Glass sheet bending apparatus with guide means

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR BLENDING FLAT GLASS SHEETS, A BENDING MOLD HAVING A PLURALITY OF MOLD SECTIONS DISPOSED END TO END ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE MOLD AND INCLUDING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED MOVABLE END SECTIONS AND AN INTERMEDIATE SECTION PIVOTALLY JOINED TOGETHER AT THEIR ADJACENT ENDS, A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED SUPPORT ELEMENTS MOUNTED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION AND EACH HAVING UPWARDLY DIRECTED LEG PORTIONS DISPOSED IN A VERTICAL PLANE EXTENDING PERPENDICULAR TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING EACH OF SAID SUPPORT ELEMENTS DISPOSED AT ONE SIDE OF SAID INTER-MEDIATE SECTION ON SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION TO TURN IN SAID PLANE ABOUT A SECOND AXIS PARALLEL TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A SUPPORT SURFACE PROVIDED AT THE UPPER END OF ONE, OF SAID LEGS TO ENGAGE THE UNDERSIDE OF A GLASS SHEET DISPOSED ON SAID MOLD, A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL LOCATING SURFACE FORMED ON THE OTHER OF SAID LEGS TO ENGAGE THE LONGITUDINAL ENDGE OF THE SHEET, SAID SUPPORT ELEMENTS AT SAID ONE SIDE OF THE INTERMEDIATE SECTION BEING URGED TO ROTATE ABOUT SAID SECOND AXIS IN RESPONSE TO THE WEIGHT OF SAID SHEET RESTING ON SAID SUPPORT SURFACE TO MOVE SAID LOCATING SURFACE INWARDLY TO EXERT AN INWARDLY DIRECTED FORCE AGAINST THE EDGE OF SAID SHEET, AND A LIFTING MEANS MOUNTED ON THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID MOVABLE END SECTIONS AND OPERABLE TO EXERT A SINGLE LIFTING FORCE AGAINST THE OUTER ENDS OF THE SHEETS ACTING AT ALL TIMES ALONGA LINE EXTENDING NORMAL TO THE SHEET.