Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for thermal treatment of glass and method and thermally treated glass therefrom. The apparatus is capable of supporting the glass during thermal treatment such as tempering, annealing, bending, and/or shaping which can include any cooling or quenching to remove heat or any combination of these. The apparatus is a support member like a ring or outline mold with a horizontal surface suitable for contacting the glass. The support member has at least a surface with or without a coating for contact with the glass of one or more metals having a thermal conductivity such that the glass heated for shaping cools at a rate not much slower than the cooling rate of unsupported sections of the glass. Suitable metals include those with a thermal conductivity of greater than around 16 BTU/(hour×feet×° F.).

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.