Abstract: Hollow microspheres are made by a process which comprises forming a film of a dispersed particle film-forming composition (containing dispersed particles, a binder, a film stabilizing agent and a continuous liquid phase) across a coaxial blowing nozzle, applying a blowing gas at a positive pressure on the inner surface of the dispersed particle composition film to blow the film and form, in the region of the coaxial blowing nozzle orifice, hollow dispersed particle microspheres having stable film walls, removing the hollow microspheres, treating them to bring dispersed particles into point to point contact and harden them to obtain hollow green microspheres, and subsequently subjecting them to a sufficiently high temperature for a sufficient period of time to remove the continuous liquid phase and to sinter the dispersed particles at their points of contact to form within the walls of said hollow microspheres interconnecting voids that are continuous from the outer wall surface to the inner wall surface of th

Abstract: A sensing system for use on a tracked vehicle transporation system forms a sensitive floor beneath the lip of a platform. The floor is made up of a plurality of metal plates mounted on spring supports so that they can be slightly depressed if an abnormal load is applied to them. Such depression changes the state of a switch or like means through the intermediary of a cable and a lever.

Abstract: A tracked transportation system uses an automatic car door opening and closing system. The car door or one panel of a two-panel door carries a lever on which is a rear abutment member designed to roll along an outside surface at the bottom of the car. This member enters a housing when the door is closed. The door is closed by holding it as the car moves slowly along a platform, by means of a hook attached to the lever.

Abstract: A transport installation comprises a guide track and at least one car which moves on the track. A circulating cable is provided near the track and a gripping device on the car grips the cable. Lateral retaining members are fixed to the car and accommodate the cable at least when it is gripped by the gripping devices. There are at least two such lateral retaining members disposed on respective sides of the gripping device. They are adapted to hold the cable betweem them at least substantially in a vertical plane.

Abstract: A mirror is position-adjustably mounted to an upstanding part from which a protective hood rearwardly extends. A hanging device is provided to hang the hood from the top edge of the side window of a vehicle so as to protect the mirror and the adjacent window from rain. The hood preferably has a semicircular cross-sectional configuration and the position thereof relative to the window may be adjusted. In an alternate embodiment, the hood may be affixed directly to the vehicle door by a position-adjustable bracket.

Abstract: A tibial component for a unicompartmental knee prosthesis intended to be fitted without cement, comprises a metal base portion in the general form of a segment of a circular disc with generally flat upper, lower and lateral faces, the latter which is perpendicular to the others extending along the chord of the segment, and a periphery in the form of an arc of a cylinder, the lower and lateral faces being provided to bear against two notch surfaces provided in the plate of the tibia, respectively perpendicular to the general direction of the tibia and parallel thereto along the intercondylar eminence, and a plate member of polymer material which is fixed to the upper face of the base portion and forming a lining for the support of a corresponding condylar component, the base portion having on its lateral face at least one projection arranged to be driven in under the intercondylar eminence, at least one passage for a pinning means to engage into the subjacent bone in the vicinity of its periphery, and on its u

Abstract: Biocatalyst such as enzymes or cells are immobilized in hollow porous microspheres for use as bioreactors in biochemical processes. The microspheres are of substantially uniform diameter of 200 to 10,000 microns and of substantially uniform wall thickness of 1 to 1000 microns. Walls of the microspheres are formed of sintered together particles such as inorganic particles. The walls have interconnecting voids that are continuous and extend from outer wall surface to the inner wall surface. The biocatalyst is introduced into the microspheres through macropores in the walls, and then immobilized. Immobilization may be performed by introducing a gel forming material with the biocatalyst and forming a semipermeable gel in situ within the microspheres.

Abstract: A completely dry fluid-tight reciprocating vacuum pump comprises one or more pumping chambers defined between two rigid parts which face one another in the axial direction. One is reciprocated in a straight line relative to the other. They are connected to one another by at least one axially flexible member of appropriate radial stiffness. Each of these members comprises an outside part fixed to a first of these rigid parts. The side of the first rigid part facing the flexible member is shaped to have a profile in diametral cross-section which is substantially the same as the profile in diametral cross-section that this member tends to assume, by virtue of its stiffness, in the configuration with the aforementioned rigid parts moved towards one another. The pump can be used for pumping corrosive and radioactive gases, such as tritium, for example.

Abstract: The femoral component of a hip prosthesis comprises a shaft, from the upper face of which projects a neck carrying a spherical head intended to seat in a cotyloid component. The shaft, which tapers toward a lower end, is curved to connect the neck to the axis of the femur, and comprises, in its upper part, two planer frontal faces, each cut by dovetail-shaped channels. Two packing pieces, an anterior packing piece and a posterior packing piece, engage these faces through bearing faces. Towards the lower part of each packing piece, a stud with a frustoconical head engages the dovetail-shaped channel to guide the packing piece during the installation of the femoral component and to permit a millimetric displacement of the core relative to the packing pieces and to the femur, in response to the variations in the verticle load on the prosthesis. The packing pieces have external convex faces. The external convex faces of the packing pieces are rough to assure connection with the spongy bone as it grows.

Abstract: A transport installation comprises a guide track and at least one car which moves on the track. A circulating cable is provided near the track and a gripping device on the car grips this cable. This device comprises two gripping members movable relative to each other and urged into a closed position by a closing force developed within the car. A force distributor mechanism is disposed between at least one of these gripping members and the point at which the closing force is applied. Two force transmitting branches are coupled to the force distributor mechanism. Each transmits part of the aforementioned closing force. A first pivoting support carries one of the gripping members and has a first of these branches directly articulated to it. The othe branch is articulated to a second privoting support. On the second pivoting support are an engagement device and an abutment member.

Abstract: A process for the deposition, on an optical substrate, of an antireflection coating capable of being engraved. In the process, metal is evaporated in a reactive atmosphere within the enclosure of an evaporator under vacuum and then deposited on the substrate. Previously cleaned substrates are disposed within the enclosure, which is then evacuated until a pressure of at most 1.5 .mu.Pa (10.sup.-8 torr) is obtained. Pure oxygen is injected at a regulated throughput in such a manner that the pressure is within the range of from 2 to 4 mPa, preferably 3 mPa (2.times.10.sup.-5 torr). A heated boat which is disposed within the enclosure and contains chromium is unmasked. The chromium evaporates at a temperature such that a coating of chromium oxide grows in thickness on the substrates at a rate of 0.1 to 0.5 nm per second, preferably 0.2 nm per second.

Abstract: Hollow microspheres are made by a process which comprises forming a film of a dispersed particle film-forming composition (containing dispersed particles, a binder, a film stabilizing agent and a continuous liquid phase) across a coaxial blowing nozzle, applying a blowing gas at a positive pressure on the inner surface of the dispersed particle composition film to blow the film and form, in the region of the coaxial blowing nozzle orifice, hollow dispersed particle microspheres having stable film walls, removing the hollow microspheres, treating them to bring dispersed particles into point to point contact and harden them to obtain hollow green microspheres, and subsequently subjecting them to a sufficiently high temperature for a sufficient period of time to remove the continuous liquid phase and to sinter the dispersed particles at their points of contact to form within the walls of said hollow microspheres interconnecting voids that are continuous from the outer wall surface to the inner wall surface of th

Abstract: Fiber reinforced hollow film forming material microspheres 17 made from a fiber and film forming material composition are described. The fiber reinforced hollow microspheres 17 are used to make shaped and molded articles and to make insulation materials. The fibers can be made from ceramic materials, glass, metal, metal glass and plastic. The reinforcing fibers can be one-half to five microns in diameter and five to one hundred microns in length.

Abstract: An improved pavement extractor is disclosed herein which comprises a completely self-contained unit for removal of pavement in a situation where a new pavement is to be created. The device includes a combination of rippers and a hold-down pressure plate which efficiently extracts the pavement from the sub-base, a control chamber where the extracted pavement is led from the rippers and the hold-down pressure plate, which control chamber has located therein a pair of opposed rollers which controllably hold the pavement while a beater mechanism beats off pieces of the pavement of predetermined adjustable size. From the beater mechanism, the extracted pavement is conveyed to an elevator mechanism included in the device which conveys the now beaten small size pieces of pavement up to a sufficiently high level so as to enable the loading thereof into a vehicle such as a dump truck.

Abstract: A method of applying and repairing veneers and the like comprises the following steps:sticking a sheet to the outside surface of the veneer;unsticking the veneer from its support;sticking the sheet to a substantially rigid transparent plate;repairing the veneer and then resticking it to its original support.For applying a previously made up mosaic coating, a transparent temporary support plate is used enabling the composition to be offered up for visual inspection prior to final fixing.

Abstract: Hollow porous microspheres are used as substrates and containers for catalyst to make microsphere catalysts.The hollow porous microspheres are made from dispersed particle compositions. The microspheres have a single central cavity, have substantially uniform diameters and substantially uniform wall thickness and the walls of the microspheres have substantially uniform void content, i.e., interconnecting voids, and have substantially uniform distribution of interconnecting voids. The interconnecting voids in the walls of the microspheres are continuous and extend from the outer wall surface of the microsphere to the inner wall surface of the microsphere.The microsphere catalysts are prepared by coating or impregnating the hollow porous microspheres with a catalyst or by applying a catalyst support to the microspheres and then coating or impregnating the microspheres and catalyst support with a catalyst.

Abstract: In a tree skidding arrangement comprising a mainline secured to the winch of a line skidder and having a number of chokers secured to sliders which are freely slidable along the mainline, the last choker is secured to the mainline through a cable coupler. The coupler is formed in two parts which can be screwed together and each of which has an orifice therethrough for respectively accommodating a mainline ferrule and a choker ferrule. At least the part accommodating the choker ferrule has a smoothly tapered or rounded nose portion, which minimizes the tendency of the coupler to snag on trees or bushes.

Abstract: Hollow metal microspheres are made from film forming metal compositions and are used to make superior high strength light weight structures, improved insulating materials and insulating systems, or the microspheres can be used as filler materials in plastics, in plastic foam compositions, in rubber and rubber compositions and in metal compositions. A thin metal coating can be deposited on the inner wall surface of the microspheres. The hollow metal microspheres can also be made in the form of filamented metal microspheres in which a thin metal filament connects adjacent microspheres. The microspheres are characterized by being free of latent solid or liquid blowing gas materials or gases and the walls of the microspheres are substantially free of holes, relatively thin walled portions or sections and bubbles. Masses of the hollow microspheres and shaped forms of or containing the hollow microspheres are also described.

Abstract: Shaped forms or formed masses of hollow metal microspheres are described. The hollow metal microspheres are made from film forming metal compositions and are used to make superior high strength light weight structures, improved insulating materials and insulating systems. A thin metal coating can be deposited on the inner wall surface of the microspheres. The hollow metal microspheres can also be made in the form of filamented metal microspheres in which a thin metal filament connects adjacent microspheres. The microspheres are characterized by being free of latent solid or liquid blowing gas materials or gases and the walls of the microspheres are substantially free of holes, relatively thin walled portions or sections and bubbles.

Abstract: The hollow plastic microspheres 17 are made by forming a liquid film of thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic composition across a coaxial blowing nozzle 5, applying a blowing gas 10 at a positive pressure to the inner surface of the plastic film to blow the film and form an elongated cylinder shaped liquid film 12 of plastic. A transverse jet 13 is used to direct an entraining fluid 14 over and around the blowing nozzle 5, at an angle to the axis of the blowing nozzle. The entraining fluid 14 as it passes over and around the blowing nozzle 5 fluid dynamically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite or lee side of the blowing nozzle in the wake or shadow of the coaxial blowing nozzle.