Abstract: A glass sheet is supported on a shaping rail and conveyed through a heating lehr. A press assembly moves along with the glass such that there is no relative horizontal movement between the glass sheet and press assembly and shapes a selected portion of the sheet. A rail support membe moves along with the press assembly to maintain the shaping rail configuration during the shaping operation.

Abstract: A prepress roll assembly includes upper and lower pressing roll segments that apply pressure to the opposing major surfaces of a windshield assembly as the assembly passes between the roll segments. A drive roll arrangement is provided that moves vertically in response to the elevational of the leading edge of a windshield assembly to be prepressed while continuing to drive the windshield assembly between the prepress rolls.

Abstract: A deformable vacuum holder having a glass facing wall of flexible sheet material subject to local distortion for shaping heat-softened material, such as glass sheets, has a deformable sheet of insulator material attached mechanically to said glass facing wall for engaging the flexible glass facing sheet wall of the vacuum holder. The deformable sheet has a smooth surface less subject to distortion than said glass facing wall facing the engaged glass sheet surface to avoid having scratches and other surface irregularities of the glass facing wall mar the vision area of the shaped glass sheet and is mechanically supported against the flexible sheet wall beyond the margin of the engaged glass sheet instead of being adhered to said flexible sheet wall.

Abstract: A vacuum holder for holding sheets of heat-softenable material such as glass thereagainst by vacuum during their fabrication into shaped sheets comprising a lower sheet wall that has flanking portions slit longitudinally to provide strips extending longitudinally from a central portion, the width of the strips being limited to limit transverse bulging as the holder becomes hot during a sheet shaping campaign. Longitudinal slots of increasing length from a selected transverse line, preferably one traversing the geometric center of the sheet, control longitudinal bulging of the holder.

Abstract: A deformable vacuum holder used in the shaping of sheets of glass or other deformable materials is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending helical coil springs that enhance the durability of the deformable vacuum holder. When the outer diameter of the springs approximates the thickness of a chamber comprising said holder, the springs improve the resistance of the holder to collapse in response to the application of vacuum to said holder.

Abstract: In the art of shaping sheets of glass and other deformable materials comprising engagement of said sheets while hot by a vacuum holder in a relatively hot atmosphere and removing the holder into a cooler atmosphere to cool the holder between successive shaping cycles, production of shaped sheets was limited by the time necessary for the holder to cool during its exposure to said cooler atmosphere to a temperature suitable for beginning a subsequent sheet shaping cycle. The present invention lessens this necessary time by drawing cold air by suction from said cooler atmosphere between successive shaping cycles, thereby increasing the maximum production rate possible.

Abstract: In the shaping of sheets of heat-softenable material such as glass and other deformable materials, a hot sheet engages an apertured lower sheet of a deformable vacuum box while the sheet and the box are flat and conforms to the changing shape of the box. Since the box intermittently engages a hot deformable sheet for shaping and releases the deformed sheet after shaping, its lower apertured sheet is exposed to a wide temperature cycle, which causes the lower apertured sheet to warp away from the shape desired for the deformable sheet. The present invention provides structure for the deformable box that avoids such warpage while retaining the ability of the box to maintain sufficient vacuum to hold and distort the hot sheet while the box changes shape into its desired configuration with minimum warpage therefrom so that the hot sheet develops a desired curved configuration while held thereagainst during deformation of the box.

Abstract: Transferring rigid glass sheets from a first conveyor where the sheets are conveyed in end to end relation along a first conveyor through a first treatment apparatus where the sheets are suspended by tongs to a second conveyor where the sheets are conveyed in a broadside relation along a path parallel to and beyond the first conveyor. Such a conveyor system utilizes plant space efficiently.

Abstract: Controlling the exit temperature of heated glass sheets of different thicknesses within a predetermined thickness range and/or different heat absorbing characteristics e.g. color, so that each sheet arrives at the furnace exit at substantially the same elevated temperature required for subsequent treatment that is substantially equal from sheet to sheet.

Abstract: Glass sheets are shaped while heat-softened by engaging a surface thereof against an apertured surface of a vacuum mold within a heating furnace. After releasing the glass sheet for further processing, the vacuum mold is removed from the furnace without the glass sheet for cooling and returned to the furnace in sufficient time to engage the next glass sheet to be shaped. This invention avoids the need to overheat the glass to compensate for cooling that occurs when a mold engages a glass sheet outside a furnace to shape the latter without losing control of the maximum temperature to which the mold is subjected during a glass sheet shaping program.

Abstract: The invention enables the scoring and breaking out of a pair of glass blanks from a single sheet of glass in a rapid and efficient manner. Apparatus is provided which carries out a method including the steps of applying first and second score line patterns to a single piece of glass, which patterns define, at least in part, the outlines of glass blanks to be subsequently broken out from the piece of glass. Following this operation, forces are applied to the piece of glass in such a way as to sever the glass along a portion of one of the score lines and to split the piece of glass into two parts each having a respective one of the patterns thereon. The glass parts are then separated a selected distance away from one another and thereafter breakout forces are applied to the glass parts to sever such parts along their respective score line patterns.

Abstract: Glass sheets are shaped while heat-softened by engaging a surface thereof against an apertured surface of a deformable vacuum mold and deforming the vacuum mold while maintaining the heat-softened glass sheet in vacuum engagement thereagainst.