Abstract: A hydraulic control system for a brake device comprises independent first and second brake circuits, the first circuit communicating with a first chamber pressurized by movement of a master piston actuated by a brake pedal, and the second circuit communicating with a second chamber whose pressure is dependent on that of the first and is developed by an assistance circuit, the second chamber being separated from the assistance circuit by a piston.

Abstract: The invention provides an assisted braking device which operates in conjunction with a brake pedal disposed at one end of a brake lever. The device comprises a master piston and cylinder assembly the piston of which is interconnected with the piston of an assisting jack by means of a connecting element on which is articulated the brake lever. The end of the brake lever remote from the brake pedal acts on a distributor adapted to feed the assisting jack with assisting hydraulic pressure so that when a force is applied to the brake pedal and thereby to the master piston via the connecting element, the distributor directs hydraulic fluid under pressure to the assisting jack, the piston of which then applies an assisting force to the connecting element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a power-assisted steering arrangement in which the power-assisting mechanism is controlled in response to a limited relative angular movement which takes place between two parts of a control element such as a steering column. According to the invention, a coupling interconnecting the two parts in a manner which provides the limited angular displacement comprises external teeth formed on the two adjacent ends of the parts, and a connecting part such as a sleeve, or a disc with a central bore, which is provided with internal teeth which engage the external teeth of the two parts. A limited amount of play is present between the internal teeth and one or both sets of external teeth to provide for the relative angular displacement of the two parts.

Abstract: The invention described consists of a dredger having a floating hull and a two-part boom attached to the hull and extending forwardly therefrom. The rear end of the first part of the boom is hinged to the hull about a horizontal axis, while its front end has a platform also hinged about a horizontal axis, with structure being provided to keep the platform horizontal when this first part of the boom is inclined using a jib and cable. On the platform is a component pivoted about a vertical axis and on this component is pivoted, about a horizontal axis, the second part of the boom, which performs a sweeping dredging movement and has at its front end a disintegrator tool, and the suction inlet of a pipe for removal of dredged material. The structure keeping the platform horizontal may be a mechanical parallelogram, or servo controlled jacks. Piles on the floating hull and on the platform serve to stabilize the dredger on the sea-bed.

Abstract: The device comprises a master piston and cylinder assembly the piston of which is interconnected with the piston of an assisting jack by means of a connecting element on which is articulated the brake lever. The end of the brake lever remote from the brake pedal acts on a distributor adapted to feed the assisting jack with assisting hydraulic pressure so that when a force is applied to the brake pedal and thereby to the master piston via the connecting element, the distributor directs hydraulic fluid under pressure to the assisting jack, the piston of which then applies an assisting force to the connecting element.In the improvement of the invention, an abutment surface is provided for the brake lever located between the articulation point of the lever and its point of contact with the distributor so as to increase the mechanical advantage of the brake lever in the event of failure of the assisting hydraulic system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a brake which is particularly suited to vehicles, and whose brake member is in the shape of a ring having axially-extending braking surfaces on the inner and outer surfaces thereof, and whose fixed support comprises two side members arranged on both sides of a generally C-shaped control member. According to the invention, these side members are coupled circumferentially to one another within the ring by a connecting bar whose circumferential ends are radially connected to the side members at the level of the regions thereof against which the inner brake pad can be brought to bear.

Abstract: The invention relates to a double-output clutch comprising two clutch assemblies between the two pressure plates of which are interposed two spring washers separated from one another by a spacer which is axially fastened on one of the reaction plates.The spacer forms an independent part which for the purpose of its axial fastening to the associated reaction plate bears through at least one of the spring washers against retaining means disposed axially beyond the said spring washer in relation to the spacer.

Abstract: A crown-type caliper brake comprises an axially elongate cylindrical braking member with respectively brake pads inside and outside the braking member and a caliper member operative to apply the brake pads against the braking member. The fixed support for the brake has two legs disposed respectively on opposite sides of an axial gripping plane containing a gripping axis through the central zones of the brake pads radially of the cylindrical braking member. Each of the legs has two fastener apertures for, e.g., a screw fastener and a pin respectively. One of the fastener apertures lies along a circle concentric with the axis of the cylindrical braking member substantially along which lie circumferential bearing surfaces on the legs for the brake pads. Preferably the apertures are disposed chordally of the braking member. A connecting bar may interconnect the legs outside the confines of the cylindrical braking member.

Abstract: A flexible center type friction clutch plate including a pair of identical annular guiding plates and a hub with a radially outwardly extending web intermediate thereof. Passages are provided along the periphery of both of the annular guiding plates. The passages in one of the annular guiding plates serve to mount the friction disc secured thereto by rivets. The passages in the other annular guiding plate which hitherto were left unused serve to mount friction shoes which enhance the "hysteresis" effect complementing that provided by the friction washers between the web and one of the annular guiding plates. By choosing the number of friction shoes in the passages the precise hysteresis effect may be achieved.

Abstract: The invention provides a clutch release bearing assembly which incorporates guide means in the form of at least one, and preferably a plurality of guide passages which are laterally offset and parallel to the operating axis of the bearing; the guide passages engage over guide pins extending from the adjacent wall of the clutch casing.

Abstract: An assisted braking device comprises a master cylinder and piston for applying the brakes. Depression of a brake pedal is arranged to move the master piston and to control brake assisting means to assist in the movement of the master piston. The assisted braking device is arranged such that if the brake assisting means is defective a driver can still effectively displace the master piston by applying the brake pedal. In this respect a safety rod is connected between a pedal lever of the brake pedal and the master piston independently of the brake assisting means and is arranged to be actuated if the assisting means break down.

Abstract: The invention relates to a conditioning installation (heating or cooling) for the air of an enclosure such as the passenger space of a motor vehicle.The installation comprises a first control means for providing the heating and/or cooling capacity of a heating and/or cooling apparatus at a preset value which is adjustable between first and second limits, and an extra control means for imparting to the capacity of the apparatus the first or second limit value without modifying the preset value when active and for imparting to the capacity the preset value when disconnected. The first control means comprises a sealing shutter capable of pivoting continuously about an axis spaced apart from the radiator between two limit positions.

Abstract: A flexible liner, e.g. of rubber, for a manifold or apertured plate having collared apertures is disclosed, the manifold or apertured plate being part of a header tank of a heat exchanger having a bank of tubes, such as an automobile radiator. The liner has holes rimmed with sleeves corresponding to the collared apertures of the manifold or apertured plate. The sleeves are squeezed between their associated tubes and collar to effect fluidtightness around the tubes. To prevent stress developed in the sleeves being transmitted to the rest of the liner, a zone of reduced section surrounds each hole and preferably is of similar contour and coaxial therewith. The zones of reduced section are preferably grooves opening onto the side of the liner remote from the side from which the sleeves project.

Abstract: In a clutch friction plate of the kind comprising a hub and a pair of washers coaxial with the hub and adapted to move angularly with respect thereto against the action of spring means operable to damp the friction plate during rotation, the washers are joined together by spacer means which comprise axially-directed extensions of at least one of the washers, which extensions form a circularly continuous flange on at least one washer, and a friction disc is fastened to one of the washers in a connection region which is bounded by a circumference having a diameter which is not greater than that of the circumference around which the axial extensions are located.

Abstract: An air conditioning device for an automobile vehicle includes the provision for automatic proportional control of the air conditioning function and also a priority function such as vehicle windscreen demisting or defrosting. Economy of pneumatic power is achieved by providing, with a double threshold control system, a signal for operating pneumatic flow distributors in the driving fluid lines to pneumatic jacks driving the control elements of the air conditioning device by means of an electrical signal which is capable of being either continuous or discontinuous in which latter state the flow distributor to which the discontinuous signal is applied is caused to oscillate to achieve an intermediate pneumatic pressure between pressure values corresponding to fully open and fully closed positions of the air conditioning control elements to be manipulated.

Abstract: A band brake for a clutch comprises a band, passed in a loop around a cylindrical bearing surface of a driven part of the clutch, and an operating member adapted to apply the brake band against part of the bearing surface, the operating member comprising two pistons hydraulically moveable in opposite directions in the same cylinder, one piston acting on the brake band and the other piston on the bearing surface, the pistons being actuated to brake the driven part of the clutch when the clutch is disengaged.

Abstract: A torsion damping device for a friction clutch plate having a flexible center or damping hub comprising a pair of annular guiding plates forming one part, on opposite sides of a web on a hub, forming another part, a circumferential array of springs interposed between the annular guiding plates. Friction means operate between the parts over a limited range of angular displacement. At least part of the friction means is carried by annular support members axially coupled to one of the annular guide plates, drive means provided with clearance between the support members and the web.

Abstract: A brake is disclosed comprising an annular cylindrical braking member with brake shoes respectively on the inside and outside of the braking member which are straddled by a C-shaped caliper member. The caliper member is pivotally and slidably mounted by a composite mounting assembly comprised of a pivot pin and a tubular bracing member received snugly thereon. The pivot pin acts in tension between opposed leg portions of fixed support while the bracing member acts in compression. A sealing pad or cap is disposed at each of the ends of the passageway in the caliper member through which the mounting assembly extends for providing fluid tightness thereat.

Abstract: The invention relates to a torsion damping device, particularly for a motor vehicle clutch, of the kind which comprises two coaxial parts mounted for rotation relative to one another within the limits of a predetermined relative angular movement sector, two guide washers extending parallel to the said disc on each side of the disc and connected to one another by small posts, elastic means interposed circumferentially between the said parts, and friction means interposed axially between the parts, the said friction means comprising at least one friction washer which is subjected to the action of elastic clamping means having an axial action and which, when in contact with one of the said parts, is adapted to be fastened to the other of the said parts for at least part of the said sector of angular movement, and the elastic clamping means having an axial action thus associated with the said friction washer bearing against a transverse shoulder turned towards one of the said guide washers and urging the friction

Abstract: An assisted braking device comprises a master cylinder and piston assembly the piston of which is connected to the piston of an assisting jack by an axially aligned interconnecting element. A brake pedal is adapted to operate the interconnecting element by a thrust member and a lever which is articulated to the interconnecting element and connected at one end to the thrust member; the other end of the lever acts on a distributor which can direct hydraulic fluid under pressure to the existing jack. A force on the brake pedal is transmitted via the thrust member and the lever to the interconnecting element to displace the master piston, and the end of the lever acting on the distributor simultaneously energizes the assisting jack. Safety abutment means which operate in the event of failure of the assisting hydraulic pressure allow displacement of the master piston by the force directly applied through the thrust member.