Abstract: To measure the cross-section of an object in a contact-free manner (that is to say without contacting the object) use is made of an optical sensor system and means for causing relative movement of the sensor system and the object being measured, the sensor system comprising at least two emitters which emit respective scanning rays at an angle to one another and directed to respective receivers which supply signals to an evaluation unit upon interruption of each ray by the object and subsequent cessation of said interruption; at least two of said co-operating emitter-receiver pairs are so arranged that their scanning rays (or projections thereof on a common plane parallel to the scanning rays) cross one another and extend at angles to the direction of relative movement.

Abstract: In a band sawing machine having an endless saw blade entrained over two saw pulleys and two hand guides, lateral displacements of the saw blade equilibrium position which occur during a sawing operation are countered by a corrective lateral movement of the saw blade relative to a feed path of the goods to be sawn, by laterally adjusting the position of at least one of the blades guides.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and device for producing substantially kinematic steering of a vessel in a yaw path having a given radius of curvature conforming with a predetermined control law. During the steady state phase of the yaw when there exist conditions for dealing with an easily controllable radius of curvature and in the vessel is steered by rudder deflection changes and by utilizing servo control methods in such a way that the radius of curvature of the vessel, which has been determined by instrument facilities aboard the vessel, follows a predetermined suitable program for the yaw curvature during the yaw.