Method and apparatus for molding glass
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsAllan M. Fredholm, Gilbert D. Pujol
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for pressing glass articles. A single mold may be utilized for each article being pressed. The plunger has a ring-like member movably attached thereto. After pressing, when the plunger is retracted from the plunger, the plunger retains the glass article thereon. The ring-like member is then lowered relative to the plunger, thereby removing the pressed article therefrom.
Claims23
A method of forming a glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic article by pressing which comprises:
- depositing formable glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic material into a female mold;
- moving said mold to a passing station and into alignment with a plunger which comprises a movable ring member movably attached thereto, said ring member comprising vacuum means thereon;
- pressing said formable material into a formed article by moving said plunger toward a mold cavity which is defined by said female mold to form a mold cavity defined by said female mold, said plunger, and said ring;
- and
- retracting said plunger from said mold, while maintaining said ring member and said plunger in contact with said formed article, said plunger retaining said article thereon to thereby remove said article from said mold, said retracting step comprising applying said vacuum to facilitate said retaining.
A method of forming a glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic article by pressing which comprises:
- depositing formable glass, ceramic or glass-ceramic material at a viscosity of less than about 10.sup.5 poises from a gob discharge station into a plurality of female molds seriatim, said female molds disposed around said gob discharge station;
- moving each of said molds to one of a plurality of pressing stations, each mold having its own respective pressing station, each of said pressing stations having a plunger;
- pressing said formable material into a formed article at each pressing station by moving said plunger at each pressing station into each of said female molds and allowing said glass to cool to a temperature which corresponds to a viscosity of at least 10.sup.8 poises;
- and
- removing said formed article from each of said female molds via said vacuum plunger.
A method of forming a glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic article by pressing which comprises:
- depositing formable glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic material into a female mold;
- moving said mold to a pressing station and into alignment with a plunger;
- pressing said formable material into a formed article by moving said plunger into said female and maintaining said plunger until the glass has cooled to a temperature which corresponds to a viscosity of at least about 10.sup.7, said pressing step comprising maintaining said plunger at a temperature which is greater than the mold;
- and
- retracting said plunger from said mold, said plunger retaining said article thereon by vacuum means to thereby remove said article from said mold.
A method of forming a glass ceramic, or glass-ceramic article by pressing which comprises:
- depositing formable glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic material into a female mold;
- moving said mold to a pressing station and into alignment with a plunger which comprises vacuum means thereon for aiding in retaining said article to said plunger;
- pressing said formable material into a formed article by moving said plunger into said female mold;
- and
- applying vacuum from said plunger and retracting said plunger from said mold, said plunger retaining said article thereon to thereby remove said article from said mold, said vacuum means facilitating said retaining of said article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.