Abstract: The fuel injection method uses a distributor-type fuel injector pump for an internal combustion engine which has a rotary distributor member formed with two outlet passages communicating with a pump chamber and arranged to distribute fuel intermittently to successive fuel delivery apertures leading to respective engine cylinders, so that in each revolution of the distributor the pump delivers to each cylinder a principal fuel injection at the end of the compression stroke, preceded by a pre-injection. Automatic timing control means advance the delivery stroke of the pump automatically in response to engine speed increase, and the angle between the outlets of the two outlet passages is such that as the engine speed varies the ratio of the fuel pre-injected to that of the principal injection into each cylinder varies according to a rule predetermined in relation to the type of engine (i.e. precombustion chamber or direct injection type).

Abstract: A suspension system for motor vehicles of the type designed to maintain automatically the horizontal attitude of a motor vehicle with variations in loads on the front suspensions and on the rear suspensions comprises two hydraulic cylinders interposed between the springs of the rear suspensions and the suspended masses in correspondence with the rear axle of the motor vehicle. Each hydraulic cylinder incorporates a distribution valve comprising a slide valve subject at one of its ends to the pressure within the hydraulic cylinder and its opposite end to the pressure transmitted by a hydraulic pump by means of a control valve which is responsive to the subsidence of the front suspensions.

Abstract: A fluidized bed filtering and heat exchange apparatus particularly for treating gaseous discharges from internal combustion engines and industrial plants comprises a vertical-axis elongated casing (10) having a filler of inert, particulate material therein, a gas feed manifold (36) provided with discharge nozzles arranged to direct gas downwardly into said casing (10) to maintain said filler in a fluidized state, and a cyclone (58) communicating with the upper part of said casing (10) to receive said gas therefrom and to separate agglomerated particles from said gas. Heat-exchange means are provided for cooling the fluidized filler including a plurality of tubes (46) for carrying a heat-exchange fluid therethrough.

Abstract: A thermophotovoltaic converter of the type comprising a concentrating optical system and a transducer for solar radiation provided with at least one lens and with at least one photovoltaic cell is described.The principal feature of this converter is that the aforementioned transducer comprises at least a radiator having an irradiating surface substantially facing the sensitive surface of the photovoltaic cell and a selective filter disposed between the photovoltaic cell and the aforementioned radiator.

Abstract: A sound-attenuating ventilation louver is provided for location in an aperture of a wall which separates a chamber containing a source of noise from the external environment, the purpose of the louver being to allow gaseous flows to pass into and out of the chamber while minimizing the noise passing out through the louver from the noise source. The louver includes a plurality of profiled slats each in the form of an aerodynamically-shaped blade. Each slat includes a solid portion made of a sound-absorbent material and a hollow portion defined by a thin wall of rigid material; in use of the louver the sound-absorbent solid portion of each slat is disposed towards the chamber containing the noise source while the hollow portion is disposed towards the external environment. The hollow portion of each slat is subdivided into a plurality of chambers communicating with the atmosphere through ports and acting as resonators.

Abstract: The method is intended for heating water used in an appliance connected into a domestic water circuit comprising a feed branch for continuously feeding hot water to said appliance and a discharge branch for discharging the water from the appliance; it comprises a first stage in which a first quantity of heat withdrawn from the water passing through a first portion of said discharge branch is transferred to the water passing through a first portion of said feed branch, said first stage being carried out by means of a first heat exchanger traversed by the water of said feed and discharge branches, and a second stage in which a second quantity of heat given up by a fluid traversing the condenser of a heat pump is transferred to the water passing through a second portion of said feed branch which is downstream of said first portion, said second stage being carried out by means of a second heat exchanger traversed by the water of said feed branch and by said fluid, said second quantity of heat being partly supplie

Abstract: A transducer is provided which has six degrees of freedom and is arranged to output electrical signals indicative of the forces and moments applied thereto. The transducer comprises a rigid casing which, for example, is of cubic form. The casing is intended to be connected, for example, to the movable arm of a robot. A rigid body of a shape similar to the casing is suspended fluidically within the casing and is connected to a control shaft which projects through the casing. The external faces of the rigid body and the inner faces of the casing are both provided with conductive portions which together constitute a plurality of condensers the capacitance of which depends on the relative positioning of the body and casing. Forces and moments applied to the control shaft produce corresponding variations in the capacitance of these condensers and can therefore be easily measured.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a fuel injector in a side wall of each cylinder to direct a fuel jet onto a flat or concave impingement surface of a shield projecting into the cylinder from the cylinder head, to atomize the fuel in the vicinity of the sparking plug electrodes with minimal wetting of the cylinder walls and of the plug electrodes. The piston head is formed with an asymmetrically located combustion chamber surrounded by extensive "squish" areas arranged to promote the formation of a fuel vortex in which charge stratification occurs centrifugally.

Abstract: A method is described for continuously producing very small diameter metal wire from molten material, comprising at least one heating stage for heating in a first predetermined position a glass tube in which a wire of metal material is disposed, these being fed in the direction of their longitudinal axis in such a manner as to cause said glass to soften to a required viscosity and said material to melt in order to form a wire, and a cooling stage for cooling, in a second predetermined position, said wire on which a required traction is exerted; the method is characterised in that said second predetermined position, in which said wire cooling stage is carried out, is located, with respect to said first position, at such a location along the wire axis that solidification of said material takes place in a section situated not before the limiting section at which the reduction in cross-section of said wire terminates, the quantity of heat removed during said cooling stage being sufficiently high to prevent soften

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a mixture comprising a solid phase and a liquid phase of a metal alloy, in which the concentration of the said solid phase has a pre-established value, is described; it comprises at least a first stage for bringing the said alloy into a completely fluid state, a second stage for creating a constant range flow of the mixture between an inlet section and an outlet section, a third stage for subdividing in a longitudinal direction the said flow into a plurality of flow sections, each of which has a predetermined length and in each of which the flow is subdivided into at least two independent streams, and a fourth stage for making each of the said streams flow along such a trajectory as to obtain in each of the said streams of each flow section a confluence of parts of both streams of the immediately preceding section.

Abstract: An infestation of Peronosporales on plant leaves will only fully develop if the leaves experience a period of wetness of a duration sufficient to allow the penetration of zoospores into the stomata of the leaves. The duration of this period is temperature dependent. Apparatus is provided which includes a pulse generator arranged to generate pulses at a rate dependent on the ambient temperature, a signal gate controlled by a leaf wetness sensor to pass the pulses output from the generator only when the leaves are sufficiently wet to favor penetration of the zoospores, and a counter arranged to count the pulses passed by the gate to time a period the duration of which varies with temperature. Upon completion of timing, the counter outputs an infestation signal which causes a monitor counter to start counting the pulses output from the pulse generator whereby to provide an indication of the subsequent advance of the infestation.

Abstract: An anti-skid device for a motor vehicle braking system which releases the vehicle brakes in response to an output signal produced by an equality comparator circuit when a wheel speed signal from a lower value comparator falls to a value equal to that of a signal from an integrating memory, which integrates and stores a signal from an upper value comparator of wheel speed signals, indicating that the wheels have reached a predetermined slipping threshold.

Abstract: A blade for a wind motor comprises a load-bearing structure and an external covering of plastic material. The load-bearing structure is of flat tubular form and is composed of a pair of facing half shells constituted by sheet metal pressings of substantially channel section. Flat-bottomed impressions are provided along the edges of the shells. The shells are joined together by spot welds welding the bottoms of the impressions of one shell to the bottoms of corresponding impressions of the other shell.

Abstract: For an infestation of scab to develop through its initial stages requires the presence of prolonged periods of leaf surface wetness to enable the spores to germinate. Apparatus is provided which monitors the ambient temperature and humidity to detect the occurrence of periods of leaf wetness sufficient to permit the initial development of an infestation. When the occurrence of such a period of wetness is detected, the apparatus changes its operating state to indicate the progress of the infestation through its secondary stages, this progress being dependent on the ambient temperature but not the wetness of the leaves. The apparatus follows the progress of the infestation by means of a monitoring device which generates a pulsed signal whose frequency is dependent on the ambient temperature and humidity, the pulses of this signal being then counted in counter means and selectively displayed on a display.

Abstract: Aqueous paint sludges containing thermosetting synthetic resins are converted into shaped articles by breaking the sludge into fragments, drying said fragments, grinding said fragments to a size not exceeding 0.6 mm, compacting the resulting particles and heating the resulting body to achieve agglomeration of the particles and thermosetting of the resin. The material thus obtained may be used as building or insulating components.

Abstract: Process for coating a conductive substrate used as the anode in an electrochemical cell, in which a direct electric current is passed from a cathode to the said anode through an electrolytic liquid containing a phenolic monomer in order to form a polymeric film of phenolic resin on the substrate.The electrolyte includes from 10 to 200 g/l of allylphenol or a mixture of such with other phenols, and from 5 to 200 g/l of an aliphatic amine, in solution in a mixture of water and alcohol. The polymeric film is deposited by using an electric current of a density not greater than 50 mA/cm.sup.2 of substrate, and the polymeric film so deposited is heated to a temperature of from 100.degree. to 200.degree. C. in order to induce the hardening of the said resin.

Abstract: Quality control inspection of the surface of a workpiece is effected by scanning a coherent monochromatic light beam over the workpiece surface. Photomultipliers are used to generate two electrical signals respectively indicative of the magnitude of the specular component of light reflected from the workpiece and of the component of light scattered in a predetermined direction off the workpiece. These two signals are combined in a manner which serves to eliminate noise due to surface roughness of the workpiece. The combined signal is compared with a threshold value to provide an indication of surface defects. The inspection apparatus can incorporate a laser for producing the light beam which can be conveniently scanned across the workpiece surface using an oscillating mirror.

Abstract: A process for reducing powdered iron oxides obtained from rolling scales formed in the hot-rolling of steel includes heating the oxides in a reducing atmosphere at 600.degree. C. to 650.degree. C. to convert the particles to a porous form which allows the reducing gas to penetrate to the center of the particles and completing the reduction to iron at 900.degree. C. to 1100.degree. C.

Abstract: A composite graphite-resin porous electrode structure is made by intimately mixing powdered graphite with the resin monomers and partially polymerizing and grinding the mixture before forming a moulding composition by adding a pore-forming agent removable by decomposition or leaching to form uniformly-sized pores. A catalyst for the electrode reaction is incorporated in the electrode with the pore-forming agent or in a thin layer during moulding and an electrically-conductive strengthening element which acts as a rheophore is also incorporated during moulding. Layers having different pore sizes may be formed and a water-repellent film is applied to one face of the electrode.

Abstract: A distributor-type fuel injector pump for an internal combustion engine has a rotary distributor member formed with two outlet passages communicating with a pump chamber and arranged to distribute fuel intermittently to successive fuel delivery apertures leading to respective engine cylinders, so that in each revolution of the distributor the pump delivers to each cylinder a principal fuel injection at the end of the compression stroke, preceded by a pre-injection. Automatic timing control means advance the delivery stroke of the pump automatically in response to engine speed increase, and the angle between the outlets of the two outlet passages is such that as the engine speed varies the ratio of the fuel pre-injected to that of the principal injection into each cylinder varies according to a rule predetermined in relation to the type of engine (i.e. precombustion chamber or direct injection type).