Abstract: In an ultrasonic measuring apparatus for emitting an ultrasonic pulse, receiving reflected echos and producing an echo signal representative of the echos resulting from each impulse, each echo signal has a first portion corresponding to echos from one group of interfaces and a second portion corresponding to echos from another group of interfaces. The apparatus comprises a gain control (24) for controlling the amplitude of each echo signal and a processor (26) for receiving and treating said echo signals.

Abstract: A vortex gasket for automotive exhaust system, preferably used with a special flange having a conical seal surface, is formed by spirally overlaying a metal hoop (2) of flat strip, and an inorganic filler (3) of tape form, and annularly spot welding a winding start portion (2a) and a winding end portion (2b) of the hoop (2) to itself. The tape form of the inorganic filler is wider than the flat strip of the metal hoop so that edges of the inorganic filler form seal contact surfaces spaced beyond edges of the metal hoop. When an external force is applied in the axial direction, slipping occurs between the hoop (2) and the filler (3), and the gasket is telescopically deformed in the axial direction, so that the seal contact surfaces 1a, 1b, at sides of the gasket, are formed in a conical shape.

Abstract: The device for measuring a force, and notably an inertial force corresponding to an acceleration, comprises a capacitive detector comprising two capacitors, the difference between the capacitances of which is a function of the force measured.The measuring device further comprises an electronic circuit permitting the creation of an output signal determined by a comparison of the value of the two capacitances. The signal is created in the form of a digital signal having a modulated pulse density.

Abstract: A heating sensor capable of generating heat and measuring its own temperature is placed in a fluid and a thermometric sensor is placed in the fluid and inside a temperature boundary layer formed around the heating sensor upon heat generation therefrom. A temperature of the heating sensor and a temperature of the fluid are measured. A relationship between thermal conductivity of the fluid and a differential value between the temperature of the heating sensor and the temperature of the fluid is used to determine the thermal conductivity of the fluid. Then, the heating value of the heating sensor is adjustably increased so that the thermometric sensor is positioned outside the temperature boundary layer. A temperature of the heating sensor and the temperature of the fluid are measured. The relationship between kinematic viscosity of the fluid and a differential value between the temperature of the heating sensor and the temperature of the fluid is used to determine the kinematic viscosity of the fluid.

Abstract: In a tractor transmission system having electro-hydraulically actuated powershift clutches and a forward/reverse coupler mechanically coupled to a forward/reverse lever, a dump button is provided on the lever for releasing powershift clutch pressure. The forward/reverse coupler is uncoupled from the transmission input and output shafts when the button is depressed. An operator may shift between forward and reverse gears by depressing the button and shifting the lever. Upon release of the dump button, a microprocessor performs a control algorithm during which it senses engine speed and ground speed, computes acceleration/deceleration, and controls the clutch pressure of one of the powershift clutches to provide smooth acceleration in the direction selected by the shift lever. The arrangement is particularly suited for shuttle shift (forward/reverse) operations but may be used to provide smooth acceleration from a stopped position.

Abstract: The valve includes a tubular body made of a non-magnetic material, a seat carried by the tubular body, a closure member disposed inside the tubular body and facing the seat, the closure member including a valve member connected to a drive ring made of a magnetic material extending substantially coaxially with the tubular body and facing a magnetic field generator disposed outside the tubular body and associated with a control member.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for measuring form parameters of items (2) utilizing a camera (10) which is sensitive to infrared light, and, while passing the items through a field of view (11) of the camera (10), the items are illuminated with light flashes of approximately 1 ms by solid state LEDs (41), which are arranged at the centerline of the items (2) and produce a light beam (43) which includes an angle of approximately 45.degree. with the direction of conveyance of the items (2).

Abstract: A clamp assembly comprises a clamp (12) having two levers (1, 2) linked at middle areas thereof with first ends thereof closing together to form clamping jaws (5, 6) and second, opposite, ends thereof formed as opening grips (3, 4) for separating the clamping jaws, which are spring loaded toward one another. The clamping jaws (5, 6) have forked shapes. The branches of the forks, and the ends thereof, are arranged to be spaced from one another so that they extend across, or extend over, a bridge of a pair of eyeglasses to be placed on inner, upper edges of spectacle glasses (13) or on an eyeglass frame (14). A first lever (2) of the clamp (12) has thereon a clamp coupling element (10, 19, 22, 24) for being selectively attached to, and selectively detached from, an optical-device coupling element (18, 20, 23, 25) on an optical device. The clamp assembly makes possible an easy and quick exchange of optical devices to be attached thereto.

Abstract: In a formulated food containing a dairy product and having a significant dairy flavor, improvements are provided when the dairy product is at least in part one physical form of freeze concentrated liquid dairy product in sufficient amount so as to improve at least the dairy flavor of the formulated food.

Abstract: A hot working material of corrosion resistant copper-based alloy having a metal composition of 61.0 weight percent to less than 63.0 weight percent copper, 1.0 weight percent to 3.5 weight percent lead, 0.7 weight percent to 1.2 weight percent tin, 0.2 weight percent to 0.7 weight percent nickel, 0.03 weight percent to 0.4 weight percent iron, 0.02 weight percent to 0.10 weight percent antimony, and 0.04 weight percent to 0.15 weight percent phosphorus, with the balance composed of zinc and inevitable accompanying impurities. The alloy is subjected to hot working and subsequent heat treatment at 500.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. for 30 minutes to 3 hours and sufficient that the alloy has an .alpha. single-phase structure and addition elements are dispersed uniformly in the entire structure.

Abstract: A horological piece includes a display (10) comprising a recurring cycle indicator (13) driven by an independent motor (11) and having a supplementary display position (14) at which a sign representative of the state of charge of an energy source controlling the display, is provided. The horological piece further includes a detection circuit (2, 16) adapted to, firstly, during the detection of a predetermined level of charge of the energy source, control the display so that the recurring cycle indicator is moved the required number of steps to display the representative sign and, secondly, jump the supplementary position during the normal operation of the horological piece.

Abstract: A thermal print head including a line of electrically resistive heating points and electronic controls for controlling sequential connection to a power supply providing electrical current, and including for each heating point a countdown register which is loaded prior to printing each line of points with a value corresponding to the length of time during which a connection should be maintained with the corresponding heating point starting from a print authorization instant common to all of the points. According to the invention, the print head includes sensors for sensing the resistance of each heating point in real time, which sensors are connected to a circuit for regulating the amount of energy actually supplied to the corresponding point.

Abstract: A rosy pink colored object has a first layer of nitride of an element chosen from the group comprising Ti, Zr, Hf, or a mixture of these elements. This first layer includes at least an element chosen amongst Al, C and elements of the groups Vb and VIb. A second layer comprises a mixture of palladium (Pd) and indium (In). Certain ternary metals such as Al or Cu may be added to the PdIn mixture. The covering may be used in jewelry, optometry or horology.

Abstract: A gasket for a claw or clamp quick-connection coupling, the gasket being constituted by a circularly symmetrical annular body defined by two parallel radial faces, an outer cylindrical surface surmounted by a partially toroidal bulge centered on the midplane of the gasket parallel to the radial faces, a partially toroidal inner surface also centered on the midplane, and connected to each of the radial faces via a respective chamfer-forming conical surface.

Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine having feed rolls for feeding crop material along a feed path to a cutterhead which chops the crop material is provided with a metal detector for detecting ferrous metal objects passing along the feed path. The metal detector comprises a plurality of magnets and a plurality of generally planar Hall effect sensing elements. The magnets collectively produce a detection field which extends into the crop feed path. Each sensing element is disposed such that the magnetic field produced by two adjacent magnets is normal to the plane of the sensing element. In addition the sensing elements are disposed in a plurality of planes all normal to the crop feed path. However, the sensing elements are disposed in planes oriented at different angles relative to the direction of crop feed.

Abstract: A stationary sealing ring (6) surrounds a rotatable shaft (2) and is fitted to, and held by, a cylindrical guide (1a) of a seal case (1). An extremely small clearance is provided between the outer peripheral surface (6b) of the stationary sealing ring and the inner peripheral surface (1c) of the guide. This small clearance prevents radial displacement of the ring but allows the ring to move in the axial direction and permits the passage of a fluid. Because the sealing ring is held without the use of a holding ring or an O-ring, the concentricity and parallelism of the stationary sealing ring to a rotary sealing ring (3) can be continuously maintained despite pressure fluctuations. Clearance between the stationary sealing ring and a holding ring (4) is maintained by an O-ring (9) held in an annular dovetail groove (10) formed in a surface (4c) of the holding ring facing the stationary sealing ring.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a keratotome for forming arcuate incisions in a cornea for the purpose of correcting astigmatism. To this end, the keratotome (3) comprises a tubular outer support (4) containing a tubular inner body (6) that is capable of rotating relative thereto and that in turn contains at least one blade (82) capable of projecting by a predetermined amount relative to a reference surface (13) whereby the tubular outer support (4) bears against the cornea (2). In order to make arcuate incisions of determined angular position and of determined angular length, the support (4) and the body (6) have means (108) for determining their relative angular position.

Abstract: A composition for stabilizing synthetic polymers consisting of a derivative of a low molecular weight polymethylpiperidine of formula (I) ##STR1## wherein the groups are as defined hereinafter and a derivative of a high molecular weight polymethylpiperidine of formula (II) ##STR2## wherein the groups are as defined of hereinafter is disclosed. These compositions show photostabilizing and antioxidant properties.

Abstract: In a flow rate control valve having a handle (12) for rotating a stem (9), the handle being locked to a bonnet (3) by a lock screw (14), the handle (12) comprises a handle main body (12') fixed to an upper end of the stem (9), and a tubular lock handle (12") coupled to the lower end of the handle main body (12'). The lock handle is movable in a direction orthogonal to an axial line of elongation Y of the stem 9 relative to the handle main body, with the lock handle enclosing the upper outer circumference of the bonnet (3), and the lock screw (14) being movable in the lock handle (12") in a direction nearly orthogonal to the axial line of elongation Y of the stem (9) to engage the bonnet (3).