Abstract: Fire resistant glazings comprise a fire resistant interlayer based upon a silicate waterglass are characterized by the incorporation of aluminum ions. The aluminate is incorporated as a solution which has been partially neutralized using hydroxycarboxylic acid which is preferably citric acid. The incorporation of aluminum provides glazings have improved fire resistance and impact properties.

Abstract: A vehicle glazing comprises a pane of tinted glass, tinted by at least 1.0 to 1.8% wt. of total iron, having a low emissivity coating on its interior surface. The coating has an emissivity from 0.05 to 0.4 and may include a transparent conductive oxide (and optionally a dopant), or a metal layer and at least one dielectric layer. The glass is preferably toughened glass. According to another aspect, a laminated glazing includes two plies of glass, with a sheet of interlayer material laminated between the two glass plies, and wherein at least one ply of glass or the sheet of interlayer material is body tinted. The glazing has a low emissivity coating on its interior surface, the inner ply may be clear glass or tinted glass, and the interlayer material may be clear PVB or tinted PVB, and may further be infra-red reflecting. Either of the glazings may be used as a roof or other vehicle glazing.

Abstract: A laminated glazing panel includes two glass plies and a plastic ply having one or more light emitting diodes mounted on a circuit board laminated between the glass plies, forming an LED device. The circuit board is ordinarily a flexible circuit board that includes a substrate and a conductive layer. A plurality of light emitting diodes may be mounted on the flexible circuit board and laminated between the glass plies The resultant glazing panel may further include indicia on at least one ply. Processes for the production of a laminated glazing panel involve positioning an LED device in a cut-out in a plastic ply and interleaving the plastic ply between two glass plies, prior to laminating the plies. One or more plastic plies may be used, and the LED device may be coated in a plastic material.

Abstract: Bilayer materials are produced by drying a solution of an alkali metal silicate upon the surface of a flexible backing material until a flexible silicate film is produced. The film may be separated from the backing material and incorporated into laminated fire resistant glazings. The alkali metal silicate solution preferably comprise a surfactant. The bilayers may be transported or stored before the flexible silicate film is separated and incorporated into a glazing.

Abstract: An apparatus for tempering a bent glass sheet is disclosed. The apparatus comprises means for conveying the sheet through the apparatus and a pair of blastheads for quenching the sheet with quench gas. Each blasthead comprises a plurality of spaced elongate plenums for supplying quench gas to an array of quench nozzles, the nozzles being mutually inclined to provide diverging jets of quench gas. The plenums extend transversely to the direction of conveyance of the sheet, and the array of nozzles is curved in at least one direction. The array may comprise rows of nozzles extending along lines which are curved in the direction of elongation of the plenums; preferably the curvature of the rows matches the average local curvature of the bent glass sheet in the corresponding direction. Also disclosed is a production line incorporating the apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspection of the optical quality of a glazing is provided. A greyscale image is generated digitally, and reflected off or transmitted through a glazing, and captured using an image capture device. Preferably, the generation of the greyscale pattern and the capturing of the reflected or transmitted greyscale pattern are synchronised.

Abstract: Solutions comprising a sodium silicate waterglass having a modulus of less than 3 and at least 8% by weight of an organic polyhydroxy compound such as glycerol are useful in the production of interlayers used in fire resistant glass laminates. The solutions are dried on a flat surface such as glass to produce a clear intumescent interlayer having improved impact resistance. The dried interlayer may be removed from the surface in the form of an elastomeric material which may also be used as an interlayer in a fire resistant glazing.

Abstract: A method of forming a shadowgraph image is described, comprising the steps of illuminating a glazing (52), e.g., a vehicle windscreen, with light from a localized light source (50), said light being expanded and collimated by a lens optical system (54) or a mirror optical system, forming a virtual shadowgraph image of the glazing in a virtual image plane (56), which may be positioned behind or in front of the glazing: and imaging the virtual image onto a CCD camera (62). The glazing may be moving relative to the light source or may be stationary.

Abstract: A method of determining the optical quality of a glazing which includes at least one area having a reduced light transmission, involves producing a shadowgraph image of the glazing and measuring the illumination of the glazing at a plurality of measurement points arranged in an array extending over the glazing. The deviation in illumination from a desired value at each measurement point is determined and the at least one area of reduced light transmission is omitted from the array of measurement points.

Abstract: Process for the production of an intumescent fire resistant layer by drying a waterglass solution on the surface of a glass substrate are carried out in the presence of a salt of a carbonic acid or an ?-hydroxy carboxylic acid such as potassium citrate. The drying is preferably carried out at a rate which reduces of pH of the solution by no more than 2 units during an initial drying period of 5 hours. The resulting interlayers provide improved fire resistance.

Abstract: Novel waterglass compositions comprise a zirconium containing anionic aggregate, preferably potassium zirconium carbonate or ammonium zirconium carbonate, in a quantity sufficient to provide at least 0.5% as zirconium metal. The compositions can be dried and/or gelled to form optically clear interlayers useful in the production of fire resistant glass laminates. The incorporation of the zirconium containing aggregate improves the fire resistant performance of the laminates.

Abstract: Sealed frameless multiple glazing units comprising at least three panes of glass wherein the air spaces within the unit are hermetically sealed one from the other are believed to be new. The units preferably comprise a fixing assembly wherein the boss is formed from two interlocking parts. The two part boss facilitates the assembly of the units and serves to support the weight of the unit.

Abstract: Solutions comprising a sodium silicate waterglass having a modulus of less than 3 and at least 8% by weight of an organic polyhydroxy compound such as glycerol are useful in the production of interlayers used in fire resistant glass laminates. The solutions are dried on a flat surface such as glass to produce a clear intumescent interlayer having improved impact resistance. The dried interlayer may be removed from the surface in the form of an elastomeric material which may also be used as an interlayer in a fire resistant glazing.

Abstract: A method of determining the optical quality of a glazing which includes at least one area having a reduced light transmission, involves producing a shadowgraph image of the glazing and measuring the illumination of the glazing at a plurality of measurement points arranged in an array extending over the glazing. The deviation in illumination from a desired value at each measurement point is determined and the at least one area of reduced light transmission is omitted from the array of measurement points.

Abstract: A method of forming a shadowgraph image is described, comprising the steps of illuminating a glazing (52), e.g., a vehicle windscreen, with light from a localised light source (50), said light being expanded and collimated by a lens optical system (54) or a mirror optical system, forming a virtual shadowgraph image of the glazing in a virtual image plane (56), which may be positioned behind or in front of the glazing: and imaging the virtual image onto a CCD camera (62). The glazing may be moving relative to the light source or may be stationary.

Abstract: A process for the production of durable photocatalytically active self-cleaning coating on glass by contacting a hot glass surface with a fluid mixture of titanium chloride, a source of oxygen and a tin precursor. The coating preferably comprises less than 10 atom % tin in the bulk of the coating and preferably there is a greater atomic percent tin in the surface of the coating than there is in the bulk of the coating. Preferably, the coating is durable to abrasion and humidity cycling.

Abstract: An apparatus for tempering a bent glass sheet is disclosed. The apparatus comprises means for conveying the sheet through the apparatus and a pair of blastheads for quenching the sheet with quench gas. Each blasthead comprises a plurality of spaced elongate plenums for supplying quench gas to an array of quench nozzles, the nozzles being mutually inclined to provide diverging jets of quench gas. The plenums extend transversely to the direction of conveyance of the sheet, and the array of nozzles is curved in at least one direction. The array may comprise rows of nozzles extending along lines which are curved in the direction of elongation of the plenums; preferably the curvature of the rows matches the average local curvature of the bent glass sheet in the corresponding direction. Also disclosed is a production line incorporating the apparatus.

Abstract: A vehicle glazing is disclosed comprising a pane of tinted glass, tinted by at least 1.0 to 1.8 % wt. of total iron, having a low emissivity coating on its interior surface. The coating has an emissivity from 0.05 to 0.4 and may include a transparent conductive oxide (and optionally a dopant), or a metal layer and at least one dielectric layer. The glass is preferably toughened glass. Also disclosed is a laminated glazing comprising two plies of glass, laminated by a sheet of interlayer material therebetween, wherein at least one ply of glass or the sheet of interlayer material is body tinted, said glazing having a low emissivity coating on its interior surface. The inner ply may be clear glass or tinted glass. The interlayer material may be clear PVB or tinted PVB, and it may further be infra-red reflecting. Either of the glazings may be used as a roof or other vehicle glazing.

Abstract: An infrared and ultraviolet absorbing soda-lime-silica glass of a neutral tint containing 0.3% to 0.7% by weight total iron expressed as Fe2O3, together with amounts of Se, Co3O4 and a ferrous iron content to provide a ratio of ferrous iron to total iron in the range of 21 to 34. NiO and TiO2 may be added to the glass. The resultant glass, in a nominal 4 mm thickness, has a visible light transmission of at least 70% and a direct solar heat transmission at least 12 percentage points below the visible light transmission. The iron in the glass is preferably provided by the inclusion of the mineral wuestite in the glass batch formulation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspection of the optical quality of a glazing is provided. A greyscale image is generated digitally, and reflected off or transmitted through a glazing, and captured using an image capture device. Preferably, the generation of the greyscale pattern and the capturing of the reflected or transmitted greyscale pattern are synchronised.