Glasstech, Inc.

Christopher A Hersch

Donivan M Shetterly

David B Nitschke

Apparatus (,) for forming a heated glass sheet G is disclosed as including a vacuum mold (,) having a full surface (,) against which a peripheral mold (,) presses the glass sheet periphery and with which at least one vacuum reservoir (,) is communicated within the interior of the sealed glass sheet periphery to form the glass sheet to the shape of the vacuum mold surface. Valving (,) of a vacuum system (,) is preferably operable to provide the vacuum impulse in two stages with an initial limited extent of vacuum and a subsequent greater extent of vacuum by communication first with one vacuum reservoir (,) and subsequently with another vacuum reservoir (,). Different embodiments of the vacuum mold have the vacuum mold surface facing upwardly and downwardly with convex and concave shapes. Glass sheet shapes including straight line elements such as cylindrical and conical bends as well as shapes including curvatures in transverse directions and inverse curvatures can be effectively provided by this vacuum impulse forming.

Apparatus for vacuum impulse forming of heated glass sheets

Method for vacuum impulse forming of heated glass sheets

An apparatus (10) for cooling a glass sheet (G) formed on an upwardly facing full face male glass sheet shaping mold (12) disclosed includes a glass sheet press ring (14) mounted on a press ring enclosure (16). A freeze plate (18) having first and second surfaces (20,22) is mounted in the press ring enclosure. A cooling means (24) mounted adjacent the freeze plate (18) cyclically cools the freeze plate (18) between a heated ambient temperature and a temperature significantly below the glass sheet (G) whereby the freeze plate (18) radiatively cools the glass sheet (G) formed on the full face glass sheet shaping mold (12) by the press ring (14) sufficiently so that the formed glass sheet (G) shape does not change upon further processing.

Apparatus for radiatively cooling glass sheets

A glass sheet transferring device (20) is disclosed as including a movably driven frame (30), a glass sheet lifting mechanism (32) and a walking beam mechanism (28) connected to the movably driven frame (30) to provide indexed transfer of a glass sheet G during its movement from a glass sheet forming station (22).

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Perrysburg, OH, United States of America

Christopher A Hersch