Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and a device for reducing the consumption of a stepping motor by automatically adapting the duration of each drive pulse supplied to said motor to the mechanical load that its rotor is to drive.The method comprises forming each drive pulse by a series of elementary pulses separated by interruption periods, and determining the mechanical load by measuring, during said interruption periods, a parameter which is representative of the variation in the voltage induced in the winding (11a) of the motor by the rotary movement of the rotor.

Abstract: An emergency signalling unit which is designed to be carried on the person of a fireman or other worker to alert control personnel should the worker become endangered, and an alarm system which incorporates a plurality of such signalling units, each one worn by a different fireman, for providing an alarm at a central station and an indication of which fireman is in trouble, as well as a means of locating him. The emergency signalling unit includes a radio transmitter, a high intensity strobe lamp, and an audio frequency generator. The alarm system includes a plurality of the above-mentioned radio transmitters, each transmitting on a different carrier frequency, and a receiver at a central control station exterior to the burning building, which is equipped to identify the respective carrier signals and to provide a visual indication of which fireman is in trouble as well as an audible signal to alert control personnel to the existence of an alarm condition.

Abstract: Method for supplying fuel material to a gasification reactor into which a mixture of finely powdered fuel material, in suspension in a liquid phase, is charged inside a pressurized combustion chamber into which the combustion-supporting gas is injected and constituting the reactor, by means of a screw conveyor producing a continuously fluid-tight plug by compression of the driven material. By intermeshing at least two overlapping screws with identical threads rotated in the same direction, a wringing of the mixture introduced through an input orifice is compressed by regulating the flow rate of the mixture supply and the rotary speed of the screws so that, for a given flow rate of material, the plug constituted in a braking zone is at a given pressure and contains a certain proportion of liquid phase. The additional amount of liquid phase is expelled into the braking zone and reascends upstream into a drive zone where it is removed through orifices formed in filtering parts of a sleeve.

Abstract: In the process for preparing 4-(2'-nitrophenyl-2,6-dimethyl)-3,5-dicarbmethoxy-1,4-dihydropyridine of the formula ##STR1## 2-nitrobenzaldehyd-diacetate, methyl acetoacetate and ammonia are reacted in the presence of an inert organic solvent, such as methanol, and in the presence or absence of an organic base, such as pyridine, at a temperature of between 20.degree. and 150.degree. C. The compound is a valuable medicine for the treatment of angina pectoris.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and a device for controlling a stepping motor of a timepiece, which permit the power of each drive pulse to be adapted to the value of the electromotive force (V) and/or the internal resistance (R*) of the power supply source (10).In accordance with the invention, at a given moment, a value of a chopping rate (Ha) is determined in dependence on the value of the electromotive force V and/or the internal resistance R* of the power supply source (10), said value being stored, and the chopping rate of each control pulse being adjusted to the stored value.The control device comprises means (13) for supplying a chopping signal (M) to a drive circuit (12) of the motor (11). The chopping rate is determined by information contained in a memory (14). The stored information is periodically corrected in dependence on the value of the electromotive force (V) and/or the internal resistance (R*) of the power supply source (10).

Abstract: Disclosed is a modular masonry heating system having a modular firebox assembly positioned within the flue chamber of an outer modular heat shell asembly. The heat shell comprises an enclosing wall and a cover each of which is formed from smaller modules and is self-supporting without these modules being secured together by a bonding material. The firebox comprises a foundation, a fire chamber enclosure and a riser each of which is formed from smaller modules and is self-supporting without these modules being secured together by a bonding material. The sets of modules for the heat shell wall and cover and the firebox riser and foundation may each have a different shape but the modules in the same set may have a substantially uniform size and shape. After assembly, the firebox and heat shell are each freestanding independently of the other.

Abstract: A small, compact, collapsible three-wheeled truck which can be used to support a flat or damaged tire of a vehicle while the latter is being driven to a repair location. The truck has a foldable ramp which rests flat on the ground while the rear wheels are in slightly raised position, so as to prevent movement of the truck while the flat tire is being driven onto it. As the ramp pivots upwardly into retaining position behind the tire, the rear wheels are lowered into ground contacting position. Simultaneously, an extension attached to the ramp causes a retaining member near the front of the truck to pivot upwardly out of the way of the tire into front retaining position. The tire after mounting rests in a cradle and is prevented from moving forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the truck.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a timepiece having an alarm activating mechanism that serves for effecting the closure of an electrical contact (5a, 9) at a time which is adjustable in advance. The mechanism is arranged in the form of a module (100) which comprises a mechanically unitary assembly formed of two coaxial wheels (6, 8), one of which carries a contact element (9). This unitary assembly is mounted on the framework of the movement so that its angular position is manually adjustable about an axis, and it carries a wheel (5) which is in mesh with the hour wheel (3) and has an embossment (5a) which can enter into contact with the contact element (9). The invention is applicable more particularly to alarm watches.

Abstract: When a steel sheet or the like is heated in a furnace to a temperature somewhat higher than the room temperature and is still or moved, its temperature can be measured by detecting the radiant energy therefrom. The measurement is normally difficult due to the influence of background noise of radiant energy from the surroundings, change of the transmittance factor of the environment or atmosphere for radiant energy, and change of the emissivity of the object to be measured.

Abstract: An automatic transmission for a city bus and other highway vehicles comprises an engine-mounted gearbox with a laterally offset drive output to the rear wheels through a propeller shaft and differential drive unit. The gear box has four layshafts grouped round the drive input shaft. Multiplate pneumatic clutches, one on each layshaft, select transmission ratios under the control of a driver's selector switch acting through an electronic control unit and an electro-pneumatic valve supplied with air by a compressor. The control unit includes a retarder function provided by simultaneous partial engagement of the first and second gear clutches when the vehicle is in third or fourth gear. Access to the clutches for servicing is provided by end covers on the gearbox whereby the clutch elements can be replaced without stripping the gearbox.

Abstract: A bearing and power transfer assembly which includes a main bearing and auxiliary bearing for coupling a spun and despun shelf. The main bearing has a stator connected to the spun shelf, and a motor driven rotor connected to the stator of the auxiliary bearing. The rotor of the auxiliary bearing is connected to the despun shelf. Means are provided to maintain said auxiliary stator and rotor locked together until a failure of said main bearing occurs. A ground command frees the auxiliary bearing rotor and stator and a motor associated with the free rotor maintains a spinning torque on the despun shelf. Slip-ring and brush assemblies are included in each bearing assembly to provide electrical connections between spun and despun shelves.

Abstract: A circuit for processing an angle modulated signal having amplitude modulation signal components in stereophonic broadcasting systems. An inverse modulation of a signal to be detected is provided over a first signal amplitude range, and a constant signal level is provided over a remaining range for signals having a marginal amplitude level. The discontinuity in the control range avoids noise expansion for high negative amplitude modulator levels for the signal to be angle modulated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for slicing solid materials, such as silicon, germanium, glass, ceramics, gallium arsenide, etc. by reactive chemicals which are carried to the workpiece by a travelling flexible member such as a wire or cable. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for slicing ingots of the above-mentioned substances into wafers for use in the fabrication of integrated circuit, solar cells and the like. The reactive chemical preferably is a molten salt which reacts with the semiconductive material, and the flexible member is preferably electrically conductive and heated by passing a current through such member to ensure that the salt is reactive only at the location of contact of such flexible member with the ingot being sliced.

Abstract: A connector pin, adapted to be inserted into a metallized bore in a conductive plate to form a solder-free mechanical and electrical connection between the pin and plate, is fabricated to provide an elongated deformable region adapted to engage the sides of the bore and consisting of two elongated beam members that are inteconnected to one another by a cross member. The cross section of the resulting deformable region may be M-shaped or W-shaped. Upon insertion of the pin into the bore, the deformable region deforms elastically and, in the case of a small diameter bore, partially plastically to provide a good electrical and mechanical connection between the pin and plate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a digital switch which is manually rotated step by step and which comprises a casing, a wheel rotatably supported in the casing, device for manually rotating the wheel step by step, an electrical contact carried by the wheel, an electrical circuit board attached to the casing and provided with a plurality of electrical contacts which are successively touched by the electrical contact carried by the wheel when the wheel is rotated step by step, for producing an electrical signal in accordance with a stepping rotary position of the wheel, and a locking device for disabling the wheel rotating device.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for monitoring the partial pressure of a gas in the liquid flowing in a line, for example the PO.sub.2 or PCO.sub.2 tension in blood. The apparatus comprises a connector adapted for insertion in the line, the connector having a wall which includes a membrane permeable to the gas but impermeable to the liquid. The membrane has a first face in contact with the liquid in the connector and a second face oppositely disposed to the first face. A sensor, for example, an electrochemical sensor, is located adjacent the second face and is responsive to gas passing through the membrane from the liquid.

Abstract: A text recorder includes a multi-character display controller which is operated in a multi-character mode to record (e.g., print on paper or generate a CRT or the like display) multi-character sequences in response to operator actuation of a single key of a keyboard substantially identical to a conventional typewriter keyboard. Operator actuation of a key generates a coded signal representative of the actuated key, but in the multi-character mode, the normal text recorder function of printing or displaying the character associated with the key is inhibited, and instead, a memory device is accessed which has stored at a location corresponding to the actuated key, a sequence of coded signals representative of a plurality of characters, functions or both. The storage device may include a plurality of sets of stored signal sequences representing a plurality of multi-character sequences, the selection between the different storage sets being effected based on a particular key or key sequence previously actuated.

Abstract: A multiple reflector antenna is disclosed that comprises a main reflector formed of a portion of a rotatively symmetrical surface with respect to a rotation axis, a sub-reflector, at least one auxiliary reflector, and at least one wave source, said rotation axis being parallel to or slightly deviated from an aperture plane. This antenna is characterized by such construction that said sub-reflector and auxiliary reflector intentionally cause distortion of an electro-magnetic field distribution to cancel the distortion generated at said main reflector.

Abstract: An energy-efficient ballast or energizing circuit for fluorescent lamps which is relatively uncomplicated and which can be manufactured relatively simply and inexpensively. An on-off switch and dimming means are connected in a low-voltage portion of the circuitry to permit less expensive wiring to be utilized. A base-driven, high frequency push-pull transistorized inverter circuit is utilized for energizing the lamps. The inverter drive is pulse width modulated to effect dimming, and to save energy additional transistor circuitry is provided for ensuring rapid turn-on and turn-off of the inverter transistors. A photo-responsive means senses ambient light and lamp light at a surface being illuminated by both and controls pulse width in accordance therewith. Thermostat means are mounted on the heat sinks of the inverter transistors and are connected in parallel with the on-off switch to effect shut-off if overheating occurs.