Abstract: A method of managing concurrent accesses by a plurality of users to a memory, for reading or writing data in memory zones of the memory on the basis of an index whose value identifies a memory zone in the memory, includes the steps of: recording the value of the index in a first memory register; summing the contents of the first memory register with an increment value; recording the result of the summing operation in a second memory register; atomically interchanging the index value with the contents of the second memory register; and taking the content of the first memory register as the current value of the index if the contents of the second memory register is identical to the old value of the index, otherwise performing each of the preceding steps again.

Abstract: A method of treating solid residue resulting from combustion of a sulfur-containing fuel in the hearth of a boiler having a circulating fluidized bed, in which method limestone is inserted into the hearth so as to make it possible to absorb the resulting sulfur dioxide in the form of calcium sulfate CaSO.sub.4, the method further including the following steps:1) prior to being inserted into the hearth, the fuel is ground down to less than 100 microns;2) prior to being inserted into the hearth, the limestone is ground down to a grain-size centered in the range 100 microns to 150 microns, with a maximum of 1 mm;3) at the base of the hearth, the combustion residue is collected, which residue includes lime and calcium sulfate resulting from taking up the sulfur dioxide SO.sub.2 evolved by the combustion, and the residue is subjected to heat treatment in a reactor, in which both solid matter based on lime CaO, and also a gaseous mixture containing, in particular, sulfur dioxide SO.sub.

Abstract: The invention concerns impact-absorber devices, an impact-absorption method, and a framework and a vehicle including such impact-absorber devices. According to the invention, the impact-absorber device comprises at least one longitudinal member absorbing by deformation the energy generated by an impact in a given direction, which member is made from thin plate, having a generally triangular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the direction of impact. Applications to rail vehicles, for example.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a supercapacitor electrode containing a metal oxide and carbon-containing material, the method including the following steps: starting from a salt of said metal dissolved in an aqueous solution of a strong base, the hydroxide of the metal is precipitated in the form of a gel by adding an alcohol; the precipitate of the hydroxide of the metal is washed and dried; active carbon is added to the precipitated hydroxide of the metal to consitute a first mixture; the first mixture is subject to heat treatment in order to transform the hydroxide into an oxide, and a mixture of metal oxide and of active carbon is obtained which constitutes the active material of the electrode; and a binder is added to the active material to form a paste which is put into the form of an electrode.

Abstract: A bogie frame constituted by first and second sole-bars, first, second, third, and fourth half-cross-members, first and second auxiliary sole-bars, first and second brake supports, first and second drive fastenings, and first and second shock absorber supports, wherein:said elements are one-piece elements; andsaid one-piece elements are made of a material containing, for the most part, an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: A tube bundle for a steam condenser in which the projection on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the tubes of the envelope of the tube-containing zones of the bundle forms a trace of the type forming radiating spikes, wherein at least some of the spikes split at least once into branches, and wherein said spikes radiate from a tube-containing area that forms a substantially circular ring.

Abstract: An apparatus for preventing sudden changes of pressure in an air conditioned or ventilated vehicle, the vehicle comprising: an inlet orifice (3) for outside air and an outlet orifice (5) for inside air, the inlet orifice being connected to an intake duct (2) directing the air taken in to an air conditioning or ventilation system, the outlet orifice being connected to an exhaust duct (4) exhausting the inside air to the outside; shutter means (6, 7) for the intake and exhaust ducts (2, 4); a control member (14) receiving signals from the detector; and detector means (16, 17) for detecting the pressure outside the vehicle Po and the pressure inside the vehicle Pi and delivering signals representative of the pressure wave.

Abstract: A circuit for automatically monitoring equipment, including a plurality of transducers for measuring operating parameters and providing data to a multiprocessor system comprising stations interconnected by a local network and constituting a distributed database, the system being capable of interchanging data with a higher level including a computer with a bridge connected to said network, wherein said bridge is a "terminal" microcontroller interchanging data with the stations via first messages corresponding to requests issued by the terminal and received by all of the stations in determined memory zones referred to as "first dedicated zones", and second messages corresponding to response from the interrogated stations and received by said terminal in determined memory zones, referred to as "second dedicated zones".

Abstract: A double-decker railcar with continuous circulation on the upper deck and access from a high platform has at least one access door to the railcar the bottom of which is at the level of the high platform. An intermediate access landing to the railcar is level with the bottom of the access door inside the railcar. An access stairway to the upper deck runs from the intermediate landing and an access stairway to the lower deck also runs from the intermediate landing. A stairwell contains at least parts of the access stairway to the lower deck, the intermediate landing and the access stairway to the upper deck. A floor of the upper deck is truncated in a given area delimiting the stairwell at the level of the upper deck. The floor of the upper deck defines a continuous plane to enable continuous circulation on the upper deck.

Abstract: Crystalline compounds with ferromagnetic properties are described which are inclusion compounds comprising metal salts in copolymers in which the repeating unit includes one unit from a first group of aminoaromatic derivatives of 1-naphthylamine and corresponding oxidized forms, connected to one unit from a second group of substituted aminoaromatic compounds selected from substituted amines containing at least two condensed benzene nuclei, substituted polycyclic compounds containing at least one aniline moiety in their structure, and aniline derivatives carrying a substituent connected to the nucleus by an ethynylene or para-phenylene unit, and corresponding oxidized compounds. Methods for the preparation of these compounds are also described.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a magnetic copolymer having a structural unit comprising a first multivalent radical and a second multivalent radical derived from an aminoaromatic compound selected from a substituted amine containing at least two condensed benzene nuclei, a substituted polycyclic compound containing at least one aniline unit in its structure, and an aniline derivative substituted on the ring by an ethynylidene or paraphenylene side chain, these compounds being in their reduced or oxidized forms, said first and said second radical being coupled together by a carbon-nitrogen bond and the nitrogen atoms being separated by a single aromatic ring, characterized in that said first radical is derived from a compound selected from 1-naphthylamine, which may be substituted, in its reduced or oxidized form.

Abstract: Multimaterial disk for high-energy braking comprising at least one ceramic or cermet facing.

Abstract: A system for powering a multicurrent locomotive having 2N motors where N is greater than or equal to 2, the system comprising 2N pairs of voltage converters respectively associated with the 2N motors, each motor M.sub.i being powered by means of an inverter connected to the terminals of a parallel capacitor. When the locomotive is powered with AC, then each of the pairs forms a 4-quadrant converter in which the two portions are implemented by the secondary winding of a transformer whose primary winding is connected directly to the terminals of the AC power supply. When the locomotive is powered with DC, the switches serve to use the voltage converters either as voltage-lowering choppers or as voltage-raising choppers. The power supply system is designed in such a manner that in the event of a converter or an inverter failing, it suffices to isolate the failed element to conserve the functions that remain.

Abstract: A monitoring device for continuously monitoring the internal circulation flow-rate of solid particles in a circulating fluidized bed reactor including a bottom zone into which the fluidization gas is injected, and a top zone surrounded by walls. The device includes a sampling tank for sampling internal circulation solids, which tank is fixed against one of the walls of the reactor and is provided with a fluidization device. A removal pipe is provided for removing the solids from the tank and conveying them to a measuring device for measuring the flow-rate of the solids. A return pipe is provided for returning the solids from the measuring device to the inside of the reactor.

Abstract: A turbocharged diesel engine having a two stage turbocharger assembly is described. The assembly includes two low pressure turbochargers coupled in parallel and arranged in series with a single high pressure turbocharger. This allows all turbochargers to be of comparable dimensions and allows for interchangeability of parts between low pressure and high pressure turbochargers. The turbochargers may be mounted on an enclosure which encloses the turbines and the exhaust gas ductwork and which communicates with the exhaust pipe to insure that any leaking exhaust gas escapes to the atmosphere via the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: A facility for detecting intrusions and suspect users in a computer installation, and a security system incorporating such a facility that makes use of surveillance data relating to the operation of the installation. The facility includes elements for modelling the computer installation, its users, and their respective behavior with the help of a semantic network; elements for comparing the modellized behavior of the system and of its users relative to modellized normal behavior; elements for interpreting observed anomalies in terms of intrusions and of intrusion hypothesis; elements for interpreting observed intrusion hypotheses and intrusions in order to indicate them and enable restraint actions to be prepared. Elements are provided to evaluate the degree of suspicion of users. The elements co-operate with one another for the purpose of providing information.

Abstract: An articulated coupling is effected between two vehicles A and B supported on a common bogey between the vehicles. The coupling includes a toroidal part connected to one of the vehicles A and a support part connected to the other vehicle B. A cylindrical pivot is fixed on a soleplate and engaged in a cylindrical bore. A toroidal coupling element is fixed on the soleplate and provides articulated coupling between the soleplate and the toroidal part. An energy absorption system is disposed between first or second cylindrical outside surfaces of the toroidal part and the facing surface of the support part. A shear system holding the support part secured to a longitudinal translation system which is fixed to a support arm connected to the other vehicle shears to prevent damage to the toroidal coupling element, with excessive force being absorbed by the energy absorption system. The present invention is also directed to a method of absorbing energy between two vehicles.

Abstract: A medium-voltage or high-voltage circuit-breaker including, in a casing filled with a dielectric gas, an interrupting chamber in which metal plates are disposed for splitting up an electric arc into a multitude of smaller or "elementary" arcs under the action of a magnetic field, the circuit-breaker including a helical insulating ramp winding around a central generator line, the ramp being disposed on the inside peripheral portion of the chamber and around a conductive electrode, and the metal plates being disposed along the ramp, around and at a distance from the conductive electrode.

Abstract: A multimaterial disk for high-energy braking comprises an assembly of various flanges. They comprise, in succession, a central flange and on either side of the central flange thermal barriers and outer flanges made up of a substrate faced on one side with a ceramic or cermet type facing.

Abstract: The invention provides method and apparatus for identifying the faulted phases on the occurrence of a single phase fault simultaneously on both circuits of a double circuit electric power transmission line using measurements taken at one end only of the line. Using measurements of voltage and current at the one end of the line and a knowledge of various parameters of the line, a signal representative of the travelling wave arriving at the one end of the line in consequence of the faults is derived. This derived signal is used to deduce the values of the components of the derived signal attributable to the different faults for each of a number of assumptions as to which phases are faulted. The deduced values for the different assumptions are then used to determine which assumption is most likely to be correct.