Abstract: A method and a device for manufacturing a powder of amorphous ceramic or metallic particles in a high pressure autoclave. The substance in the liquid state is pressed out of a nozzle (7) upwards in vertical direction. An acoustic levitation field acts on the area in front of the nozzle orifice (12) and an inert cooling gas is made to flow turbulently in this area so that the droplets sprayed out of the nozzle are rapidly cooled and get solidified to grains. The powder can be directly machined by pressing and sintering into objects of the desired shape.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for ultra-drying of a gas or gas mixture by bringing this into contact with a silicate containing material.In order to obtain a residual water level of 5 ppb or less, the invention is characterized in that the gas or gas mixture is brought into contact with a silcate containing material, preferably a zeolite or silicagel, that has been modified with silane, borane, and/or the alkyl and/or halogen substituted compounds thereof.The invention is further concerned with the separation of tritium oxide from gas mixtures preferably with water.

Abstract: The invention is related to a submarine vehicle for the deep ocean research. This vehicle is composed of a penetrator (1) and of a support structure (2 to 7). The vehicle descends by gravity due to a ballast disposed in the lower part (11) of the penetrator. Apart from this ballast, the vehicle can be recovered due to a discoupling of the ballast by an explosive bolt (13). After discoupling, the float clusters (8) located in the upper part of said support structure supply the mounting thrust necessary for transferring the vehicle up to the ocean surface. If this thrust is insufficient, a pyrotechnical device (15) can be provided, which inflates a bag and thus creates an additional thrust directed to the upside.The invention is particularly useful in the investigation at the deep ocean sea-bottom.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for measuring the impedance of a medium along a measurement line, the medium being either sea water or a sediment on the sea-bottom or else a mixture thereof. According to the invention, a special antenna (2) is used, which extends along the measurement line and contains a succession of ring electrodes (10, 11), which can selectively be fitted into a meter circuit (FIG. 2) via cyclically switched Reed relays (34, 35). The invention can especially be applied to the study of the alterations of a hole in a sediment at sea-bottom created behind a torpedo-shaped container penetrating by gravity into the sediment.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device for purifying a gas containing hydrogen isotopes, and for recovering the different isotopes, in particular for treating a gas coming from a thermonuclear fusion reactor. According to the invention, the gas is firstly dried in a water and CO.sub.2 adsorption stage (2), the dried gas then passes through a stage (3) in which a selective adsorption of sulphur compounds takes place and finally, the gas leaving this stage, which still contains at least some of the compounds (H,D,T).sub.2, N.sub.2, O.sub.2, CO, C(H,D,T).sub.4, is processed in a hydrogen adsorption/separation stage (4) of the zeolite type.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the controlled disposal of an aerosol cloud by means of directed sound waves of high intensity in the audible frequency range. According to the invention, sound waves are emitted by an aircraft (8, 10) operating close to the periphery of the cloud (4). The frequency spectrum of the wave consists of a basic frequency and a superposing frequency of twice the basic frequency valve and phase-shifted in relation to the basic frequency at substantially 90.degree., so as to cause the particles to coagulate and to migrate towards the sound source, and to be collected at the aircraft.

Abstract: A welding and/or cutting machine 1 is provided for use on a workpiece 2 formed by a pair of metal sheets 3 in face to face contact. The machine comprises a movable carriage 4 mounted on a pair of drive rollers 5 operable to grip the sheets 3 of the workpiece in the nip of the rollers. The axes of rotation 6 of the rollers 5 are disposed so that as the rollers rotate, forces are generated which cause the carriage 4 to be pulled on to the workpiece 2. The carriage 4 is capable of transporting welding means 7 as shown in FIG. 1, for lip-welding the sheets of the workpiece together, or, alternatively, transporting cutter means 10 for subsequent removal of weld material.

Abstract: A multiconnector is composed of a stationary socket unit (FIG. 1a) and of a free plug unit (FIG. 1b). The multiconnector is able to supply both hydraulic and electric services, the hydraulic connectors being located in a sealed chamber (7). The force necessary to couple or uncouple the two units is applied via an engagement lever (10). Only one manipulator arm is necessary, first to bring the two units into alignment and then to operate the engagement lever, the two units being temporarily held by a claw (16) before the engagement lever is operated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for storing and handling slides for their selective projection. The device comprises at least one storage rack (6) for slides, and means for displacing (18, 27) the racks under the control of a data processing machine (3), so that any selected slide (31) may appear in front of an extraction window (7). According to the invention, a plurality of circular storing racks (6) are stacked according to a common vertical axis, and the means for displacing the unit of racks comprise a reversible motor (27) permitting a vertical displacement of the unit of racks, and a motor (18) permitting a rotation of the unit of racks about the axis of said shaft. The data processing machine controls the extraction and the reinsertion of a slide in accordance with a memorized sequence selected previously by the user and with the instantaneous position of the unit of racks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for passive heat transfer between a heat source and a condenser (6) by means of a vaporizable liquid and a cycle with two phases controlled by a float valve (2, 4, 11). This device comprises a boiler (1) heated by said source and a liquid tank (9), the boiler furnishing, during a first cycle phase, vapor to the condenser which then supplies the tank with liquid, and receiving, during the second cycle phase, liquid from said tank. According to the invention, a vapor separator (3) is interposed between the boiler and the condenser, and the float valve (2, 4, 11) is disposed inside this separator and makes communicate, during the first cycle phase, the vapor space of the separator with the vapor space of the boiler (1), and, during the second cycle phase, the vapor space of the separator (3) with the vapor space of the tank (9), while cutting off these communications during the respective inverse cycle phase.

Abstract: A seal system between two metal pipes (1, 2) flanges (4, 5) exposed to extreme temperatures, includes at least one elastic annular lip (11, 12) which is held by one of the flanges, with its highest point (10) in contact with the other flange to form a seal line when the flanges are assembled. The lip (11, 12) is an integral part of one of the flanges (4, 5) and it is made by lathing two grooves (13, 14; 17, 18) with one groove (13, 17) radially penetrating the cylindrical surface (15, 19) of the flange, and the other groove penetrating perpendicularly to the former in the flat surface (7, 8) of the flange to define a thinned area (16, 20) between the two grooves to ensure the elasticity of the lip (11, 12).

Abstract: System for monitoring containers with ultrasonic seals.According to the invention the seal is duplicated and comprises a transmitting transducer and a receiving transducer. The exciting signal is a voltage step applied to the transmitting transducer and the circuit able to supply said step is directly connected to the transmitting transducer without a connecting cable.Application to the monitoring of containers containing dangerous products, precious materials, documents, etc.

Abstract: Surface texture reading access checking system. The identification information attached to each support object serving as a key is constituted by the texture of a surface portion of said object. A reader reads this information and communicates it to the processing means, which carry out a comparison between the signal read and recorded signals. Application to the production of locks or access checking means for data processing, telematic, banking and similar systems.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pressure-controlled heat pipe, consisting of a closed recipient containing a heat carrying medium, with a heat source where the heat carrying medium vaporizes, and with a heat drain formed by a cooling zone, an inert gas being intended to be fed under controllable pressure into the recipient at the upper end of the cooling zone. According to the invention, a displacement body (11) extends downwards from the upper end of the cooling zone, this body carrying at least in its upper part deflection sheets (12), which divide the interspace between the displacement body and the cooled wall of the cooling area into a plurality of interconnected volumes.

Abstract: This seal is characterized in that the delay line is extended by a frustum-shaped part terminated by a spherical cap, which is able to receive a marking participating in the acoustic identity of the seal. The sealing capsule of the seal is perforated with an opening adapted to the dimensions of the frustum-shaped part of the identity module. The sealing cable is fixed between the module and the sealing capsule.Application to the monitoring of containers containing dangerous or precious products and the like.

Abstract: A porous solid such as a zeolite of clay can be degassed to make it suitable as an adsorbent, after which the entrances of the pores are narrowed to a desired size by treating the porous solid with two chemisorbable materials, one of which is diborane. The treatment may be repeated.The purpose of the first such treatment is to make the pore entrances so narrow, that unduly large molecules cannot enter and the smaller ones can, while a later treatment may serve to narrow the pores still further, so that the adsorbed molecules cannot escape.

Abstract: System for monitoring a plurality of containers using ultrasonic seals integral with the containers and electronic circuits connected to these seals, wherein:(A) each seal comprises an ultrasonic transmitting transducer and an ultrasonic receiving transducer making it possible to check both the identity of the marking and the integrity of the seal, the marking being located outside the seal body,(B) the electronic circuits connected to these seals comprise:(a) at least one cyclic, sequential module for the auscultation or listening to the seals having the same number of outputs and inputs as there are seals, the outputs being connected to the transmitting transducers and the inputs to the receiving transducers,(b) at least one electronic processing module connected to the listening module and controlling a sampling of the signal received.

Abstract: A clay material of the polygorskite group, pretreated or not, is degassed and contacted with a gas to be adsorbed and after adsorption the clay is heated while in contact with the gas so that the clay structure collapses, encapsulating the adsorbed gas. If desired the entrances of the pores may be narrowed to a desired size by adsorption of diborane before the adsorption of the gas.

Abstract: Material such as fissile material (2) requiring to be safeguarded is stored inside a container (1) which is subsequently sealed, for example by a closure comprising a cover (3) and sealing element (30). The whole structure of the container (1) is ultrasonically scanned initially using piezo electric transducers (T1, T2) to obtain an output from which is derived a distinctive identity for the container (1), determined by the particular characteristics of the internal structure of at least a portion of the container, and also a reference signal indicative of the whole container structure when its integrity is intact. Subsequent ultrasonic scanning of the whole container structure, for example intermittently, produces a monitor signal which if different to the reference signal indicates the occurrence of a breach in the container's integrity. The distinctive identity for the container (1) may be derived from a distinctive internal structure of the cover (3) which preferably contains a material matrix, e.g.

Abstract: Surface texture reading access checking system. The identification information attached to each support object serving as a key is constituted by the texture of a surface portion of said object. A reader reads this information and communicates it to the processing means, which carry out a comparison between the signal read and recorded signals. Application to the production of locks or access checking means for data processing, telematic, banking and similar systems.