PRESS BENDING STATION AND METHOD FOR BENDING HEATED GLASS SHEETS

摘要

A press bending station (12) for heated glass sheets includes a conveyor (36) having a lower support structure (38) and central conveyor assemblies (40r) with horizontal rollers (41) as well as having lateral outward wheel conveyor assemblies (40w) with wheels 44 and/or laterally outward inclined roller conveyor assemblies (40r) with inclined rollers (43) for supporting and conveying upwardly formed portions of a preformed heated glass sheet with an upwardly concave shape. Each conveyor assembly has a detachable connection (46) to a drive mechanism (48) of the lower support to provide rotational driving of a roller (41 or 43) or wheel (44) of each conveyor assembly. An actuator (62) provides relative vertical movement that lifts the heated preformed glass sheet received by the conveyor (36) to provide press bending thereof between a lower press ring (52) and an upper press mold (58).