Abstract: A gantry support for supporting a roof of a passage includes two parallel supporting units each having a lower frame provided with articulated tracks and an upper frame carried by props and two cross-members. The two cross-members carry an intermediate upper frame in the form of a beam which is slidable on guide elements and adapted to be clamped to the roof by small jacks. As the support advances the beam remains clamped against the roof of the passage until the beam reaches an end stop. The small jack is then released and the beam slidably advanced along the guide elements by means of a further jack.

Abstract: A gantry support for supporting a roof of a passage is advanceable along a floor of the passage. The support has two parallel supporting elements mutually spaced apart laterally of the support, each element including at least two pairs of frames provided with articulated tracks. One frame of each pair is an upper frame and the other is a lower frame, the tracks of which are adapted to be applied respectively against the roof and floor of the passage by loading jacks applying a spreading force between the upper and lower frames. An intermediate upper frame is carried by an upper cross-member extending from one supporting element to the other and at least one loading jack applying a spreading force connects each lower frame to the corresponding end of the upper cross-member.

Abstract: In the pre-heating of coal the coal is entrained and/or fluidized in a heat exchange chamber by a heat-transfer gas which pneumatically conveys the coal from the chamber through a duct to a separator in which the coal is separated from gas. A hydrocarbon binder in a liquid state is injected into the coal in the duct through which the coal is being pneumatically conveyed by the gas to the separator.

Abstract: A plant for pre-heating by fluidizing and for milling coking coal in a treatment chamber is combined, by means of heat a exchanger interposed in a circuit for recirculating heat-conveying gas, with a plant for the dry quenching of hot coke in a quenching chamber. The flow, through the heat exchanger, of recycled quenching fumes of the coke is regulated in dependence on the rate at which the coal is introduced into the treatment chamber by a screw conveyor. An auxiliary heat combustion chamber permits precise control of the temperature in the treatment chamber.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for dusting off gases by filtration and cleaning of filter by aspiration and application thereof to combustion gases.This invention relates to the filtration of dust loaded gases, in particular, combustion gases in the hot state. It consists of passing gases to be dusted off from top to bottom over a bed of pulverulent material, in particular, a sand bed and cleaning the upper layer of said bed by aspiration of dusts deposited thereon. This invention is particularly adapted for dusting off combustion gases from boilers or thermal power stations or gases to be supplied to gas turbines.

Abstract: A process and an installation for the treatment of combustible granular or pulverulent material by drying and/or heating is disclosed. In one installation discharge gases are separated from dust in an electrostatic dust remover. Gases which have been partially recycled are divided between a direct recycling line and a path including the dust remover and a further duct so that the appropriate amount of gas is subject to dust removal to provide a desired throughput of gas. The dust captured by the dust remover is trapped in a hot liquid hydrocarbon and then used as a supplementary hydrocarbon binder.

Abstract: A process for purifying gaseous effluents containing aldehydes comprises submitting the gaseous effluents to the simultaneous action of SO.sub.2 and NH.sub.3 followed by washing with water. The ratio of the required quantities of NH.sub.3 and SO.sub.2 is between 2:1 and 3:1.When the gas to be purified naturally contains NH.sub.3, as is for instance the case in rendering plants, the quantity of NH.sub.3 to be added to the gas is reduced accordingly. Conversely when the gas to be treated naturally contains SO.sub.2, the quantity of SO.sub.2 to be added to the gas is also reduced accordingly. The most favorable ratio would correspond to a pH of the washing waters of between 7 and 7.5.

Abstract: A measuring cell having a measuring filament and a reference filament is disposed in a cap of sintered metal. A time base circuit, actuated by the closing of a switch, connects the filaments to an electrical supply circuit after a predetermined delay. Subsequently, the time base circuit sequentially triggers the connection of the filaments to a measuring circuit, the storage in a memory of the value of the output signal of the measuring circuit and the display of this stored value, the disconnection of the supply circuit, and the illumination of an end of operation warning lamp. The value displayed is proportional to the amount of a constituent of an atmosphere diffused into the measuring cell. The apparatus can be used as a portable fire damp meter or explosimeter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thrust device using a plurality of hydraulic jacks, and to the automatic control of a plurality of thrust jacks.Two differential jacks have resetting chambers which are permanently under hydraulic pressure. Associated with each jack there is a self-locking piloted valve placed in the active position by a push-rod at the end of a work stroke of the piston of the jack and restored into the inactive position by a piloted valve actuated by a push-rod 39 at the end of the return stroke of the piston to its starting position. In the active position the self-locking piloted valve controls the isolation from the supply of all the work chambers and the venting of the associated work chamber 14.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a treatment bed with a fluidized, circulating medium comprises a fluidization container having intake means for a fluidization agent and means for vibration in the longitudinal direction comprises a fluidization grid consisting of a plate having a plurality of vents arranged in rows alternating with a plurality of rectilinear unvented strips, the strips being parallel to the vertical plane containing the direction of the vibrations.

Abstract: A machine carriage, for example for a mine roof support, has a beam with rounded ends around which an articulated track runs in a guide path which defines lateral clearance at each side of the track on the straight part of the path. The track is guided without play around the rounded ends of the beam.

Abstract: A ball joint for transmitting forces between the prop and the head-piece of a support unit has a spherical head received in the spherical internal surface of a dome. The dome is enclosed by a spherical ring which is fastened to the head. The rod of a prop carries a pivot which is mounted with radial clearance in a cylindrical cavity located within the sphericl head.

Abstract: A device for causing translation of a machine carried on a sledge surrounded by an articulated track comprises a pushing member provided on a jack supported by the sledge, the pushing member cooperating with abutments provided on the inside of the track. The track comprises a plurality of articulated shoes each formed of two L-shaped half-shoes fastened together so that the shorter branches thereof are spaced from one another and are substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the track. Each abutment is carried by the shorter branches of each shoe whereby the passage formed by the space between the two shorter branches is at a position corresponding to that of the respective abutment.

Abstract: Coking coal is preheated in a fluidization chamber which houses a rotary percussion grinder and into the bottom of which a vertical pipe leads from a combustion chamber. Coal is introduced into the pipe and is entrained by gas in the pipe which gas subsequently acts as fluidization agent in the fluidization chamber. A main burner and an auxiliary burner in the combustion chamber are regulated by regulating the supply of combustion air so that the gas in the pipe is substantially neutral, and regulating the fuel supply in dependence on the temperature in the fluidization chamber. Preheated ground coal entrained in gas is led from the top of the fluidization chamber, and gas is recycled to the combustion chamber in an amount so that the speed of total gas flow in the fluidized coal is constant.

Abstract: An advancing support for providing a continuous propping, particularly for providing a continuous propping of mine galleries or like passageways, comprising at least two carriages for articulated tracks, each of said carriages including a beam having rounded ends and an articulated track closely surrounding the beam mounted for sliding friction on the beam, each of said beams being divided into spaced-apart longitudinal elements, a connecting element pivotally attached to each of said longitudinal elements for joining them together, said carriages being disposed one above the other to be applied respectively against the floor and roof of a gallery; at least one jack attached to the connecting element of the upper carriage and the connecting element of the lower carriage thereby joining said carriages together.

Abstract: A roof support for use in mines is moved by its own drive mechanism while under permanent load. The support comprises two side-by-side lower carriages with articulated tracks, cross members joining those carriages and an arm articulated to the cross members so as to swing up and down under the action of a jack connected between the arm and the cross members. At least one upper carriage having an articulated track is carried on the upper end of the arm, and is pushed against the roof of a mine gallery by the jack.

Abstract: A roof support capable of being moved by a drive mechanism while under permanent load includes two pairs of carriages, each carriage carrying an articulated track. The carriages of each pair are arranged one above the other and the two pairs of carriages are disposed parallel. The upper carriages can then be applied against the roof and the lower carriages against the floor of an underground gallery. The upper carriages are connected by at least one cross-member and the lower carriages are connected by two cross-members, and means are arranged to apply a force to the cross-members to separate the upper carriages from the lower carriages. The cross-members and carriages are connected together by pivotal joints.

Abstract: In apparatus for treating and separating products in granular form, a container is provided with fluidization and vibration means, the grains and the pulverulent solid are subjected to the fluidization treatment only in a vertical portion of the bed, the circulation currents arising therefrom are utilized for separating, within the container itself, the treated product in granular form from the pulverulent solid, and the vibrations are utilized for discharging the treated products to the outside.

Abstract: Light granular material is manufactured from silico-aluminous material by crushing and/or screening the silico-aluminous material to a fine powder which is mixed with water to form a slip which is divided into drops which are immediately introduced into a hot fluidised bed. The water evaporates rapidly and the drops are converted into expanded granules which are recovered and subjected to ceramic firing.

Abstract: A support plate of a fluidization reactor grid is mounted in the body of the reactor between a support bracket and a ring, both of which extend around the inside of the reactor, and which are spaced apart to define an annular space in which the periphery of the support plate is located.This mounting is made leakproof by two seals between the support plate and the bracket and the ring, one of which seals is clamped so that it expands between the support plate and the bracket.