Abstract: The invention relates to a plant for sintering or melting ceramic or refractory products in a wave-guide or a sounding cavity wherein they are subjected to the action of a microwave field, a plant wherein the temperature of the product to be processed is detected and the resulting signal compared with a reference value, so as to generate a differential signal or signal of error, and a driving electronic device to act, depending on said signal of error, on the value of the hyperfrequential power injected in the wave-guide or sounding cavity, in order to have the value of the signal of error reduced to zero.

Abstract: A ceramic or refractory product is placed in a sounding cavity close to but spaced from an opposing member and they are heated to a predetermined temperature to sinter or melt said product by subjecting them to the action of a hyperfrequential electromagnetic field. The opposing member is formed from a material having dielectric losses higher than those of said product in the temperature range below said predetermined temperature so that the intensity of the field will be increased locally in the immediate vicinity of the surface area of said product opposed to said member and that area will be exposed to thermic radiation from the opposing member and be protected by that member from thermic losses.

Abstract: A processing or heat-treatment installation for articles which are suitable for continuous automatic assembly, characterized in that it comprises a high-frequency inductor in the form of a conductor having at least one sector of low curvature (large radius of curvature) in its effective part, which sector is placed alongside the path of motion of the workpiece and on a level with the surface to be heated.

Abstract: The invention relates to an element of a vehicle which is part of a continuously moving train of similar vehicles, the element consisting, on the one hand, of two axles carrying wheels with solid tires and inner tubes and, on the other, of an on-board shunting device essentially consisting of a bistable rocking assembly operated by fixed ramps in relation to the track. The element of the vehicle also comprises pivoting bearings (6,6') which are part of the bistable rocking assembly (7) and are located in the vicinity of the axles (3,3'). The bistable rocking assembly (7) is operated and locked through an eccentric (13). Shunting wheels (8,8') are carried by the bistable rocking assembly (7) and cooperate with the external surfaces of the rails along which the element of the vehicle travels or with counter-rails arranged against the external surfaces.

Abstract: A. Treatment installation more particularly comprising a zonal heating system for elongated products, such as bars, tubes or wires made from inorganic material.B. This installation is characterized in that it comprises at least one introduction and supporting device for the product to be treated, at least one extraction and supporting device for that treated product and at least one treatment device traversed by the product, whereby at least one of these treatment devices is an enclosure in which there is an ultra-high frequency electromagnetic field.C. The invention applies more particularly to drawing glass wires.

Abstract: This invention relates to the fritting of ceramic products, in particular ceramic products of small or of very small dimensions, for example those intended for use in the electronics industry.A process for fritting ceramic products wherein the products to be fritted which have been preheated to a given temperature are directly exposed to a hyperfrequential electro-magnetic field to raise the products to a temperature which causes fritting.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the continuous production of link-chains comprising alternate inner links and outer links, two inner links being connected by an outer link, each inner link being formed by a lower plate and by an upper plate, each of which is provided with two coaxial holes receiving a bush carrying a freely rotatable roller, each outer link comprising a lower plate and an upper plate joined by two pins inserted to pass through the corresponding bush of the inner link, to which the outer link is connected.