Apparatus for and method for bending glass sheets
AssigneePilkington Glass Limited
InventorsDavid Sykes, Alan C. Woodward
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for press bending glass sheets, the apparatus comprising an upper die, a suspension system for the upper die for suspending and vertically moving the upper die, a lower gravity bending mould and a plurality of spacer devices for spacing the upper die and the lower mould a selected distance from each other when the upper die presses a glass sheet on the lower mould, the suspension system being adapted and the spacer devices being configured to permit lateral movement of the die relative to the mould. There is also provided a method of press bending glass sheets.
Claims22
An apparatus for press bending glass sheets, the apparatus comprising an upper die, a suspension system for the upper die for suspending and vertically moving the upper die, a lower gravity bending mould and a plurality of spacer devices for spacing the upper die and the lower mould a selected distance from each other when the upper die presses a glass sheet on the lower mould, the suspension system being arranged and the spacer devices being configured to permit subtantially unconstrained lateral movement of the upper die relative to the lower mould.
An apparatus for press bending glass sheets, the apparatus comprising an upper die, a suspension system for the upper die for suspending and vertically moving the upper die, a lower gravity bending mould and a plurality of spacer devices for spacing the upper die and the lower mould a selected distance from each other when the upper die presses a glass sheet on the lower mould, the suspension system being arranged and the spacer devices being configured to permit lateral movement of the upper die relative to the lower mould, the suspension system comprising a first counterbalance assembly connected to the die for providing the die with a selected net weight, a frame mounted above the die, a plurality of flexible members connecting the die to the frame for suspending the die below the frame whereby the die is capable of unconstrained lateral and tilting movement relative to the frame, and a die moving device connected to the frame for vertically moving the die, and including a second counterbalance assembly between the frame and the die moving device, the second counterbalance assembly including a second pulley mechanism having one end and an opposite other end, the one end of the second pulley mechanism being connected to the frame and the opposite other end of the second pulley mechanism being connected to a second counterweight, the second counterweight being connected to the die moving device.
A method of press bending glass sheets, the method comprising the steps of providing a glass sheet which is gravity bent and carried on a gravity bending mould;
- lowering an upper die onto the glass sheet by a suspension system which supports the upper die, the upper die having a lower surface to mould the glass sheet to a desired curved shape, and releasing the upper die from being supported by the suspension system so that the upper die rests on the glass sheet at a selected net weight during a press bending operation, the upper die being spaced above the gravity bending mould which comprises a lower die by a predetermined distance defined by a plurality of spacer devices;
- and wherein during the lowering step the upper die is unconstrained against lateral and tilting movement so that the upper die is permitted progressively to be aligned with the glass sheet as the upper die comes into contact with the glass sheet, the spacer devices being arranged to permit said lateral and tilting movement of the upper die.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.