To provide a method and device for supporting the central portion of a glass panel bent in a mold by such method which allows the implementation of the central support even within an automatic continuous kiln.

The central portion of the panel is supported by central supporting elements (11-19) placed together with a mold transporting base (5) in a preheating stage of the glass panel. In an initial period of the bending stage, the central support is released by pushing up of supporting rods 21 through the bottom (5a) of the mold transporting base. The central part of the glass panel is thereafter supported by lowering the glass panel onto the supporting rods 21 under the control of glass panel temperature measurement (28). The controlled lifting of the supporting rods is executed by lifting mechanisms (23 and 27) existing at a transporting base elevator (7). The central support may thus be implemented even in the automatically controlled continuous kiln.