Abstract: Glass sheet bending apparatus (20) including at least one deformable mold (22) has a linkage (26) that extends between mold members (24) and includes connector links (28) fixed to the mold members and having pivotal connections (32) to each other about axes that extend parallel to the glass sheet throughout the bending, and the linkage also has control links (34) that have pivotal connections (36) about axes that extend perpendicular to the glass sheet throughout the bending as well as having universal connections (38) to each other such that the linkage moves the mold members for bending with a constant radius of curvature. The bending apparatus (20) preferably has a pair of the deformable molds (22,44) that are arranged in lower and upper locations and have respective linkages (26,48) as well as having the mold members (24,46) thereof provided with quench openings (66) through which quenching gas is supplied to quench the bent glass sheet for heat strengthening or tempering.

Abstract: A fret-saw machine comprises a base unit having a table on which a workpiece to be cut is placed, a frame member disposed in the base unit and secured to the table, an arm member having one end portion secured to the frame member and another end portion disposed above the table, a blade holder assembly having first and second slide holder units and first and second blade holder units, the first slide holder unit and the first blade holder units being disposed in the base unit and secured to the frame member and the second slide holder unit and the second blade holder unit being secured to another end portion of the arm member, blade supported at its both ends by the first and second blade holder units and a drive unit supported in the base unit by the frame member and connected to the first slide holder unit to drive the blade. The blade holder unit has a blade nipping member for firmly nipping the blade.