Abstract: An element for bending or hardening a movable plate in a plastic state. The element has a surface adapted to contact the plate where the surface has a plurality of bending profiles taken in a plane at right angles to the direction of movement of the plate. Means are provided to rotate the element in the plane in order to vary the radius of curvature of the surface contacting the plate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for bending sheets in the plastic state, such as sheets of glass at their softening temperature, in two directions. The apparatus comprises a first bed of arcuate rods which can be positioned to impart a transverse curvature to the sheet and a second bed of arcuate rods which can be positioned to impart a longitudinal curvature to the sheet. Advantageously the bending is performed in a heated enclosure at a temperature at least equal to that at which the sheet is later tempered.

Abstract: The sheet to be curved, such as glass at a softening temperature, is advanced on a fixed curved bed formed by a series of curved rods having angles of inclination which provide the bed with an increasing curvature profile. The edges of the sheet gradually sag as the sheet advances. The curved bed is followed by a bed having a constant profile formed by curved rods having the same inclination. The peaks of the rods advantageously lie in a straight line. Means are provided for simultaneously changing the inclinations of the curved rods when sheets of a different curvature are to be made.