To provide: a guide roller, whereby a replacement operation time can be shortened, guide roller position adjustment operations are not needed, and an equipment stop time can be reduced, and which contributes to suppression of productivity deterioration; and a substrate transfer apparatus provided with the guide roller. A substrate transfer apparatus (1) is provided with transfer rollers (3); a plurality of transfer shafts (2) that are provided with the transfer rollers (3); a guide roller (5) that guides a substrate (10); and a roller holding section (6) having a supporting shaft (62) that supports the guide roller (5) at one end. A contact section (52) of the guide roller (5) in contact with the substrate (10) can be separated from other sections (a base section (51) and a nut section (53)).

A glass sheet press forming station (32) and method for press forming hot glass sheets with transverse curvature is performed by initially limiting the central forming of a glass sheet (G) between its end portions upon pickup from a roll conveyor to an upper mold (38) and prior to press forming with an associated lower mold (66) to prevent central area optical distortion of the press formed glass sheet.

A high load, high temperature compatible bearing assembly (200) includes a shaft (208) formed of refractory steel or high temperature alloy. A roller (204) formed of refractory steel or high temperature alloy receives the shaft (208) within a bore (220) in the roller (204). At least one bearing ring (212) formed of ceramic is disposed between the shaft (208) and the roller (204). The bearing ring (212) cooperates with the roller (204) to permit the roller (204) to freely rotate around the shaft (208).

A device for bending sheets of glass, includes conveying rollers that convey the sheets one after another in a longitudinal direction, carrying them under an upper bending die and onto a receiving surface formed by the upper level of the rollers under the die. The device includes an intermediate support including a contact path for supporting the sheet of glass to be pressed lying under the die. The contact path has, parallel to the edge of the sheet to be pressed, a curvature that is less accentuated than the curvature that is to be imparted by the upper die. The intermediate support can rise above the receiving surface and support the sheet to be pressed until the sheet breaks contact with the rollers. The intermediate support can be lowered down below the receiving surface. A sheet-pressing system can press the periphery of the sheet against the upper bending die.

A mold shuttle positioning system in a glass sheet forming system includes a mold mounted on a support frame. A shuttle frame including a pair of generally parallel elongate beams for receiving and supporting the mold support frame thereon. At least one support wheel assembly including a wheel and a shuttle guide is mounted in proximity to each of the shuttle beams to position and support each one of the beams as the shuttle frame is moved to position the mold supported thereon at one of multiple desired processing locations. At least one mold guide is mounted on the support surface of one of the beams for receiving and fixing the position of the mold support frame relative to the shuttle frame to align and prevent movement of the mold support frame with respect to the shuttle frame in any direction as the mold support frame is supported thereon.

A mold apparatus for bending a glass sheet includes a main frame structure and a first mold arrangement having a first mold and a guide frame connected to the first mold. A first guide member of the guide frame is guidable by the frame structure such that it is inhibited from moving laterally in any direction, and a second guide member of the guide frame is guidable by the frame structure such that it is movable laterally away from the first guide member due to thermal expansion. The apparatus further includes a second mold arrangement including a second mold and a frame that supports the second mold such that the second mold is movable laterally relative to the frame. A sensor is also included for sensing position of one of the molds to determine whether the one mold is in a suitable position for mating with the other mold.

A hot glass sheet processing system includes a roller conveyor (22) having sintered bonded fused silica rollers (24) and a roller support structure (34) located within a heated location (32) together with an elongated cooling unit (36) having a housing (38) defining a cooling chamber (40) that receives and has bearings (42) that rotatably support an aligned set of roller ends (30) having end caps (86) adhesively bonded to the roller ends. The cooling unit includes a cooling circuit that supplies cooling fluid to the cooling chamber (40) to provide cooling of the aligned set of roller ends (30) and the bearings (42).

A conveying device for conveying sheets of glass advancing one behind the other includes a conveyor for conveying the sheets of glass in a longitudinal direction and a detection device for detecting the orientation of a sheet of glass, the detection device including two stops each to come into contact with the edge face of the sheet of glass, the detection device delivering an electrical signal relating to each contact with each stop, the electrical signals being coupled to an acquisition system making it possible to establish the length of time between contacts between the sheet of glass and each stop.

Apparatus (54) for positioning performed glass sheets for further forming includes positioners (55) that are moved slower than the speed of glass sheet conveyance to provide rotational adjustment of a glass sheet into alignment above a forming mold (52) under the operation of a controller (78). The forming mold (52) is moved upwardly for the forming in a pressing manner against a downwardly facing upper mold (58).

The invention relates to a method for shaping a glass sheet comprising the steps (i) heating the glass sheet to a temperature suitable for shaping; (ii) depositing the glass sheet on a first bending tool for supporting the glass sheet thereon, the glass sheet being in a first position relative to the first bending tool; (iii) contacting an edge portion of the glass sheet such that the glass sheet is moved to a second position relative to the first bending tool; and (iv) shaping the glass sheet on the first bending tool. Positioning devices for moving a hot glass sheet during the method of the invention are described. A glass shaping line for carrying out the method is also described.