Abstract: A glass sheet is thermally toughened by heating the sheet to a temperature near to its softening point and then lowering the sheet into a gas-fluidized bed of particulate material. A void region is established beneath the lower edge of the sheet as it is initially immersed in the fluidized bed.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a method for thermoforming thin-walled plastics articles from an elongated polyolefin web which is manufactured so as to have minimum orientation so that it will expand lengthwise and widthwise when passed through a heating zone prior to thermoforming, which method comprises moving the web both laterally and longitudinally in a co-ordinated manner whereby the normal inclination of the web to sag because of the longitudinal and lateral expansion of the web due to heating is effectively eliminated.

Abstract: A plastics material web produced by extrusion or calendering and having a small thermoforming temperature range is located in two stages; a first stage in which radiant heaters heat the web approximately to thermoforming temperature and a second stage in which the temperature variations in the web due to thickness variations and heating variations are compensated by passing the web round rollers heated to the thermoforming temperature. The heated web is passed step by step to a thermoforming machine which operates cyclically on the web to form articles therein.