Abstract: A water dispersible mould for making a casting, the mould comprising a water-insoluble particulate material-and a binder therefor, the binder including polyphosphate chains and/or borate ions. The invention also provides a process for making a water dispersible mould for making a casting, the process including the steps of: (a) providing a water-insoluble particulate material; (b) combining the particulate material with a binder including polyphosphate chains and/or borate ions, the chains and/or ions being dissolved in water; (c) forming, either during or after step (b), the particulate material and binder mixture into a desired shape; and (d) removing free water from the mixture. The polyphosphate chains may be derived from a water soluble phosphate glass and the borate ions may be derived from a soluble borate glass.

Abstract: A laminated glass windscreen comprises two sheets of glass laminated together with a layer of transparent plastics material. The inner sheet of the windscreen is of thickness in the range 0.5 mm to 3 mm and is toughened to a degree such that the central tensile stress in the glass is from 380 kg/cm.sup.2 to 1120 kg/cm.sup.2. The outer sheet may be an untoughened sheet of thickness 0.5 mm to 3.5 mm or a toughened sheet of thickness 0.5 mm to 3 mm and whose central tensile stress does not exceed 560 kg/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: In forming a laminated glass article a first stage comprises assembling two glass sheets with an interlayer of thermoplastic transparent plastics material and heating the assembly to a first temperature at which some softening of the plastics material occurs. In the second stage the assembly is heated to a second higher temperature and maintained at the second temperature for a period such that full bonding occurs between the glass sheets and the interlayer, and then cooled, the exposed periphery of the interlayer being maintained at a pressure which is a controlled amount below that applied to the faces of the glass sheets for at least part of the period that the assembly is heated to the second temperature.

Abstract: A hot glass sheet, which may have been bent to a suitable shape for use in the manufacture of a vehicle window, is heated prior to quenching in a chilling medium such as a chilling liquid, in such a way that the edge of the sheet which first contacts the chilling medium is hotter than the trailing edge of the sheet.