Belt assisted press bending
AssigneePPG Industries, Inc.
InventorsStephen J. Schultz, Terry L. Wolfe, Richard E. Wilhelm
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat softened glass sheet is conveyed directly from a heating furnace onto an advancing conveyor belt which is supported on a scissor table. The glass sheet is advanced on the belt to a position below an upper press face. The scissor table increases the sag of the belt and the corresponding curved configuration of the supported glass sheet as it lifts the glass sheet into pressing engagement with the upper press face. During pressing, the glass sheet and belt generally conform to the shaping surface of the press face.
Claims22
A method of shaping heat softenable sheet material comprising:
- heating said sheet material;
- transferring said sheet onto an advancing flexible support such that there is no relative movement between said sheet and said portions of said advancing support supporting said sheet;
- continuing to advance said support to position said sheet relative to a horizontally stationary upper shaping surface;
- stopping said advancing of said flexible support;
- and
- moving said flexible support and said shaping surface toward each other to urge said sheet against said shaping surface to shape said sheet between said flexible support and said shaping surface.
An apparatus for shaping heat softenable sheet material comprising:
- a horizontally stationary shaping surface;
- a compliant support member;
- means to advance said support member from a first position wherein first support member supports a portion of said sheet to a second position wherein said support member supports said entire sheet;
- means to transfer said sheet onto said advancing support member such that there is no relative movement between said sheet and said advancing support member;
- means to stop said advancing support member to position said sheet relative to said shaping surface;
- and
- means to move said compliant support member and said shaping surface toward to each other to urge said support member against said shaping surface and generally conform said support member to said shaping surface.
An apparatus for shaping softenable sheet material comprising:
- a shaping surface;
- a compliant support member;
- a scissored table with first and second scissor arrangements positioned along opposing sides of said table wherein each of said scissor arrangements include a first arm with a first end supporting an upstream portion of said support member, pinned to a second arm supporting a downstream portion of said support members;
- means to pivot each of said first and second arms of said scissor assemblies relative to each other from a first position wherein said support member assumes an initial configuration to a second position wherein said support member assumes a different configuration;
- and
- means to move said support member and said shaping surface relative to each other to urge said support member against said shaping surface and generally conform said support member to said shaping surface.
A conformable lower press surface for a sheet press bending arrangement comprising:
- a conveyor belt;
- means to support said belt at a first end portion and an opposing end portion wherein said belt assumes an initial configuration;
- a scissored table having first and second scissor arrangements positioned along opposing sides of said table wherein each of said scissor arrangements include a first arm with a first end supporting said first end portion of said belt, pinned to a second arm supporting an opposing end portion of said belt;
- and
- means to pivot each of said first and second arms of each of said scissor assemblies relative to each other from a first position wherein said belt assumes said initial configuration to a second position wherein said belt assumes a different configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.