Method of and system for pressing sheet glass

A system for pressing a glass sheet, comprising:

• a heating furnace for heating the glass sheet nearly to a softening point;
• and
• a pressing apparatus for clamping only a peripheral edge of the heated glass sheet at opposite sides thereof, and projecting only a central region of the glass sheet, which is surrounded by the clamped peripheral edge thereof, from one of the sides to the other side thereof, whereby the glass sheet is pressed to a curved shape, said pressing apparatus comprising:
• a concave mold for engaging at least the peripheral edge of the glass sheet;
• a movable mold assembly for clamping the peripheral edge of the glass sheet between itself and said concave mold;
• a movable mold member surrounded by said movable mold assembly, said movable mold assembly and said movable mold member jointly constituting a convex mold for mating with said concave mold;
• and
• actuator means for moving said movable mold assembly to press the peripheral edge of the glass sheet from said one side thereof thereby to clamp the peripheral edge of the glass sheet between said movable mold assembly and said concave mold, and for thereafter moving said movable mold member to project the central region of the glass sheet toward said other side thereof.