Glasstech, Inc.

Thomas L Shaw

David B Nitschke

Kenneth R Kormanyos

Robert G McMaster

Jeffery A Grzeszczak

Scott L Clark

Edward G Bollin

Glass sheet forming apparatus (12) and a glass sheet forming method utilize a mold (20) having a curved forming face (22) with holes (26) in which a vacuum is drawn to form a glass sheet. A vacuum distributor (48) of the apparatus distributes a vacuum impulse of at least 0.1 atmospheres of vacuum from a valved vacuum reservoir (52) through a plurality of tubes (58) to a limited number of the holes (26) to provide additional forming of the glass sheet. The vacuum impulse distributor (48) is located within a vacuum chamber of the mold (20) that draws the vacuum by a gas jet pump in the holes (26) to which the vacuum impulse is not distributed.

Mold apparatus and method for vacuum forming glass sheets

A glass sheet pressing and quenching apparatus including an open center ring having a shape generally corresponding to the shape of the glass sheet and a top support surface extending generally horizontally and conforming to the desired surface contour of the glass sheet. A plurality of flat insulating platelets are removably mounted on the top support surface to define an accurate glass contact surface having low thermal conductivity. The insulating platelets may include a plurality of horizontally inwardly spaced projections with passageways therebetween for communicating quench air therethrough. The ring is mounted on a support frame via a plurality of leveling assemblies, each of which include a mounting plate secured to the ring and adapted to receive a threaded connector having a spherical end portion which is mounted for limited movement within a generally spherical mounting receptacle secured to the support frame. One or more slots are cut into the threads, parallel to the center line of the connector. A spring loaded plunger is mounted in the mounting plate to interfere with the slots in the shaft, thereby providing a detent. The shape of the ring can be modified by controlled adjustment of one or more of the leveling assemblies.

Glass sheet press forming and quenching ring

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Upper Sandusky, OH, United States of America

Thomas L Shaw