Method for forming glass sheets

A method for forming a glass sheet heated to a sufficiently high temperature to be deformable, the method comprising:

• releasing the heated glass sheet while in a horizontally extending orientation from a downwardly facing surface at a first position onto a first curved mold to initially gravity form the glass sheet on the first curved mold;
• moving the first curved mold with the glass sheet thereon horizontally to a second position;
• and
• engaging the initially formed glass sheet from above at the second position with a second curved mold to further form the glass sheet.

A method for forming a glass sheet heated to a sufficiently high temperature to be deformable, the method comprising:

• releasing the heated glass sheet while in a horizontally extending orientation from a downwardly facing surface at a fist position onto a first curved mold to initially gravity form the glass sheet on the first curved mold;
• moving the first curved mold with the glass sheet thereon horizontally to a second position below a second curved mold of a different curvature than the initially formed glass sheet;
• providing relative vertical movement between the first and second curved molds to engage the initially formed glass sheet with the second curved mold for further forming of the glass sheet;
• providing relative vertical movement between the first and second curved molds to disengage the first curved mold from the glass sheet as the glass sheet remains supported by the second curved mold;
• and
• transferring the glass sheet from the second curved mold to a transfer conveyor for movement away from the second curved mold.

A method for forming a glass sheet heated to a sufficiently high temperature to be deformable, the method comprising:

• supporting the heated glass sheet in a horizontally extending orientation below a downwardly facing planar surface;
• releasing the glass sheet from the downwardly facing surface at a first position onto a first curved mold to initially form the glass sheet by gravity on the first curved mold;
• moving the first curved mold with the glass sheet thereon horizontally to a second position below a second curved mold of a different curvature than the initially formed glass sheet;
• moving the second curved mold downwardly to provide engagement thereof with the initially formed glass sheet to further form the glass sheet;
• moving the second curved mold upwardly with the glass sheet supported thereby so as to be moved out of engagement with the first curved mold;
• transferring the glass sheet from the second curved mold to an open center transfer ring for movement away from the second curved mold;
• and
• moving the transfer ring to a quench station to temper the formed glass sheet.