Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for shaping glass sheets to deeply sagged configurations using a lower outline mold and an upper shaping mold while minimizing marking of the sheets by shaping molds. The outline mold includes a support rail which generally corresponds to the desired curvature of a peripheral portion of the sheets to be shaped and supports the glass sheets as they are heated and sagged by gravity to a preliminary shape. The outline mold and the upper mold are then moved relative to each other to position the molds either in close proximity to each other or to press the upper mold against the glass sheets. Pressurized gas is then directed from the mold to at least the unsupported central portions of the preliminarily shaped sheets, to urge these unsupported portions downward and shape the sheets to a desired configuration.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for shaping glass sheets to deeply sagged configurations using a lower outline mold and an upper shaping mold while minimizing marking of the sheets by shaping molds. The outline mold includes a support rail which generally corresponding to the desired curvature of a peripheral portion of the sheets to be shaped and supports the glass sheets as they are heated and sagged by gravity to a preliminary shape. The outline mold and the upper mold are then moved relative to each other to position the molds either in close proximity to each other or to press the upper mold against the glass sheets. Pressurized gas is then directed from the mold to at least the unsupported central portions of the preliminarily shaped sheets, to urge these unsupported portions downward and shape the sheets to a desired configuration.

Abstract: A lightweight vacuum pickup is constructed using a honeycomb platen as the sheet engaging member of the pickup. The cells of the honeycomb platen are selectively sealed to control the amount of vacuum drawn through the platen. When used to transfer heat softened glass sheets, the lower sheet engaging surface of the platen is sealed with a dense material cloth which restricts airflow therethrough. The cloth includes holes positioned within the periphery of the glass sheet to be engaged by the pickup.

Abstract: Apparatus for handling a hot glass sheet during conveyance from a hot atmosphere to a cold atmosphere comprising a ring-like member having an upper surface engaging a glass sheet outline that consists essentially of a phenolic resin reinforced with fibers composed of an aromatic polyamid composition and a support ring attached to the ring-like member in facing relation to the ring-like member and sufficiently smaller in the dimensions than those of the ring-like member to permit the ring-like member to interpose between the support ring and a supported edge of a glass sheet so as to provide thermal insulation as well as shielding between the metal support rings and the edge of the glass sheet.

Abstract: A travelling vacuum pickup is used to transfer heat softened glass sheets from a heating furnace to between a pair of vertically alignment pressing molds. The downstream movement of the pickup is synchronized with the downstream movement of the glass sheets to be engaged so that there is no relative downstream movement therebetween as the pickup lifts and engages the glass sheet.

Abstract: A horizontal press bending arrangement for press bending heat softened glass sheets during transfer into a shaping station. The glass sheet is conveyed through a roller hearth or gaseous support hearth type furnace to heat the sheet to its heat deformable temperature. The sheet is then transferred beneath a vacuum/pressure pick-up to support the glass sheet in non-engaging contact therewith. The sheet is next deposited on a lower mold. The vacuum/pressure pick-up thereafter splits in two and moves out of the shaping station to allow the sheet to be shaped between a pair of vertically aligned shaping molds. After shaping the shaped sheet is removed for further processing, e.g., tempering.

Abstract: An extended surface pressing mold for a horizontal press bending arrangement. The lower mold provides a glass sheet engaging surface having a first portion which complements and generally parallels a first portion of an upper sheet engaging surface of an aligned upper mold, a wing portion which extends from the first portion of lower mold and is nonparallel to a corresponding second aligned portion of the sheet engaging surface of the upper mold, and a ring portion positioned outwardly from the wing portion and generally complementing a third aligned portion of the upper sheet engaging surface of the upper mold near a portion of the perimeter of the glass sheet. The ring portion moves from the first position wherein the ring portion is in a non-engaging position relative to the heat softened glass sheet to a second position wherein the ring portion contacts and engages a perimeter portion of the heat softened glass sheet to press the perimeter portion against the third portion of the upper mold.

Abstract: A press bending apparatus includes a shaping station having an upper mold with a shaping surface having a generally concave downward elevational configuration and a lower mold with an apertured shaping surface complementing the shaping surface of the upper mold. A vacuum shuttle transfers heat softened glass sheets from a heating furnace to the shaping station where it deposits the glass sheets on the lower vacuum mold. The glass sheet is shaped between the molds. A rotating arrangement rotates the lower mold and the shaped glass sheet held thereagainst by vacuum from a first position wherein the shaping surface of the lower mold faces upward to a second position wherein the shaping surface of the lower mold faces downward. The shaped glass sheet is then deposited on a tempering ring. A rotating arrangement maintains vacuum in the lower mold as the mold rotates.

Abstract: A heat softened glass sheet is lifted within a heating furnace by a vacuum pickup and moved to a shaping station adjacent the furnace where it is deposited on an aligning frame. The location of the sheet is identified and the frame is moved to position the supported glass sheet at a predetermined location between a pair of vertically aligned upper and lower full surface press faces. A shuttle frame which moves the vacuum pickup has integral vacuum passageways so that vacuum for the pickup can be drawn through the shuttle frame.

Abstract: A horizontal press bending arrangement wherein heat softened glass sheets are engaged by a shuttling vacuum pickup. The pickup and sheet are transferred out of the furnace and into a shaping station wherein the glass sheet is deposited and repositioned between a pair of vertically aligned full surface press faces.

Abstract: A vacuum mold for shaping hot glass sheets having a rigid back plate, a flexible perforated lower shaping wall, adjustable spacers positioned between the back plate and shaping wall and easily removable side wall members that seal the vacuum chamber and allow easy access to the internal adjustable spacers. The peripheral edge portions of a refractory cloth which covers the mold is coated with heat resistant silicone rubber to seal the vacuum chamber of the mold.

Abstract: Sheets of heat-deformable material, such as glass, are shaped to non-uniform curvatures that include a localized sharply bent portion near one side portion of the sheet by lifting the sheet while the latter is at a deformation temperature range on a lower lifting mold of special construction that includes spaced, transversely extending slats having upper edge surfaces defining the non-uniform bend and a longitudinally extending end slat whose upper edge surface defines a transverse curve that merges with the upper edge surfaces of said transversely extending slats.

Abstract: The invention involves a method and apparatus for bending glass sheets to an S-shaped transverse bend with a longitudinal bend. The heat softened glass sheets are serially conveyed onto a gas hearth bed having a downwardly curved end portion at the downstream end thereof such that the glass sheet curves into conformation with the gas hearth, then by means of a curved outline mold lifting the glass sheet vertically into conformation with an overlying vacuum mold, holding the shaped sheet into contact with the vacuum mold by vacuum while lowering the outline mold, then moving a shuttle ring beneath the glass sheet, discontinuing the vacuum such that the glass sheet is deposited onto the shuttle ring and then moving the shuttle ring and glass sheet laterally for further processing.

Abstract: A glass sheet is press bent between a pair of bending molds of complementary shape provided with covers using burning gas source means that supplies heat by directing burning gas flames toward the bottom edge of a glass sheet. The burning gas source means is constructed and arranged to be directed toward the path taken by the glass sheet when the latter moves into a shaping position with the press bending molds retracted and to pivot away from the mold covers when the press bending molds engage the glass sheet including its bottom edge during the shaping of the sheet. Preferably, the burning gas source means has a shape that conforms with the shape of the bottom edge of the glass sheet undergoing press bending and has an upwardly directed downstream portion to provide clearance as the glass sheet moves into said shaping position in a direction such that a recessed lower edge portion thereof is the leading edge of the glass sheet during its path of movement into the shaping station.

Abstract: Vacuum is applied to help separate a press bent glass sheet from between a pair of complementary press bending molds during the separation of said molds after completing said press bending.

Abstract: A deformable vacuum mold for shaping glass sheets to complicated shapes includes mold stiffening structure engaging the central portion of the mold, mold lifting means engaging the longitudinal end portions of the vacuum mold to lift the latter relative to the mold stiffening structure and optional bar means adjustable in position and orientation to provide local control imparted to the shape of the vacuum mold when the longitudinal end portions of the mold are lifted. The deformable vacuum mold may also include a pair of lifting means providing different amounts of lift to the longitudinal end portions on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the mold and approximately equal amounts of lift to the longitudinal end portions on opposite sides of the transverse center line of the mold.

Abstract: This invention concerns shaping sheets of glass or other deformable material to compound shapes. A sheet having a desired transverse component of curvature engages the downward facing surface of a deformable vacuum mold having a lower transversely curved wall and is held thereagainst by vacuum while still hot enough to be distorted as the vacuum mold deforms to apply the longitudinal bending component to the sheet to be shaped.

Abstract: In the bending and tempering of sharply bent glass sheets supported on a ring-like member for conveyance of the bent glass sheet through a cooling station, a transfer device for unloading the sharply bent, tempered glass sheet is provided. The transfer device is so constructed and arranged that it does not cause a bottleneck in high speed, mass production of sharply bent, tempered glass sheets, avoids uncontrolled departures from the desired shape of the bent, tempered glass sheets, particularly those that develop in the marginal edge portion of the glass sheets that must fit exactly into glass sheet receiving frames of installation structures or vehicles, provides clearance for the sharply bent glass sheets and enables the glass sheet to transfer so gently as to inhibit the likelihood of breakage resulting from uncontrolled dropping of bent, tempered glass sheets during their handling.

Abstract: A ring-like member for transporting a glass sheet through a cooling station comprising an open-ended outline rail having a transverse space between its ends and a rail member supported between the ends of said outline rail, to occupy a portion of said space. Preferably, a cantilever support that is located entirely within said outline rail and has no structural elements aligned longitudinally of the relatively short spaces between the ends of said outline rail and the ends of said rail member, supports said rail member in a position it would occupy if it were part of said outline rail if its open end were closed.

Abstract: Shaping a glass sheet between pressing molds of complementary curvature while the glass sheet moves continuously from a furnace exit to a cooling area by moving the molds synchronously with the glass sheet and simultaneously toward and away from one another in such a manner that their relative orientation to one another is not changed during glass sheet engagement.