Apparatus and method for forming heated glass sheets
US6729160B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 1997 |
| Grant date | May 4, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 20, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC03B2225/02
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Apparatus (26) and a method for forming heated glass sheets in a heated chamber (22) of a housing (20) includes an upper mold support assembly (28) for supporting an upper mold (38) within the heated chamber for cyclical vertical movement between upper and lower positions. A lower mold shuttle (50) supports a lower mold (36) for cyclical movement between an idle position horizontally spaced from the upper mold and a use position below the lower mold. The apparatus also includes a lower mold support assembly (60) to which the lower mold is cyclically transferred from the lower mold shuttle (50) to provide support thereof while permitting horizontal alignment with the upper mold upon each cycle of downward movement to form a heated glass sheet between the molds. The lower mold shuttle (50) is supported by vertically movable rollers (70) to provide the transfer between the lower mold shuttle and the lower mold support assembly (60). A quench station (40) includes a quench shuttle (62) that moves a quench ring (66) to receive the formed glass sheet from the upper mold (38) and to then move the formed glass sheet between lower and upper quench modules (46,48) of the quench station for q…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.