Abstract: An apparatus for laminating a layer of polymer plastic film to a precast layer of glass is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a support saddle having a receiving surface that is shaped and dimensioned to support the precast layer of glass. The layer of polymer plastic film is positioned by a holding means in the form of toothed upper and lower opposed collar members in spaced apart relation with respect to the glass. A ram having a hard flexible contact member adapted to intimately contact plastic film is positioned at a distance away from the plastic film. The ram and the saddle are brought towards each other so as to cause the hard flexible contact member to contact the plastic film, which in turn causes the plastic film to contact the preformed layer of glass, such that the hard flexible contact member, the plastic film, the glass and the saddle are in intimate contact seriatim.

Abstract: An apparatus for laminating a layer of polymer plastic film--such as non-oriented polyurethane or polyvinyl butyral laminated with oriented polyethylene teraphthalate--to glass, is taught. A saddle is provided having essentially the same contour as the glass that contacts it during the lamination process; and at least the surface of the saddle has an essentially identical coefficient of heat expansion and contraction as the glass, so that there is no significant slippage of the glass with respect to the saddle as the glass and polymer plastic film are heated and cooled. A segmented saddle may be provided having segments with substantially different coefficient of heat expansion and contraction than that of glass, but by being spatially isolated there is no gross expansion or contraction of the saddle face compared with that of the glass. A compression ram presses against the polymer film to be laminated to the glass. Either or both of the saddle and the ram is heated, usually the saddle.

Abstract: A method for laminating plastic film to glass is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a precast layer of glass on a support and placing a polymer film at a distance therefrom; then providing a ram with a lower surface having substantially the same contour as the top surface of the glass layer and providing a hard, flexible intermediate layer between the ram and the polymer film in which the intermediate layer has a contour that is more convex than that of the lower surface of the ram. The distance between the ram and the precast glass is then decreased such that initially the lower surface of the ram contacts the intermediate layer and the central portion of the intermediate layer contacts the polymer film at its center first and continues to stretch the polymer film into contact with the glass layer at its center outwardly towards the edges. Eventually the pressure is increased between the ram and the glass layer, heat is applied, and the glass layer and polymer film are laminated.