Abstract: A fire-resistant structural component has a glass pane whose glazing verge is lined with a thermally-conductive material and is held in a frame in which bridge strips conduct heat from a fire side through the thermally-conductive member to radiating bridge strips on the opposite side.

Abstract: The glass sheet is heated to a heat-softened condition in a furnace, and conveyed to a prescribed position above an upper shaping surface of a ring mold. The sheet is then transferred onto the ring mold by lowering part of the conveyor means, and bent by a process involving raising both the ring mold and the conveyor means. This combination minimizes the introduction of optical distortion into the sheet. A preferred bending process is to press bend the sheet between the ring mold and an opposed upper bending mold.

Abstract: A method of operating a regenerative glass furnace for melting glass for the manufacture of shaped glass articles so as to minimize emission of NOx in waste gases leaving the furnace, the furnace having sealed regenerators which act as heat exchangers, the method comprising supplying fuel in excess of that required for stoichiometric combustion to ensure that glass of the required quality at the required production rate is obtained, and that the waste gases leaving the furnace through the regenerators contain combustible material, and reacting the combustible material with sufficient air to ensure that the waste gases exiting to atmosphere contain permissible levels of combustible material and contain permissible levels of NOx. Alternatively, the furnace may be operated at substantially stoichiometric conditions and fuel is supplied to waste gases as they leave the melting chamber. The invention also relates to a regenerator glass furnace for use in the method.

Abstract: A method of operating a cross-fired regenerative glass furnace for melting flat glass so as to minimize emission of NOx in waste gases leaving the furnace, the furnace having sealed regenerators which act as heat exchangers, the method comprising supplying fuel in excess of that required for stoichiometric combustion to ensure that glass of the required quality at the required production rate is obtained, and that the waste gases leaving the furnace through the regenerators contain combustible material, and reacting the combustible material with sufficient air to ensure that the waste gases exiting to atmosphere contain permissible levels of combustible material and permissible levels of NOx. Alternatively, the furnace may be operated at substantially stoichiometric conditions and fuel is supplied to the waste gases as they leave the melting chamber. The invention also relates to a cross-fired regenerator glass furnace for use in the method.

Abstract: A method of producing mirrors comprising depositing onto a ribbon of hot glass during the production process a coating comprising a reflecting layer and at least two reflection enhancing layers whereby the mirrors have a visible light reflection of at least 70%. There is also provided a mirror having such a coating. In a preferred embodiment the coating comprises: an inner layer having a refractive index of at least 1.6; an intermediate layer of relatively low refractive index and; an outer layer having a refractive index of at least 1.6; the intermediate layer having a refractive index less than the refractive index of either said inner layer or said outer layer and less than 3, provided that at least one of said inner and outer layers is of silicon, the aggregate refractive index of the inner and outer layers is at least 5.5, and the thicknesses of the layers are such that the mirror has a visible light reflection of at least 70%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a door, a fanlight, door side section (door side light), window or similar, characterised by two glass sheets arranged beside one another at a distance, by a frame holding the sheets at a distance from one another--preferably incorporating fittings for the door etc., said frame essentially being covered by the sheets, by sealing means for the hermetic sealing of the space enclosed by frame between sheets and by a dessicant communicating with this space.

Abstract: A method is provided in which a glass sheet is bent on a mould having a movable end, comprising the steps of: heating the glass sheet to its bending temperature; subjecting the glass sheet to an initial gravity bending step; providing support to a portion of the glass sheet located on the movable end of the mould; while providing said support, lowering said movable end away from the glass sheet; subjecting the glass sheet to a press bending step; cooling the bent glass sheet. Support may be provided by a reduced pressure within an upper mould, a mechanical arm, or gas directed in a generally upwards direction. The invention may be used for bending glass for architectural or automotive purposes, e.g. for bending a pair of glass sheets, one on top of the other, for use in the manufacture of a laminated windscreen, to achieve deep and/or complex bent shapes.

Abstract: A method of laminating glass sheets, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a glass sheet assembly comprising a pair of opposed glass sheets which are spaced from each other and spacer means located between the glass sheets, the spacer means being air permeable and liquid impermeable and extending along peripheral edges of the glass sheets, the glass sheet assembly being in a substantially horizontal orientation; (b) introducing a measured volume of a liquid laminating resin between the glass sheets so that the resin contacts the inner surfaces of both the top and bottom glass sheets as it is introduced into the space between the sheets, the introduction of resin being controlled so that a resin meniscus between the top and bottom sheets spreads outwardly in a controlled manner; (c) filling the space between the glass sheets with the measured volume of resin, air which is displaced by the resin being evacuated through the spacer means; and (d) permitting the resin to cure and solidify thereby to fo

Abstract: A furnace has side walls and a bottom wall with a refractory lining. To permit mounting of ancillary equipment such as electrode refractory blocks are fitted to the bottom wall of the furnace. To mount each refractory block a hole is bored through the bottom wall from the exterior of the furnace with a large diameter in the outer part of the wall and a smaller diameter in the lining. The refractory block has a stepped construction to fit closely inside the bored holes. A central passageway through the refractory block has a removable plug at its inner end which may be displaced by insertion of an ancillary device such as an electrode.