Abstract: Glass which is heated to a softened state is bent from a generally planar state to a curved form while being transported on a moving conveyor made up of a plurality of generally parallel belts. The contour of the conveyor varies from being generally flat adjacent the apparatus inlet to being significantly curved adjacent the apparatus outlet. The softened glass sags under its own weight to conform to the varying conveyor contour.

Abstract: For use in the prepressing of laminated safety glass in which glass-plastic assemblies are sealed in individual plastic bags, a rectangular heating oven having a bottom wall provided with a longitudinally extending slot, a plurality of portable racks, each rack being provided with a solid base operating slot in the bottom wall of the oven and with a plurality of horizontal shelves positioned in spaced relation one above the other for supporting individual assemblies, the shelves being pivotally mounted and movable to a vertically inclined position to permit the placement of one of the assemblies on the next lower shelf or its removal therefrom. Each rack is provided with means for creating a vacuum in the associated plastic bags to withdraw the air therefrom as well as from between the laminations. Means are also included for advancing the racks through the oven in end-to-end abutting relation to close the slot and provide a substantially closed heating chamber in the oven.

Abstract: In the operation of sputtering targets, whether the targets are planar or cylindrical, magnetically enhanced or not, they are provided with a detectable material underlying the coating material carried on the target. As the target becomes depleted, the underlying material becomes deposited on the substrate and is then detected when appearing on the substrate. The detectable material can be a radioactive substance, an electrical characteristic detectable substance such as iron, an optically detectable substance such as copper or gold which is highly reflective, or a fluorescent substance. The target may have a thinner section of coating material immediately above the detectable material or the detectable material may be deeply imbedded in the target where the target is a solid substance and is water cooled from the opposed surface.

Abstract: A magnetron cathode sputtering apparatus including a pair of rotary cylindrical sputtering targets mounted in spaced parallel relation in an evacuable coating chamber and separate magnetic means located within said targets, the magnetic means being oriented relative to one another such that the material sputtered therefrom will be directed inwardly and downwardly at an acute angle whereby the sputtered material from the two targets will be focused upon the substrates.

Abstract: A flexible vacuum bag for use in the lamination of glass sheets with an interposed layer of thermoplastic material, said bag having one initially open edge through which the laminations are introduced, and magnetic means for sealing said open edge to render the bag airtight during the laminating process.

Abstract: A magnetron cathode for sputter-coating non-planar substrates, which includes a rotatable elongated tubular member having a layer of the coating material to be sputtered applied to the outer surface thereof, and magnetic means mounted in said tubular member, said tubular member being contoured longitudinally to provide a non-cylindrical sputtering surface.

Abstract: A rotatable magnetron cathode comprising an elongated cylindrical tubular member, magnetic means disposed in said tubular member, a plurality of individual target strips provided with the same or different coating materials to be sputtered removably secured to the tubular member, said target strips extending the axial direction of the tubular member and disposed in spaced parallel relation around the periphery thereof, and means for rotating or indexing the tubular member to bring selected target strips in position for sputtering opposite the magnetic means.

Abstract: Apparatus for curving and tempering glass sheets, including a furnace for heating the glass sheets to softening temperature, shaping means for curving the heated glass sheets, and means for tempering the curved sheets arranged in tandum. The glass sheet shaping means includes upper and lower complemental pressing units, and a series of relatively narrow endless belts for receiving the glass sheets from the furnace, positioning them between the pressing units for curving and for subsequently delivering the curved sheets to the tempering means. The shaping means also includes means automatically operable to relieve the tension on the endless belts to bring the travel of the glass sheets to a stop between the pressing units during pressing and to reestablish the tension on said belts after pressing to deliver the curved sheets to the tempering means.

Abstract: A rotatable magnetron cathode sputtering apparatus for operation in an evacuable chamber for sputter coating substantially planar substrates as they move through said chamber. The cathode comprises an elongated, cylindrical tubular member having a layer of the coating material to be sputtered applied to the outer surface thereof. Magnetic means are mounted within the tubular member and includes at least one row of permanent magnets extending lengthwise thereof. The tubular member is horizontally mounted in the coating chamber for rotation about its longitudinal axis either in a step-by-step fashion or continuously, relative to the magnets to bring different portions of the coating material into sputtering position opposite said magnets and within the sputter coating zone.

Abstract: A cylindrical magnetron cathode sputtering apparatus for the simultaneous coating of a large number of articles or substrates, comprising an evacuable coating chamber, a central cylindrical cathode mounted in said coating chamber and a plurality of auxiliary cylindrical cathodes also mounted in said coating chamber circumferentially of said central cathode, magnet assemblies mounted in said central cathode and in each of said auxiliary cathodes, with means being provided for rotating each of said cathodes while maintaining the magnet assemblies therein stationery. A carrier for holding the articles to be coated is located between the central cathode auxiliary cathodes and includes a plurality of article supports arranged circumferentially of the central cathode, said article supports being rotatable as well as being caused to revolve around the central cathode in planetary fashion.

Abstract: A rotatable magnetron cathode sputtering apparatus for operation within an evacuable chamber for coating substrates that are also contained within said chamber. The cathode comprises an elongated cylindrical tube having a layer of the coating material or materials to be sputtered applied to the outer surface thereof. Magnetic means is mounted within the tube and includes at least one row of permanent U-shaped magnets extending lengthwise of the tube. The tube is horizontally disposed and rotatably mounted in the coating chamber such that it can be turned on its longitudinal axis relative to the magnets to selectively bring different portions or segments of the same sputtering material or different sputtering materials into sputtering position with respect to the magnets and within the magnetic field. Means is also provided for internally cooling the cathode.

Abstract: The flat glass sheet to be curved, which is at softening temperature, is advanced in a horizontal position on a curved bed formed by a series of flexible shaping rolls including coiled springs having progressively increasing degrees of curvature such that as the sheet moves thereon it will be caused to bend under its own weight to gradually assume the curvature of the shaping rolls. The shaping rolls are provided with end sections which are angularly adjustable to independently alter the degree of curvature of the rolls. The shaping bed is followed by a second bed formed of flexible rolls having a constant curvature on which the curved sheet is supported and subjected to a tempering and or cooling procedure. Means is also provided for driving the rolls of the shaping bed and the rolls of the second bed to move the glass sheets forwardly at a constant speed.

Abstract: Apparatus for tempering glass sheets, comprising a furnace for heating the glass sheets and means for conveying the sheets horizontally therethrough, spaced conveyor rolls for receiving the heated glass sheets from the furnace, upper and lower blastheads positioned horizontally above and beneath the path of travel of the glass sheets, each blasthead comprising a spaced, parallel array of elongated tubular members extending transverse to the direction of travel of the glass sheets, each said elongated member having a cavity therein to receive a gas flow from a manifold and at least one orifice through which the gas is discharged against the respective surface of the glass sheets to rapidly cool the same, and means for independently mounting the upper and lower blastheads for pivotal movement such that they can be swung upwardly and downwardly respectively relative to the conveyor rolls to permit broken glass to fall freely between said conveyor rolls and away from the apparatus.

Abstract: A ventilated window for oven doors comprising at least two spaced parallel glass panels mounted in a frame surrounding the peripheral edges of the panels, said frame being comprised of spaced glass receiving channels and an integral spacer portion between the channels, the spacer portions at the top and bottom of the window being formed with angled fins or vanes to provide relatively narrow elongated louvers which extend substantially the entire width of the window for directing a flow of cooler air upwardly through the space between the glass panels to replace the hotter air therein.

Abstract: An insulated building element for use as a spandrel in facing the exterior walls of buildings comprising inner and outer spaced parallel sheets or plates of glass sealed together around their peripheral edges to form a dead air space therebetween and a substantially rigid sheet or layer of a foamed or expanded cellular plastic material disposed between the glass sheets and substantially filling the space therebetween. A thin film of a reflective metal may be applied to the inner surface of the outer glass sheet.

Abstract: A cathode for use in the sputter-coating of thin films of a selected coating material on glass sheets or other substrates. The cathode is of rectangular boxlike construction having a closed chamber therein containing a plurality of spaced partitions arranged to form a serpentine passageway through which a cooling medium is circulated. The side and end walls of the cathode defining the closed chamber extend above the top wall of said chamber and are provided with outwardly directed flanges which form a continuous rim for supporting the cathode in operative position in the coating apparatus.