Abstract: A process for producing a composite element comprising a plurality of sheet members 64 rigidly secured to a support 65 with their rear main faces in contact therewith, characterized in that the sheet members, which have a perceptible reflectance, are placed on a jig 61 in one or more predetermined orientations relatively to one another, and a fluid, settable substance is applied to the thus arranged sheet members 64 e.g. by pouring from a ladle 66 and is caused or allowed to set at least partially while the sheet members 64 remain on the jig 61 to form at least part of a substantially rigid support structure 65 for the sheet members 64.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating fragile vitreous articles such as glass sheets which are apt to break when the treatment involves thermal conditioning. The apparatus includes spaced conveyor members for conveying the articles in a predetermined direction over a treatment area. To assist in the easy removal of any broken fragments of said vitreous articles, the treatment area is located beneath the conveyor members and has a plurality of heads for treating the underside of the articles. The treatment heads are retractable from a treating position, where they project into the spaces between the conveyor members, into a retracted position, where they are spaced beneath the conveyor members. A sweepable fragment collecting surface is spaced beneath said conveyor members. A sweeper is provided for cleaning the collecting surface when the treatment heads are retracted.

Abstract: When water is removed from a body of wet intumescent material by heating it for a period of time during which water is allowed to evaporate, microbubbles tend to form in the resulting body during the later stages of drying and/or during aging of the body.In order to reduce this tendency, during at least a part of the heating period there is introduced into the atmosphere in contact with the intumescent material one or more gases which is less soluble in the intumescent material than is oxygen, and/or one or more gases which is the vapor phase of a solvent for the body. The most preferred solvent vapor is steam, and preferred less soluble gases include SF.sub.6, CF.sub.4, N.sub.2 and cyclohexane.

Abstract: A process for rapid and uniform cooling of glass comprising introducing it into a fluidized bed of particles under conditions such that heat is transferred from the glass to the fluidized material. The fluidized material comprises particles which can be caused to undergo endothermic change by heating them to a temperature lower than the temperature of the glass as it enters the fluidized bed.

Abstract: A process of coating glass with tin oxide by exposing the glass to a gaseous medium containing tin tetrachloride vapor under conditions causing formation of the oxide coating by chemical reaction and/or decomposition. The glass is moved continuously through the coating zone and in order to promote a high optical quality of the coating the gaseous medium is formed with a tin tetrachloride concentration corresponding to a partial pressure of at least 2.5.times.10.sup.-3 atm. and contains water vapor in a concentration corresponding to a partial pressure of at least 10.times.10.sup.-3 atm. and the gaseous medium contacts the glass face to be coated while said medium is at a temperature of at least 300.degree. C. and such face is at a temperature above 550.degree. C.

Abstract: A method of soldering a first, vitreous component for example a sheet to at least one second component which is vitreous or metallic, in which the or each vitreous component is metallized in the joint region(s), the components are assembled together in the required relationship where they may be held by a clamp and the joint region(s) of the assembly is or are dipped in a bath of molten solder to bond it together as a unit. Such a unit may be constituted as an envelope containing one or more electrical circuit components, as a fluid flow directing unit or as a pane for incorporation into a leaded window.

Abstract: A solar-energy collector has a frame receiving a double-pane unit consisting of a pair of transparent panes hermetically sealed together and defining the flow chamber for the heat-collecting fluid. The frame also supports a cover pane which defines, with the aforementioned unit, a heat-insulating dead-air space. The pane of the unit turned toward the sun is provided with an emission-limiting coating on its side facing the dead-air space while the pane of the unit turned away from the sun is provided with means for increasing its heat-absorption capacity. The frame members at opposite sides of the collector can be provided with fittings for connecting the collector to a source of the heat-absorbing fluid and to the output line of the collector.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fire-screening glazing panel comprising at least one layer of intumescent material 15 sandwiched between two structural plies 13, 14 of the panel comprises forming the layer and securing the plies together.In order to avoid or reduce problems associated with drying the layer 15, an assembly is made in which the structural plies 13, 14 sandwich a layer 15 of intumescent material which is constituted by one or more materials of which at least the greater part by volume is in granular form.In a second aspect, in order to facilitate degassing of the intumescent layer, such layer 15 contains intumescent material of which at least part is in the form of grains, and the intumescent material is subjected to suction at the edges of the assembly (e.g. using a vacuum pump 10 connected to an edge sealing tube 12) in a degassing step and the assembly is subjected to heat (e.g. by heaters 7,8) and/or pressure conditions (e.g.

Abstract: A method of prestressing at least one of the glass sheets of a sandwich safety glass, while being bent in a furnace, the glass sheet, after passing through a bending zone, being passed by a blow system and cooled by cooling air in the furnace in a temperature zone above the transformation point but below the deformation point of the glass, and an apparatus for such prestressing comprising a travelling die supporting superimposed sheets, a bending furnace zone to soften the sheets, and a cooling zone, the cooling zone having a blow system that subjects the bent sheet or sheets to cooling air.

Abstract: A technique for factory glazing of glass panes in window frames is provided. Each frame has a pane receiving groove which corresponds in its depth approximately to the thickness of the glass pane. This groove is filled with a pane edge and a hardenable sealing mass. The invention further relates to a process for factory glazing of glass panes, in particular, glass panes which have been individually inserted into a window frame groove that is open or accessible on one side and that corresponds in its depth approximately to the thickness of the glass pane. When such groove is filled with a hardenable sealing mass, the latter is subsequently hardened.

Abstract: A process for forming a solid layer of intumescent material from a fluid material which comprises the steps of pouring the fluid material onto a mold and evaporating the liquid from the fluid material while the fluid material is contained within a chamber offering a predetermined restraint to the escape of vapor from the chamber to the ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: In order to reduce or prevent absorption of water in the adhesive of a panel comprising at least one photovoltaic cell located between a transparent sheet and a second sheet bonded together using an adhesive material, the invention provides that another material is applied at least in part between the sheets to form a moisture barrier which surrounds the cell(s) and the adhesive.The preferred adhesive material is polyvinyl butyral, and the preferred barrier forming material is selected from neoprene based adhesives, polysulphide adhesives and polyvinylidene chloride. When the latter is used a second barrier forming material such as polysulphide adhesive is preferably interposed between the adhesive and the polyvinylidene chloride.

Abstract: A method of producing a composite element by securing a plurality of sheet members to a support with their rear main faces in contact with the support. The method includes placing the sheets on a jig in a desired relationship and one or more fluid, settable substances are applied to the rear main faces thereof and allowed to set to form a support structure for the sheets.

Abstract: A process of making cellulated glass beads by forming a mixture comprising glass particles and cellulating agent into nodules, heat treating the nodules to cause fusion of glass and evolution of gas from the cellulating agent to form cellulated glass beads, and cooling the cellulated glass beads to a rigid condition. The cellulating agent utilized has the characteristic of creating expansion forces due to the evolution of gas during heat treatment which are generated wholly or mainly while the glass viscosity is within the range 10.sup.6.5 to 10.sup.8.5 poises. The heat treatment is carried out with a quantity of cellulating agent at a maximum cellulation temperature which is not above the temperature corresponding with a glass viscosity of 10.sup.5.5 poises and for a time such that the beads immediately following the heat treatment are populated with cells, and after cooling have a bulk density of not more than 0.5 g/cm.sup.

Abstract: A heat-reflecting pane consists of a substantially transparent glass substrate with two layers of titanium oxide, the outside layer being in the rutile form with the intermediate layer being in the anatase form. The pane is formed by double coating the glass substrate with layers of titanium applied by vacuum deposition. A weaker vacuum is used to obtain the anatase form with a stronger vacuum used to obtain the rutile form. Both layers are then oxidized at temperatures of at least 550.degree. C. to form TiO.sub.2. The intermediate layer of TiO.sub.2 in the anatase form prevents the rutile layer from becoming opaque when the pane is heated to the temperature necessary for heat treatment of the glass substrate. The treatment may be effected either during the heating step in which the titanium is oxidized or in a subsequent additional heating step.

Abstract: An untempered sheet of glass is given a predetermined curvature by means of pre-heated forming dies (3,4 in FIG. 1). The glass sheet (1) is not pre-heated or is heated only to a relatively low temperature prior to being inserted between the dies. Heat transfer from the dies to the glass prior to closure of the dies produces or assists in producing in the thickness of the glass sheet a transitory thermal stress gradient which gives resistance to breakage under bending forces. The absence of high temperature pre-heating of the sheet is conducive to a more predictable stress distribution pattern over the area of the sheet prior to bending. The process enables predetermined sheet curvatures to be achieved with higher degrees of accuracy.

Abstract: A hollow panel is prepared by uniting vitreous sheets by a spacer of synthetic polymeric material between the sheets. Preferably the polymeric material is a mixture including two polymers of substantially different molecular weight. A ribbon made of the polymeric composition is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a layer of material from a solution containing the material and a solvent which comprises the steps of forming the solution into a layer, contacting at least one major face of the solution layer with a wall which is permeable over the area of that face substantially to the vapor phase only of the solvent, and effecting the escape of solvent simultaneously from both major faces of the layer including the one major face by vapor diffusion through the wall so as to set the layer.

Abstract: A light-transmitting fire screening panel comprising at least one sheet of glass and at least one layer of intumescent material, the improvement which comprises utilizing in the layer a hydrated alkali metal silicate as intumescent material and one or more adjuvants selected from: urea, polyhydric alcohol (including glycerine, ethylene glycol and sorbitol), monosaccharide (including glucose), polysaccharide (including starch), sodium phosphate, sodium aluminate, aluminum phosphate, borax, boric acid and colloidal silica.

Abstract: A heat reflecting pane comprises a substantially transparent glass substrate which has a layer of silicon oxide thereon and a layer of titanium dioxide in the rutile form on the side of the silicon oxide layer remote from the glass pane, the glass substrate having been toughened by heat treatment. The pane is formed by coating the glass substrate with a thin layer of silicon oxide, then applying a layer of titanium to the silicon oxide layer by vacuum deposition, the oxidizing the titanium at over 550.degree. C. to form titanium oxide in the rutile form.The silicon oxide layer prevents the rutile layer from becoming opaque when the pane is heated to the temperature necessary for heat treatment of the glass substrate, which may be during the heating step in which the titanium is oxidized or may be subsequently.