Method of and apparatus for shaping glass sheets with opposed pressing members

Claim 2

IN THE ART OF BENDING A GLASS SHEET INTO A SHAPE HAVING A SHARPLY BENT REGION OFFSET FROM THE CENTER THEREOF BY PRESSING SAID SHEET BETWEEN SHAPING MEMBERS HAVING COMPLEMENTARY SHAPING SURFACES CONFORMING TO THE SHAPE DESIRED FOR THE GLASS SHEET AFTER BENDING WHILE SAID SHEET IS HEAT-SOFTENED, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING SUPPORTING SAID GLASS SHEET VERTICALLY AND THE REGION TO BE BENT SHARPLY DISPOSED CLOSER TO THE BOTTOM END THAN TO THE UPPER END OF SAID GLASS SHEET, HEATING SAID SHEET TO SHAPING TEMPERATURE WITHIN AN ENCLOSED HOT ATMOSPHERE, REMOVING SAID SHEET FROM SAID ENCLOSED ATMOSPHERE FOR SHAPING AND, WHILE OUTSIDE SAID ENCLOSED ATMOSPHERE, INTENSELY HEATING SAID REGION TO BE SHARPLY BENT ADDITIONALLY BY APPLYING HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS ALONG SAID REGION TO BE SHARPLY BENT UNTIL SAID REGION IS LESS VISCOUS THAN THE REMAINDER OF SAID GLASS SHEET WHILE SAID SHEET IS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND WHILE SUPPORTED IN PROPER ALIGNMENT BETWEEN SAID SHAPING MEMBERS, AND IMMEDIATELY ENGAGING SAID SHEET IN PRESSURIZED CONTACT BETWEEN SAID SHAPING MEMBERS.

Claim 3

APPARATUS FOR BENDING A GLASS SHEET COMPRISING A FURNACE, A PAIR OF SHAPING MEMBERS LOCATED OUTSIDE SAID FURNACE AND HAVING COMPLEMENTARY SHAPING SURFACES CONFORMING TO THE SHAPE DESIRED FOR THE GLASS SHEET AFTER BENDING, EACH SAID SURFACE INCLUDING A SHARPLY BENT REGION DISPOSED THEREACROSS, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID GLASS SHEET FOR MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF SAID FURNACE AND INTO AND OUT OF A POSITION BETWEEN SAID SHAPING MEMBERS, MEANS TO BRING SAID SHAPING MEMBERS INTO PRESSURIZED CONTACT AGAINST THE OPPOSITE SURFACES OF SAID GLASS SHEET WHEN SUPPORTED THEREBETWEEN AT SAID POSITION AND FOR WITHDRAWING SAID SHAPING MEMBERS FROM SAID PRESSURIZED CONTACT, A GAS BURNER, AN ORIFICE FOR SAID BURNER MOUNTED ADJACENT TO ONE OF SAID SHAPING MEMBERS AND ORIENTED TO DIRECT HEAT ALONG A PATH INTERMEDIATE SAID SHARPLY BENT REGIONS DISPOSED ACROSS SAID SHAPING SURFACES FOR DIRECTING HOT GASEOUS PRODUCTS FROM SAID BURNER ALONG SAID PATH BETWEEN SAID SHAPING MEMBERS IN A DIRECTION ALONG SAID PORTION OF THE GLASS SHEET TO BE BENT SHARPLY WHEN SAID GLASS SHEET IS LOCATED AT SAID POSITION BETWEEN SAID GLASS SHAPING MEMBERS.

Claim 4

APPARATUS FOR BENDING A GLASS SHEET COMPRISING A FURNACE, A PAIR OF SHAPING MEMBERS LOCATED OUTSIDE SAID FURNACE AND HAVING COMPLEMENTARY SHAPING SURFACES CONFORMING TO THE SHAPE DESIRED FOR THE GLASS SHEET AFTER BENDING, EACH SAID SURFACE INCLUDING A SHARPLY BENT REGION DISPOSED THEREACROSS, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID GLASS SHEET FOR MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF SAID FURNACE AND INTO AND OUT OF A POSITION BETWEEN SAID SHAPING MEMBERS, MEANS TO BRING SAID SHAPING MEMBERS INTO PRESSURIZED CONTACT AGAINST THE OPPOSITE SURFACES OF SAID GLASS SHEET WHEN SUPPORTED THEREBETWEEN AT SAID POSITION AND FOR WITHDRAWING SAID SHAPING MEMBERS FROM SAID PRESSURIZED CONTACT, A GAS BURNER, AN ORIFICE FOR SAID BURNER MOUNTED ADJACENT TO ONE OF SAID SHAPING MEMBERS AND ORIENTED TO DIRECT HEAT ALONG A PATH INTERMEDIATE SAID SHARPLY BENT REGIONS DISPOSED ACROSS SAID SHAPING SURFACES FOR DIRECTING HOT GASEOUS PRODUCTS FROM SAID BURNER ALONG SAID PATH BETWEEN SAID SHAPING MEMBERS IN A DIRECTION ALONG SAID PORTION OF THE GLASS SHEET TO BE BENT SHARPLY WHEN SAID GLASS SHEET IS LOCATED AT SAID POSITION BETWEEN SAID GLASS SHAPING MEMBERS.