Method for separating a pane of brittle material from a moving ribbon of material

A method of separating a pane from a moving ribbon of brittle material, the method comprising:

• providing a moving ribbon of brittle material comprising a visco-elastic region, the moving ribbon of brittle material descending from a forming body and travelling in a moving direction with a vertical velocity vector V, wherein the moving ribbon has a width direction substantially orthogonal to the moving direction;
• providing a first press bar, a second press bar, and at least a first backing bar, each of the bars extending along the width direction of the moving ribbon;
• contacting a first side of the moving ribbon with the first press bar and contacting a second side of the moving ribbon with the at least first backing bar to restrain a portion of the ribbon, the first press bar and the at least first backing bar translating with a velocity vector substantially matching the ribbon vertical velocity vector V;
• engaging the ribbon with a pane engaging assembly;
• forming a score line in the first side of the moving ribbon opposite the at least first backing bar wherein a contact surface of the at least first backing bar contacts the moving ribbon along substantially the entire width of the moving ribbon so as to be in contact with the moving ribbon for the length of the score line during the forming of the score line;
• separating the pane from the ribbon along the score line downstream of the restrained portion of the ribbon while contacting the ribbon first side with the second press bar, the second press bar positioned downstream of the score line and translating with a velocity vector substantially matching the ribbon vertical velocity vector V, the score line being positioned between the first press bar and the second press bar during the separating;
• and
• releasing the restrained portion of the ribbon after separating the pane from the ribbon.