US 4,361,433 AGranted

Method of bending a glass sheet

AssigneeAdvanced Glass Systems Corp.

InventorsW. Novis Smith, Jr., Nelson P. Bolton

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Abstract

A method of handling a glass part to be treated and shaped in a hot liquid bath of a composition having a melting point greater than ambient temperature comprises the steps of: placing at least one glass part on at least one flexible porous member suspended by its edges; immersing the glass part, flexible member and a form in the hot bath; drawing the immersed glass part against the form by pulling the edges of the flexible porous member over the form; removing the form, glass part and flexible member from the bath as a unit, whereupon the glass and a portion of the bath composition hardens, the bath composition clinging to the glass and porous member; removing the form from the glass; and, removing the flexible porous member, and essentially all of the bath composition clinging to the glass. Protection for the glass and further ease of handling are provided where a second flexible porous member is placed between the glass and the form. Additional sheets of glass may be added, with interspersed flexible porous members, to produce matched sets of glass parts of accurate complimentary dimensions.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method of shaping a glass part comprising the steps of:

(a) supporting the glass on a first flexible porous member;
(b) immersing the first flexible porous member and supported glass in a hot liquid bath, the bath being of a composition that is a solid at room temperature and a liquid at the softening temperature of the glass, whereupon the glass part is softened by heating via contact with the hot liquid bath;
(c) drawing the first flexible porous member over a form of a desired shape while immersed in the bath by pulling at least one edge of the member over the form, whereupon the glass deforms to the desired shape, the glass and porous member held in full surface contact and the flexible porous member spreading forming forces evenly over the glass;
(d) removing the glass part, first flexible porous member and form from the hot liquid bath as a unit, the glass part, porous member and form remaining in full surface contact, whereupon the glass part and bath composition clinging to the glass part and flexible porous member begin to cool, the glass and the bath composition thereupon hardening;
and,
(e) removing the first flexible porous member from the glass part after the glass has cooled below its softening temperature, thereby also removing the bath composition clinging to the glass.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.