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EP0082001A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for and a method of metallising a length of material

Assignee: General Engineering Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1982-12-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-12-13
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Abstract

Abstract Apparatus for metallising a web W comprises a vacuum chamber 1 housing an aluminium vapour source 2 adjacent a driven water cooled process drum 5. During metallising oxygen is fed to the chamber through an inlet 7 controlled by a needle valve whilst the web is drawn over the surface of the drum in order to produce a desired surface appearance or other optical effect on the web. The appearance or optical effect can be varied by varying the position at which oxygen is introduced to the chamber.

Inventors

  • 👤 George Barry Sugden
  • 👤 John Downs

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 02:39
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/56; C23C14/562; C23C14/0021

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 69 words
Apparatus for metallising a length (W) of material comprising a vacuum chamber (1) housing supply means (3) for the supply of the length of material to be metallised, a source (2) for the production of evaporated aluminium and take-up means (4) for receiving the length of metallised material, characterised in that the vacuum chamber is provided with means (7) enabling oxygen to be introduced thereto during the metallising process.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 69 words
Apparatus for metallising a length (W) of material comprising a vacuum chamber (1) housing supply means (3) for the supply of the length of material to be metallised, a source (2) for the production of evaporated aluminium and take-up means (4) for receiving the length of metallised material, characterised in that the vacuum chamber is provided with means (7) enabling oxygen to be introduced thereto during the metallising process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the means (7) enabling the oxygen to be introduced is disposed at the periphery of the chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 31 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the means (7) enabling the oxygen to be introduced is disposed at a position intermediate the periphery of the chamber and the source.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the means (7) enabling the oxygen to be introduced is disposed at a position adjacent the source for the production of evaporated aluminium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 22 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the means (7) enabling the oxygen to be introduced comprises more than one inlet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the inlets are spaced around the periphery of the chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 30 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which one of the inlets is disposed at the periphery of the chamber (1) and the remainder of them elsewhere in the chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, 6, or 7, in which the or each oxygen inlet (7) comprises a control valve.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 64 words
A method of metallising a length of material including the steps of passing the length (W) of material to be metallised under vacuum conditions over a source (2) of evaporated aluminium in a vacuum chamber (1) whilst simultanteously introducing oxygen to the chamber (1) in order to modify at least the normal silver surface appearance of the metal coating of the material so produced.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 64 words
A method of metallising a length of material including the steps of passing the length (W) of material to be metallised under vacuum conditions over a source (2) of evaporated aluminium in a vacuum chamber (1) whilst simultanteously introducing oxygen to the chamber (1) in order to modify at least the normal silver surface appearance of the metal coating of the material so produced.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method as claimed in claim 9, in which oxygen is introduced at the periphery of the chamber (1).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method as claimed in Claim 10, in which oxygen is introduced at a position (37) intermediate the periphery of the chamber (1) and the source (2) .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method as claimed in claim 10, in which oxygen is introduced at a position (27) adjacent the source (2).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method as claimed in claim 10, in which the oxygen is introduced to the chamber (1) through a plurality of inlets (37b).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method as claimed in Claim 10, in which oxygen is introduced through a plurality of inlets spaced around the periphery of the chamber (1).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method as claimed in Claim 10, in which the oxygen is introduced through a plurality of inlets one of which is disposed at the periphery of and the others elsewhere in the chamber (1).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method as claimed in Claim 13, in which the introduction of oxygen is controlled by valve means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 24 words
A web metallised with aluminium, the aluminium being oxidised on at least one surface in order to produce a surface appearance other than silver.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 24 words
A web metallised with aluminium, the aluminium being oxidised on at least one surface in order to produce a surface appearance other than silver.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPS546878A Cited
JPS5428782A Cited
JPS54141393A Cited
JPS56112471A Cited
JPS56139674A Cited
JPS56166326A Cited
EP0048884A2 Cited

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