Process for dividing glass panels into blanks

A device for dividing glass panels into blanks, comprising:

• a notching station for notching said glass panels with horizontal and vertical notched lines comprising a support surface that is oriented essentially vertically, a conveyor mounted on a lower edge of said notching station, and a cutting head that is adjustable along said support surface;
• a first breaking station with first braking means for breaking glass along a notched line, placed in proximity to said notching station for accepting said glass panel from said notching station and for breaking said glass panel into glass panel parts by breaking said glass panel along said vertical notched lines;
• a pivoting station placed in proximity to said first breaking station for accepting said glass panel parts and for pivoting said glass panel parts by 90.degree. about an axis perpendicular to a plane of said glass panel parts so that said horizontal notched lines are vertically oriented;
• and
• a second breaking station with second breaking means for breaking said glass panel parts into blanks, placed in proximity to said pivoting station for accepting said glass panel parts and for dividing said glass panel parts into blanks by breaking said glass panel parts along said horizontal notched lines that are vertically oriented.

A method of dividing a glass panel, having narrow edges defining a panel width and long edges defining a panel length, into blanks, comprising the steps of:

• producing notched cutting X-lines parallel to said narrow edges of said glass panel and traversing said panel width with said glass panel being essentially vertically oriented;
• producing notched cutting Y-lines parallel to said long edges between said notched cutting X-lines with said glass panel being essentially vertically oriented;
• subsequent to producing said notched cutting X-lines and said notched cutting Y-lines, moving said glass panel to a breaking station wherein said glass panel is essentially vertically oriented and wherein said notched cutting X-lines are essentially vertically oriented;
• breaking said glass panel into glass panel parts along said notched cutting X-lines;
• pivoting said glass panel parts about an axis perpendicular to a plane of said glass panel parts so that said notched cutting Y-lines are essentially vertically oriented;
• and
• dividing said glass panel parts into blanks along said notched cutting Y-lines.

An apparatus for dividing a glass panel into blanks, comprising:

• a first station for accepting said glass panel, for retaining said glass panel in an essentially vertical position, and for breaking said glass panel into glass panel parts by breaking said glass panel along vertical notching lines while maintaining said glass panel in an essentially vertical position;
• a second station placed proximate to said first station for accepting said glass panel parts from said first station, for retaining said glass panel parts in an essentially vertical position, and for pivoting said glass panel parts by 90.degree. about an axis perpendicular to a plane of said glass panel parts;
• and
• a third station placed proximate to said second station for accepting said glass panel parts from said second station, for retaining said glass panel parts in an essentially vertical position, and for breaking said glass panels into blanks by breaking said glass panels parts along notching lines vertically oriented while maintaining said glass panel parts in an essentially vertical position.