Abstract: An assembly for launching a projectile comprises a launching tube having a smooth or rifled bore, a charge of gunpowder located in the tube for firing a projectile which is loaded in the tube in front of the charge, and a body of braking propellent which is located in the tube behind the gunpowder charge and which consists almost entirely of combustible substances. The body of braking propellent may be connected to the projectile by means of a cylindrical sleeve to form a rigid unit which is loadable as a round in the launching tube, the sleeve containing the gunpowder charge.

Abstract: This invention relates to magnetic bearings and particularly to active magnetic bearings having a very low "friction couple". In accordance with the invention the active magnetic bearing is of the type which has a stator formed by an electromagnetic circuit having at least one pair of north and south poles, and wherein said electromagnetic circuit of said stator includes at least one electromagnet of U-shaped section. The arms of said U form north pole and south poles respectively and the electromagnet is so arranged that the plane of symmetry which separates the north pole from the south pole lies perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the magnetic bearing.