The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 28, 1998
Filed:
Aug. 14, 1995
Jeffrey Ronald Flaugher, Carleton, MI (US);
William J Skilliter, Genoa, OH (US);
Vince Dew, Toledo, OH (US);
Libbey-Owens-Ford Co., Toledo, OH (US);
Abstract
A press bending apparatus for shaping heat soften glass sheets between an upper press member and a lower press member is provided. The conveyor system for transferring the sheets of glass in the press bending apparatus includes concave shaped rollers such that the glass sheets tend to sag into conformity with the rolls as the sheets are positioned for bending operations between the upper and lower press members. The lower press member is a continuous press bending ring to prevent improper sagging of the glass sheet around the peripheral edges of the sheet. The concave shape of the rolls mounted inside of the press ring provides maximum support for the formed glass sheet to prevent sagging of the glass. Additional production benefits can be obtained by forming the conveyor system and lower press member as modular unit and the upper press member as a modular unit for each model of bent glass to facilitate changing the press members for production model changes.