Process for the application of an adhesive layer in alloy welding

Claim 2

A PROCESS OF FORMING AN ADHERENT LAYER OF SOLDER ALLOY ON A METALLIZED SURFACE PORTION OF A SHEET OF GLASS PREPARATORY TO SOLDERING TO SUCH SURFACE PORTION A METALLIC MEMBER, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF SPRAYING AS AN ATOMIZED MIST A SOLDERING FLUX ONTO SAID METALLIZED SURFACE PORTION TO FORM A FLUX COATING EXTENDING UP TO A PREDETERMINED BOUNDARY PROVIDED ON A ZONE OF SAID METALLIZED SURFACE PORTION, SUPPLYING SOLDER ONTO THE FLUX COATING, AND CAUSING THE SUPPLIED SOLDER TO SPREAD OUT

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1 in which the metallized surface portion extends along a margin of the sheet of glass, and wherein the soldering flux is sprayed to form a flux coating over a substantially uniformly wide portion of the width of the metallized margin so as to leave an inner portion of the width of the metallized margin free of flux coating.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 1 wherein the soldering flux is sprayed through a zone overlapping the aforesaid margin of the sheet of glass and the overlapped portion of the zone through which the flux is sprayed is subjected to suction during spraying.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1 wherein the solder is initially supplied onto part only of the area of the flux coating so that complete covering of such flux coating is dependent on the subsequent spreading of the solder.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 1 wherein the solder is supplied in the form of drops onto the flux coating.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 5 wherein the solder is supplied in the form of drops by spraying molten solder.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1 wherein the solder is supplied onto the flux coating in the form of a strip or thread directed along the area to be coated.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 1 wherein the solder supplied onto the flux coating is force-spread thereon.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 8 wherein the spreading of the solder to form the solder layer is effected by a single pass of a spreading member.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 9 wherein said spreading member, when not operative, is protected from the atmosphere by a non-oxidizing gas.

Claim 12

In a process of manufacturing a hollow glazing unit by soldering metallized and solder-coated margins of a sheet of glass to intervening spacer strips in which at least one margin of said sheet is both metallized and provided with a layer of solder before a contiguous margin of that sheet is metallized and provided with a layer of solder, the improvement which comprises the steps of forming the solder layer on said one metallized margin by first spraying soldering flux as an atomized mist onto said one metallized margin up to a predetermined boundary provided on a zone of said one metallized margin and then supplying solder onto such flux coating and causing the applied solder to spread out thereon to form a solder layer of requisIte thickness extending up to said boundary.

Claim 13

In a process of manufacturing a hollow glazing unit by soldering metallized and solder-coated margins of a sheet of glass to intervening spacer strips in which at least one margin of said sheet is both metallized and provided with a layer of solder before a contiguous margin of that sheet is metallized and provided with a layer of solder, the improvement which comprises the steps of forming the solder layer on said one metallized margin by first spraying soldering flux as an atomized mist onto said one metallized margin up to a predetermined boundary provided on a zone of said one metallized margin and then supplying solder onto such flux coating and causing the applied solder to spread out thereon to form a solder layer of requisIte thickness extending up to said boundary.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 11 wherein a margin of said sheet contiguous with said one margin is metallized before the said spraying of soldering flux onto said one margin takes place so that the metallizing coating on said contiguous margin keys directly to the metallizing coating on said one margin.

Claim 15

A process according to claim 11 wherein the spraying of soldering flux onto said one margin is effected so that part of the metallizing coating on said one margin adjacent the inner boundary thereof is left free from flux coating at least at the corner regions of the sheet, and the solder layer formed on said flux coating extends up to the inner boundary of said flux coating and thereafter a contiguous margin of the sheet is metallized so that such metallizing coating keys directly to an exposed part of the metallizing coating on said one margin, the metallizing coating on the contiguous margin being subsequently provided with a coating of solder.

Claim 16

A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the supplied solder is caused to spread out solely by the action of gravity and surface tension effects.