Abstract: The invention relates to glazings adapted for automotive vehicle roofs. The glazing according to the invention comprises: a first sheet of glass on the external face of the roof; a second sheet of glass at at least a portion of the internal surface arranged towards the interior; an intermediate sheet of one or more traditional thermoplastic materials used for forming laminated glazings, which extends at least over the surfaces of the sheet of glass which face each other; functional non-transparent elements arranged under the first sheet of glass; the transparent laminated portion having a luminous transmittance of less than 35 percent and an energy transmittance less than 20 percent.

Abstract: A vehicle window 100 comprises a glass sheet 101 bearing a coating 102. The coating 102 is a tin oxide coating located on an external face of the vehicle window, and has been polished after deposition.Such a coating can confer increased abrasion resistance, and facilitates removal of frozen condensation. The coating may be electrically conductive so that it reduces the emissivity of the coated face in respect of infra-red radiation having wavelengths greater than 3 micrometers.A method of manufacturing a transparent vehicle window is disclosed which comprises depositing a coating on a face of a piece of glass in sheet or ribbon form, the coating deposited being a tin oxide coating. After deposition the coating is subjected to a polishing treatment.

Abstract: A process of imparting a predetermined curvature to a sheet of thermoplastics material in which a thermoplastics sheet is bent by placing it against a face of a bending form. The form having a moulding surface area of the required curvature. The process includes heating the thermoplastics sheet and causing or allowing it to conform to the moulding surface area. The thermoplastics sheet is formed oversized and is bent by placing it against a bending form having a moulding surface area portion of the required dimensions and curvature which is surrounded by a bending form surround. Next, the thermoplastics sheet is heated and caused or allowed to conform to the moulding surface area portion while its oversized margins are supported by the bending form surround. Thereafter, the thermoplastics sheet is cooled at a rate slow enough to maintain such conformity, and then the thermoplastics sheet is trimmed to size.

Abstract: When forming a multi-ply laminate having at least one thermoplastic structural ply forming an outer ply of the laminate, known processes comprise degassing and bonding steps during which gas is removed from between assembled structural plies of the laminate and the plies are heated to cause them to bond together while a moulding plate is in contact with the or each exposed thermoplastic ply.

Abstract: A process for forming a solid layer of intumescent material from a fluid material which comprises the steps of pouring the fluid material onto a mold and evaporating the liquid from the fluid material while the fluid material is contained within a chamber offering a predetermined restraint to the escape of vapor from the chamber to the ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: In order to reduce or prevent absorption of water in the adhesive of a panel comprising at least one photovoltaic cell located between a transparent sheet and a second sheet bonded together using an adhesive material, the invention provides that another material is applied at least in part between the sheets to form a moisture barrier which surrounds the cell(s) and the adhesive.The preferred adhesive material is polyvinyl butyral, and the preferred barrier forming material is selected from neoprene based adhesives, polysulphide adhesives and polyvinylidene chloride. When the latter is used a second barrier forming material such as polysulphide adhesive is preferably interposed between the adhesive and the polyvinylidene chloride.

Abstract: A light-transmitting fire screening panel comprising at least one sheet of glass and at least one layer of intumescent material, the improvement which comprises utilizing in the layer a hydrated alkali metal silicate as intumescent material and one or more adjuvants selected from: urea, polyhydric alcohol (including glycerine, ethylene glycol and sorbitol), monosaccharide (including glucose), polysaccharide (including starch), sodium phosphate, sodium aluminate, aluminum phosphate, borax, boric acid and colloidal silica.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a laminated, light-transmitting fire-screening panel comprising at least one solid layer of intumescent material sandwiched between two structural plies without the use of a sheet of plastic material to effect the bonding, comprising the steps of forming a stratum from an intumescent material assembling the stratum and a first structural ply to an inorganic face of a pane comprising a second structural ply so that the stratum is in contact with the inorganic face and sandwiched between the structural plies, enveloping at least the edges of the sandwich assembly in such manner as to define a space around the edges in which sub-atmospheric pressure can be created for subjecting the inter-ply space to suction at the edges, and subjecting the sandwich assembly to a treatment in which at least one of the main external faces of the sandwich assembly is exposed to sub-atmospheric environmental pressure while the sandwich assembly is exposed to heat in a treatment chamber and the inter-ply s

Abstract: A laminated light-transmitting fire-screening panel comprising two outer plies and at least one layer of intumescent material sandwiched between the outer plies of the panel, the arrangement being such that the layer occupies an area which is less than the area of at least one of the outer plies so as to define therewith a recess leading along at least a portion of the edge of the panel.

Abstract: In the diffusion of ions from a contacting medium constituting a source of such ions into surface layers of a body of glass or vitrocrystalline material for the purpose of modifying at least one property of the body, the uniformity of the diffusion across the surface of the body is improved by placing the medium contacting the body in the form of a mist composed of suspended droplets of the treating medium.

Abstract: A heat insulating screen forming a part of an oven or furnace comprising two or more sheets of glass of vitrocrystalline material mounted in facing relationship, one sheet providing one exterior face of the screen having been subjected to a chemical tempering treatment, the other sheet providing the other exterior face of the screen having improved thermal properties which are obtained either by utilizing a borosilicate glass which has a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 5 x 10.sup.-6 /.degree. C or a sheet bearing at least one coating capable of screening off a significant amount of incident infrared radiation.

Abstract: An impact resistant panel composed of a group of at least three sheets of vitreous material bonded together via intervening layers of plastic material. According to one form of construction, the group includes a set of consecutive vitreous sheets of at least three different thicknesses which are arranged in order of thickness, and at least the first sheet, taken in the direction from the highest sheet thickness end of the set, is tempered. According to a second form of construction, the group includes a set of consecutive sheets of at least two different thicknesses arranged in order of thickness and at least two of the plastic layers are of different thicknesses and are arranged so that one of the layers having the smallest thickness is nearer the first sheet, taken in the direction from the thickest sheet, than is any other layer.