APPARATUS FOR BENDING A GLASS SHEET SUPPORTED ON A RING MOULD

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for bending a glass sheet supported on a ring mould. The apparatus comprises a press-bending station provided with thermally insulated walls, a press-bending tool (6) above a glass sheet supported on a ring mould in the press-bending station, as well as a mechanism for lifting and lowering said press-bending tool (6). Said mechanism includes a claw crane (7), the top end (8) of one of its articulated arms being adapted for horizontal movements effected by a power unit (10), which is located outside the station and from which power is transmitted to claw crane (7) by means of a driving rod or shaft (9) driven through the wall. Said press tool (6) is fastened to a frame (11) carried by the bottom end of claw crane (7) also for horizontal movements. The operations of vertical and horizontal movements can be effected through a thermally insulated wall by means of driving shafts, whose through hole is permanently located.

Description: Apparatus for bending a glass sheet supported on a ring mould. The present invention relates to an apparatus for bend¬ ing a glass sheet supported on a ring mould, said appa¬ ratus comprising a press-bending station provided with thermally insulated walls, a press-bending tool above a ring-mould supported glass sheet in the press-bending station, as well as a mechanism for lifting and lower¬ ing the press-bending tool. This type of glass-bending apparatus is disclosed in Patent publication US 4 804 397. In that publication, the movements of a press tool for positioning and pressing are effected by means of a linkage driven through the station wall and the movements of such linkage require a relatively large through hole in the station wall. In addition, the mechanism is quite complicated and expensive and the accurate control of movments is difficult to obtain. The laid-open application EP 0338216 discloses a glass- bending apparatus, wherein a complicated moving mecha¬ nism for a press-bending tool is for the large part thereof located inside a bending station. However, the strength and proper function of complicated moving mechanisms are very difficult to secure at a glass- bending temperature. An object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for moving or carrying a glass sheet press- bending tool in a bending station. Particularly, the mechanisms capable of operating in the heat of a bend¬ ing station must be structurally as simple as possible while the operation thereof should not require through holes that are difficult to seal. This object is achieved on the basis of the character- izing features of the invention set forth in the annex¬ ed claims. The invention can be applied e.g. to effect movements of such bending moulds that are described in the Appli¬ cants' earlier Finnish Patent applications 901601, 901602 and 901603. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference made to the accompanying drawings, in which fig. 1 shows a cross-section of a press-bending station fitted with an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a lateral and partially cut-away view of the station of fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the same apparatus as fig. 1 supplemented, however, with heating devices 20 that can be carried into the station to replace the press- bending mechanisms to be moved out of the sta¬ tion, whereby said station can also be used as a conventional gravity-operated bender. Fig. 4 shows the apparatus of fig. 3 in a situation, wherein the press-bending mechanisms have been carried out of the station and heating devices 20 therein. Fig. 5 is a side view of the apparatus shown in figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 6 shows the same apparatus in a plan view. Fig. 7 shows a cross-section of a press-bending station fitted with an apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention, the overhead bend¬ ing press being structurally similar to the appa¬ ratus shown in fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a side view of the press-bending station shown in fig. 7. Fig. 9 shows the apparatus of fig. 7, the dash-and-dot lines illustrating the changeover position of a press tool carried out of the station. Fig. 10 is a side view showing how the station of fig. 9 is positioned as the penultimate station of a multi-station heating and bending furnace. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the same apparatus as shown in figs. 9 and 10. Referring to the emdodiment shown in figs. 1-6, a press- bending station 1 is mounted on the gable of a furnace assembly downstream of conventional heating and bending stations 2. A glass sheet is supported on a mould 3 which is carried from station to station by means of a mould trolley 4 provided on its sides with supporting rails which rest upon roller tracks 21. Following a bending operation, said mould 3 and trolley 4, together with a glass sheet thereon, are returned along a lower roller track 22 to the upstream end of a furnace assem¬ bly for simultaneously cooling a bent glass sheet and having it deliver heat to glass sheets on the upper track, as described in the Applicants' US Patents Nos . 4 497 645 and 4 986 842. The carry-over of mould and mould trolly 3, 4 from up¬ per track 21 to lower track 22 is effected by means of a claw crane 5, which is located in press-bending station 1 and one of whose articulated arms has its bottom end 14 carrying a driving rod 15 which is recip¬ rocally driven in horizontal direction (lengthwise di¬ rection of rod 15) by a piston-cylinder unit 16. The piston-cylinder unit 16 is located outside station 1 and rod 15 has been driven through the station wall by way of a single permanent through hole. The first ends of the arms of claw crane 5 are fixedly secured in po¬ sition while the second ends are sliding along hori¬ zontal guides. Said claw crane 5 has a top section 13 which braces itself against the floor 4 ' of mould trol¬ ley 4. Since, during the course of a press-bending operation, said mould 4 is supported from below with claw crane 5, it is possible to employ conventional mould trolleys 4 intended for gravitational bending. During a press-bending operation, said trolley 4 and a mould 3 carried thereby as well as a glass sheet thereon sit stationary in their position. From one station into another said trolleys 4 are carried in horizontal plane by rotating rollers 21 by means of a cardan shaft 21' located outside the stations. Said trolley 4 has its forward wall 28 provided with windows 29 and its rearward wall with correspondingly position¬ ed windows (not shown) for observing the bending pro¬ cess therethrough. A press-bending tool 6 , whose shape is selected accord¬ ing to a given desired bending shape, is replaceably fastened to a frame 11 which in turn is carried by the bottom ends of the articulated arms of claw crane 7. The arms of claw crane 7 have their first ends fixedly mounted and the opposite ends thereof are free to travel along horizontal guides, the first guides (guides 17) being permanently fixed to the station ceiling and the second (guides 11 *) to frame 11. One articulated arm of claw crane 7 includes an upper end 8, fitted with a driving rod 9 which is horizontally (in its longitudi¬ nal direction) movable by a piston-cylinder unit 10. In the present case, a similar claw crane 7 with its driving or operating unit 9, 10 is also mounted on the other side of the centre line of the station. When frame 11 has been lifted by means of claw crane 7 to its top position, a hand crank 12 can be used through the intermediary of its associated driving shaft 12' to shift the position of tool 6 • in horizontal plane, as shown with dash-and-dot lines on the right-hand side of the centre line of the station. As the movements of tool 6 occur along vertical and horizontal lines, the position of tool 6 can be accurately defined. The range of tools 6 may extend from partial surface mould to whole surface mould or such tools may be various local press elements for assisting gravitational bend¬ ing at difficult bending spots. As shown in fig. 4, said claw crane 7 together with its tool 6 is adapted to be carried out of station 1 upon rails 17. In order to facilitate this transfer, a section 19 of the station wall is adapted to be car¬ ried along as well. For the replacement of tool 6, said tool 6 can be lowered by means of claw crane 7 to the level of or below the bottom edge of wall sec¬ tion 19 for an easy replacement. In order to effect also conventional, gravity-based bending in press-bending station 1 , said bending press 6, 7 can be removed and replaced with heating devices 20. Therefore, the outer ends of transverse rails 17 are fitted with lengthwise rails 18 (fig. 6) , whereby the replacement between units 20 and 6, 7 can be ef¬ fected by picking up a unit extracted from the station off said rails 17. Fig. 4 illustrates heating devices 20 inside station 1 for carrying out the gravitational bending of a glass sheet placed on mould 3. In the position of fig. 3, said bending press 6, 7 is located in station 1 and heating devices 20 are outside the station. In all cases, the removable station wall sec¬ tion is is designated with the same reference numeral 19. The embodiment shown in figs. 7-11 will now be described only as far as it differs from what is described above. The same or identical components are designated with the same reference numerals as in the embodiment of figs. 1-6. As shown in figs. 10 and 11, a press-bending station 1 is located between two conventional bending stations 2 as a penultimate station. The final station 2 includes a hoisting gear 26 which is provided with consoles 27 for carrying the mould trolleys from upper track 21 down to lower track 22. Said consoles 27 only need to bear the weight of a mould trolley, a mould and a glass sheet but not the compressive force of a bend¬ ing press. As shown in figs. 7 and 8, the trolly in¬ cludes a floor 4' having therebelow shafts 23 pivotable by means of piston-cylinder units 25 and including cams 24 which by turning said shafts 23 can be brought to contact with trolly floor 4 ' for supporting and carry¬ ing the trolly during the course of a press-bending operation. This embodiment does not require replaceable heating devices in press-bending station 1 as said final sta¬ tion 2 is conventionally fitted with permanent heating devices for carrying out gravitational bending in final station 2. However, said bending press 6 , 7 is preferably adapted to be shifted out of station 1 for the replacement of tool 6, as shown in fig. 9. The above-described solution offers e.g. the follow¬ ing benefits: - simple construction - no through holes difficult to seal - applicable to existing bending furnace assembly - no specially designed mould trolly required - can be modified as normal bending station, if necess¬ ary - good visibility both from the end and from the sides for controlled bending (embodiment of figs. 1-6) - glass sheet is immediately subjected to quenching which is beneficial in terms of edge stresses (embo¬ diment of figs. 1-6) - actuators can be kept outside a heated station and just one permanent through hole is required - accurate control of movements, since only vertical and horizontal linear movements are employed - tool shifting mechanism can be applied to tools of varying shapes and sizes.

Claims: Claims 1. An apparatus for bending a glass sheet supported on a ring mould, said apparatus comprising a press- bending station (1) provided with thermally insulated walls, a press-bending tool (6) above a glass sheet supported on ring mould (3) in press-bending station (1), as well as a mechanism for lifting and lowering said press-bending tool (6), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said mechanism includes a claw crane (7) , the top end (8) of one articulated arm thereof being adapt¬ ed to a reciprocating movement in horizontal plane by means of a power unit (10) which is located outside station (1) and from which power is transmitted to claw crane (7) by means of a driving rod or shaft (9) driven through the wall. 2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that said press-bending tool (6) is secured to a frame (11) carried by the bottom end of claw crane (7), press-bending tool (6) carried by said frame being horizontally movable, and that, as said frame (11) is shifted by means of claw crane (7) to its top position, the horizontal moving mechanism for said tool (6) can be operated through the intermediary of a driving shaft (23') driven through the station wall. 3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the horizontal movements of tool (6) are effected by rotating said driving shaft (12 ') by means of a hand crank (12) . 4. An apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1 - 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said claw crane (7) along with its tool (6) and a section (19) of the wall of station (1) are adapted to be carried out of said station (1) upon rails (17) . 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that said tool (6) is fastened to frame (11) in a replaceable manner and that, for the replacement of tool (6), a claw crane (17) can be operated for lowering the tool to the level of or below said removable station wall section (19). 6. An apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1 - 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that on either side of the centre line of station (1) is provided a separately movable press tool (6) and each press tool (6) is car¬ ried by its own claw crane (7) . 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that below a mould-carrying trolly (4) there are ascendable and descendable supporting elements (5, 13; 23, 24) for bracing said mould trolly (4) and/ or mould (3) from below during the course of a press- bending operation from above. 8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that said supporting elements include supporting cams (24) mounted eccentrically on a pivot- able shaft (23) as well as a power unit (25) outside the station for pivoting said shaft (23) . 9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that said supporting elements include a claw crane (5) , the bottom end (14) of one of its articulated arms being adapted for horizontal movements by means of a power unit (16) , which is located outside station (1) and from which power is transmitted to claw crane (5) by means of a driving rod or shaft (15) driven through the station wall. 10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said press-bending station (1) is located as the final station of a multi-station heating and bending furnace having transverse rails (17) extending from both sides thereof, said rails be¬ ing linked with lengthwise rails (18), and that both sides of said station (1) are provided with heating devices (20) movable along said rails (17, 18), which devices can be carried inside station (1) after said press-bending tool (6) along with its claw crane (7) has been carried outside said station (1) .

Inventors: LEPONEN MAURI ERIK, LIND KALEVI, YLI-VAKKURI ERKKI, LEPONEN, MAURI, ERIK, LIND, KALEVI, YLI-VAKKURI, ERKKI
Applicants: TAMGLASS ENG OY, TAMGLASS ENGINEERING OY
Application year: 1992
Main classification: C03B23
IPC codes: C03B23