Patent ID: 6729160
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: C03B

Abstract:
Apparatus for forming hated glass sheets comprising:a housing having a heated chamber; an upper mold support assembly for supporting an upper mold within the heated chamber for cyclical vertical movement between upper and lower positions; a lower mold shuttle for supporting a lower mold for cyclical movement between an idle position horizontally spaced from the upper mold and a use position below the upper mold; a lower mold support assembly to which the lower mold is cyclically transferred from the lower mold shuttle in the use position to provide support thereof while permitting horizontal alignment of the lower mold with the upper mold as necessary upon each cycle of downward movement of the upper mold for cooperation of the molds to form a heated glass sheet between the molds; and vertically movable rollers having an upper position that support the lower mold shuttle during the cyclical movement of the lower mold between the idle and use positions and having a lower position at which the lower mold shuttle is moved downwardly with the lower mold in the use position to provide the cyclical transfer of the lower mold to the lower mold support assembly.