Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
In a process of forming a metal or metal compound coating on a face of a heated glass substrate during its displacement in a given direction through a coating station at which the said face is contacted with at least one stream of droplets composed of at least one substance from which said coating metal or metal compound is formed on said face, such at least one stream being directed at a downward inclination to such face, the improvement comprising directing the stream downwardly towards said face at an inclination to a direction parallel to the given direction, causing at least one current of gas, constituting a counter-current, to flow adjacent the substrate path and towards the portion of the droplet stream where the droplets have the longest trajectories, and exerting suction force on the gases in exhaust ducting whose entrance is located for drawing gases away from said portion of said stream at a higher level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
In a process of forming a metal or metal compound coating on a face of a heated glass substrate during its displacement in a given direction through a coating station at which the said face is contacted with at least one stream of droplets composed of at least one substance from which said coating metal or metal compound is formed on said face, such at least one stream being directed at a downward inclination to such face, the improvement comprising directing the stream downwardly towards said face at an inclination to a direction parallel to the given direction, causing at least one current of gas, constituting a counter-current, to flow adjacent the substrate path and towards the portion of the droplet stream where the droplets have the longest trajectories, and exerting suction force on the gases in exhaust ducting whose entrance is located for drawing gases away from said portion of said stream at a higher level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that said counter-current is caused to flow substantially horizontally towards the droplet stream.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A process according to claim 2, characterised in that said counter-current is propelled from at least one delivery orifice spaced from said portion of the droplet stream so that such current flows along the surface of the glass or of the coating in front of such stream.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 3, characterised in that the said at least one delivery orifice is located at a height of from 0.5 to 5 cm above the path of the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the exhaust ducting provides a single exhaust stage in front of the path of the droplet stream.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process according to claim 5, characterised in that the entrance of said exhaust ducting extends over substantially the full vertical distance between a roof wall over the coating station and the delivery orifice from which the counter-current is propelled.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A process according to claim 5, characterised in that the entrance of the exhaust ducting and the counter-current delivery orifice are disposed at substantially the same distance along the given direction from the zone where the boundary of said portion of the droplet stream impinges on the substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process according to claim 5, characterised in that the counter-current delivery orifice is located at a horizontal distance of from 10 cm to 1.5 meters from the zone of impingement of said boundary of the droplet stream on the substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 8, characterised in that said horizontal distance is between 20 and 150 cm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
A process according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterised in that said exhaust ducting provides a plurality of exhaust ducts, each having a respective entrance, at successive positions along the path of exhaust gas flow away from the region of said portion of the droplet stream.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
A process according to claim 10, characterised in that the heights at which the entrances of the exhaust ducts are located above the path of the glass substrate decreases from one stage to the next, with respect to the direction away from said portion of the droplet stream path.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process according to claim 10, characterised in that the counter-current delivery orifice is located adjacent the entrance of the exhaust duct furthest from said stream portion at a level between such entrance and the path of the glass substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process according to claim 12, characterised in that said furthest exhaust duct is associated with a barrier which prevents exhaust gases from flowing over such duct.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
A process according to claim 10, characterised in that the entrance of the exhaust duct closest to said stream portion is located at a horizontal distance of from 10 to 30 cm from the zone where the boundary of said portion of the droplet stream impinges on the substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that the counter-current is constituted by gas which has been drawn from a source extraneous to the normal environment above the substrate and which has been pre-heated at least to a temperature substantially equal to the temperature of the glass at the region where the counter-current is delivered.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that the or each droplet stream is inclined so that the included angle between the axis of the droplet stream and the substrate face being coated is in the range of 20° to 60°.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 16, characterised in that said included angle is in the range of 25° to 35°.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that the or each droplet stream is a parallel stream or is one which diverges from its source at an angle of not more than 30°.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that the source of the droplet stream is located at a perpendicular distance of from 15 to 35 cm above the substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that said droplet stream is repeatedly displaced transversely across the path of the substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that the counter-current is propelled from stationary orifices distributed transversely across the path of the substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
91 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that said droplet stream is discharged from at least one spraying device belonging to a series of spraying devices which are located in spaced relation on an endless track which comprises two parallel reaches extending transversely across the substrate path and along which track the said series of spraying devices is unidirectionally rotated to cause each of the spraying devices to traverse the substrate first in one direction at the said coating station and then in the reverse direction at another coating station.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 22, characterised in that coating material is simultaneously sprayed from spraying devices at the two coating stations.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process according to claim 22 or 23, characterised in that at least one counter-current of gas is created on each of the upstream and downstream sides of the spraying system, the counter-current on each side being directed towards said portion of the droplet stream operating at the adjacent coating station.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 22 or 23, characterised in that heating means is provided which heats the glass substrate at a position between the two coating stations.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process according to claim 22 or 23, characterised in that different coating materials are supplied to different spraying devices and the supply is controlled so that one coating material is only sprayed by the spraying devices for that material when they are at one of the coating stations and another coating material is only sprayed by the spraying devices for that material when they are at the other of the coating stations.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that at the coating station gas is also propelled in a direction opposite to the direction of the counter-current, from a position to the rear of the zone, extending transversely across the substrate path, in which the droplet stream impinges on the substrate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that the substrate is a continuously longitudinally moving glass ribbon travelling from a forming plant.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 28, characterised in that said ribbon is a ribbon of float glass travelling from a float tank.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process according to claim 28 or 29, characterised in that the droplet stream impinges on the ribbon at a position where the temperature of the glass is within the range of 650° to 100° C.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that the droplets are droplets of a solution of a metal chloride from which a metal oxide coating forms on said substrate face.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process according to claim 31, characterised in that said solution is a tin chloride solution.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 1, characterised in that the counter-current is propelled from a stationary orifice extending transversely across the path of the substrate.