Abstract: A straight-through furnace for the heating of glass sheets to their bending and/or toughening temperature is provided with a conveying system bringing the glass sheets (2) in a horizontal position through the furnace (1). The conveying system includes a series of support plates (6). The support plates (6) are each formed of a rigid frame, which is equipped in the manner of a drum skin with a heat-resistant membrane (8) as the support surface for the glass sheet (2).

Abstract: A bending furnace for glazings comprises several heating cells, a station for bending by pressing, at least one cooling cell and a system for intermittent transport of glazings. The glazings are laid on bending rings (2), mounted on mobile carriages (3), coupled to one another in a train. The train is pulled by a pulling machine installed at the end of the furnace and outside the latter. The point of application of the pulling machine which moves carriages (3) and the length of the travel of this pulling machine are controlled as a function of the temperature to take into account the variation of length of the train. The precise positioning of the carriage in the pressing station is obtained by a detector (27) joined to pivoting stops (28, 36).

Abstract: In an apparatus for bending glass panes in a horizontal position, comprising an upper bending mold and a lower frame-shaped mold, the bending force exerted by the bending mold is determined by the self-weight of the bending mold. In order that a uniform pressure shall be exerted by the upper bending mold on the entire periphery of the lower frame-shaped mold, the upper bending is mounted displaceable on its guide rods relative to them in a vertical direction and variable in its angular position relative to the guide rods. To achieve the desired relief of weight of the bending mold, the guide rods are suspended by cables from a frame which can be lowered. On the frame, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders are disposed, which each exert, via a pulling cable acting on a guide rod, an adjustable force in the opposite direction to the self-weight of the bending mold.

Abstract: Glazings are preshaped before putting them through a step of tempering by contact. In a preferred variant, tempering by contact is applied only the central area of the glazing and the marginal zone thereof is tempered by blowing cold air.

Abstract: An apparatus for bending and tempering glass plates has a horizontal roller furnace (3) and a press bending station with two water-cooled bending molds (6,7) through whose contact the glass plates are tempered immediately following bending. At the outlet from the roller furnace (3), the glass plates (1) are taken over by a continuous flexible conveyor belt (10) and are conveyed by the latter into the bending station. During the press process the glass plate remains on the conveyor belt, which is interposed between the glass plate (1) and the lower bending mold (7). The conveyor belt (10) is made from a woven or knitted fabric of heat-resistant metal fibers and, in a direction at right angles to its surface, has a heat resistivity of 0.25.times.10.sup.-3 to 5.times.10.sup.-3 m.sup.2 .times.K.times.W.sup.-1.