Abstract: A system for fluidizing products in the form of grains or pieces. Gas is injected through lateral inlet ports in facing relation to each other in pairs so as to form an ascending current for a fluidized bed and a descending current for a fixed bed from which the treated product may be withdrawn by a belt. The system is particularly applicable to the deep freezing of food, drying, transfer of masses, gasification, etc.

Abstract: A killed steel is stirred in a ladle with the aid of gaseous carbon dioxide. Before the beginning of the stirring in the ladle, there is added to the quantity of deoxidizer usually employed, a supplementary quantity of deoxidizer in the molten metal, the rate of supply of carbon dioxide, bearing in mind the capacity of the ladle and the duration of the stirring, remaining less than or equal to the maximum rate of supply corresponding to the oxidation of the supplementary quantity of deoxidizer at the end of the stirring.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for treating waste products coming from the manufacture of electronic components. The effluent gases are aspirated by an inert vehicle gas, then intimately mixed with a preheated oxidizing gas, then remain in contact therewith at a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient period of time for the incineration, then the products of oxidation are cooled by thermal exchange to condensation, and the solid products of oxidation are collected and the residual gases washed, and there is realized a cascade of pressure drops along the gaseous current.

Abstract: A multi-phase stepper motor having an annular permanent magnetic rotor and a plurality of matingly engageable stator phase assemblies around the rotor. Each of the phase assemblies comprises a pair of annular pole pieces including interleaved salient stator poles. The stator pole pieces in each pair are mated together in an opposed relationship to form an annular space between them to receive an energizing winding, and the winding for each pair is of a different phase. Depending upon the number of phase assemblies, the machine can operate in more than two phases. The diameter of the rotor is between about 55 percent and about 75 percent of the motor diameter, and approximately 40 percent more torque is produced than with equivalent sized conventional motors.

Abstract: The protection arrangement according to the invention for protecting electric installations against lightning effects is characterized in that an electric relationship between a multiphase input line and the installation includes for each of the phases at least a first set of spark-gap arresters, at least a first self-inductance coil and at least a first variable resistance lightning arrester. Such an arrangement is particularly applicable to the protection of transformation units, hertzian relays or other delicate electric or electronic installations.

Abstract: An electronic stethoscopic apparatus including: a housing with a main body having a plurality of switches and jacks electrically installed therein; an audio-signal amplifying device incorporating a pre-amplifying circuit, a low pass filter and a volume controller disposed in the main body and electrically coupled with the switches and jacks; a battery supply replaceably provided in the main body and electrically connected to the audio-signal amplifying device; an audio-wave guiding device having transducers disposed therein for converting audio waves into electric signals and positioned on top of the main body and electrically connected to the audio-signal amplifying device; a wireless radio wave transmitting device also disposed in the main body to receive the electric signals and transmit the same as radio signals; an upper cover of the housing device connected to the top end of the main body and to the audio-wave guiding device; and a body contact device communicatively connected to the audio-wave guiding

Abstract: A method is disclosed which avoids the formation of droplets by condensation of vapors during the expansion of a highly compressed gas through a critical orifice.The pressure drop is distributed over a sufficient number of critical orifices so as to limit the temperature drop insufficient to initiate droplet formation.One application of the method is pressure reduction of cylinder gases without droplet formation.

Abstract: A wall-mounted bathroom panel assembly in which the frame for each panel has two horizontal short sides and two vertical long sides which each have a longitudinally extending corner. As elongated vertical mounting member is fixed to the bathroom wall, and this mounting member also has a longitudinal corner. The corners of both the mounting member and each side of the frame define a recess of circular cross-section. A first pair of integrally connected pins are respectively disposed in the corner recess in the mounting member and in the corner recess in a long side of one of the frames to permit pivotal movement of the one frame relative to the mounting member about a vertical axis and also sliding movement along this axis. Similar pairs of integrally connected pins are disposed in the corner recesses in the short sides of adjacent frames to permit horizontal sliding movement between the frames.

Abstract: Workpieces of metal are treated with a high temperature, ambient pressure argon arc plasma system to facilitate surface and through hardening.The argon flame is directed against the outer surface of the rotating workpiece. The surface temperature is monitored by a non contact I.R. temperature sensor and controlled by varying the inert gas flowrate through the plasma generator and/or varying the electrical power input to the plasma generator.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving the flavor of and removing the flavor of a fermented substance such as wine, sauce, tobacco or the like which includes a container including a surrounding side wall, and a plurality of elongated magnetic members mounted on an inner side of the surrounding side wall. Like poles of the magnetic pieces are placed adjacently so as to induce a high density magnetic field inside the container.

Abstract: Oil is recovered from an underground formation by the use of steam and a gas rich in oxygen. In a priming stage, high quality saturated steam or superheated steam is injected into the formation to raise the reservoir temperature, in the vicinity of injection, to the combustion temperature of the oil. Then, in a combustion stage, the injection of steam is continued and oxygen-containing gas is injected as well, so that local combustion of oil occurs. This results in further heating of the steam and the generation of hot combustion gases, increasing the mobility of the oil and creating pressure drive. The priming and combustion stages may be part of a cyclic steam stimulation ("huff and puff") method or a steam flooding method. Special expedients are provided for the safe use of oxygen and steam.

Abstract: A nickel particle plating system in which a multiplicity of minute nickel spheres are provided with a heavy copper coating and then a comparatively thin silver coating. The copper coating is at least about 20 percent by weight of the shpere, and the silver coating has a maximum thickness of about 15 percent of the sphere diameter. The coated spheres are deposited in a nonconductive matrix to form an electroconductive body in which the spheres may be placed along conductive paths.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a substantially nitrogen-free process for chloride-route TiO.sub.2 pigment manufacture in which a TiO.sub.2 -containing feedstock is subjected to a fluidized-bed, high temperature carbochlorination in a chlorinator to produce TiCl.sub.4 which is thereafter converted to TiO.sub.2 by oxidation. The TiO.sub.2 -containing feedstock and a solid carbonaceous reducing agent are fed to the chlorinator under a CO.sub.2 blanketing atmosphere such that the carbochlorination is carried out in a substantially nitrogen-free atmosphere containing CO.sub.2 and a CO.sub.2 -rich flue gas is generated, the CO.sub.2 in the chlorinator assisting in controlling thermal balance of the carbochlorination reaction. The absence of significant concentrations of nitrogen in the flue gas results in a favorable condition enabling either or both the CO and CO.sub.2 contained in the flue gas to be readily recovered, purified and sold as by-products.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for striking an arc and to a torch employing said process. An electronic ignitor located at a maximum distance of 8 meters from the torch has a high-voltage conductor which leads to a spark gap adjacent the part to be welded. The high-voltage circuit is closed in the region of the zone to be ionized between the welding electrode and the part.

Abstract: The process comprises injecting into the inlet of a polyphase tubular reactor (6), on one hand, the aqueous solution at such temperature that the oxidation reaction occurs at a temperature between 50.degree. C. and 370.degree. C. and at an absolute pressure Pe of between 2 bars and 210 bars, and, on the other hand, gaseous oxygen at a pressure slightly higher than said pressure Pe. The invention is applicable to the treatment of effluents for the chemical destruction of pollutants.

Abstract: The control device is applicable in particular in the control of the injection of oxygen in the course of an oxygen treatment through a nasal mask. The device comprises a sealed chamber (5) in which are disposed, on one hand, a very pliable bladder (6) one side of which is subjected to atmospheric pressure while the other side is subjected to the depression which must be detected, and, on the other hand, an opto-electronic sensor (7), the bladder being connected to a movable screen (9) capable of intercepting or not intercepting, depending on the state of the bladder (6) and consequently of the depression to be detected, the light beam between the light beam emitter and the receiver of the opto-electronic sensor (7).

Abstract: Liquid argon or nitrogen is poured with a lance into a furnace during the production of molten metal.According to the invention, the lance comprises a double wall in which a hole is respectively located in order to vent the argon or nitrogen gas to reduce the rate of diphasic. The tip of the lance is equipped with a diffuser to improve the liquid discharge.

Abstract: A counterfeit coin detector circuit comprising an constant frequency and voltage maxima and minima square wave oscillator input to a tank circuit including an inductive probe and an adjustable capacitance. The tank circuit is driven at a fixed and stable frequency and has a variable peak to peak AC output voltage amplitude which is a function of the characteristics of the coin under test. The AC output of the tank circuit is converted to a DC voltage correlated to the peak to peak AC ouput from the tank circuit. A group of window detector circuits are employed to determine whether the DC voltage output falls within certain preset ranges corresponding to the presence of particular coins. The presence or absence of a window detect can be used to accept or reject the coin or to otherwise take appropriate action with respect to the coin under test.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing a coin provides first, second, and third digital signals respectively indicative of the coin's metallic content, diameter, and thickness. A microprocessor-based control circuit identifies the coin as being one of a number of known coins in response to the digital signals. If the coin does not match any of the known coins, it is identified as a false coin, for example, a slug or foreign money.

Abstract: In the beer industry or the like, presence of oxygen in the headspace of the containers or bottles is particulary undesirable. The sealing cap or lid according to the invention is provided with oxygen absorber or scavenger means sufficient to absorb rapidly the volume of oxygen remaining in the headspace of the container after the filling and sealing operations.