Abstract: A method of screen printing a hard non-absorbent substrate, such as glass, using a screen with a patterned coating on its surface facing the substrate comprises providing local support between the screen surface and the substrate in one or more areas in which a patterned ink layer of increased thickness is required, thereby enhancing ink retention in those areas. The method is especially useful for printing patterns of varying thickness in selected locations, for example, for printing heater arrays in conductive ink on vehicle windows. The invention also includes novel screens for use in the method.

Abstract: A plastic organic photochromic article, typically a lens such as an ophthalmic lens or a window such as a vehicle roof light, comprisig a plastics host material having a photochromic compound incorporated therein or applied thereto, the article exhibiting the following properties, measured at Air Mass 2 at 25.degree. C.:(a) an integrated visible transmission in the faded state (B.IVT) ranging from 90 to 25%,(b) an integrated visible transmission in the darkened state (D.IVT) ranging from 1 to 50%, preferably 4 to 30%,(c) the rate of darkening of the article when it is exposed to actinic radiation is such that 88% of the darkening range is achieved in 30 seconds or less, i.e. T.sub.88 .ltoreq.30 secs,(d) the rate of fading of the article from its fully darkened condition is such that more than 60% of the optical density range is recovered in 60 seconds, i.e. % ODG-1.gtoreq.60%, and(e) the induced optical density of the article, i.e.

Abstract: An impact-resistant laminate has adhered to a rear glass face, opposite to the face which receives the impact, a polycarbonate sheet up to about 3 mm thick which is sufficiently thin to conform to the rear glass face and to be adhered thereto without preforming. Preferably the thickness of the polycarbonate sheet is in the range about 0.25 mm to about 0.64 mm, and it has an abrasion-resistant self-healing coating. The laminate may include toughened or annealed glass sheets.

Abstract: A process for producing a polyurethane plastics having photochromic properties, characterized in that the process comprises in a first step incorporating a reversible cleavage photochromic compound into at least one di-isocyanate compound or at least one polyol or a mixture of a di-isocyanate and one or more polyols or into any other component of a mixture which, when polymerized, will yield a polyurethane; combining the mixture from the first step with any other necessary components to enable polymerization to occur; and polymerizing the resultant mixture to form a polyurethane incorporating the said photochromic compound. The photochromic polyurethane plastics of the invention are useful as intermediate layers in glass or plastics laminates for architectural applications or for use in vehicle windows or roof-lights.

Abstract: A manufacturing line for tempering glass sheets includes a furnace, an oven, a bending station, and a chilling section positioned in order along a generally horizontally extending conveyor for the glass sheets. The oven extends between the furnace and the bending station to maintain the glass sheets at a predetermined temperature. The oven has sidewalls formed of a plurality of brushes and is selectively extensible along the path of travel of the glass sheets. The oven includes controlled heating devices. The chilling section includes a plurality of tubes positioned above and below the path of travel of the glass sheets and connected to a source of air under pressure. The tubes are arranged in rows generally perpendicular to the path of travel and columns generally parallel to the path of travel in order to cause the glass sheets to meet predetermined fragmentation specifications.

Abstract: This invention relates to translucent electromagnetic shielding panels, that is translucent panels for shielding against electromagnetic interference or eavesdropping, which incorporate silver coatings to attenuate electromagnetic radiation. Such panels may be used, for example, for glazing the windows of buildings, serving as viewing panels in enclosures for housing electronic equipment, for instance, in electronic apparatus rackscubicles, and serving as viewing windows in front of electronic apparatus such as v.d.u.'s (visual display units). The panel of the invention includes at least one pane of glass or plastics and two silver layers each up to 30 nm thick whereby the panel has a lower reflection for visible light than a panel having a single thicker layer of silver having an equivalent electromagnetic shielding effect. The panel may be laminated having an interlayer and has electrical connection means for providing an electrical conductive path from the silver coatings to earth.

Abstract: A stream of inert gas is induced to flow over the surface, adjacent the glass, of diverting means used to divert a flow of used coating gas away from a glass surface being coated. The stream of inert gas avoids build-up of deposits from the used coating gas on the said surface of the diverting means.

Abstract: An edge-encapsulated glazing module for a vehicle has a moulded encapsulation which embodies means to provide a function other than the fitting of the module to a vehicle body. The said means may be means for mounting a lighting unit; conduit means; or a mounting for a vehicle accessory. The lighting unit may be a rear light for the vehicle. The conduit means may comprise electrical leads on an RF lead. Alternatively, the conduit means may comprise a hollow tube for water or air. The vehicle accessory may be a rear view mirror; a licence disc, windscreen wiper or a spoiler.

Abstract: An azaindoline spiro-oxazine of the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents an aliphatic or aromatic group; each of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 independently represents a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic or aromatic group or an alkoxy group, or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 together with the carbon atom to which they are attached represent an alicyclic group;R.sub.4 represents a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic or aromatic group;ring A contains one or more nitrogen atoms in the ring and may be unsubstituted or substituted provided that there is no substituent on any nitrogen atom in the ring; andring B may be unsubstituted or substituted by at least one substituent provided that the 6'-position in ring B is not substituted by an amine function or hydroxyl group. The spiro-oxazine compounds are useful for imparting photochromic properties to a plastics host material such as a plastics lens.

Abstract: Coatings, which act as barrier layers to inhibit migration of alkali metal ions from a glass surface and/or act as color suppressing underlayers for overlying infra-red reflecting or electrically conducting layers, are deposited by pyrolysis of a gaseous mixture of a silane, an unsaturated hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide on a hot glass surface at a temperature of 600.degree. C. to 750.degree. C.

Abstract: A bent and/or toughened coated glass is produced by subjecting glass having a coating comprising at least one metal having an atomic number of 22 to 29 and a thin layer of aluminum applied over said coating to a bending and/or toughening cycle in which the coated glass is heated to a temperature above the softening point of the glass.The invention is useful for the production of bent and/or toughened solar control glasses, low emissivity glasses (when the metal used is copper) and mirrors.

Abstract: An electromagnetic shielding laminate and method of producing such a laminate are disclosed. The laminate comprises a first pane of glass, or plastics, which includes an electro-conductive coating on one face thereof. A plastics interlayer, which is adjacent to the coating, is sandwiched between the first pane of glass and a second pane of glass, or plastics. A border of fine electroconductive mesh is located between the interlayer and the electroconductive coating and the mesh is arranged to be in electrical contact with the coating around the periphery of the coated pane.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for inspecting cullet for the presence of unwanted materials among the pieces of glass. A light source such as a laser directs light onto the cullet. At least one array of at least two light detectors is positioned to detect reflected light from the cullet. The detectors differentiate between non-uniformly scattered light from the cullet and generally uniformly scattered light from the debris. Signalling means are provided to signal the differentiation thereby to indicate the presence of debris in the cullet under inspection. When cullet is present on a moving cullet belt, light from the light source is intermittently scanned over the cullet in a raster-type scan. A multi-faceted rotatable mirror may be employed intermittently to reflect light onto the cullet.

Abstract: A glass window for a vehicle, especially an automobile rear window carries a heater extending between a pair of spaced bus bars. The bus bars are connected to terminals on the window which are close together near a periphery of the window, preferably near the lower edge. The leads which connect the terminals to the bus bars are each fixed to a surface of the window and are sufficiently spaced from the window edge to reduce any stray capacitance to a level such that a useable radio signal is supplied to a radio receiver by a decoupling circuit connected between the heater terminals and a power supply.