Abstract: A cooling plate for circulating fluid for cooling the walls of shaft furnaces and particularly blast furnaces, and being placed between the refractory material to be cooled and the facing of the furnace to be protected and comprising a flat thin-walled panel made of cast steel and forming a tightly sealed enclosure through which passes an independent stream of cooling fluid, this enclosure being divided up into tubular passages with the aid of partitions which delimit a single circulatory path for the cooling medium which circulates in a vertical upward sinusoidal movement, that face of the plate which faces the interior of the blast furnace to be protected being lined with a high-strength refractory material.

Abstract: A hydraulic amplifier comprising a housing wherein is defined a pressure chamber. A servo piston is slidable in a bore opening onto the pressure chamber. The amplifier also comprises a set of control valve connectible to a high pressure fluid source and a low pressure reservoir. An operator operated control rod has one end projecting into the chamber. In the pressure chamber is mounted a lever mechanism comprising a lever having one end pivoted on a pin associated with the housing, and the other end is moved by the control rod. The lever mechanism also comprises a rocker member which is pivoted on the lever and whose respective ends can bear on the servo piston and are adapted to move at least one valve in the control valve set. The pin is slidable relative to the housing and is urged by resilient means into an idle position. The control valve set comprises an exhaust valve operated by a rocker member, and a high pressure valve operated in response to the movement of the pin from its idle position.

Abstract: This invention relates to space vehicles. It is concerned with solar absorbers consisting of a metallic or metallized substrate with a weak hemispherical emission factor coated with two layers consisting of a semi-transparent metallic layer adhering to the substrate and of an outer interference dielectric layer. The metallic layer is a layer of nickel/chromium alloy consisting of 60 to 83% by weight of nickel and of 40 to 15% by weight of chromium, and the dielectric layer is a layer of silicon monoxide, of zinc sulphide or silicon dioxide.

Abstract: A drum brake which comprises two brake shoes, an actuator situated between two first adjacent ends of the shoes and a fixed fulcrum block situated between the other two ends of the shoes. An adjuster is designed to increase the distance between the first ends of the shoes automatically as a function of the wear on the lining of the shoes. The adjuster comprises a lever pivoted at one end on a first of the shoes in the vicinity of the actuator. A pawl is pivoted on the first shoe and biased by a resilient member into engagement with a toothed sector formed on the other end of the lever. An operating member is responsive to an increase in the distance between the first ends of the shoes, so as to pivot the lever in the direction corresponding to adjustment of the brake. The resilient member comprises a spring of which at least part cooperates with the surface of the lever remote from the first shoe irrespective of the position of the adjuster.

Abstract: Concentric closed tubes define an outer steam vessel with the inner tube constituted by a selective membrane consisting of a metallic oxide having a first doping to effect passage of oxygen ions through the membrane to the interior of the inner tube acting as an oxygen collector and having a second doping to effect return conduction of electrons through said membrane to increase heating of the steam. A vacuum pump is applied to the interior of the inner tube to provide a pressure differential to facilitate oxygen passage through the membrane.

Abstract: A device for opening, closing, and latching a roof vent closure member for vehicles and including an upper latch member pivotally connected to the closure member, a lower latch member pivotally connected to the frame defining the opening in the roof, said upper and lower latch members being pivotally interconnected and a bar connected to said upper latch member in offset relation to its pivotal connection to the lower latch member for actuating the device. The pivotal connections of the latch members are arranged to provide a toggle or off center relationship in closed position of the closure member. The latch members and pivotal connections thereof are so arranged to permit the crossbar to be positioned below and outwardly of the frame defining the roof opening to provide headroom, non-obstructed vision, and aesthetic appearance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a semi-permeable membrane for lead acid batteries. The membrane has a microporous structure comprising a first polymer and a second polymer closely mixed together, the first polymer being poly (2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate), known as reticulated poly HEMA, characterized by the fact that the second polymer comprises one polymer or a mixture of several different polymers chosen from among polyoxyethylene glycol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acid, polyacrylates and polymethacrylates of alkyl, and the copolymers of the acrylates and methacrylates of alkyls.

Abstract: A device for sealingly connecting the end of a glass tube to the edge of a hole in a rigid plate including a resilient ring with a axial half-section in the shape of a flattened Z, said ring being made up of two cylindrical sleeves which partly enclose one another and are axially offset in relation to one another.

Abstract: A device for injecting water into one cylinder of an internal combustion engine, in order to reduce the temperature of said cylinder and thus to avoid the nitrogen compounds (NOx) in the exhaust gases; said device comprising a pump connected to an injector which opens into said cylinder and an actuating mechanism for said pump coupled to a selected point of the intake control position of the engine valve actuating system.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to the production of ophthalmic lenses having, on one face, an active zone of progressively variable radius of curvature.According to the invention, when the blank from which such a lens is obtained is being cast, there is formed, on the periphery of its active zone, an edge region or facet extending continuously and circularly right round the said active zone for the subsequent support of the mould which is used to enable a gripper block to be cast on the face of the blank so as to enable a second machining operation to be carried out on the opposite face of the blank.

Abstract: A power actuated tool comprising an expansion chamber for the combustion gases of a piece of ammunition placed in a combustion chamber.In the tool at least one substantially radial through hole is provided in the wall of the expansion chamber or of the combustion chamber and a bush which moves relative to the chamber is provided so as to be able to more or less completely expose the hole.

Abstract: Pavement joint structures utilizing laterally spaced, elongated metal frames with a four-sided, compartmented, elongated, elastomer seal locked in the frames and spanning the space, the seal having a double arch, nadir-to-apex internal web structure.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new class of compounds of the indole series. Particularly, it relates to novel thio esters of 1-(p-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methylindole-3-acetic acid. These novel compounds are prepared by reacting 1-(p-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methylindole-3-acetic acid with an appropriate thiol and diethyl phosphorocyanidate or diphenyl phosphorazidate in the presence of triethylamine in a dimethylformamide solution. These compounds are useful anti-inflammatory agents.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laser head and the application thereof to a laser generator device. The laser head comprises in particular a neodymium-doped glass rod, a light excitation source and laser rubies excited by this source, the beams emitted by the laser rubies being returned towards a zone of the glass rod which is insufficiently excited by the light source.

Abstract: A safety device for a diesel engined vehicle comprises a key operated lock controlling starting and stopping of the engine and a steering wheel lock mechanism. The device is such that prevents the steering wheel from being locked while the engine is running.

Abstract: A one-piece elastic fastener includes a pair of spaced elastic, generally dish-shaped head members adapted to fit on opposite sides of pieces of material to be joined. The head members each have a rim and are disposed concavely inwardly with their rims facing each other. An elastic shank member joins the head members and is adapted to pass through an opening in the pieces of material. An elongated loop member is centrally attached to one of the head members and is adapted to pull it through an opening in the pieces of material when the head member is folded back to divide it into two generally flattened halves extended outwardly of the fastener. The fastener is made of elastomeric material having a durometer of between about 65 and 75.

Abstract: A food warmer includes a plurality of trays and associated lamps mounted on a frame for rotation in unison about a stationary standard. Each lamp is arranged above each respective tray to project heat downwardly only into the tray with which it is associated. The trays are pivotally supported on the frame and a switch associated with each tray is closed by pivotal movement of the tray upon placement of food on the tray to energize the lamp associated with the tray. A rotary connector is disposed between standard and frame, so that current can be supplied to each lamp regardless of the rotary position thereof. Each tray is detachable from the frame for cleaning and a switch override is selectively disposed between the tray and housing to prevent closing of the switch and energization of the lamp when necessary.

Abstract: The invention concerns the handling of appliances on the seabed, particularly for handling and maintaining well-heads and corresponding installations. For handling the well-heads, trolleys are mounted for travel along a column which is articulated to a base constructed on the seabed over a number of drilling wells. The trolleys are movable between the upper structure of the columns and the lower body part of the column coupled to the base, and carry well-heads or other devices between the upper structure and the base and release the same upon reaching the lower part of the column at a position above corresponding well orifices. Elongate vertical members or posts of the column have lateral walls constituting guide rails for the trolleys.

Abstract: Means for improving the repetition characteristics of an upright piano action of the type having a hammer for each key, the butt of the hammer being pivotally mounted on a main action rail so that the hammer can be projected from an at-rest position toward a string striking position, a wippen pivotally attached to the main action rail and operatively connected to the key, a jack pivotally connected to the wippen for transmitting the action of the key and wippen to the hammer via the hammer butt to cause the hammer to strike the string when the key is forcibly depressed and a back check serving as an oscillation damper for the hammer. The means for improving the repetition characteristics comprises an adjustable spring and linkage assembly attached at its ends to positions of substantially equal operating displacement on the wippen and the hammer butt.

Abstract: A surface active compound comprises at least one lipophilic group and at least one hydrophilic oxyethylated group linked together through acetal linkages so that, on acidification of an aqueous medium containing such a surface active compound, rupture of such acetal linkages permits separation of said lipophilic group, possibly with lipid material associated therewith, from the aqueous medium in which the oxyethylated groups remain so in turn permitting recovery of such lipophilic groups and any such lipid material, and effective elimination of active surface active compound from the aqueous phase.