Abstract: This device comprises two movable elements of rigid material tightly interconnected by means of a deformable membrane forming therewith a tight internal enclosure, means for varying abruptly the volume of said enclosure by successively moving the two elements away from each other, maintaining them in spaced relationship and allowing them to be urged toward each other by the effect of the external hydrostatic pressure, in which the means for moving the two elements away from each other includes two cylinders and at least one piston slidable in one of said cylinders, associated to one of said movable elements and also to a push-member slidable in one of the cylinders and bearing on the other movable element and means for feeding said cylinder with pressurized fluid so as to maintain the elements in spaced relationship or to release them.

Abstract: A tank structure for the storage and distribution of a plurality of fluids from several storage chambers located in an enclosure, wherein said chambers are constituted by several bags placed inside one another and formed by at least one fluid-tight wall made of a flexible material which, when unfolded, substantially fills the whole internal volume of the enclosure without being subjected to excessive stresses, said bags being provided with inlet and outlet valves for fluids stored in said chambers, said bags being surrounded by a housing at least one chamber forming an auxiliary chamber fed with pressurized auxiliary fluid from a source outside said housing, said pressure being transmitted from said auxiliary fluid to said fluids stored through said walls of flexible material of said bags.

Abstract: Organic compounds of the formula:[(H.sub.3-n X.sub.n)C -- CO.sub.2 M (CO).sub.m (R).sub.p (L).sub.q ].sub.rin which X is a halogen atom, at least one X being fluorine, M is molybdenum or tungsten, R is a hydride ion or a hydrocarbon group, L is a Lewis base and m, n, p, q and r are integers, are manufactured from fluoracetic esters and molybdenum or tungsten carbonyl compounds. They are useful as catalysts for polymerizing or co-polymerizing unsaturated compounds such as butadiene.

Abstract: Process for sealing a block formed of a piling of spaced plates while preserving passageways between several plates and on at least one edge of the block, comprising inserting into the intervals between said plates the teeth of a comb adapted to substantially fill these intervals, casting a solidifiable material on said edge and withdrawing the comb after the casting operation, said teeth being made of a non-adhesive material with respect to the solidifiable material of the casting. This process and the resulting sealed blocks are particularly useful in the field of fuel cells.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for securing a rigid coupling member to one end of a flexible pipe which comprises an armouring formed by a metal strip wound with a short pitch around a tubular core.According to this process this armouring is cut out along a cross-section of the metal strip which is then inserted into a corresponding recess of the coupling member, in which a solidifiable material is subsequently injected.

Abstract: The behavior in the cold of crude oil or petroleum distillates may be improved by incorporation of polymeric substances such as a hydrogenated polybutadiene or a hydrogenated copolymer of butadiene with at least one conjugated aliphatic diolefin of 5-8 carbon atoms. The additive is active at concentrations of from 10 to 1,000 grams per m.sup.3 of oil.

Abstract: A device for coupling several data processing units to a central memory, the processing units being each provided with means for exchanging data with peripheral devices and with computing means, the device includes management means for controlling the sequential execution of orders issued from the memory, according to a hierarchical classification of the lists of tasks for the exchange processes and the computing process and further includes devices for commutation upon control of decoding means of a signal produced by the processing units, in accordance with the value of a binary digit associated to a task of a fresh list of actuatable tasks established in a non-hierarchical system.

Abstract: Pressure sensor comprising a rigid tubular element housing an elongated support member, solid or fixed with the sensitive element in the vicinity of one of its end portions, said support element being made of a deformable material and comprising an enlargement shifted or extended with respect to said end portions and in contact with the internal surface of the tubular element.

Abstract: This fuel cell comprises circuits for collecting electrolyte leaks in the fuel and comburent chambers, said circuits being connected to the inlet orifice of the electrolyte pump.The electrolyte tank is located above the electrolyte pump and adjustment means provide for a pressure drop in the electrolyte flow between the tank and the pump inlet.

Abstract: A new type of gripping shoe for traction devices of the caterpillar type, comprising a deformable element of composite structure. The deformable element comprises a body member which is mechanically resistant, deformable and of low elasticity. This body member is provided with a large internal recess housing a sole member of a highly deformable, elastic and substantially incompressible material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible elongated member provided with a reinforcing armouring formed by profiled rods. The convolutions of said reinforcing armouring are wound in such a manner that the moment of inertia of the cross section of the profiled rods is maximum with respect to an axis perpendicular to a radial direction of the elongated member.

Abstract: Microprogrammed computing device comprising a data processing system, a central memory operatively connected thereto, means for exchanging data with peripheral devices, a system for controlling the execution of orders issued from the memory, a system for hierarchically classifying the tasks in a list and making the processing system available for the task having the first priority and a system for managing said list, means for testing the availability of said peripheral devices and means for adapting the processing system to each new task to which the first priority is given, whereby several computing and data exchange processes may be performed by the same device.

Abstract: The method consists in preparing from the crude petroleum being processed a representative cut constituting a vaporized fraction having a known yield, in plotting the TBP curve of the cut by chromatographic analysis and by integration of the quantitative signal produced as a result of the analysis. The information obtained from the analysis is processed in order to operate a control unit for generating signals which serve to adjust the rates of withdrawal of the cuts at different predetermined levels of the column.

Abstract: In a first step, a chromatographic column is calibrated by passing separately through the column each constituent substance of the mixture to be analyzed and by recording at the exit the pulse response of said substance. In a second step, the mixture is passed through the columm and the total pulse response corresponding to the mixture is recorded. In a third step, the concentration of each substance is determined from the total pulse response corresponding to the mixture and the specific pulse responses of each substance.

Abstract: Gels containing molybdenum and iron and optionally other metals, are useful in the production of catalysts or as optical filters. They are produced by conducting essentially a solid - solid reaction between a compound of molybdenum, e.g. ammonium molybdate, and a ferric compound, e.g., ferric nirate, thereby obtaining the same ratio of molybdenum and ferric contents in the gels, as used in the starting materials. Furthermore, the resultant gels are highly homogeneous, and when used as catalysts, the yields of the process are up to plus 99%.

Abstract: New catalyst containing a carrier, platinum, iridium, manganese and optionally halogen. This catalyst is useful for reforming and dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Automatic regulation system for a distillation unit including a charging vessel, provided with heating means, surmounted by a distillation column overtopped by a condenser, a withdrawing system and recovery tanks, said system comprising an intermediate tank between the withdrawing system and the recovery tanks, means for controlling the liquid level in said intermediate tank and the discharge of liquid therefrom into the recovery tanks, valve means for applying at will a reduced pressure or the atmospheric pressure to the distillation unit and the intermediate tank and means for changing the recovery tanks in synchronization with the actuation of said valve means.

Abstract: Adjustment and control of a product fraction stream and especially gas oil are effected by a control unit after processing information supplied by an analyzer which takes a direct measurement of the temperature of filtrability of the stream and by detectors which deliver signals representing the flow rate of the gas oil withdrawn, the rate of withdrawn of the next higher product stream, the flow rate of the crude petroleum being processed, the flow rate of the stripping vapor and of the next lower product stream, and the slope of the distillation curve of the crude petroleum in the gas oil zone.

Abstract: Device for generating acoustic waves in a fluid medium by implosion, comprising a main cylinder, a main piston slidably mounted thereinto, said piston having a hollow cylindrical portion housing another cylinder solid with the main one and, through the bottom of which passes the hollow rod of another piston, actuated by hydraulic means and which drives in translation the main piston. By means of an annular valve, solid with the main piston, and further hydraulic means, the main piston may be locked in a position of spaced relationship with respect to the main cylinder and abruptly unlocked, thereby generating an implosion.

Abstract: Catalysts compositions and methods for polymerizing conjugated diolefins comprising(a) A complex of a transition metal of Groups IV through VIII of Mendeleev's Periodic Table as a nuclear atom and unsaturated hydrocarbon having at least one pair of .pi. electrons as ligand, and(b) A Bronsted acid.Preferred embodiments include a catalyst resulting from a pre-treatment of (a) with a conjugated diolefin and the polymerization process incorporating the pretreated catalyst.