Abstract: A suction mold has a central suction chamber having a flat shaping surface area and a pair of opposite side suction chambers disposed one on each side of the central suction chamber and having respective curved shaping surface areas. First, a vacuum is developed in the central suction chamber to attract a central area of the sheet of glass against the flat shaping surface area thereof, and then a vacuum is developed in the opposite side suction chambers to attract opposite side areas of the sheet of glass respectively against the curved shaping surface areas.

Abstract: Glass sheets are press bent and tempered, especially for use as glazings in vehicles. Such glazings are required to be accurately bent to a complex shape while meeting high standards of optical quality and fracture safety at an acceptable cost. A method of bending and tempering a glass sheet is provided comprising heating the sheet in a furnace, including heating at least one portion of the sheet to a higher temperature than another portion, conveying the sheet out of the furnace and into a press bending station, shaping the sheet by pressing it between opposed complementary upper and lower press members, at least one of the members being internally heated, transferring the bent glass sheet onto a shuttle carrier ring conforming to the periphery of the sheet, and tempering the sheet while supported on the carrier ring. A corresponding apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A heated sheet of glass discharged from a heating furnace is lifted by a ring mold until it is held against a fully continuous lower molding surface of a bent shape of an upper mold. After the sheet of glass is held against the lower molding surface by the ring mold, a vacuum is developed in the upper mold to attract the sheet of glass to the lower molding surface through suction holes defined in the lower molding surface. Thereafter, the ring mold is lowered away from the upper mold to allow the sheet of glass to be bent by the lower molding surface while the sheet of glass is being attracted thereto only under the vacuum developed in the upper mold. The sheet of glass is continuously attracted under the vacuum to the lower molding surface until the sheet of glass is annealed.