Abstract: A hot vitreous substrate 1 travels on a conveyor 2 through a coating station 5 where a metal compound is formed in situ on a face of the substrate 1 by pyrolytic decomposition of coating material 9 sprayed towards the substrate from a spray head 6 which repeatedly traverses the substrate path. Radiant heating means 11 located on the side of the substrate 1 being coated directs radiant heat towards the transverse region swept by the zone of impingement 10 of the coating precursor material 9 on the substrate 1.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition comprising an intimate mixture of glass beads and finely divided material, characterized in that the glass beads have a mean diameter of not more than 80 micrometers and a size range spread which is at least half the mean diameter of the beads, and in that said finely divided material is hydrophobic, inorganic and substantially chemically inert with respect to the beads and has a specific surface of at least 50 m.sup.2 /g, such material being present in said mixture in an amount not exceeding 5% by weight of the beads.The surfaces of the beads may be treated with an agent which improves adherence between the beads and a resin matrix, e.g. an agent such that the surfaces of the beads include organo-silane groups.The finely divided material preferably has a specific surface of at least 100 m.sup.2 /g, and may substantially entirely consist of silica.

Abstract: A lance for spraying particulate refractory-forming combustible material, particulate refractory material and a comburent gas is characterized in that the lance 1 comprises at least one feed passage 2,3 for conveying material to be sprayed to a lance head 4 which comprises a plurality of spray nozzles 5 for spraying such material, and in that the flow path of the material being sprayed branches or turns a corner and a cup-like recess 7,9 is located at the or each such branch or corner, open to the flow path upstream thereof, for catching particulate material conveyed along said flow path so that the material caught itself forms a barrier against abrasion at the location of such recess.A method of using such a lance to spray particulate refractory-forming combustible material, particulate refractory material and a comburent gas against a surface so that on combustion a coherent refractory mass is formed on such surface is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for monitoring the redox state of one or more elements in glass are disclosed in which a working electrode 2 and an auxiliary electrode 7 are immersed in the glass 11 while the latter is molten. A scanning potential is applied to the working electrode, a series of potential pulses is superimposed on said scanning potential, and the resulting current between the electrodes is monitored to give an indication of the redox state of one or more elements in the glass.

Abstract: A method of producing gas filled hollow glass beads comprises the steps of:i. manufacturing hollow glass beads having an alkali content of at least 20% calculated as weight per cent of oxide in the bead,ii. exposing the beads to an acidic treatment medium, for example HCl, HNO.sub.3, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, SO.sub.2, SO.sub.3, to reduce the alkali content of the beads to not more than 15%, andiii. causing gas to diffuse into the beads.

Abstract: A silica refractory structure may be added to, e.g. by way of repair, in a working environment at a temperature in excess of 600.degree. C. Such addition is made using one or more vitreous silica bricks bonded into position by projecting a mixture composed of finely divided particles of exothermically oxidizable material, e.g. Si optionally with Al and particles of silica, and burning the mixture during its projection to form a coherent refractory mass which bonds the addition together and to the original structure.

Abstract: A method of modifying the surface of hollow glass beads including the step of treating the beads with a solution containing at least one of an organic acid selected from beta-hydroxy acids, oxalic acid and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, and a salt of said organic acid.

Abstract: A metal or metal compound coating 6 is deposited on a face of a hot, freshly formed ribbon 1 of glass during the ribbon's forward travel through a coating station 5 between a forming installation 3 and an annealing lehr 4 by contacting the ribbon face with fluid coating precursor material e.g. sprayed from nozzle 17.Preparatory to the coating step, the ribbon 1 is passed through successive thermal conditioning zones comprising a zone 19 in which temperature gradients across the ribbon are reduced and a following zone in which heat is supplied substantially entirely to a surface layer of the glass at the face to be coated by exposing that face to one or more radiant heaters 22 having a black body temperature below 1100.degree. C. to compensate at least partially for the cooling effect of the coating step on the ribbon 1.

Abstract: A hollow glazing unit comprising vitreous sheets and a plastic foil wherein said vitreous sheets are held in spaced relationship by marginal spacing means which comprise one or more metal strips forming a spacing web located outward of the plastic foil, the metal strips being connected to the vitreous sheets by solder joints, wherein a plastic foil is held taut between and in spaced relationship to the vitreous sheets by means comprising components distinct from the spacing strip.

Abstract: A process for forming a metal or metal compound coating on a face of a hot vitreous substrate in sheet or ribbon form by continuously advancing the substrate in a downstream direction along a path through a coating station which discharging droplets of liquid coating precursor material in the downstream direction so that such material contacts the substrate at the coating station and continuously withdrawing vapors thereafter from the coating station in the downstream direction an annealing the substrate is characterized in that the hot coated substrate (1) passes from the coating station (3) to an annealing lehr (6) via a re-heating station (4) at which sufficient radiant heat energy is supplied to the hot coated substrate (1) to raise the temperature or the mean temperature of its coated surface at the re-heating station (4) through a certain temperature range, at least the upper end of such range being not less than a temperature 100.degree. C.

Abstract: A laminated reflective panel comprises at least one mirror sheet which is less than 2.0 mm in thickness and which bears a reflective coating on its rear face. Each mirror sheet is laminated to a flat glass backing sheet which is thicker than the mirror sheet. The backing sheet is preferably of float glass.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a glazing panel comprising sheets which are joined together along the margin of the panel using heat-activatable bonding medium (e.g. solder) which is electrically conductive and/or in contact with electrically conductive material and which is activated in situ by induction heating, the induction heating is performed using an inductor 65 powered by an aperiodic generator 57 whose power output setting is determined in dependence on the instantaneous resonant frequency of the inductor circuit as influenced by the load.

Abstract: An electrochromic device comprising a solid layered structure. The structure includes a pair of electrodes and an electrochromic layer sandwiched between the pair of electrodes. The device is sandwiched between a pair of vitreous sheets of which at least one is transparent with a reservoir of ionizable material being held between the sheets. On application of an electrical potential between the electrodes, ions are permitted to migrate between the ionizable material and the electrochromic layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a polygonal glazing panel comprising sheets 61, 62 which are joined together along the margin of the panel using heat-activatable bonding medium 66,67 which is electrically conductive and/or in contact with electrically conductive material 63 comprised within the panel and which is activated in situ by induction heating is characterized in that for the induction heating use is made of a polygonal inductor loop each of whose sides 50, 51, 52, 53 and 68 comprises a conductor or conductors of tubular bar or of rod form, the loop being spaced from the work 61 to 67 and so disposed in relation to the margin of the work that the bonding medium 66, 67 is heated simultaneously at all positions along the joint or joints to be formed.

Abstract: In a method of modifying the light reflecting properties of a glass surface by spraying the surface with an etching solution via a bank of spray nozzles while the nozzles and glass surface are relatively moved past one another, conformity of treatment is improved by effecting such relative passage while the nozzles deliver synchronously oscillating divergent spray cones whose relative spatial relationship and/or amplitude of oscillation is such that in any one cycle the impact zones of the spray cones on the glass surface together cover a continuous band-like impact region extending in a direction across such surface transversely of the direction of relative passage.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite refractory article having a flow passage through which a molten metal stream may be conducted and comprising a first body of refractory material which defines a surface of that passage, the first body being bonded to a second body of refractory material. The second body is provided to define a passageway of greater cross-sectional dimensions than the flow passage. Within the passageway, the first body of refractory material is provided for defining the flow passage surface, the first body being formed in the larger passageway by causing its refractory material to cohere and bond to the second body by fusion or partial fusion in situ.

Abstract: In a process of forming a refractory mass in which having an average grain size of less than 50 .mu.m are burned while mixed with solid particles of at least one incombustible refractory material during projection of the mixture against a surface to form a coherent mass on said surface, the oxidizable material comprises silicon and aluminium, the aluminium being present in an amount not exceeding 12% by weight of the total mixture.

Abstract: A method of forming rounded vitreous beads in which particles of bead forming material entrained in a gas stream having comburent and combustible components are projected from a burner head and the gas is burnt. A first component of the combustible gas mixture with entrained particles is propelled along a passageway leading to the burner head, a second gas component is forced transversely into that passageway through at least one orifice in its peripheral wall and the mixed gases in which the particles are entrained are subjected to forces further promoting intimate mixture thereof before reaching the burner head.

Abstract: A glazing panel for transmitting radiant energy including visible light energy which includes first and second glass sheets supported in spaced relation. The first glass sheet has an oxide coated surface which defines an exterior surface of the panel and a gold coating on the surface which faces the second glass sheet.

Abstract: Fire screening glazing panels comprise at least one layer 2, 6 of intumescent material such as hydrated sodium silicate sandwiched between flat vitreous sheets 1, 3, 7.To promote fire resistance in a simple and economical way, at least one (and preferably only one) vitreous sheet 1 has a thickness of 6 mm or more, preferably from 7 to 10 mm. The or each other vitreous sheet 3, 7 has a preferred thickness range of 2.5 to 4 mm. The thicker sheet 1 is best located in the interior of a panel with three or more vitreous sheets and it or any other vitreous sheet may be made of boro-silicate or other low expansion or high softening point vitreous material.