APPARATUS FOR FORMING GLASS LENS AND PRODUCTION PROCESS

PURPOSE:To form a lens in high accuracy and short time by successively transferring a forming block composed of a pair of forming molds and a drum mold through a heating zone, pressing zone and cooling zone to effect the heating, deformation and cooling of the glass material in high thermal efficiency. CONSTITUTION:The forming block A to be used in the present apparatus is composed of a pair of upper mold 17 and lower mold 18 for holding a glass material 20 and a drum mold 19. A shutter 28 attached to the charging port 26 of a chamber 1 is opened and the forming block A is pushed with a cylinder 32 and introduced into the chamber 1. The block is successively transferred through plural heating stages 3, 4, 5, a deformation stage 6 and cooling stages 7,8,9 to effect successive heating, deformation and cooling of the glass material 20 in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to obtain a formed glass lens. A shutter 30 of the outlet port 29 is opened, the forming block A is taken out of the chamber 1 and the formed lens is released from the mold.