Glass sheet press bending mold

Claim 2

In apparatus for bending glass sheets comprising means for heating the sheet to the softening point, first and second mold members having complemental shaping surfaces formed thereon, means for supporting a heat-softened sheet between said shaping surfaces, and means for moving said mold members relatively forward one another to press the sheet between the shaping surfaces; the improvement consisting in that at least one of said mold members comprises a substantially flat mounting plate, a plurality of anchor pins depending from said plate and having heads formed at their free ends, and a substantially solid block of a refractory material cast around said anchor pins with said heads imbedded in said cast refractory material, said refractory material having a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.45 X 10 6 from 0* to 1,832* F.

Claim 3

Apparatus for bending glass sheets as claimed in claim 1, including panel members extending between the edges of said mounting plate and the sides of said cast refractory block to enclose the space between said mounting plate and said block to form a sealed air chamber, a plurality of holes formed through said cast refractory block for the passage of air from said chamber through said shaping surface, and means connecting said chamber to a source of pressurized air.

Claim 4

Apparatus for bending glass sheets as claimed in claim 2, including a layer of a porous, nonabrasive insulating material over said shaping surface.

Claim 5

In apparatus for bending glass sheets comprising means for heating a sheet to the softening point, first and second mold members having complemental shaping surfaces formed thereon, means for supporting a heat-softened sheet between said shaping surfaces, and means for moving said mold members relatively toward one another to press the sheet between said shaping surfaces; the improvement consisting in that at least one of said members comprises a substantially solid block of a cast refractory material having a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.45 X 10 6 from 0* to 1,832* F., the shaping surface of said cast refractory block being covered by a lAyer of nonabrasive insulating material.

Claim 6

In apparatus for bending glass sheets comprising means for heating a sheet to the softening point, first and second mold members having complemental shaping surfaces formed thereon, means for supporting a heat-softened sheet between said shaping surfaces, and means for moving said mold members relatively toward one another to press the sheet between said shaping surfaces; the improvement consisting in that at least one of said members comprises a substantially solid block of a cast refractory material having a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.45 X 10 6 from 0* to 1,832* F., the shaping surface of said cast refractory block being covered by a lAyer of nonabrasive insulating material.

Claim 7

Apparatus for bending glass sheets as claimed in claim 4, in which said refractory material has a compressive strength of at least 3,160 lbs. per sq. in. at 2,000* F.

Claim 8

Apparatus for bending glass sheets as claimed in claim 4, in which said cast refractory material comprises vitreous silica in a hydraulic binder.

Claim 9

Apparatus for bending glass sheets as claimed in claim 4, in which said cast refractory material comprises vitreous silica in a calcium aluminate binder.

Claim 10

In apparatus for bending glass sheets comprising means for heating a sheet to the softening point, first and second mold members having complemental shaping surfaces formed thereon, means for supporting a heat-softened sheet between said shaping surfaces, and means for moving said mold members relatively toward one another to press the sheet between said shaping surfaces; the improvement consisting in that at least one of said members comprises a substantially solid block of a cast refractory material having a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.45 X 10 6 from 0* to 1,832* F., the formation of said block having consisted essentially of pouring the castable refractory material into a mold shaped to the desired curvature and allowing it to set in its final useable form, and a plurality of discrete holes formed through said block for the passage of pressurized gas through said shaping surface.

Claim 11

In apparatus for bending glass sheets comprising means for heating a sheet to the softening point, first and second mold members having complemental shaping surfaces formed thereon, means for supporting a heat-softened sheet between said shaping surfaces, and means for moving said mold members relatively toward one another to press the sheet between said shaping surfaces; the improvement consisting in that at least one of said members comprises a substantially solid block of a cast refractory material having a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.45 X 10 6 from 0* to 1,832* F., the formation of said block having consisted essentially of pouring the castable refractory material into a mold shaped to the desired curvature and allowing it to set in its final useable form, and a plurality of discrete holes formed through said block for the passage of pressurized gas through said shaping surface.

Claim 12

In apparatus for bending glass sheets, comprising means for heating a sheet to the softening point, first and second mold members having complemental shaping surfaces formed thereon, means for supporting a heat softened sheet between said shaping surfaces, and means for moving said mold members relatively toward one another to press the sheet between said shaping surfaces, the improvement residing in that at least one of said mold members comprises a mounting plate, anchoring pins affixed to said mounting plate and projecting outwardly therefrom, and a substantially solid block of a refractory material cast integrally with said mounting plate with said anchoring pins at least partially imbedded therein, the outer surface of said block of refractory material comprising one of said shaping surfaces.

Claim 13

In apparatus for bending glass sheets, comprising means for heating a sheet to the softening point, first and second mold members having complemental shaping surfaces formed thereon, means for supporting a heat softened sheet between said shaping surfaces, and means for moving said mold members relatively toward one another to press the sheet between said shaping surfaces, the improvement residing in that at least one of said mold members comprises a mounting plate, anchoring pins affixed to said mounting plate and projecting outwardly therefrom, and a substantially solid block of a refractory material cast integrally with said mounting plate with said anchoring pins at least partially imbedded therein, the outer surface of said block of refractory material comprising one of said shaping surfaces.

Claim 14

Apparatus for bending glass sheets as claimed in claim 9, including an enclosed chamber between said mounting plate and the rear surface of said block of refractory material.

Claim 15

Apparatus for bending glass sheets as claimed in claim 10, including at least one opening extending through said block providing communication between said shaping surface thereof and said enclosed chamber.

Claim 16

Apparatus for bending glass sheets as claimed in claim 11, including means supplying gas under pressure to said enclosed chamber whereby a cushion of said gas is provided between said shaping surface and a glass sheet bent thereon.

Claim 17

Apparatus for bending glass sheets as claimed in claim 9, wherein said block of refractory material has a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.45 X 10 6 in the temperature range from 0* to 1,832* F.

Claim 18

Apparatus for bending glass sheets as claimed in claim 9, wherein said block of refractory material has a thermal expansion of substantially 0.0* up to 2,000* F.