The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for modifying the shape of a hollow structure. The method may comprise steps of providing a hollow structure having a cross-section with first and second diameters defining a first aspect ratio; heating at least a part of the hollow structure to at least its glass transition temperature, forming a malleable hollow structure; maintaining a positive pressure inside the malleable hollow structure to form a pressurized hollow structure; and pressing against a first side and an opposed second side of a heated part of the pressurized hollow structure, forming a hollow tabular structure having first and second opposed generally flat faces and a second aspect ratio greater than the first aspect ratio.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for modifying the shape of a hollow structure. The method may comprise steps of providing a hollow structure having a cross-section with first and second diameters defining a first aspect ratio; heating at least a part of the hollow structure to at least its glass transition temperature, forming a malleable hollow structure; maintaining a positive pressure inside the malleable hollow structure to form a pressurized hollow structure; and pressing against a first side and an opposed second side of a heated part of the pressurized hollow structure, forming a hollow tabular structure having first and second opposed generally flat faces and a second aspect ratio greater than the first aspect ratio.

A support structure for supporting a heated glass sheet in connection with a bending operation includes a frame, a support ring adjustably supported on the frame for supporting a peripheral portion of the glass sheet, and multiple rib assemblies associated with the frame. Each rib assembly includes a laterally extending rib supported on the frame and multiple spaced apart support members connected to the rib and configured such that at least a portion of each support member is adjustable with respect to the rib. Furthermore, each support member is configured to contact a respective inner portion of the glass sheet to support the respective inner portion of the glass sheet until the glass sheet has been sufficiently cooled.

A glass sheet used in the making of an aircraft windshield is shaped using the cut-to-size method instead of the out-after-bend method. In a preferred aspect of the invention the cut-to-size method is practiced using a bending iron having a sheet shaping rail having a stationary shaping rail portion mounted on a support member and an articulating shaping rail portion pivotally mounted on the support member for movement from a non-shaping position to a shaping position.

Disclosed are apparatuses for shaping a glass structure, the apparatuses having a plurality of rib members, each rib member comprising at least one void and at least one shaping edge; and at least one support member. The apparatuses can further comprise a shaping member and/or a guide member and/or a shaping groove. Also disclosed herein are methods for shaping a glass structure, the methods comprising positioning the glass structure on a shaping apparatus and heating the glass structure to shape the glass structure.

A device for bending sheets of glass running between a bed of upper rolls and a bed of lower rolls forming a shaping bed that pinches the sheets as they run, the shaping bed being disposed in a path having a curved profile in the running direction of the sheets of glass, the shaping bed including at least one roll of what is known as the rod/sheath type including a fixed metal rod preformed in a curved profile lengthwise and a flexible sheath that is able to rotate about the rod, the sheath being rotated about the rod. The roll of the rod/sheath type may include a metal rod preformed in a curved profile lengthwise and a flexible sheath that is able to rotate about the rod, the sheath including a first envelope made of a polymer material and a second envelope made of a flexible metal material disposed around the first envelope, the first and the second envelope rotating together as one.

In a method of making shaped glass articles, a glass sheet is placed on a mold having a shaping surface with a desired surface profile of a shaped glass article. The glass sheet is preferentially and rapidly heated by radiation while in the vicinity of the mold so that the mold remains substantially cooler than the glass sheet during the heating. The glass sheet is sagged onto the shaping surface of the mold so that at least a portion of the sagged sheet assumes the desired surface profile of the shaped glass article. After sagging and shaping, the sagged and shaped glass sheet is removed from the mold.

The invention provides a method of making a vessel having a sculptural interior, comprising attaching a textile core to the air inlet port of an I.S. machine, inserting a gob of molten glass into a mold to surround the textile core, applying compressed air to press the molten glass around the textile core, applying compressed air to inflate the textile core creating the bottle, allowing the bottle to cool sufficiently to withdraw the core from the bottle, and withdrawing the textile core from the bottle.

A method of reforming glass includes placing a glass sheet on a mold having a shaping surface for forming the glass sheet into a shaped glass article. A target starting mold forming temperature and temperature window are selected for the mold. A target starting mold forming temperature and temperature window are also selected for the glass sheet. The glass sheet and mold are simultaneously exposed to a first furnace condition controlled to a furnace temperature set point above the target starting mold forming temperature until a temperature of the mold is within the first temperature window. The glass sheet and mold are simultaneously exposed to a second furnace condition controlled to a furnace temperature set point between the target starting mold forming temperature and first furnace temperature set point until a temperature of the glass sheet is within the second temperature window, after which forming of the glass sheet starts.

A bending station for a bending device, includes two bending molds, a pressing frame arranged to adapt to the glass sheet and to press it against an upper mold, the upper mold including a molding face, the area of which, defined by projecting the contour of the upper mold onto a horizontal plane, is greater than the area defined by projecting the outer contour of the pressing frame and the glass sheet onto the same horizontal plane, the pressing frame including a pressing ring having a continuous surface, the upper mold including a flexible sheet associated with an upper series of translational elements, wherein the upper mold is able to deform under the effect of the translational elements of the upper series in order to obtain a deflection value varying by at least 5 mm.