Abstract: Apparatus for curving and tempering glass sheets, including a furnace for heating the glass sheets to softening temperature, shaping means for curving the heated glass sheets, and means for tempering the curved sheets arranged in tandum. The glass sheet shaping means includes upper and lower complemental pressing units, and a series of relatively narrow endless belts for receiving the glass sheets from the furnace, positioning them between the pressing units for curving and for subsequently delivering the curved sheets to the tempering means. The shaping means also includes means automatically operable to relieve the tension on the endless belts to bring the travel of the glass sheets to a stop between the pressing units during pressing and to reestablish the tension on said belts after pressing to deliver the curved sheets to the tempering means.