maining region obtained by subtracting the regions R4 and R5 from the entire region of the end face 13 of the glass plate 2), i.e., in this embodiment for grinding the end face in the regions R5 and R6 of the glass plate 2; and a moving means 19 for moving the working head 18 in the X direction along the regions R5 and R6. [0016] Thesupporting table 4 includes a pairofsucker devices 40 each having a rectangularsuckerwhich sucks and fixes the glass plate 2 from a reverse surface side of the glass plate 2 and extends in the X direction, as well as a supporting table body 41 which is provided on the base 3 and on an upper end of which the pair of sucker devices 40 are disposed. The supporting table 4 is adapted to support the glass plate 2 by sucking and fixing the glass plate 2, which has been transported by the transporting means 5, by means of the pair of sucker devices 40 ata workingposition with respectto theglass plate 2. 

[0017] Thetransporting means 5 includes asuckerde- vice 50 having a rectangular sucker which sucks and fixes an unworked glass plate 2, which is carried in from an upstream side 100 of the glass plate 2, from the re- verse surface side ofthe glassplate 2 and extends in the X direction; a supporting stand 51 on an upper end of which the sucker device 50 is disposed and which sup- ports the glass plate 2; a traveling table 52 on which the supporting stand 51 is disposed and which is linearly movable (reciprocatable)in theX direction;a pairofguide rails 53 which are disposed on the base 3 and guide and support the traveling table 52 linearly movably (recipro- catably) in the X direction; and a driving means 54 for linearly moving (reciprocating) the traveling table 52 in the X direction along the guide rails 53. 

[0018] The driving means 54 includes a rack 55 which is disposed on the base 3 and extends in the X direction in parallel therewith; a pinion gear 56 meshing with the rack 55; and a servo motor 57 which has an output ro- tating shaft (motor shaft) with the pinion gear 56 fitted at one end thereof and is mounted on the traveling table 52. Concerning the glass plate 2 sucked and fixed by means of the sucker device 50, the transporting means 5 is adapted to carry in the unworked glass plate 2 from the upstream side 100 of the glass plate 2 onto the sup- porting table 4 and meanwhile to carry outa worked glass plate 2 from the supporting table 4 to a downstream side 200 by moving (reciprocating) the traveling table 52 in the X direction through the rotation of the pinion gear 56 by the operation of the servo motor 57 of the drivi ng means54 and through the meshingofthepinion gear 56 with the rack 55. 

[0019] The respective ones of the working heads 7, 11, 14, and 18 are formed similarly to one another, and the respectiveonesofthe moving means 10, 12,17,and 19 are formed similarly to one another. Therefore, a de- tailed description will be given hereafter of the working head7 and the moving means10,while,as for the work- ing heads 11, 14, and 18 and the moving means 12, 17, and 19, the samereference numerals will be given in the 

drawings, asrequired,anda detaileddescriptionthereof will be omitted. 

[0020] The working head 7 includes a grinding wheel 25 for working the end face in the region R1 of the glass plate 2, i.e., in this embodiment for grinding the end face in the region R1 of the glass plate 2; a spindle motor 26 having an output rotating shaft (motor shaft) on one end of which the grinding wheel 25 is mounted; a slide body 27 on which the spindle motor 26 is mounted and which is capable of raising and lowering the spindle motor 26 in a Z direction which isa verticaldirection;apairofguide rails 28 for guiding and supporting the slide body 27 lift- ably movably (reciprocatably) in the Z direction; a ball screw nut(notshown)mounted on the slide body 27 and a ball screw 29 engaged threadedly with the ball screw nut; and a raising/lowering servo motor 30 which is cou- pled to the ball screw 29 and effects the raising and low- ering movement (reciprocating movement) of the slide body 27 in the Z direction along the pair ofguide rails 28. 

5 

10 

15 

[0021] The moving means 10 includes a traveling table 60 which is linearly movable (reciprocatable) in the X direction; a pair of guide rails 62 which are disposed on the base 3 and guide and support the traveling table 60 linearlymovably (reciprocatably)in the X direction;a driv- ing means 63 for linearly moving (reciprocating) the traveling table 60 in the X direction along the guide rails 62;andacutting amountadjusting means 64 foradjusting a cutting amount (grinding amount) in the Y direction of the grinding wheel 25 of the working head 7 with respect to the end face 6 of the glass plate 2 by linearly moving (reciprocating) the grinding head 7 in the Y direction. 

20 

25 

30 

[0022] The driving means 63 includes a rack 70 which is disposed on the base 3 and extends in the X direction in parallel therewith; a pinion gear 71 meshing with the rack 70; and a servo motor 72 which has an output ro- tating shaft (motor shaft) with the pinion gear 71 fitted at one end thereof and is mounted on the traveling table 60. The moving means 10 is adapted to linearly move (reciprocate) the traveling table 60 in the X direction through the rotation ofthepinion gear71 by theoperation ofthe servomotor72 ofthe drivingmeans 63and through the meshing of the pinion gear 71 with the rack 70. 

35 

40 

[0023] The cutting amount adjusting means 64 in- cludes a moving stand 75 on which the working head 7 is mounted and which is supported on the traveling table 60 linearly movably (reciprocatably) in the Y direction; a pair of guide rails 76 for guiding and supporting the mov- ing stand 75 linearly movably (reciprocatably) in the Y direction; a ball screw nut (not shown) mounted on the moving stand75 and aballscrew 77 engagedthreadedly with the ball screw nut; and a servo motor 78 which is coupled to the ball screw 77 and linearly moves (recip- rocates) the moving stand 75 in the Y direction along the pair of guide rails 76. The moving means 10 is adapted to adjust the cutting amount (grinding amount) in the Y direction of the grinding wheel 25 of the grinding head 7 with respect to the end face 6 of the glass plate 2 by moving the moving stand 75 in the Y direction by means 

45 

50 

55 

