Abstract: A reflective sheeting is disclosed having spaced apart cavities extending along one face and light-reflecting beads lining both wall and bottom portions of the cavities to impart a wide angle retroreflective response to incident light and improved brightness or intensity. The sheet is prepared by forming in a deformable carrier sheet a network of relatively depressed cavities having wall and bottom portions and spaced apart by intervening ridges, and then coating the wall and bottom portions of the cavities and the ridges with light-reflecting beads. After filling the cavities and covering the ridges with a solidified layer of a resinous organic matrix having a greater adherence to the beads than the carrier sheet has, the sheet is stripped away. This transfers the beads to the organic matrix and locates them in similarly shaped cavities and ridges molded in the matrix by the carrier sheet.

Abstract: A sturdy optical mold for reproducing optical curved surfaces in the shape corresponding to that of an optical prototype comprising a resin layer formed on a base and a metallic layer formed on said resin layer, and a method for manufacturing an optical mold for reproducing optical curved surfaces in the shape corresponding to that of an optical prototype comprising forming layers of different metals on the surface of an optical prototype, dissolving one of said layers for releasing the other layer and fixing said released layer onto a base with a bonding agent.

Abstract: In the method for making an article having a replicated coating with a durable dielectric overcoat. A master is formed having a surface to be replicated formed thereon. A parting compound such as silicon oil is placed on the surface while under a vacuum. An optical coating is formed in reverse order, with the protective coat first and the reflective coat last, on the coated surface while in the vacuum under a low temperature to cause initial curing of the protective coat without reevaporation of the silicon oil. Thereafter, the optical coating on the master is post-cured in air at an elevated temperature to cause final curing and hardening of the protective coat. After the post-curing has been completed, the replicated part, if desired, is transferred to the part to carry the same and is mounted thereon by a sealing plastic.

Abstract: An embossed plastic sheet material having a surface design effect thereon, and the process of preparing such material which comprises: applying to compressed areas of an embossed release sheet having a design effect thereon a first polymer characterized by a high modulus of elongation; applying a continuous layer of a second polymer characterized by a low modulus of elongation over the first polymer in the depressed area; removing the release sheet to provide a polymeric sheet material composed of a continuous layer of a low-modulus polymer, with raised areas composed of a high modulus polymer secured thereto, the raised areas of the high modulus polymer forming a substantial part of the sheet surface; and flexing the low modulus polymer in the intervening low areas between the raised high polymer areas to the polymeric sheet to form a weak-hinge effect, thereby providing an imitation leather-type material with an accentuated design effect thereon.

Abstract: A web of indeterminate length carrying thermally transferable material, usually referred to as hot stamp tape, is structured to provide an improved simulated wood grain pattern on a substrate after transfer to the substrate of transferable portions of the tape. The web or tape may be provided in sheet form. The structure comprises "ticks" or discrete linearly oriented spots of material having low specular reflectivity coated on a matte carrier sheet, as by printing, and a layer coated thereon to provide the top layer of the transferred material, which replicates the surface of the carrier sheet and the coated ticks or spots.

Abstract: Slide-fastener stringers are made by extruding continuous strands of synthetic resin in a form having a plurality of cavities open on one side and defining the coupling head, shank and connecting portion of a multiplicity of coupling members which together form a coupling element adapted to be mounted along the edge of a support tape. An embossing tool is thrust into the connecting members and/or the shanks of the coupling members so as to plastically deform the thermoplastic material and produce humps along the surfaces of the coupling element which are thermally bonded to the support tape.

Abstract: A web of indeterminate length carrying thermally transferable material, usually referred to as hot stamp tape, is structured to provide an improved simulated wood grain pattern on a substrate after transfer to the substrate of transferable portions of the tape. The web or tape may be provided in sheet form. The structure comprises "ticks" or discrete linearly oriented spots of material having low specular reflectivity coated on a matte carrier sheet, as by printing, and a layer coated thereon to provide the top layer of the transferred material, which replicates the surface of the carrier sheet and the coated "ticks" or spots.

Abstract: Retroreflective sheeting is produced by bonding a multiplicity of cube corner formations to sheet material, and the cube corner formations are formed principally of a first resin formulation providing the body thereof and a second resin formulation providing the base thereof and the bonding to the sheet material. Cube corner formations are produced on a mold having a surface in which is formed an array of minute, contiguous cube corner recesses. The resin formulation initially deposited in the recesses is solidified substantially and the remaining depth of the recesses is filled with a bonding material which serves not only to level the cube corner formations, but also to bond them to the sheet material. The apparatus utilized is a continuously moving mold surface and has a plurality of stations for effecting the several steps of the process.