Apparatus and method for bend-shaping a glass sheet

摘要

An apparatus for bend-shaping a glass sheet is disclosed, which comprises a heating furnace, a plurality of in-furnace beds disposed within the heating furnace, at least one out-furnace bed disposed externally of the heating furnace proximately to an outlet of the heating furnace, and an elevating mechanism disposed below that one of the in-furnace beds which is positioned proximately to the outlet and the out-furnace bed. The in- and out-furnace beds have upper surfaces curved transversely and capable of jetting air to floatingly support a glass sheet. For producing a dual curved glass sheet, the elevating mechanism is operated to elevate opposed ends of the one in-furnace bed and the out-furnace bed so that these beds jointly form a hill. For producing a single-curved glass sheet, the elevating mechanism is operated to lower the opposed ends of those beds to their original flat positions.