Method and apparatus for pressing glass articles

Claim 3

A method of pressing glass articles from molten glass as defined in claim 1 including the step of trimming a newly press-formed glass article within said mold cavity from the remainder of the sheet deposited upon the surrounding surface portions of the mold assembly.

Claim 4

A method of pressing glass articles from molten glass as defined in claim 1 which comprises trimming the sheet of glass overlying the mold cavity from the remainder of the sheet deposited upon surrounding surface portions of the mold assembly prior to the pressing of the sheet within the mold cavity.

Claim 5

A method of pressing glass articles from molten glass as defined in claim 1 including the steps of maintaining those portions of the sheet of glass deposited upon the mold assembly which extend peripherally about said mold cavity in spaced relationship with surface portions of said mold assembly by providing a bevel and a trimming recess about the periphery of the mold cavity.

Claim 6

A method of pressing glass articles from molten glass as defined in claim 4 including the steps of pressing said contoured sheet within said mold cavity with a plunger having a nose portion conforming to the desired upper surface configuration of the pressed article, and inhibiting glass contact with said plunger peripherally of said mold by providing a bevel about peripheral nose portions of said plunger.

Claim 7

A method of pressing glass articles from molten glass as defined in claim 1 including a step of pressing said contoured sheet within said mold cavity by initially pressing central portions of the sheet within the cavity and progressively pressing radially-outwardly therefrom toward edge portions of the cavity.

Claim 8

A method of pressing glass articles from molten glass as defined in claim 1 including the steps of pressing said sheet of glass within said mold cavity with a plunger by initially contacting central portions of the upper surface of the sheet within such cavity by said plunger and progressively contacting radially outward portions of the upper surface of such sheet with said plunger and preventing air entrapment on the upper pressed surface.

Claim 9

A method of pressing glass articles from molten glass as defined in claim 1 including the step of initially permitting said sheet of molten glass to substantially conform to the contour of said mold cavity solely by means of the forces of gravity.

Claim 10

A method of pressing glass articles from molten glass as defined in claim 1 including the step of applying a vacuum to the under surface of said sheet overlying said mold cavity, and combined with the forces of gravity, permitting said sheet of molten glass to substantially conform to the contour of the mold cavity.

Claim 11

Apparatus for pressing glass articles from a sheet of molten glass delivered thereto which comprises, a mold assembly having surface portions for receiving said sheet of molten glass, at least one mold cavity formed within the surface of said mold assembly and communicating therewith, means communicating with a bottom surface of said mold cavity for venting and applying a vacuum thereto, trimming recess means formed in the surface of said mold assembly about the outer periphery of said mold cavity for suspending said sheet of molten glass in spaced-apart relationship to said mold assembly peripherally of said mold cavity, plunger means for pressing the glass sheet within said mold cavity from centrally thereof radially-outwardly toward edge portions thereof to prevent air entrapment on upper surface portions of the sheet, and trimming means axially aligned with said trimming recess means for trimming the pressed article within said mold cavity from the remainder of the sheet overlying surrounding surface portions of said mold assembly.

Claim 12

Apparatus for pressing glass articles from a sheet of molten glass delivered thereto which comprises, a mold assembly having surface portions for receiving said sheet of molten glass, at least one mold cavity formed within the surface of said mold assembly and communicating therewith, means communicating with a bottom surface of said mold cavity for venting and applying a vacuum thereto, trimming recess means formed in the surface of said mold assembly about the outer periphery of said mold cavity for suspending said sheet of molten glass in spaced-apart relationship to said mold assembly peripherally of said mold cavity, plunger means for pressing the glass sheet within said mold cavity from centrally thereof radially-outwardly toward edge portions thereof to prevent air entrapment on upper surface portions of the sheet, and trimming means axially aligned with said trimming recess means for trimming the pressed article within said mold cavity from the remainder of the sheet overlying surrounding surface portions of said mold assembly.

Claim 13

Apparatus for pressing glass articles from a sheet of molten glass as defined in claim 10 which comprises, means for inhibiting contact with said sheet of molten glass peripherally of said mold cavity during pressing, including chamfer means about a peripheral edge of said mold cavity adjacent said trimming recess means and chamfer means about peripheral edge portions of a nose portion of said plunger.

Claim 14

Apparatus for pressing glass articles from a sheet of molten glass as defined in claim 10 wherein said mold cavity is formed within a vacuum mold, and said plunger cooperates with a contour of said vacuum mold to produce sharply defined contours in both upper and lower surfaces of the pressed article formed from said sheet of molten glass.