Method of and apparatus for bending glass sheets

Claim 2

IN A METHOD OF BENDING AND ANNEALING A GLASS SHEET WHILE THE GLASS SHEET IS SUPPORTED AND CONVEYED THROUGH A CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE ATMOSTPHERE, HAVING SUCCESSIVE ZONES PROVIDING A BENDING AND ANNEALING RANGE OF TEMPERATURES, THE STEPS OF SUPPORTING THE GLASS SHEET AONG PERIPHERAL PORTIONS THEREOF THROUGHOUT THE BENDING RANGE OF TEMPERATURE AND WHILE COOLING THE GLASS SHEET TO SUBSTANTIALLY THE TOP OF ITS ANNEALING RANGE OF TEMPERATURE, REMOVING A PORTION ONLY OF THE GLASS SHEET SUPPORT FROM CONTACT WITH THE GLASS SHEET SURFACE UNTIL THE THUS UNSUPPORTED PORTION OF THE GLASS SHEET SURFACE IS COOLED TO THE BOTTOM OF ITS ANNEALING RANGE OF TEMPERATURES, AND THEREAFTER RETURNING THE REMOVAL PORTION OF THE GLASS SHEET SUPPORT INTO SUPPORTING CONTACT WITH THE GLASS SHEET SURFACE WHILE MAINTAINING THE GLASS SHEET TEMPERATURE BELOW ITS ANNEALING RANGE.

Claim 3

IN GLASS SHEET BENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MOLD ASSEMBLY, INCLUDING A MOLD CARIAGE AND A GLASS LADEN MOLD OF SECTIONALIZED CONSTRUCTION, SAID MOLD HAVING A CENTER SECTION AND FLANKING END SECTIONS PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTED THERETO, A HEATED FURNACE HAVING A BENDING ZONE AND AN ANNEALING ZONE, SAID ANNEALING ZONE INCLUDING A PORTION THEREIN MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE RANGE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE GLASS ANNEALING RANGE, AND A CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR SUPPORTING SAID MOLD ASSEMBLY AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FURNACE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING ACTUATING MEANS LOCATED WITHIN SAID FURNACE AND END SECTION OPENING MEANS ON SAID MOLD ASSEMBLY ARRANGED TO COACT WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND MOVE THE FLANKING END SECTIONS AWAY FROM THE GLASS SHEET SURFACE THROUGH SAID PORTION OF THE ANNEALING ZONE WHERE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE GLASS SHEET IS WITHIN ITS ANNEALING RANGE, WHEREBY AN IMPROVED STRESS PATTERN IS IMPARTED TO THE UNSUPPORTED SIDE PORTIONS OF THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF THE BENT, ANNEALED GLASS SHEET.

Claim 4

IN GLASS SHEET BENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MOLD ASSEMBLY, INCLUDING A MOLD CARIAGE AND A GLASS LADEN MOLD OF SECTIONALIZED CONSTRUCTION, SAID MOLD HAVING A CENTER SECTION AND FLANKING END SECTIONS PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTED THERETO, A HEATED FURNACE HAVING A BENDING ZONE AND AN ANNEALING ZONE, SAID ANNEALING ZONE INCLUDING A PORTION THEREIN MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE RANGE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE GLASS ANNEALING RANGE, AND A CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR SUPPORTING SAID MOLD ASSEMBLY AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FURNACE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING ACTUATING MEANS LOCATED WITHIN SAID FURNACE AND END SECTION OPENING MEANS ON SAID MOLD ASSEMBLY ARRANGED TO COACT WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND MOVE THE FLANKING END SECTIONS AWAY FROM THE GLASS SHEET SURFACE THROUGH SAID PORTION OF THE ANNEALING ZONE WHERE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE GLASS SHEET IS WITHIN ITS ANNEALING RANGE, WHEREBY AN IMPROVED STRESS PATTERN IS IMPARTED TO THE UNSUPPORTED SIDE PORTIONS OF THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF THE BENT, ANNEALED GLASS SHEET.