison mold, a blow mold, a pair of neck rings for supporting glassware blanks, first and second invert arms for supporting the neck rings and first and second arbors for supporting the first and second invert arms, respectively. The invert arms support their respective neck rings for movement in a common vertical plane. The axes of the arbors extend generally parallel to one another and generally perpendicular to the common plane. The molds have parallel vertical axes lying in said common vertical plane. Apparatus is provided for shifting the arbors such that their axes move toward and away from one another during an operating cycle. Apparatus is provided for pivoting the arbors about their axes to move the neck rings in invert and revert arcs between the parison mold and the blow mold.