Abstract: A method for producing thermo-insulating elements wherein porous, powdery insulating material is thermally degassed and poured into an evacuated casing. Getter material is mixed with insulating material to form a mixture. The mixture is then thermally degassed. The degassed mixture is poured into an evacuated casing, which is then sealed. The getter material may comprise powdery or pellet-shaped molecular sieve, a zeolitic material, or a metal alloy. The method may be performed by degassing the mixture in a vacuum drier, and feeding the mixture in continuous vacuum into a permanently evacuated container.

Abstract: A process for joining variously shaped vacuum heat insulating elements having edges adapted to be butted against each other or to overlap each other. A bellows is tightly connected with each vacuum heat insulating element in the area of its edges, the free edge of the bellows projecting beyond the element. The heat insulating elements are positioned such that the edges of the bellows rest against one another in an aligned manner or overlap, and the bellows are tightly connected with one another. The heat insulating elements are then moved against one another until their edges rest against one another or overlap, and are tightly connected with one another. The gap at the joint formed between the heat insulating elements and the bellows is evacuated and closed off tightly.

Abstract: Expansion gaps formed between bellows type side walls of evacuated heat ilating wall components of gas and pressure-tight containers are sealed by elastically deformable corrugated expansion sheet metal strips welded to the surfaces of neighboring wall components, and by specially shaped junction covers secured in a gas-tight manner to the wall components and to the strips. The covers have a central cavity and ondulating depressions merging into corrugations of the sheet metal strips. The expansion gaps are also evacuated and filled with a suitable insulating material. Mechanically loadable support elements may be located in the expansion gaps.

Abstract: An insulation arrangement in which a sheath (2) having at least one thin deformable wall (3), for example of foil, contains a powder insulating material (10), with a high vacuum within the sheath. The vacuum can be drawn through an opening (8) after a filter (9) is inserted to prevent removing the powder when the vacuum is drawn. The insulation arrangement can take the form of a panel or a pipe, and the thin wall (3) can be mechanically deformed after the vacuum is drawn.

Abstract: An object carrier has a transparent plate with an opaque backing and carries a thin liquid crystal layer which, in turn, is covered with a 2 .mu.m glass plate carrying an object (microorganism, etc.). This carrier is placed in a microscope for photographic observation of the temperature-dependent reflectivity of the crystal layer as heat conductively coupled to the object. The average reflection of light by the crystal layer is used as a representation of its average temperature, to control backlighting of the opaque layer to, thereby, stabilize the average object temperature to at least 10.sup.-3 degrees centigrade.

Abstract: An insulation arrangement in which a sheath (2) having at least one thin deformable wall (3), for example of foil, contains a powder insulating material (10), with a high vacuum within the sheath. The vacuum can be drawn through an opening (8) after a filter (9) is inserted to prevent removing the powder when the vacuum is drawn. The insulation arrangement can take the form of a panel or a pipe, and the thin wall (3) can be mechanically deformed after the vacuum is drawn.