Patent ID: 6983624
Filing Date: 2006-01-10
Classification: C03B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for bending glass panels, said apparatus comprising: an upper tier of successive mould carriages, having a front or back wall thereof separating from each other at least the following stations: successive preheating stations including a last preheating station, a bending station, and at least one pre-bending station upstream of the bending station, said mould carriages being adapted to be intermittently movable towards the bending station; a lower tier of successive mould carriages, having a front or back wall thereof separating successive cooling stations from each other, said mould carriages being adapted to be intermittently movable in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the upper tier carriages; a number of bending moulds supported by the mould carriages; first radiation heating elements in the ceiling of the preheating stations at least in some of the preheating stations; second radiation heating elements in the ceiling of the pre-bending and bending stations; an intermediate floor which separates the at least one pre-bending station and the last preheating station from a cooling station therebelow; a lift mechanism for lowering the mould carriages from the upper tier to the lower tier together with bent glass panels; and third radiation heat elements disposed on ton of the intermediate floor; wherein the mould carriages have an open-structured or otherwise highly heat transmitting floor, and the third radiation heating elements are positioned below the level defined by the floor of the mould carriage; and wherein the third radiation heating elements are disposed adjacent to one another in a lateral direction relative to at least one of the last preheating station and the at least one pre-bending station.