A furnace with a cooling device for cooling edge portions of one or more sheets to strengthen the edge portions of the sheets, comprising: a section defined as a heating section capable of attaining a predetermined temperature, the heating section having an entrance end and an exit end; a section defined as a cooling section capable of having a temperature gradient from entrance end of the cooling section to exit end of the cooling section, the entrance end of the cooling section mounted in a fixed relationship to the exit end of the heating section; a section defined as an edge cooling section between the exit end of the heating section and the entrance end of the cooling section; and an edge cooling device positioned in the edge cooling section relative to a predetermined area, and capable of cooling at least selected peripheral edge portions of the sheet at a faster rate than center portions of the sheet, wherein the edge cooling device (a) is selected from equipment for directing gas toward the peripheral edge portions of the sheet and equipment for providing a vacuum to pull gas from the peripheral edge portions of the sheet, and (b) comprises a manifold encircling the peripheral edge portions of the sheet, the manifold having an interior surface facing the peripheral edge portions of the sheet and having passageways to move a gas toward or away from the peripheral edge portions of the sheet further comprising a conveying system to move at least one glass sheet through the heating section, through the edge cooling section to position the sheet in the predetermined area, and through the cooling section, wherein the glass sheet at the exit end of the cooling section is a glass sheet having strengthened edge portions, wherein the heating section is capable of attaining a temperature sufficient to heat the at least one glass sheet to its shaping temperature and the conveying system comprises: an outline mold for supporting the at least one glass sheet, and a conveyor for moving the outline mold sequentially through the heating section, edge cooling section and edge cooling section of the furnace. a section defined as a heating section capable of attaining a predetermined temperature, the heating section having an entrance end and an exit end; a section defined as a cooling section capable of having a temperature gradient from entrance end of the cooling section to exit end of the cooling section, the entrance end of the cooling section mounted in a fixed relationship to the exit end of the heating section; a section defined as an edge cooling section between the exit end of the heating section and the entrance end of the cooling section; and an edge cooling device positioned in the edge cooling section relative to a predetermined area, and capable of cooling at least selected peripheral edge portions of the sheet at a faster rate than center portions of the sheet, wherein the edge cooling device (a) is selected from equipment for directing gas toward the peripheral edge portions of the sheet and equipment for providing a vacuum to pull gas from the peripheral edge portions of the sheet, and (b) comprises a manifold encircling the peripheral edge portions of the sheet, the manifold having an interior surface facing the peripheral edge portions of the sheet and having passageways to move a gas toward or away from the peripheral edge portions of the sheet further comprising a conveying system to move at least one glass sheet through the heating section, through the edge cooling section to position the sheet in the predetermined area, and through the cooling section, wherein the glass sheet at the exit end of the cooling section is a glass sheet having strengthened edge portions, wherein the heating section is capable of attaining a temperature sufficient to heat the at least one glass sheet to its shaping temperature and the conveying system comprises: an outline mold for supporting the at least one glass sheet, and a conveyor for moving the outline mold sequentially through the heating section, edge cooling section and edge cooling section of the furnace. an outline mold for supporting the at least one glass sheet, and a conveyor for moving the outline mold sequentially through the heating section, edge cooling section and edge cooling section of the furnace.