Method and device for crowning glass sheets

A process for bending glass sheets heated to their softening point, comprising the steps of:

• laying glass sheets on a concave bending frame to be prebent by gravity;
• transferring the prebent glass sheets to a transfer former with a concave forming surface, the outside dimensions of the transfer former being smaller than those of an area enclosed by the concave bending frame, by moving the transfer former in a generally vertical relative movement through the concave bending frame;
• positioning the transfer former to vertically overlie a final bending former in a form of a frame with a concave forming surface, the outside dimensions of the transfer former being smaller than those of the area enclosed by the concave final bending former;
• moving the transfer former in a generally vertical relative movement through the final bending former in a form of a frame, the transferred glass sheets being laid on the final bending former;
• bending the transferred glass sheets into a final shape while being supported on the final bending former;
• and
• transferring, at an end of the bending step, the bent glass sheets in their final shape from the final bending former to a transport system, and cooling the bent glass sheets.