US4175162A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of manufacturing a laminated, light transmitting, fire screening panel
Assignee: BFG Glassgroup GIE
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Filing: 1977-11-28
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Granted: 1979-11-20
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Expires: 1997-11-28
Abstract
Abstract A method of manufacturing a laminated, light-transmitting fire-screening panel comprising at least one solid layer of intumescent material sandwiched between two structural plies without the use of a sheet of plastic material to effect the bonding, comprising the steps of forming a stratum from an intumescent material assembling the stratum and a first structural ply to an inorganic face of a pane comprising a second structural ply so that the stratum is in contact with the inorganic face and sandwiched between the structural plies, enveloping at least the edges of the sandwich assembly in such manner as to define a space around the edges in which sub-atmospheric pressure can be created for subjecting the inter-ply space to suction at the edges, and subjecting the sandwich assembly to a treatment in which at least one of the main external faces of the sandwich assembly is exposed to sub-atmospheric environmental pressure while the sandwich assembly is exposed to heat in a treatment chamber and the inter-ply space is subjected to the aforesaid suction to effect bonding of the various plies without causing the intumescent material to become tumid.
Inventors
- 👤 Marcel De Boel
- 👤 Pol Baudin
- 👤 Michel Wasterlain
- 👤 Pierre Collignon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 21:09
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B37/00; B32B37/10; B32B37/1018; B32B38/00; B32B38/0036; B32B17/00; B32B17/06; B32B17/069; B32B17/10; B32B17/10005; B32B17/10165; B32B17/10174; B32B17/10201; B32B17/10211; C; C03; C03C; C03C27/00; C03C27/06; C03C27/10; B32B2307/00; B32B2307/30; B32B2307/306; B32B2307/3065; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/92
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
235 words
A method of manufacturing a laminated, light-transmitting fire-screening panel comprising at least one solid layer of intumescent material sandwiched between two structural plies without the use of a sheet of plastic material to effect the bonding, comprising the steps of forming a stratum from an intumescent sodium silicate material, assembling said stratum and a first structural ply to an inorganic face of a pane comprising a second structural ply so that said stratum is in contact with said inorganic face and sandwiched between said structural plies, enveloping at least the edges of the sandwich assembly in such manner as to define a space around the edges in which sub-atmospheric pressure can be created for subjecting the inter-ply space to suction at the edges, and subjecting the sandwich assembly to a treatment in which at least one of the main external faces of the sandwich assembly is exposed to sub-atmospheric environmental pressure while the sandwich assembly is exposed to heat in a treatment chamber and the inter-ply space is subjected to the aforesaid suction to effect bonding of the various plies without causing the intumescent material to become tumid, the environmental temperature during said treatment being at least 50° C. and not more than 95° C., the sandwich assembly being subjected to a supplementary bonding stage following said treatment in which final bonding takes place at above atmospheric pressure in excess of 10 kg/cm 2 .
Claim 2
Independent Claim
235 words
A method of manufacturing a laminated, light-transmitting fire-screening panel comprising at least one solid layer of intumescent material sandwiched between two structural plies without the use of a sheet of plastic material to effect the bonding, comprising the steps of forming a stratum from an intumescent sodium silicate material, assembling said stratum and a first structural ply to an inorganic face of a pane comprising a second structural ply so that said stratum is in contact with said inorganic face and sandwiched between said structural plies, enveloping at least the edges of the sandwich assembly in such manner as to define a space around the edges in which sub-atmospheric pressure can be created for subjecting the inter-ply space to suction at the edges, and subjecting the sandwich assembly to a treatment in which at least one of the main external faces of the sandwich assembly is exposed to sub-atmospheric environmental pressure while the sandwich assembly is exposed to heat in a treatment chamber and the inter-ply space is subjected to the aforesaid suction to effect bonding of the various plies without causing the intumescent material to become tumid, the environmental temperature during said treatment being at least 50° C. and not more than 95° C., the sandwich assembly being subjected to a supplementary bonding stage following said treatment in which final bonding takes place at above atmospheric pressure in excess of 10 kg/cm 2 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein in said treatment the subjection of the sandwich assembly to sub-atmospheric environmental pressure and to heat in the treatment chamber, and the subjection of the inter-ply space to suction commence simultaneously.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said sub-atmospheric pressure in said space around the edges of the sandwich assembly is different from the sub-atmospheric environmental pressure acting upon at least one of the main external faces of the sandwich assembly for at least a portion of the treatment period.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as defined in claim 3 wherein the sub-atmospheric pressure in said space around the edges is reduced during said treatment, such sub-atmospheric pressure being initially higher but becoming lower than the sub-atmospheric pressure acting on at least one of the main external faces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said pressure in said space around the edges is reduced from atmospheric pressure to 20 mm of mercury or less.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said pressure in said space around the edges is reduced from atmospheric pressure to 10 mm of mercury or less.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the environmental pressure acting upon at least one of the main external faces during the treatment is reduced from atmospheric pressure to 500 mm of mercury or less.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the environmental pressure acting upon at least one of the main external faces during the treatment is reduced from atmospheric pressure to 200 mm of mercury or less.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the temperature of the sandwich assembly is progressively increased during said treatment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method as defined in claim 9 wherein during said treatment the sub-atmospheric pressure acting upon at least one of the main external faces is reduced to a value of 200 mm of mercury or less before being increased to a value above 400 mm of mercury while the sandwich assembly is progressively heated and while sub-atmospheric pressure is maintained in said space around the edges.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said sub-atmospheric pressure around the edges of the sandwich is maintained after the environmental pressure on at least one of the main external faces of the sandwich assembly has been increased to atmospheric pressure or higher.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method as defined in claim 11 wherein the pressure around the edges of the sandwich assembly is increased to atmospheric when the desired temperature for the sandwich assembly has been reached and after the environmental pressure acting on at least one of the main external faces of the sandwich assembly has been increased to atmospheric pressure or higher.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein in said supplementary bonding stage the sandwich assembly is subjected to heat.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 13 wherein the sandwich assembly is heated under pressure in an autoclave in a final stage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein during said supplementary bonding stage the temperature of the sandwich assembly is progressively further increased.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said suction from the inter-ply space is achieved by maintaining sub-atmospheric pressure conditions in an envelope which encloses the sandwich assembly while preserving a space between the inner surface of the envelope and the sandwich edges.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as defined in claim 16 wherein pressure reaction forces which would otherwise be applied to the margins of the sandwich assembly are supported by one or more bracing members located within the space around the edges of the sandwich assembly.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein each structural ply is of vitreous material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
A fire screening panel manufactured by a method according to claim 1.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-11-19 | 1983-05-21 | 1983-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-11-19 | 1987-05-21 | 1987-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-11-19 | 1991-05-21 | 1991-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |