Abstract: A glass sheet is transferred from a bending cell to a tempering cell on a continuous frame, after which it is held during tempering by discontinuous gripping device. Lifting studs lift the glass sheet above the frame prior to gripping.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of toughening a glass sheet by heating it to a temperature above the strain point and quenching the heat glass sheet while it is advancing horizontally by blowing cooling gas jets onto each face of the glass sheet from an array of nozzles. In advance of such quenching, the heated glass is preliminarily cooled to some extent so as to cool the glass sheet at a relatively high rate in substantially parallel stripe-like regions, which make an angle greater than 45.degree. and not greater than 135.degree. with the direction of advance of the glass sheet, than in other regions. As a result, relatively high toughening occurs in the stripe-like regions. Preferably the preliminary cooling is made only in a central area of the glass sheet. The preliminary cooling has the effect of compensating a toughening pattern attributed to the unidirectional movement of the glass sheet under quenching, so that the toughened glass sheet is satisfactory in the manner of fragmentation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of toughening a glass sheet by heating it to a temperature above the strain point and quenching the heated glass sheet with blasts of air. The heated glass sheet is positioned between two oppositely arranged blastheads, each of which has a plurality of first nozzles and a plurality of second nozzles. The first nozzles are connected to a supply of compressed air, and the compressed air is forced to rapidly expand so as to produce a shock wave and have a first predetermined pressure at the exit of each of the first nozzles. Simultaneously, cooling air is supplied from a blower to the second nozzles so as to have a second predetermined pressure, which is higher than the first predetermined pressure, at the exit of each of the second nozzles. The difference between the second and first predetermined pressures is not more than 0.05 kg/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for manufacturing glass with functional coating by the steps of: 1) forming a film on a predetermined portion of a glass plate by screen-printing of a liquid for forming functional coating which contains therein a metal oxide material; and 2) subjecting the glass plate to the bending treatment and/or tempering treatment by heating the same, with simultaneous baking of the printed film to thereby form the functional coating containing the metal oxide as the principal constituent.

Abstract: A machine cambering glass plates as a curved shaping bed formed of vertically aligned pairs of rollers. Each roller of each pair has an end mounted to a pivoting arm so that it can be elastically bent in a middle portion thereof, while keeping the ends of the rollers straight. Needle bearings support the rollers in the bending plane. The support arm for the lower roller supports the support arm for the upper roller, so that the two pivot together so as to provide uniform bending for the upper and lower pairs of rollers.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for heat-strengthening glass sheets. In a heat-strengthening station (3) down-stream of a heating furnace the cooling rate of a glass sheet is retarded by means of plates (9, 11), which are set above and below a glass sheet and return some of the thermal radiation back to a glass sheet and slow down convection. Thus, a glass sheet can be heat-strengthened by chilling it at a certain controlled cooling rate. In order to make also the lower plate effectively return some of the termal radiation applied thereto despite the rolls fitted in between, the top surface of lower plate (11) is made highly reflective to thermal radiation and further corrugated in a manner that the ribs of corrugations extend between the rolls close to a glass sheet.

Abstract: A machine cambering glass plates as a curved shaping bed formed of vertically aligned pairs of rollers. Each roller of each pair has an end mounted to a pivoting arm so that it can be elastically bent in a middle portion thereof, while keeping the ends of the rollers straight. Needle bearings support the rollers in the bending plane. The support arm for the lower roller supports the support arm for the upper roller, so that the two pivot together so as to provide uniform bending for the upper and lower pairs of rollers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the heat transfer in cooling devices. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the heat transfer pattern caused by blastheads used in the tempering of automotive glass. A thin foil sheet disposed in front of the blasthead is heated according to a predetermined pattern. One side of the foil sheet is then exposed to a cooling blast of air from the nozzles of the blasthead, while the temperature of the opposite side of the foil sheet is monitored using an infrared camera. Then, using information generated by the infrared camera, heat transfer information can be determined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a mould assembly for bending complex shapes on a glass sheet. The invention relates also to a bending mould and its manufacturing method. A heated glass sheet placed upon a ring mould is bent to its final shape by means of an over-head non-contacting mould (6) whose curved lower surface (7, 8) is provided with blasting orifices (10) and suction orifices (11). Blasting orifices (10) are used to blow hot air for heating a glass sheet at least locally while building an air cushion between shaping surface and glass sheet. The hot air blown from blasting orifices (10) is used to apply a greater heat volume to those sections of the glass sheet surface in which the bending radius of a glass sheet is the smallest or deformation (elongation, bending) is the greatest.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for preventing the arching of glass sheets in the roller-equipped furnace of a horizontal tempering plant. In order to equalize the total thermal effect applied to the top and bottom surfaces of a glass sheet, the top surface of a glass sheet is subjected at least at the initial stage of a heating cycle to an intensified convection heat effect by blasting air into the furnace through blasting pipes (3) positioned adjacent to the top surface of a glass sheet. An object of this blasting is to compensate a vigorous heat transfer caused by hot rollers to the bottom surface of a glass sheet in the beginning of a heating cycle. In order to intensify a heat equalization between the opposite surfaces of a glass sheet, the furnace space below a glass sheet is cooled by passing the air to be blown into the furnace into a blasting manifold (3) through a heat-exchange manifold (6) positioned below a bearing surface formed by rollers (2).

Abstract: A glass sheet tempering system (10) disclosed comprises a single station heater and quench that includes a heating source (16) for heating the glass sheet (12) and also an air supply (18) for supplying quenching air to temper the heated glass sheet (12). The heating source (16) and air supply (18) are defined by a pair of spaced and opposed plenums (20,20') that provide heating and quenching of the glass sheet (12) generally in one location without having to transport the glass sheet (12) between separate heating and quenching stations.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly in the annealing section of a glass tempering apparatus, comprising a glass sheet supporting rollers and cooling air blow boxes disposed above and below a glass sheet. A blast pressure applied to the bottom surface of a glass sheet may tend to pick up a glass sheet and float the sheet off contact with the rollers. In order to correct the situation without changing the cooling effects on the opposite surfaces of glass, the radiation absorption factor of surfaces below a glass sheet is higher than the absorption factor of surfaces above on the thermal radiation wavelengths of glass. Thus, the blast pressure on a top surface of the glass sheet has been increased with respect to the blast pressure on a lower surface of the glass sheet.

Abstract: A process for increasing resistance to penetration of glass in a glazed opening, including removing the glass from the glazed opening; and replacing the glass by laminated glazing consisting of the glass removed to which is fastened, by cementing with the aid of at least one intermediate layer of thermoplastic material, a sheet of thinner glass which has dimensions substantially equal to those of the glass removed except for having a thickness which is less than that of the glass removed, and which has been subjected to a chemical tempering treatment.

Abstract: The method of manufacturing curved laminated glass panels comprises overlaying at least two sheets of flat strengthened glass. Adjacent edges of the at least two sheets are sealed along a predetermined extent thereon to form a closed space between these two sheets. An opening is formed into the closed space along one edge of the glass sheets and glass laminating material is poured into the opening to fill the space between the two sheets. The opening is then closed and the at least two sheets are compressed in a preselected curvature form until the sheets assume the curvature of the form. Finally, the two sheets are held in the preselected curvature until the glass laminating material substantially cures.

Abstract: An improved glass tempering apparatus and method is disclosed. A glass sheet is quenched by heating the glass sheet and horizontally transferring the sheet on a roller conveyor into a quenching station having an upper and lower array of nozzles for directing coolant on opposite sides of the glass. A first array of points on the glass sheet are cooled, then the glass is horizontally jogged within the quenching station and a second array of points are cooled. Preferably, the jog distance is selected so that the first and second array of points are uniformly spaced relative to one another. An alternative embodiment of the invention cools a first array of points, horizontally jogs the glass within the quenching station and recools the same array of points with each point being cooled by a different nozzle pair so that the cooled points are uniformly sized and clearly defined with minimum irregularities resulting from roller shrouding and nozzle-to-nozzle variability.

Abstract: A glass sheet tempering method and resultant glass sheet are disclosed as being provided by modulated quenching that initially cools the oppositely facing surfaces of a conveyed glass sheet at a first cooling station (14) with a first rate of heat transfer for a finite time to cool the surfaces from tempering temperature to below the strain point without cooling the center of the glass sheet below the strain point. Thereafter the oppositely facing surfaces of the conveyed glass sheet are cooled within a second cooling station (15) at a second rate of heat transfer less than the first rate to initially cool the center of the glass sheet below the strain point without corresponding surface cooling, and thereafter further cools the center and the sruface. The second rate of heat transfer is of a magnitude so that the surface temperature initially increases without going back substantially above the strain point prior to subsequently again cooling.

Abstract: A device for air-tempering, optionally associated with bending of glass plates includes a covering made of a metal fabric and exhibiting a thermal conductivity less than 3 and preferably less than 0.2 W.M.sup.-1.K.sup.-1. It has utility for coverings of frames intended to carry glass plates during their tempering and/or their bending and/or their transport.

Abstract: A manufacturing line for tempering glass sheets includes a furnace, an oven, a bending station, and a chilling section positioned in order along a generally horizontally extending conveyor for the glass sheets. The oven extends between the furnace and the bending station to maintain the glass sheets at a predetermined temperature. The oven has sidewalls formed of a plurality of brushes and is selectively extensible along the path of travel of the glass sheets. The oven includes controlled heating devices. The chilling section includes a plurality of tubes positioned above and below the path of travel of the glass sheets and connected to a source of air under pressure. The tubes are arranged in rows generally perpendicular to the path of travel and columns generally parallel to the path of travel in order to cause the glass sheets to meet predetermined fragmentation specifications.

Abstract: A blow back control device (10) for use in a glass tempering system (12) is disclosed as including an air supply member (28) mounted between a glass heating furnace (14) and a quenching station (24). The air supply member (28) supplies a planar jet of high pressure blow back control air generally in a direction of glass sheet conveyance (A) away from an exit opening (20) of the furnace (14) and toward the quenching station (24) at an angle in the range of between 0.degree. and 25.degree. formed between the planar jet of high pressure air and a plane of conveyance of a glass sheet (16) along a conveyor (22) to deflect cooling air, supplied by blastheads (26,26') from entering the furnace (14).

Abstract: Compression stresses are formed on the periphery of a glass sheet by blowing cooling air on the periphery of the heated glass sheet. The cooling air is blown by using a pyramidal deflector to deflect air flow radially outward toward the edges of the glass sheet. By adjusting the spacing between the deflector and the glass sheet, the size of a central, relatively quiescent, zone can be adjusted. The air flow is provided by a duct which can include a pyramidal skirt which surrounds the deflector to form a gas flow path whose size controls the cooling rate. Pyramidal flaps within the gas flow path can be used for adjusting cooling gas pressures.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for moving a glass mass, such as a glass sheet in horizontal attitude through a bending section of a heating oven. The glass sheet at a deformation temperature is imparted movement along the conveyor system including a plurality of rollers, and a gaseous flow at high temperature, having a flow speed which varies continuously across the width of the glass sheet, impinges on its lower surface to at least partially balance the weight of the glass sheet in regions requiring good optical quality.

Abstract: The invention relates to techniques for surface deionization of glass under the effect of a corona discharge. The invention consists of treating the object which is movable in relation to the electrodes situated at a short distance from said object which is brought to a high temperature. The treatment is carried out under a continuous current which is regulated in intensity. The treatment is accordance with the invention is preferably applied to sheets of glass during their production.

Abstract: A device and a process for heating glass sheets in horizontal position, to bend them or temper them, by means of two series of resistors, the series being distributed on both sides of the path followed by the glass sheet and on a portion of the length of this path. Each resistor group is distributed in longitudinal zones or in crosswise subzones of various widths along the longitudinal zones, the power furnished to each longitudinal zone being regulated independently of the power furnished to the other longitudinal zones and being distributed in a controlled way between the crosswise zones and the longitudinal zones.

Abstract: Process for the manufacture of a toughened and/or bent sheet of soda-lime silica glass with reduced transmission, in particular a solar control glass sheet, wherein at least one transmission-reducing coating having a considerable content of a metal or a metal alloy from the elements with atomic numbers 22 to 28 in the periodic table is applied in such a thickness on at least one side of a transparent glass base that the light transmission of the glass carrier provided with the transmission-reducing coating is between 10 and 90% of that of the glass base alone, and a thermal toughening and/or bending process is carried out in air at a temperature of 580.degree. C. to 680.degree. C., preferably 600.degree. C. to 650.degree. C.

Abstract: A blow box for thermal tempering of panes of glass is disclosed. To temper different sizes of glass, the air supply to selected blow tubes or blow tube groups in a blow box having a blow nozzle field disposed to handle relatively large panes of glass is blocked in the edge areas of the blow box. In this manner, the blow nozzle field supplied with forced air is adapted to the shape and size of the glass pane to be tempered. The adaptation of the blow nozzle field to the shape and size of the glass panes takes place, for example, with the aid of a template-like slide block having an opening corresponding to the glass pane, which slide block is arranged inside the air distributing box immediately in front of the front plate provided with the nozzle pipelets and which can be exchanged for a different slide block.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of carrying glass sheets during heating and tempering as well as to a tempering apparatus for glass sheets, in which the method is applied. During heating, glass sheets are oscillated in a furnace (2) back and forth in a manner that the traveling distance forward on at least some of the reciprocating strokes is longer than the traveling distance backwards, whereby the transportation of each load of glass sheets from the upstream end of a furnace to the downstream end of a furnace occurs by means of the combined effect of several forward-directed long strokes. Shifting of a load of glass sheets from furnace into tempering section is effected by extending the forward-directed stroke of a load of glass sheets at the downstream end of said furnace while at the same time other loads of glass sheets in the furnace reverse for a backwards-directed stroke.

Abstract: In a glass tempering system (11) a blow back control device (10) disclosed includes a housing (24) having a pair of housing portions (34) defining a pair of suction chambers (26) mounted above an exit opening (20) of a glass heating furnace (12). Housing (24) has a slot (32) including slot portions (36) extending along and opening into suction chambers (26). Blowers (30) are connected to each suction chamber (26) for drawing spent cooling gas into suction chambers (26) through slot portions (36) and for discharging the gas away from exit opening (20) of furnace (12) to avoid temperature swings in the furnace caused by cooling gas entering the furnace.

Abstract: The invention relates to air tempering of glass in flat tempering installations. It proposes blowing air, particularly at sonic speed, with nozzles, preferably tubular, slightly distant from the glass, exhibiting the maximum loss of pressure at their free end close to the glass. It makes possible the tempering, under economically advantageous conditions, of glass sheets having thicknesses less than 2 mm and all the more so, glass sheets having greater thicknesses, which can be used as glasses, particularly windshields, for motor vehicles.

Abstract: A method of producing heat strengthened glass in which the glass is heated to a temperature above its strain point and is then cooled while horizontally supported. Discontinuous support is provided for the glass as it is cooled by intermittent regional contact with the lower surface of the glass, whereby any pattern of iridescence resulting from heat transfer between the lower glass surface and the support is free of prominent continuous features. A glass treatment furnace for producing heat strengthened glass, has horizontal glass-supporting rollers and cooling-flow supply means in the vicinity of those rollers, the bearing surface of each roller comprising discontinuous bearing elements which provide intermittent regional support contact with the lower surface of the glass.

Abstract: In glass tempering using a cooling gas, the impact of gas jets on glass is modified through the use of perturbations to which said jets are subject. The perturbations may be introduced laterally with respect to the tempering jets, and spaced from the opening providing said tempering jets. The characteristics of the perturbations vary cyclically. The invention makes it possible to obtain homogeneous tempering, even for highly bulged glass sheets.

Abstract: A horizontal press bending arrangement wherein heat softened glass sheets are shaped between a lower mold with a sheet shaping surface having a generally convex upward elevational configuration and an upper vacuum mold. After shaping the shaped glass sheet is deposited on an adjustable tempering ring. The ring adjusts in size from a first configuration corresponding to the contours of the shaped sheet immediately after shaping, to a second configuration corresponding to the contours of the shaped sheet after it has been cooled.

Abstract: Ducts are provided to direct cooling gas onto the outer and interior surfaces of a rotating article of glassware that is heated to a uniform temperature above the strain point of the particular glass composition from which the glassware is formed in order to temper the glassware by producing beneficial residual compressive stresses on the surfaces. The ducts have gas emitting nozzles that shape the cooling gas streams to conform to the shape of the glassware surfaces. The ducts and nozzles are so positioned that the cooling gas impinges upon the glassware surfaces tangentially and in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the surfaces to increase the effective velocity of the gas and to promote laminar flow of the cooling gas over the surfaces and thereby enhance cooling.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of tempering a glass sheet by first suitably heating the glass sheet and quenching the heated glass sheet by directing jets of air onto both surfaces of the glass sheet from two sets of nozzles respectively protruding from oppositely disposed two air chambers. At the start of quenching, each air chamber is suddenly allowed to communicate with a source of compressed air kept at a predetermined first pressure in the range from 2 to 8 kg/cm.sup.2 (gauge pressure) such that a rapid drop from the first pressure to a predetermined second pressure in the range from 0.05 to 0.5 kg/cm.sup.2 (gauge pressure) takes place as the compressed air expands into the air chamber and such that substantially the whole length of the air chamber and the nozzles serves as a sort of shock wave tube. Consequently, the air jets arriving at the glass sheet surfaces at the initial stage of quenching are very high in kinetic energy and heat dissipating power.

Abstract: Method for the manufacture of a prestressed and/or curved glass pane of soda-lime-silica glass having reduced transmission in a prescribable spectral range (in prescribable spectral ranges), in particular a sunshade pane, whereby at least one metal layer having a majority content of a metal or of a metal alloy from the elements having the atomic numbers 22 through 28 of the periodic table is applied to at least one side of a glass carrier and a protective layer of at least one metal oxide or mixed metal oxide is applied to that side thereof facing away from the glass carrier, and whereby a thermal prestressing and/or bending process is carried out in air at a temperature of 580.degree. C. through 680.degree. C., preferably 600.degree. C. through 650.degree. C.

Abstract: An adjustable quench for tempering hot glass sheets of varying transverse configurations, having overlapping members that seal a flexible nozzle assembly as it changes configurations. Nozzles extend from the flexible nozzle assembly towards the shaped glass sheet to be cooled such that the quenching surface formed by the head portions of the nozzles generally parallel the major surfaces of the shaped glass sheet. Each individual flexible nozzle assembly is connected to a common drive that can simultaneously flex all the nozzle assemblies.

Abstract: An apparatus for blow molding glass articles uses a mixture of cryogenic fluid and ambient air as a blowing fluid. The apparatus includes gas inlet means positioned to direct a flow of blowing fluid into the center of a blow mold, insulated manifold means to mix ambient air and a cryogenic fluid as the blowing fluid, means to feed the mixture into the gas inlet means, means to pressurize the ambient air, conduit means for directing ambient air into the insulated manifold, and injector means for introducing cryogenic vapor into the conduit means.

Abstract: A glass sheet tempering method and system (10) disclosed utilizes a heating chamber (22) and a quenching chamber (26) which contain ambients at superatmospheric pressure during both the heating and quenching. Forced convection heating is preferably performed in an improved furnace (14"). In one embodiment, heated gas flow is provided by centrifugal blowers which blow air across a plurality of spaced heat tubes. The heated gas flow is directed toward a glass sheet positioned within the heating chamber to provide rapid heating of the glass sheet. In a second embodiment, the heated gas flow is provided by upper and lower sets of opposed gas jet pumps connected to a gas supply. A pressure gas supply including a compressor maintains the superatmospheric pressure of the heating and quenching chambers (22,26). A recirculating gas supply (32) feeds compressed quenching gas to opposed blastheads (28,30) to perform the tempering.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the bending and toughening of glass panes in a horizontal position during movement from a bending station through a toughening station to a transfer station. A monitoring device in the form of a detector, located in the transfer station, provides a signal of whether or not a glass pane is located on a carriage for moving the glass pane between stations. The apparatus includes a blowing device responsive to a signal from the detector to blow jets of compressed air on the carriage during return movement to the bending station under the circumstance that a glass pane is not located on the carriage to free the carriage of any adhering glass splinters.

Abstract: In toughening a glass sheet, e.g. for use as an automobile window, by heating it to a temperature above the strain point and quenching the heated glass sheet by blowing a cooling medium such as compressed air against both sides of the glass sheet from two opposite sets of nozzles, the cooling medium is caused to impinge on each side of the glass sheet in such a pattern that the glass sheet is more efficiently quenched and consequently more highly toughened in a generally circular central region and a plurality of generally annular regions, which are substantially concentrical about the center of the glass sheet and radially spaced from one another, than in the remaining regions. This is effective in preventing the presence of impermissibly elongated particles when the glass sheet is fractured and also in lessening the difference between the maximum and minimum numbers of particles in unit areas of the fractured glass sheet.

Abstract: The invention relates to a frame for supporting a glass sheet in horizontal position during tempering. The frame is formed by a body and includes bearing members with bearing surfaces which support the glass sheet and which between them delimit channels for evacuation of blowing gases. The bearing members are located in at least a selected region of the body.

Abstract: Methods for forming glass articles such as bottles and the like utilize pressurized flows of a cold blowing gas that is delivered from an insulated manifold into mold cavitites which are being used to mold glass articles. The cold blowing gas is a mixture of compressed cryogen vapor and ambient air that has been dehumidified, with the injection of the cryogen vapor into the ambient air being performed in stages, and utilizing a technique of cyclically operating and defrosting a plurality of cryogen injectors to assure a proper introduction of cryogen vapor and to prevent debilitating accumulations of ice about the cryogen inlets. The use of cryogen vapor in the blowing gas hastens cooling and solidification of newly formed glass articles so that the time during which the articles must be retained in their molds is significantly reduced. Reductions in mold retention times enable the apparatus to be operated at increased speeds, whereby its productivity is significantly increased.

Abstract: A glass sheet tempering method and system (10) disclosed utilizes a heating chamber (22) and a quenching chamber (26) which contain ambients at superatmospheric pressure during both the heating and quenching. Forced convection heating is preferably performed in an improved furnace (14"). In one embodiment, heated gas flow is provided by centrifugal blowers which blow air across a plurality of spaced heat tubes. The heated gas flow is directed toward a glass sheet positioned within the heating chamber to provide rapid heating of the glass sheet. In a second embodiment, the heated gas flow is provided by upper and lower sets of opposed gas jet pumps connected to a gas supply. A pressure gas supply including a compressor maintains the superatmospheric pressure of the heating and quenching chambers (22,26). A recirculating gas supply (32) feeds compressed quenching gas to opposed blastheads (28,30) to perform the tempering.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with the thermal tempering of glass sheets. In the practice of the invention, the glass blowing assemblies (3, 4) of a glass blowing device for the thermal tempering of glass sheets are formed of a plurality of tubular bodies (15) which are disposed side by side and provided with blowing outlets (20) which are directed towards the glass sheet. The tubular bodies (15) are interconnected by joints (34) and maintained in position by deformable guide rails (24). The shape of rails (24) is obtained by means of adjustable fixing means (40) whose position can be changed by programmable servo-motors (47). The adjustment of fixing means (40) causes with it that of guide rails (24) and accordingly the shape of the glass blowing assembly (3, 4) constituted by the tubular bodies (15) is adjusted to the shape of the glass sheet.The invention finds utility in the thermal tempering of glass sheets which are curved cylindrically and spherically.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of driving a glass tempering system and to a glass tempering system for carrying out the method. The main components of the system are a loading section, a heating furnace, a quench and cooling section and an unloading section. The sections are provided with conveyors, which are made of horizontal rollers and can be driven in unison or separately. The furnace and quench and cooling section conveyors are provided with a common drive mechanism for driving the conveyors either at the same rate of speed or for permitting stoppage of the quench and cooling section conveyor. Instead of stopping the quench and cooling section conveyor, it can be coupled to the common drive mechanism through a reduction gear to effect a very slow movement after the quenching is finished and a glass sheet load is being cooled to a handling temperature.

Abstract: The invention relates to thermal quenching or tempering of glass by means of a gaseous jet directed by nozzles.According to the inventive method, the nozzles are supplied with gas and liquid under a pressure which enables the jet velocity attained at the exit of the nozzles to be at least sonic, said jet being comprised of a mixture of a gas and a finely divided liquid.In particular the gas may be air and the liquid water.The invention may be applied to vertical or horizontal quenching or tempering of sheets or other items of glass.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for tempering curved glass sheets suspended in a vertical orientation. The apparatus comprises a pair of opposed manifolds each having a plurality of nozzles and positional adjustment means to optimize the heat exchange effect between the tempering station and the sheet of glass. A first adjustment means adjusts the orientation of the manifold with respect to the surface of the glass by means of four independently adjustable screw jacks that mount the manifold on a frame. A second adjustment means adjusts the horizontal spacing between the manifold and the surface of the glass by means of four screw jacks that operate in unison. In addition, another displacement means permits the manifold to be displaced from its tempering position to facilitate the insertion and removal of the glass sheets between the two manifolds. Advantageously, the displacement means is mounted on the second adjustment means.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming glass articles such as bottles and the like utilize flows of pressurized cold cryogen vapor that are introduced into mold cavities which are being used to mold glass articles. The cold cryogen vapor hastens cooling and solidification of the articles so that the time during which the articles must be retained in their molds is significantly reduced. Reductions in mold retention times enable the apparatus to be operated at increased speeds, whereby its productivity is significantly increased. Productivity increases of 15 percent and often more can be achieved at relatively low expense. The use of cold cryogen vapor introduction into mold cavities is applicable to a variety of glass molding techniques including molding and blow molding.

Abstract: An apparatus for bending or bending and tempering of thermoplastic sheets such as glass sheets heated to their softening temperature by passing the glass sheets over a bed of straight or curved supporting rollers placed along a profile with an upward concavity. The apparatus comprises a pivoting assembly which transfers the glass sheets from a supporting bed of rollers with one slope to a conveyor with a different slope. The last supporting roller of the bed of supporting rollers constitutes the first support roller of the conveyor. The apparatus permits the transfer of glass sheets from a transport system with one slope to another transport system with a different slope without damaging either the glass sheets themselves or any coatings that may have been applied to the glass sheets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for operating an air supply system for a glass sheet quench including a D.C. drive system of a variable speed blower operated on a duty cycle. A quench cycle and a cooling cycle are carried out in the quench. In the preferred embodiment shown for thin glass (i.e. glass which is 5 mm or less in thickness) the drive system is sized to the RMS requirements of the complete cycle to minimize the initial and operating costs, size and power requirements of the D.C. drive system.

Abstract: A method of quench-tempering a hot shaped glass sheet comprises supporting the sheet in a quenching station underneath a downwardly directed upper nozzle array and above an upwardly directed lower nozzle array by engagement of only a portion of the lower surface of the sheet. The portion engaged for support is interrupted by a generally uniformly distributed array of unsupported regions. An air stream is directed from the lower nozzle array up toward the lower surface of the glass sheet while an opposite air stream is directed down from the upper nozzle array toward the upper surface of the sheet. Generally all of the lower surface of the sheet is shielded except at the unsupported regions from the air stream of the lower nozzle array. A prestress field is thus formed in the sheet which corresponds to the distribution of the unsupported regions. The sheet is supported on and shielded by a plate having the same shape as the sheet but formed with holes at the unsupported regions.