Abstract: Horizontally conveyed flat glass articles are halted and oriented in a precise location. Vertical stop pins removably affixed to a table attached to one end of the apparatus arrest the leading edge of the moving article whereupon pins removably mounted in a pair of transversely movable tables advance toward the article substantially normal to its arrival direction, thus engaging the edges of the article and orienting it in a vise-like manner. Lastly, adjustable pins mounted in a vertically and longitudinally moving table engage the trailing edge of the article and urge it toward the stop pins, thus orienting and aligning the article in a precise position relative to a fixed reference point. The apparatus is particularly adapted to the precise orientation and alignment of pattern cut sheets of glass to be removed from a conveyor platform by a robot.

Abstract: A protective device for protecting the viewing area of a vision panel from encroachment by flowable cement compositions used to bond reinforcing members to the edge portions of the viewing panel. The protective device is preferably formed of a material non-adherent to both the vision panel surface and the cement composition, and may include vacuum biasing facilities and an edge seal to provide a fluid barrier to the passage of the flowable cement compositions.

Abstract: Damage-free scores are initiated by engaging a scoring wheel to the surface of a refractory piece with the plane of rotation of the scoring wheel forming an oblique angle to the desired path of damage-free scoring. An aligning force generated by the interaction of the scoring wheel and the refractory piece during relative movement along the desired scoring path pivots the scoring wheel into alignment with the desired path of scoring, which pivoting creates a zone of surface damage which serves to initiate a damage-free score. Facilities are provided to urge the scoring wheel out of alignment with the desired path of scoring, with a magnitude of force less than the aligning force, such that the scoring wheel automatically returns to a pivotally offset initiating position when it is disengaged from the surface of the refractory piece.

Abstract: Damage free scores are initiated in a refractory piece by advancing a pattern of grit material on the surface of the refractory piece under a properly biased scoring wheel. The grit material is preferably harder than the surface of the refractory piece but not as hard as the scoring surface of the scoring wheel.

Abstract: An interlayer material is scanned prior to laminating same with glass sheets to generate a thickness variation signal, a wedge angle signal and an optical power signal. The signals are then selectively filtered to determine the thickness variation, wedge angle and optical power of the interlayer after lamination.

Abstract: A coherent thin sheet of glass batch materials is advanced onto a pool of molten metal contained in a glass melting furnace to melt thereon, preferably in non-contacting relation to refractory sidewalls of the furnace.

Abstract: A lightweight outline mold for shaping glass sheets comprising a shaping rail having low thermal inertia, tabs attaching said rail to a reinforcing frame through rods by welding said rods at points spaced from said shaping rail and using fastening means that do not require localized heat, such as rivets, to attach the shaping rail to the tabs in a manner that avoids localized heating of the shaping rail during mold fabrication that would distort the shaping rail if the latter were welded directly to the reinforcing frame.

Abstract: An interlayer material is scanned prior to laminating same with glass sheets to generate a thickness variation signal, a wedge angle signal and an optical power signal. The signals are then selectively filtered to determine the thickness variation, wedge angle and optical power of the interlayer after lamination.

Abstract: A vacuum lifting device having a plurality of chambers, each chamber having an isolating member within to control communication between a common vacuum plenum and a sheet engaging surface. Each isolating member is controllable independent of the presence of an article adjacent the sheet engaging surface to allow for lifting selected ones of a plurality of articles. Those chambers which overlie at least a portion of a selected article and which overlie no portion of an unselected article are activated, or, alternatively, those chambers which overlie a single selected article completely within the peripheral boundaries thereof are activated.

Abstract: A conveyor section advances a ribbon into a cutting station where sheets are severed from the glass ribbon. The sheets are advanced onto downstream conveyor rolls where the sheet is accelerated for a given period of time to space the trailing edge of the sheet from the leading edge of the ribbon, i.e., leading edge of the next sheet to be severed from the ribbon. When a predetermined number of spaced sheets are on the conveyor rolls, the conveyor rolls are accelerated to a speed greater than the ribbon conveying speed and spacing speed to move the group of sheets downstream along the conveyor section into additional working stations.

Abstract: This invention covers an arrangement of nozzles extending from one or a pair of opposing plenum chambers of glass sheet tempering apparatus the minimizes the tendency of a large glass sheet interposed between the plenum chambers to throttle the escape of tempering medium that is applied to the central portion of the glass sheet undergoing tempering.

Abstract: An edge roll apparatus for engaging the marginal edge portion of a hot ribbon of glass, including a body portion and circumferentially positioned teeth. The teeth are shaped to establish at least a 90.degree. angle between the surface of the glass and the leading and outwardly directed edges of the teeth during at least one half of a tooth's engagement path to improve gripping ability.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a special module for the entrance to a cooling station of a glass sheet tempering apparatus and particularly relates to the construction of a pair of upstream modules at the upstream end of the cooling station immediately beyond the exit of a furnace through which glass sheets are transported for heating for subsequent quenching and rapid cooling in order to impart a temper. The special entrance modules of the present invention are cooled by providing a baffle wall spaced upstream of the upstream wall of each upstream module that faces the furnace exit to provide an open ended air chamber between each upstream module and the furnace. In addition, optionally, coolant may be passed through pipe means provided between the furnace and the upstream modules. These changes in upstream module construction result in producing tempered glass with less kink than prior art apparatus having upstream modules not so modified.

Abstract: An automotive window is manufactured by silk screening a pattern of a ceramic paste on a piece of glass having peripheral dimensions greater than the peripheral dimensions of the window. During the silk screening, portions of the screen extending beyond the pattern are supported by glass portions extending beyond the window to prevent bending of the screen near the pattern. The piece is scored through the pattern to define the window or a window blank within the piece and thereafter the glass around the window is removed. The window is then tempered at which time the ceramic paste fuses to the window.

Abstract: Glass sheets arriving at a bending station where their under surfaces are exposed to a hot gas support bed are delivered with minimum misalignment and misorientation by engaging each sheet simultaneously across its entire width with at least two rotating conveyor rolls. The latter are spaced from one another longitudinally of a path of glass sheet travel a distance sufficient to optimize flow of hot gas against the engaged glass sheet surface. This invention enables the leading edge of glass sheets of either rectangular or non-rectangular outline to nest within aligning means located in a fixed but adjustable position at the bending station. Provision is made to handle two or more sheets arriving at the bending station in side-by-side relation.

Abstract: An interlayer material is scanned prior to laminating same with glass sheets to generate a thickness variation signal, a wedge angle signal and an optical power signal. The signals are then selectively filtered to determine the thickness variation, wedge angle and optical power of the interlayer after lamination.

Abstract: Force applied to marginal edge portions of a panel by opposed walls of a groove of curtain wall system is measured by mounting a pair of spaced blocks in the groove. Moveable jaw members are mounted in space between the blocks and moved apart into engagement with walls of the groove until the distance between outer surfaces of the jaw members is approximately equal to the width of the blocks. Thereafter, the force applied to the jaw members is measured.

Abstract: Shaping glass sheets by lifting a heat-softened glass sheet on a lower mold having an upwardly facing surface defining a given sharpness of bend and transferring said glass sheet by suction to an upper vacuum mold having a downwardly facing shaping surface defining a lesser sharpness of bend. Optionally, a ring-like member defining a sharpness of bend that may be equal to, less severe, or more severe than that defined by the upper vacuum mold moves between the molds when the latter are separated to impose a shape in the glass sheet that is correlated with the shape defined by the ring-like member. The ring-like member is used to support the glass sheet for rapid cooling if the glass sheet is to be tempered. Only the ring-like member need be changed when a change in production pattern is made.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed spandrel unit has a transparent sheet mounted in facing relationship to a metal sheet having a desiccant containing film mounted thereon.

Abstract: A carriage having (1) an infrared energy ray emitter and detector and (2) an encoder is displaced over a side of stacked glass sheets to sense density of reflected energy rays as a function of carriage position on the stack. The sensed density of reflected infrared energy rays from the edges of the outermost sheets and the interface between adjacent sheets is less than the sensed density of the reflected rays from the sides of the sheets. The output signal of the encoder and of the detector is acted on to determine the number of sheets in the stack.