Abstract: A control device for high-voltage equipment includes a computer adapted to receive status information from the equipment via at least one transmission cable. A display system includes a support device carrying on its visible face an equipment status mimic diagram associated with indicator lamps and at least one connector connected directly to the transmission cable, incorporating the indicator lamps and removably connected to the computer at a connection face thereof. The support device and the connector are so disposed that the latter presents the indicator lamps in a manner associated with the mimic diagram of the support device whether it is connected to the computer in a normal position or disconnected from the computer in an emergency position.

Abstract: The heat exchanger comprises at least one first sheet tubes and at least one second sheet of tubes, the sheets being suspended in a case. The two sheets are juxtaposed in a vertical plane, the first sheet of tubes connecting a first inlet fluid manifold disposed at the bottom and on one side of a case to an outlet manifold disposed in a central top portion of the case, and the second sheet of tubes connecting a second inlet fluid manifold disposed at the bottom and on one side of the case to the outlet manifold. Each sheet comprises first tubes which extend horizontally in the bottom portion of the case, second tubes which are connected to the first tubes and which extend vertically between the bottom portion of the case and the middle portion of the case, and bent third tubes which are connected to the second tubes and which extend between the middle portion of the case and the top portion of the case. This configuration makes it possible to obtain a large heat exchange area with a compact heat exchanger.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a surface-emitting laser, to assure good electrical confinement and good flatness of the mirrors defining the resonant cavity of the laser an electrical confinement layer is formed by carrying out the following steps:forming an undercut layer,at least one growth step on the undercut layer,forming a mesa defining the shape and the location of the top mirror and exposing the undercut layer on its vertical walls, andcontrolled lateral etching of the undercut layer. Applications include the fabrication of a semiconductor laser on a III-V (e.g. InP or GaAs) substrate.

Abstract: A composite based on a superconducting oxide having a high critical temperature, characterized by the fact that it is constituted by glass and said oxide, the glass being such that its vitreous transition temperature is not greater than 750K, the volume fraction of the glass lying in the range 2% to 40%, said oxide existing in the glass in the form of crystallites having substantially the same orientation.

Abstract: A method consists in assigning an authorization level (AUTH) to a client object and a "dynamic" sensitivity level (DSL) to a method (or data processing procedure) of a server object (ProcObjSv). The dynamic sensitivity level is computed based on static sensitivity levels (SSLs) at the moment when the server object is instantiated. The authorization level of the client object is passed to the method of the server object when the method of the server object is invoked by the client object, and this authorization level (AUTH) is compared with the dynamic sensitivity level (DSL) of the method in order to control access. The method makes it possible to implement a multi-level security model.

Abstract: A method is described to estimate the current datapacket rate CCR.sub.i called herein current cell rate, of a connection out of a plurality of connections which are carrying datapackets via a multiplexed transmission channel in a communication network. The method includes the steps of storing in a buffer (B) incoming datapackets of the connections, determining the total number of datapackets BC.sub.TO in the buffer (B), determining the number of datapackets of the connection BC.sub.i in the buffer (B), measuring an aggregate input datapacket rate C.sub.IN of the buffer and estimating the current datapacket rate CCR.sub.

Abstract: The invention is drawn to organic compounds of the general formulae L--A--Z or L--A'--L' as defined in the specification. The compounds are readily crystallizable and can be used for their ferromagnetic properties.

Abstract: The fiber-drawing furnace includes a graphite tube positioned vertically, heated by induction, and subjected internally to an inert atmosphere, said tube internally defining a fiber-drawing chamber. In the furnace said graphite tube is a double-walled tube having an inner wall and an outer wall, its inner wall is porous and separates the fiber-drawing chamber from a peripheral chamber defined between the walls and subjected to a flow of inert gas which diffuses through said porous wall into said fiber-drawing chamber. Application to drawing down an optical-fiber preform.

Abstract: A method of producing a superconductive coating (19) on an elongated substrate (12) is indicated, whereby the substrate (12) is drawn through a deposition chamber (1) in which it is also heated in a heating zone (2) and is coated with a superconducting material. To improve the current carrying capacity, the substrate (12) is coated with the superconducting material in a geometric form which differs from the use of the finished product in a way so that a compressive strain is created in the substrate plane of the superconductive coating (19) for the geometric form of the substrate (12) taking place when it is put to use.

Abstract: The invention provides copolymers having magnetic properties, said copolymers containing aminoaromatic groups, and being based on a structural unit comprising:a first group of aminoaromatic compounds chosen from aniline derivatives and the corresponding iminoquinone forms; anda second group of substituted aminoaromatic compounds chosen from substituted amino compounds containing at least two condensed benzene rings, substituted polycyclic compounds containing at least one aniline structural unit in their structure, compounds derived from aniline and carrying a substituent bonded to the ring by means of an ethynylidene or paraphenylene link, and the corresponding iminoquinone compounds.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring a moving filamentary product having a device for monitoring the centering of the filamentary product relative to the coating, and a device for monitoring the quality of the coating. The centering monitoring device includes two light sources positioned at 90.degree. to each other in a plane perpendicular to the filamentary product. The coating quality monitoring device includes an optical receiver disposed between the two light sources in the same plane, and at 45.degree. to each of them, to receive the light beams reflected by the coating.

Abstract: A high voltage circuit breaker with insertion of resistance on closing, wherein the resistance is inserted by a fixed insertion electrode co-operating with the end of the moving main contact, the blast nozzle and the arcing contact of the moving assembly being secured to each other, and the subassembly being movable relative to the moving assembly so that on triggering, because of the inertia of said subassembly, the arcing contacts separate after the insertion electrode and the end of the moving main contact have moved sufficiently far apart.

Abstract: A power-line trip circuit models the transient characteristic of a change in load (e.g. appearance of a fault current, or switch-on to a normal load) and compares the current actually flowing in the power lines with this modelled or simulated transient. Line currents that do have a transient component but do not exceed normal limits are not then sufficient to trip a circuit breaker associated with the power lines, whereas transient-bearing currents that do exceed such limits, i.e. fault currents, are recognized as such and the circuit breaker is tripped. This circuit allows fast, reliable tripping even in the presence of a substantial transient overshoot.

Abstract: A system for actuating electrical equipment, in particular a high-voltage section switch or a high-voltage grounding section switch includes, in a control box, a rotary drive unit for driving the contacts of the equipment. A control circuit includes "end-of-stroke" contacts associated with the contacts of the equipment. The system includes a portable electric motor having a self-contained power supply. The motor is equipped with a mechanical coupling for mechanically coupling the motor to the rotary drive unit, and is provided with an electrical connector for connecting the motor to the control circuit.

Abstract: A vacuum recloser in which an isolator switch is incorporated in series with the vacuum interrupter and is driven by the same actuator. The isolator must only be operated when the vacuum switch is open and no arc current remains. This is ensured in one of two ways (a) by providing a significant lost motion in the isolator drive, giving, say, 20 milliseconds between opening of the vacuum contacts and opening of the isolator contacts, and (b) by latching the isolator drive against opening, compressing a spring against the latch by the actuator attempting to open the isolator, and tripping the latch by a solenoid responsive to lock-out conditions.

Abstract: A method of extracting the contour of an object having two lateral edges, for example a road, from a digitized photographic image using an automatic active contour propagation process, comprises the steps of entering first and second initial contours near respective lateral edges of the object in the image. The first initial contour is propagated by means of a first automatic active contour propagation process and the second initial contour is propagated by means of a second active contour propagation process. Each propagation process uses, firstly, an energy model including a term relating to elastic coupling forces between paired points of the first and the second initial contours and, secondly, a direction of prolongation of the active contour defined as an average of two prolongation directions determined for the first and the second active contours, respectively.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coil comprising a hollow former on which a plurality of same-length conductors are wound, together with connection means between the conductors and an electrical power supply for the coil, according to the invention the conductors are insulated, mutually parallel, and angularly offset, being wound together no said former so that each conductor forms spiral turns that are stacked on and interposed between the spiral turns of the other conductors, said conductors forming first and second windings about a common winding axis, one of the free ends of each conductor being accessible on the outer periphery of the first winding while the other free end of the conductor is accessible on the outer periphery of the second winding.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of protecting against circuit breaker failure, said circuit breaker having contacts capable of moving between a closed position and an open position, and vice versa, and being fitted with protection apparatus including fault detector apparatus for putting into operation an opening electromagnetic coil that actuates circuit breaker contact drive apparatus, with position-indicator contacts of monitor apparatus being changed over as soon as the circuit breaker contacts start to move. According to the invention, in the event of a fault being detected, a time delay is generated from the indicator contacts changing over, and at the end of said time delay it is verified whether the fault current has become zero, and if not an alarm is generated.

Abstract: A multilevel converter comprising, in particular, a capacitor (C1, C2, . . . , Cn) in each of its cells. The capacitors nominally have charge voltages proportional to their respective ranks in the converter. The converter also includes circuits (VMO1, VMO2, . . . , VMOn) for evaluating the mean voltage across the terminals of each of the capacitors (C1, C2, . . . , Cn), circuits (VE1, VE2, . . . , VEn) for measuring any difference that may occur with respect to each of the capacitors (C1, C2, . . . , Cn) between the evaluated mean charge voltage and the nominal mean charge voltage of the capacitor, and for providing a corresponding difference signal (VEC1, VEC2, . . . , VECn), and also correction control circuits (BT, EC1, EC2, . . . , ECn) receiving the difference signals and correspondingly causing at least one temporary coupling to be established between two capacitors in order to correct the difference.

Abstract: A device is indicated for flanging the end of a metal tube to achieve a circumferential surface extending outward at right angles from the tube. It has the form of a cylindrical housing with a flange at its open end for fastening a clamping tool which is fastened to the tube, and its other end is closed by a bottom part. The housing has a flanging attachment that is able to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the housing, and a hand-wheel which is attached to a connecting element and extends outward through the bottom part. The hand-wheel is rigidly linked to a guide part of the flanging attachment by a threaded rod which fits through a suitably threaded bore in the bottom of the housing. A pressure element of the flanging attachment is guided by a pin which also forms part of the flanging attachment. The pressure element is operationally attached to the guide part so that it is able to rotate with it around the longitudinal axis of the housing.