US 5,329,735 A · System for forming and polishing grooves in glass panels

Abstract

A system for forming a polished groove in a glass panel has separate grooving apparatus and groove polishing apparatus. The grooving apparatus has a rotating grinding unit which moves endwise along its rotary axis to form a groove. This unit has a leading tapered section and a trailing cylindrical section containing a finer abrasive than the abrasive in the leading section. The formed groove has an arcuate transverse profile with a radius determined by the radius of the trailing section. The polishing apparatus has a rotating and oscillating buffing cylinder with a pile surface layer which is brought into engagement with the surface of the groove while wetted with a polishing liquid. The radius of the buffing cylinder approximates the radius of the groove profile.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for forming a polished rectilinear groove in a glass panel having a continuous peripheral edge surrounding a flat face, said method comprising:

grinding an elongated rectilinear groove in said panel across said flat face with a grinding unit having an abrasive surface shaped and positioned such that said groove has a concave surface with a constant transverse profile merging with said flat face at longitudinal side edges of the groove which are spaced from said peripheral edge except at the ends of the groove;
and polishing the surface of said groove with a rotating buffing cylinder simultaneously engaging substantially the entire surface of said groove and having a longitudinal center rotary axis parallel to said groove;
and supplying polishing liquid to said buffing cylinder while it is engaging said groove surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for forming and polishing grooves in glass panels

Life of this patent

System for forming and polishing grooves in glass panels

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18