Abstract: During a process for bending and quenching a window pane, the latter is bent to the desired shape using a forming frame. Next, by means of this same forming frame, the entire surface of both sides of the bent window pane is rapidly cooled, in a quenching station which follows the bending station, by blowing cold air using blowing boxes provided with blowing nozzles. While the entire surface is being rapidly cooled, the edge regions of the window pane which rest on the forming frame are subjected to a blast of additional cold air by the suitable supply of compressed air to the openings passing through the forming frame.

Abstract: A process for shaping glass sheets with a surface-shaping mould, against which the glass sheets are pressed using a pressure drop produced by sucking out the air from the space lying between the moulding face and that face of the glass sheet on the opposite side from the glass sheet, in which the pressure drop is a maximum at the edge of the glass sheet and decreases towards the center of the glass sheet, because of fact that air is introduced via air-inlet apertures opening into the moulding face, the air is again extracted by subjecting suction apertures made in the moulding face inside the region covered by the respective glass sheet to a vacuum. Furthermore, pressure between the glass sheet and the moulding face also in the region where the air is introduced is set to a value at most equal to the pressure beyond the glass sheet, in order to avoid any formation of bulging. A shaping mould suitable in particular for implementing this process is also described.

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: In the manufacture of bent or curved car glass plates or panes with more markedly bent areas, the latter are additionally locally heated with acetylene--oxygen, or acetylene--air, flames. An apparatus suitable for this includes a continuous furnace (1) and a bending station (3) with a bending mold (41) positioned above the conveying plane of the glass plates (9), as well as a ring mold (45) which serves as a countermold and a conveying ring and which is located on a movable carriage (44). In the areas of more marked bending below the ring mold (45) are provided burner tubes (42), which are supplied via flexible hoses with the acetylene gas and the combustion air or oxygen. Alternatively, the plates are locally heated in a transition zone (7) located between the furnace and the bending station by a gas burner (8), and thereafter pressed in the bending station by an upper bending mold (14) and a lower ring mold (16).