APPARATUS FOR BENDING AND TEMPERING GLASS SHEET

摘要

Apparatus (20) for sag bending and tempering sheet glass includes a vacuum holder (92) that is positioned within a furnace heating chamber (50) above a conveyor (66). The vacuum holder has a downwardly facing surface (94) with spaced openings (106, 108) in which a vacuum is drawn to receive a glass sheet from the conveyor and support the sheet above the conveyor. The holder surface is disclosed as being both planar and curved and as having a porous cover (104) of ceramic fibers so as to distribute the vacuum and prevent marring of the glass as it supported. A carrier mold is moved under the supported glass and the vacuum is then terminated so the glass drops onto the ring and sag bends under the bias of gravity in a manner that allows thin glass to be accurately bent. Subsequently an actuator moves the carrier mold to a quench unit to temper the bent glass.