Abstract: In methods of forming a coating comprising a pyrolytically formed oxide layer on a travelling hot glass substrate, the substrate is contacted with coating precursor material in the presence of oxygen. In order to prevent interaction between the glass of the substrate and the coating precursor material used for applying an upper coating stratum, and/or to facilitate modification of the optical or other properties of the coating as a whole, an oxide substratum of said coating ("the undercoating layer") is pyrolytically formed in an incompletely oxidized state by contacting the substrate in an undercoating chamber with undercoat precursor material in the presence of oxygen in insufficient quantity for full oxidation of the undercoat material on the substrate and such undercoat is overcoated with an upper coating layer while it is still in an incompletely oxidized state, and while the substrate is still hot, thereby to preserve such undercoat in an incompletely oxidized state.

Abstract: Apparatus for repairing a refractory body, such as a furnace wall by projecting combustible particles in an oxygen-rich carrier gas against such body to cause oxidation of combustible particles in a reaction zone adjacent such body and thereby the generation of heat required for dressing such body or forming a refractory weld mass thereon, wherein the combustible particles are introduced into a first gas and oxygen-rich gas is forced through an entrainment zone 6 in which it produces an aspirating effect whereby a flow of combustible particles and first gas is induced into the entrainment zone 6 and the induced flow of combustible particles and first gas is carried along a conduit 9 and a lance 21 with the oxygen-rich gas to the reaction zone.

Abstract: A glazing panel and hollow glazing panel, the hollow glazing panel including a first pane, a second pane held in spaced-apart, face-to-face relationship with the first pane, and a plurality of localized damping members positioned between the first and second panes, adherent thereto, and distributed therebetween over the area of the opposing faces thereof, wherein the first pane comprises a pair of vitreous sheets and an intervening layer of polymeric material separating the sheets of the pair and to which the sheets adhere, wherein the first pane has a shape, an area, and a total mass of vitreous material, and may be compared to a notional monolithic vitreous sheets having a coincidence frequency (.phi..sub.m) and a critical frequency of coincidence, wherein the first pane has a coincidence frequency (.phi..sub.

Abstract: A substrate of glazing material carries a multi-layer coating which comprises a reflective layer of silver sandwiched between a transparent undercoat and a transparent overcoat. The undercoat for the silver layer comprises at least one layer of a metal oxide. The overcoat for the silver layer comprises a layer of an oxide of a sacrificial metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, bismuth, tin and mixtures of two or more thereof, which is formed by initial deposition of the sacrificial metal and its conversion to oxide over which is deposited a layer of zinc oxide having a thickness not greater than 15 nm, and an uppermost overcoating layer of metal oxide selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, bismuth oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium dioxide and mixtures of two or more thereof. For forming a low emissivity coating with good light transmission, the silver layer is 8 to 12 nm thick.

Abstract: A marking kit whose constituents are capable of forming a marking material includes a polymeric matrix-forming material and coated glass beads for incorporation into the matrix. Surface coated glass beads suitable for incorporation into the matrix are also disclosed, as is a process for the surface coating of the glass beads, a reflective surface marking comprising a synthetic polymeric matrix incorporating the coated glass beads; and a process for the reflective marking of a surface. Glass beads are surface coated with a material effective to provide the coated glass beads with a surface tension greater than that of the matrix-forming material and ranging from 30 to 70 mN/m.

Abstract: A method of repairing an eroded refractory wall pierced by one or more openings using a ceramic welding technique. A member of shape substantially complementary to the desired shape of the repaired opening is placed into each opening so that the member projects from the refractory wall by an extent at least equal to the local depth of erosion. Such complementarily-shaped member is so composed that it is adapted to withstand ceramic welding temperatures. A desired refractory repair mass is built up, by ceramic welding, adherent to the eroded wall and surrounding the complementarily-shaped members(s) while leaving its end or their ends exposed, and the complementarily-shaped member(s) is or are thereafter removed from the repaired openings(s). Such complementarily-shaped member may, for example, be of refractory carbon or of steel, such as stainless steel. Such a steel member may be tubular for the circulation of coolant.

Abstract: A substrate of glazing material carries a multi-layer coating which comprises a reflective layer of silver sandwiched between a transparent undercoat and a transparent overcoat. The undercoat for the silver layer comprises at least one layer of a metal oxide selected from tin oxide, titanium dioxide, aluminium oxide, bismuth oxide and a mixture of two or more thereof, over which is deposited a layer of zinc oxide having a thickness not greater than 15 nm. The overcoat for the silver layer comprises a layer of an oxide of a sacrificial metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, aluminium, stainless steel, bismuth, tin and mixtures of two or more thereof, which is formed by initial deposition of the sacrificial metal and its conversion to oxide. For forming a low emissivity coating with good light transmission, the silver layer is 8 to 12 nm thick.

Abstract: A process of repairing a refractory body, including the steps of a. introducing combustible particles into a first gas stream containing no more than 18% oxygen by volume; b. causing an oxygen-rich gas stream to flow through a particle entrainment zone into a reaction zone adjacent a refractory body to be repaired so as to produce an aspirating effect within the particle entrainment zone effective to induce a flow of the first gas stream containing the combustible particles into the particle entrainment zone and through to the reaction zone; and c. projecting the combustible particles entrained in the oxygen-rich gas stream against the refractory body to cause oxidation of the combustible particles in the reaction zone adjacent the refractory body and generate sufficient heat for one of dressing the refractory body or forming a refractory weld mass thereon.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vitreous enamel body includes forming particles of vitreous material and melting to fuse the particles together to form the body. The particles of vitreous material are spherulized and are selected as to their granulometric properties according to the degree of compaction required in the finished enamel body. From 20% to 40% of the bulk volume of the mixture is a fine particle size fraction. Such a finished enamel body may be a coating, for example a high-compacity enamel coating on a bathtub, or it may be a self-sustaining body, for example a porous vitreous filter element. Porous coatings and compact self-sustaining bodies may also be made.

Abstract: A mirror comprises a transparent glass sheet having a reflective metal coating deposited on the glass and a protective coating applied to the reflective coating. The protective coating comprises a paint having a residual internal stress S.sub.R equal to or less than 1 MPa, measured by the Cantilever method (as defined) at a temperature above its glass transition temperature. One suitable paint used in coating the mirror has the following composition:50% pigments:10% titanium dioxide45% barium sulphate25% talc15% lead pigment5% coloring pigment and carbon black15% binder100% epoxy resin ester with 45% castor oil35% solvents5% butanol and isobutanol95% xylene.The glass transition temperature of the paint is approximately 10.degree. C., the residual internal stress at 20.degree. C. is approximately 0.05 MPa and the Persoz hardness is approximately 120.

Abstract: Dealkalized sheet glass having a core region which is not dealkalized, having a pre-dealkalization bulk sodium ion concentration of at least 8%, calculated as weight percent sodium oxide in the sheet glass, which pre-dealkalization bulk sodium ion concentration continues to be maintained in the core region of the sheet glass, and having a surface which is dealkalized to a depth such that a sodium ion concentration gradient exists. The sodium ion depletion is maximum at the surface, the depth at which the sodium ion concentration is 90% of the pre-dealkalization bulk sodioum ion concentration is at least twice the depth at which the sodium ion concentration is 50% of the predealkalization bulk sodium ion concentration, and the sodium ion concentration at a depth of 50 nm is not more than 50% of the pre-dealkalization bulk sodium ion concentration. A long-lasting dealkalization is achieved because of a reduced tendancy to ionic migration due to the shape of said sodium ion concentration gradient.

Abstract: A method of pyrolytically forming a silicon oxide coating on a hot glass substrate as it travels past a coating chamber includes contacting the substrate with silane-containing coating precursor material in the presence of oxygen. The silane-containing coating precursor material is in the vapor phase and it and gaseous oxygen are intimately mixed before they enter the coating chamber to contact the substrate. Silane as coating precursor material may be conveyed towards the coating chamber in vapor phase in a substantially inert carrier gas stream and oxygen introduced into the silane-containing carrier gas stream before it enters the coating chamber. The coating operation may take place within a coating chamber within a float chamber in which the glass is formed into ribbon.

Abstract: A continuous glass-melting tank furnace includes a melting compartment including a melting tank having a lower part, and a superstructure equipped with heaters for receiving and melting raw batch material. Additionally included is a separate refining compartment including a refining tank and a superstructure equipped with a further heater, the refining tank having a lower part and including a transverse sill which divides the refining tank into an upstream refining cell and a downstream refining cell, each of the upstream refining cell and the downstream refining cell having respective upstream ends and downstream ends, and the further heater being arranged to heat melt in the upstream refining cell for creating a spring zone located closer to the downstream end of the upstream refining cell and a circulation of melt in the upstream refining cell which feeds the spring zone.

Abstract: A process for forming a porous refractory mass on a surface is characterized in that an oxidizing gas is projected against that surface together with a powder mixture which comprises: refractory particles; particles of fuel which reacts exothermically with the oxidizing gas to form refractory oxide and release sufficient heat to melt at least the surfaces of the refractory particles so that they bond together to form the refractory mass; and particles of material whose composition and/or size is selected so that the incorporation of such material in the projected mixture results in the formation of porosity within the refractory mass formed. The porosity-inducing material may be such as to burn to evolve gaseous combustion products, it may decompose to gaseous decomposition products, or it may itself be porous or hollow.

Abstract: A glass article useful, for example, as a cathode ray tube screen, has a viewing light path which passes through at least one surface region over which the glass is matted by surface pits whereby unwanted specular reflection from that matted region is reduced. The light path also passes through a surface layer formed over a region of the glass so as to reduce the total light reflection from that region of the glass.

Abstract: A fire control composition which is in particulate form, which is anhydrous, and which is particularly effective for fighting Class D fires, such as metal fires. The composition includes particles of crushed glass bearing a hydrophobic coating thereon so that agglomeration of the fire control composition due to adsorption of moisture during storage and use is substantially prevented and so that when applied to fire, the fire control composition forms a blanket over the fire which deprives the fire of oxygen and thereby smothers it. The composition may additionally contain at least one additional material, such as salts, spherulized vitreous beads, or graphite which at least one additional material also bears a hydrophobic coating. The median grain size of the crushed glass is preferably below 200 micrometers, most preferably below 120 micrometers, for example, in the range of from 25 to 35 micrometers.

Abstract: A copper mirror having improved resistance to aging as having a factor of luminous reflection which is stable and which, after the copper mirror has been subjected to a CASS Test for 120 hours, is at least 0.9 times what it was before the copper mirror was subjected to the CASS Test, the copper mirror including a transparent glass sheet bearing a copper reflective layer and at least one protective layer provided on the copper reflective layer, wherein the copper reflective layer is chemically desposited layer having an oxygen content which is low so as to be effective to provide the stable factor of luminous reflection.

Abstract: Glass microbeads bearing a coating which includes at least one binding agent fixed to the glass microbeads, and which binding agent is adapted releasably to bind to a material contained within a fluid medium by a biological affinity reaction, whereby the material can be removed from the fluid medium with the glass microbeads and then stripped from the glass microbeads while leaving the at least one binding agent attached to the glass microbeads. Inventive microbeads may bear a monomolecular layer of a silane as a fixing agent for a binding agent which is selected for its biological affinity for the material to be separated.

Abstract: A decorative mirror, including a transparent sheet; and at least one reflective silver layer comprised of silver deposited on one face of the transparent sheet, wherein a first silver layer of said at least one reflective silver layer has randomly distributed therein areas containing reaction products including non-metallic silver formed by reacting at least a part of the silver of said first silver layer with a substance which reacts with silver to provide reaction products including non-metallic silver so that the visible light reflectance of the decorative mirror is modified or interrupted.

Abstract: A particulate composition suitable for use in a process of dressing a refractory structure which includes the steps of projecting against a site of refractory structure to be dressed a comburent gas stream carrying a mixture comprised of fuel particles and refractory oxide particles, which fuel particles are comprised of at least one element which is oxidisable to form at least one refractory oxide; and causing or allowing the fuel particles to burn, the particulate composition being a mixture including fuel particles comprised of at least one element which is oxidisable to form a refractory oxide; refractory oxide particles; and particles of fluxing agent the fluxing action of which is such that when the mixture is projected in a comburent gas stream and the fuel particles are caused or allowed to burn, the refractory structure becomes softened to an extent such that the refractory structure becomes dressed by removal or displacement of material thereof under the mechanical action of the impinging comburent