Abstract: Scores imposed in a glass sheet are propagated by heating the sheet about the score to induce thermal bending moment forces about the score to sever the sheet.

Abstract: In press bending glass sheets delivered while heat-softened into a shaping station between an upper vacuum mold and a lower lifting mold wherein the glass sheet is first lifted on said lifting mold, transferred by suction to said vacuum mold, lifted while engaged by said vacuum mold to provide clearance for entry of a ring-like member to a position below said vacuum mold, stopping the suction in said vacuum mold to drop said glass sheet onto said ring-like member and removing said glass sheet from said shaping station while supported on said ring-like member, the rate of production is increased by lowering said vacuum mold into a parking position closely adjacent to the uppermost position permitted for said lifting mold to provide clearance for delivering a succeeding glass sheet to said shaping station and reducing the vertical distance needed to lift the glass sheet to a position where it can be transferred by suction to the vacuum mold once the ring-like member clears said shaping station.

Abstract: Bulb edges of a glass sheet severed from a glass ribbon, i.e., lehr ends are removed by imposing a pair of scores in the bulb edge with the score closest to the edge of the lehr end deeper than the other score. The surface of a resilient member lying in a plane subtending an oblique angle with the sheet is moved downward against the bulb edge to sequentially sever the bulb edge at the first and second scores.

Abstract: Light beams directed toward each surface of a sheet are reflected therefrom as first reflected light beams and second reflected light beams. The intensity and/or density of the reflected light beams are acted on to compare the reflectivity of the sheet surfaces, e.g. to determine which surface of the sheet has a more reflective surface.

Abstract: A carriage for moving urethane rings along a shaft is driven by an air motor powering a rack and pinion arrangement.

Abstract: A strap retainer and compression block includes a pair of spaced plates mountable on each base of a pair of spaced A frame racks supporting glass sheets. The plates each have a pair of holes to selectively position the block on the base by aligning one of the holes in each plate with a hole in each base of the frame while biasing the block against the sheets. Thereafter a strap having one end secured to the block and the other end to the frame is tightened to urge the block toward the sheets.

Abstract: Continuity of antenna wires of an antenna windshield is tested by connecting the wires to a signal generator, e.g. a citizen band transmitter. A probe having a conductor bent intermediate to its ends to enhance signal reception is moved over the antenna wires. If the wires are continuous the signal pickup by the probe moves an indicator to one side of a scale. When the probe moves over a break in the wire no signal is picked up and the indicator moves to the opposite side of the scale.

Abstract: Hydraulic fluid actuated pistons are operatively connected to shaping molds used to shape glass sheets by moving the molds between a glass-engaging position and a retracted position. The piston is movably mounted within a piston cylinder to form two chambers. Hydraulic fluid is applied under pressure alternately to one or the other chamber to actuate movement of the piston and the glass sheet shaping mold connected to the piston. When hydraulic fluid is applied under pressure, it tends to become heated to a temperature at which the hydraulic fluid carbonizes and/or foams. Either of these occurrences reduces the efficiency of the hydraulic fluid to actuate uniform piston motion.

Abstract: Applying a boron nitride composition to a flexible fiber glass fabric cover for a press bending mold for shaping heat-softened glass sheets having a portion painted with a composition consisting essentially of a finely divided frit-pigment mixture by impregnating at least the portion of the cover that engages the painted portion of the glass sheet reduces the likelihood of marking the press bent glass sheet in unwanted regions. In addition, such impregnation facilitates removing the press bending molds from the press bent glass sheet when the press bending molds are separated after engaging the heat-softened glass sheet.

Abstract: In fabricating a press bending mold having a flexible metal shaping member such as a plate or a frame, a reinforcing grate and adjustable attachment means extending through certain apertures in the reinforcing grate to adjust the shape of the metal shaping member, localized distortion of the shaping member that formerly occurred when the attachment means were bonded to the shaping member by welding or soldering is eliminated by using a thermosetting adhesive capable of application at room temperature, such as an epoxy resin adhesive, to bond the attachment means to the flexible metal shaping member. When the former and the latter have bonding surfaces composed of aluminum, an epoxy resin containing finely divided aluminum filling is preferred.

Abstract: A sheet supporting rack has (1) a base including a pair of spaced elongated runners detachably secured on flatbed of a trailer; (2) a back support including a strut mounted on each of the runners; and (3) a front restraint including an upright slidably mounted on each of the runners. The sheets are mounted in a generally vertical position with an edge of the sheet supported on the base, and a major surface of the sheets supported by the back support. The uprights of the front restraint are slid and angled with respect to the runners to urge the sheets against the back support and to secure the uprights in position on the runners to prevent movement of the sheets during shipment thereof.

Abstract: In bending glass sheets to a complicated shape by a combination of gravity sagging the glass to a longitudinal component of bend while supported on an upward facing shaping surface of an outline mold and then lifting the glass so shaped off the outline mold onto a solid shaping mold of continuous extent to impress a complicated transverse component of bend, glass edge engaging members are provided closely adjacent to said outline mold to the outside thereof, means is provided to support said glass edge engaging members so that the upper edges thereof are located in position to abut the edge of one or more glass sheets as the latter sag toward said outline mold and to remove said glass edge engaging members suddenly and automatically from the vicinty of the edge of the supported glass sheets just before the glass sheets are lifted from said outline mold to said solid shaping mold to reduce edge distortion of the mold supported glass sheets.

Abstract: This invention relates to shaping glass sheets and particularly to a mold capable of shaping glass sheets having many different outline shapes but bent to the same radius of curvature. Such molds have dimensions larger than those of a family of windows of a given radius of curvature but different outline shapes. Such molds comprise a solid block of refractory material comprising a plurality of smooth, curved, upwardly facing, elongated shaping members extending continuously across an entire dimension of said mold and separated by transversely extending grooves that extend completely across the entire dimension of the shaping mold and have sufficient width and depth to permit clearance for raising the mold above a horizontal path of glass sheet travel defined by glass conveying elements.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a plurality of endless belts spaced from one another and rotating at a predetermined speed toward a sheet shipping container mounted at a loading position. A sheet held against the belt by vacuum pulled between the belts moves along a movement path into a wall of the container. The belts continue to rotate to align the sheet relative to the container; afterward plungers move the sheet downward away from the belts onto the backwall of the container to stack same.

Abstract: In shaping a pair of glass sheets simultaneously to a complicated shape including a longitudinal component of bend and a complicated transverse component of bend such as one that is S-shaped in elevation or other complicated shapes, the pair is sag bent in unison on an outline mold to sag bend the sheets to a shape approximating their longitudinal component of bend, then the pair of sag bent sheets is lifted on a solid mold having a complicated shape including said complicated transverse component of bend to impress said transverse component of bend (into engagement with an upper pressing mold of complementary curvature, if needed) and supported on said solid mold for the minimum time sufficient to develop said complicated shape.

Abstract: A wheel blank having an angled peripheral surface is mounted on a dead spindle. The angled surface is biased against a felt pad having polishing compound to shape an arcuate scoring surface on the wheel blank.

Abstract: Reducing kink in the leading edge portion of tempered flat glass sheets by applying a downward flow of air across the entire width of the leading edge portion of the upper surface only of the glass sheet as the sheet passes the boundary region between the exit of a furnace or heating area and the entrance into a cooling area where both upper and lower surfaces of the sheet are cooled throughout their entire extent to impart at least a partial temper to the sheet.

Abstract: When glass sheets are shaped by a bending method in which the glass is first shaped to a longitudinal component of bend by gravity sagging onto an outline mold followed by press bending against a solid lower shaping mold to complete the bend which includes a complicated transverse component of bend, a particular speed cycle is provided to lift and lower the lower shaping mold to minimize the duration of the shaping cycle and to minimize the chance of misaligning the glass relative to the outline mold during transfer of the glass from the outline mold to the lower shaping mold and its return to the outline mold. This speed cycle includes a rapid initial lifting speed and final lowering speed of the lower shaping mold while it is out of contact with the glass and a lower speed of lifting and lowering when the lower shaping mold contacts and supports the glass.

Abstract: This invention relates to securing a cover of flexible material such as fiber glass cloth tightly against a shaping surface of a solid mold used to shape glass sheets. The securing means is located within the outline of the solid mold to avoid having cover attachment means beyond the solid mold outline. This permits the use of a solid mold of maximum size compared to that of an outline mold when glass sheets are shaped by a process that requires the solid mold to pass through a position occupied by an outline mold.

Abstract: A viewing tube extension for an infrared radiation pyrometer includes a tube having a heater therein. The heater has a passageway so that the pyrometer sights a glass ribbon moving through a forming chamber of a flat glass making apparatus. Vapors from the heating chamber moving into the tube are maintained above their dew point as a purge gas moves the vapors out of the tube.