Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A process for forming a metal or metal compound coating on a face of a hot vitreous substrate in sheet or ribbon form by continously advancing the substrate in a given direction along a path through a coating station, discharging droplets of liquid coating precursor material in the given direction so that such material contacts the substrate at the coating station, continuously withdrawing vapours from the coating station in the given direction, and thereafter annealing the substrate in an annealing lehr, said process further comprising, before said step of annealing, passing the hot coated substrate (1) from the coating station (3) to the annealing lehr (6) via a re-heating station located ahead of the lehr (4), supplying, in the re-heating station, sufficient radiant heat energy to the hot coated substrate (1) to raise the temperature or the mean temperature of its coated surface, while the substrate is within said station, through a certain temperature range, at least the upper end of such range being not lower than a temperature 100° C. below the corresponding temperature of such surface immediately before its contact by said coating precursor material, and advancing the substrate through said re-heating station at a rate such that each increment of length of the substrate remains in said re-heating station for at least 5 seconds.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
A process for forming a metal or metal compound coating on a face of a hot vitreous substrate in sheet or ribbon form by continously advancing the substrate in a given direction along a path through a coating station, discharging droplets of liquid coating precursor material in the given direction so that such material contacts the substrate at the coating station, continuously withdrawing vapours from the coating station in the given direction, and thereafter annealing the substrate in an annealing lehr, said process further comprising, before said step of annealing, passing the hot coated substrate (1) from the coating station (3) to the annealing lehr (6) via a re-heating station located ahead of the lehr (4), supplying, in the re-heating station, sufficient radiant heat energy to the hot coated substrate (1) to raise the temperature or the mean temperature of its coated surface, while the substrate is within said station, through a certain temperature range, at least the upper end of such range being not lower than a temperature 100° C. below the corresponding temperature of such surface immediately before its contact by said coating precursor material, and advancing the substrate through said re-heating station at a rate such that each increment of length of the substrate remains in said re-heating station for at least 5 seconds.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said step of discharging comprises spraying coating precursor material onto said substrate (1) in solution.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said coating precursor material comprises a metal compound for forming by pyrolysis a coating comprising an oxide of such metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 3, wherein said metal compound is a tin chloride.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 3, wherein the coating on the substrate (1) is exposed to a nonreducing atmosphere at said re-heating station (4).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 1, which is performed to form a said metal or metal compound coating having a thickness of at least the fifth interferential order.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to clam 1, wherein the speed of advance of said substrate through the coating (3) and re-heating (4) stations is at least 2 meters per minute.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to clam 1, wherein the speed of advance of said substrate through the coating (3) and re-heating (4) stations is at least 2 meters per minute.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature or the mean temperature of the substrate surface to be coated is 550° to 650° C. at a position along the substrate path immediately before that at which the substrate (1) is contacted by said coating precursor material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein at least the upper end of the temperature range through which the corresponding temperature of the coated substrate surface is raised at said re-heating station (4) is not less than a temperature 50° C. below the temperature or the mean temperature of such surface immediately before its contact by said coating precursor material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein at the upper end of said temperature range the material of the substrate has a mean viscosity in the range 10 11 to 10 12 poises.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said step of supplying heat energy at said re-heating station (4) is carried out by heating the coated substrate by one or more radiant heaters (10) emitting radiation at a black body temperature of 900° to 1600° C.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the heat energy supplied at the re-heating station (4) imparts a predetermined temperature profile to the coated substrate (1) across its width.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the substrate (1) is passed from the re-heating station (4) through a temperature stabilising compartment (5) to allow controlled modification of thermal gradients within the substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 13, wherein the speed of advance of the substrate (1) and the length of said temperature stabilising compartment (5) are such that any increment of the substrate remains within that compartment for between 10 and 40 seconds.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the speed of advance of the substrate (1) and the length of the re-heating station (4) are such that any increment of the substrate remains within that station for between 5 and 20 seconds.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein flame curtains are provided at each side of the substrate path at the re-heating station.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the substrate (1) is a freshly formed ribbon of hot glass.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 17, wherein the substrate is of float glass.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
274 words
Apparatus for forming a metal or metal compound coating on a face of a hot vitreous substrate in sheet or ribbon form, such apparatus comprising a coating station, means for continuously advancing the substrate in a given direction along a path through the coating station, delivery means for discharging droplets of liquid coating precursor material in the given direction so as to contact a substrate at said coating station, and means for continuously withdrawing vapours from the coating station in the given direction, and an annealing lehr disposed for annealing the substrate as the substrate is being advanced along the path by said means for advancing and after the substrate has left said coating station, characterized in that at a position between said coating station (3) and said annealing lehr (6) there is a re-heating compartment (4) which is separated from said coating station (3) by at least one boundary wall (13), which re-heating compartment is provided with radiant heating means (10) for heating the substrate (1) as it advances through said re-heating compartment (4) in order to raise the temperature or the mean temperature of the coated surface of the substrate, while the substrate is within said re-heating compartment, through a certain temperature range, at least the upper end of such range being not lower than a temperature 100° C. below the corresponding temperature of such surface immediately before its contact by the coating precursor material, and said means for advancing are operative for advancing the substrate through said re-heating compartment at a rate such that each increment of length of the substrate remains in said re-heating compartment for at least 5 seconds.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
274 words
Apparatus for forming a metal or metal compound coating on a face of a hot vitreous substrate in sheet or ribbon form, such apparatus comprising a coating station, means for continuously advancing the substrate in a given direction along a path through the coating station, delivery means for discharging droplets of liquid coating precursor material in the given direction so as to contact a substrate at said coating station, and means for continuously withdrawing vapours from the coating station in the given direction, and an annealing lehr disposed for annealing the substrate as the substrate is being advanced along the path by said means for advancing and after the substrate has left said coating station, characterized in that at a position between said coating station (3) and said annealing lehr (6) there is a re-heating compartment (4) which is separated from said coating station (3) by at least one boundary wall (13), which re-heating compartment is provided with radiant heating means (10) for heating the substrate (1) as it advances through said re-heating compartment (4) in order to raise the temperature or the mean temperature of the coated surface of the substrate, while the substrate is within said re-heating compartment, through a certain temperature range, at least the upper end of such range being not lower than a temperature 100° C. below the corresponding temperature of such surface immediately before its contact by the coating precursor material, and said means for advancing are operative for advancing the substrate through said re-heating compartment at a rate such that each increment of length of the substrate remains in said re-heating compartment for at least 5 seconds.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein at said re-heating compartment (4) there is a plurality of independently controllable radiant heaters (1) which are arranged side-by-side across the width of the substrate path.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said radiant heating means (1) is adjustable in height above the substrate path.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein in the given direction from said re-heating compartment (4) there is a temperature stabilising compartment (5) for allowing controlled modification of thermal gradients within the substrate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein means is provided for supplying flame curtains at each side of the substrate path within the re-heating compartment.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein conveyor means (2) is provided for conveying the hot vitreous substrate directly from a vitreous ribbon forming installation to said coating station (3).
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said ribbon forming installation is a float glass forming installation.