Abstract: The hydraulic braking circuit is fitted with a master brake cylinder controlled by a brake pedal and with a wheel-antilock device, for a motor vehicle. This device comprises a pressure generator (20), which is started up at the beginning of an antilock-braking sequence, for selectively supplying at least one wheel brake (5, 6), and a member for automatically isolating the wheel brake (5, 6) from the master brake cylinder (1) when the pressure generator is started up by bringing the wheel brake into communication with means for storing the brake fluid, means are provided for limiting the pressure of the hydraulic fluid provided by the pressure generator to a value which is function of the jamming pressure.

Abstract: A prior art precompression metering pump which incorporates a differential piston forming part of the pump chamber inlet valve and its outlet valve is difficult to prime, especially in the case of metering paste products. In the improved pump there is disposed between the differential piston and the main piston of the pump a collar consisting of a ring from which project substantially axial tongues which are slightly inwardly inclined and each provided with a head. The collar moves inside the pump body so that normal operation proceeds as if it were not present. To prime the pump, however, the user depresses the collar until it contacts a step on the pump body. The tongues then bend so that their heads, interposed between the two pistons, move the latter apart (by a wedging effect or by a lever arm effect, or by a combination of the two). This is followed by mechanical opening of the pump chamber outlet valve whereby the air initially contained in the pump chamber escapes to the exterior.

Abstract: Tunnel boring machine for reaming of a pilot tunnel (11). The machine housing (12) is provided with a projecting part in front of the boring head (13), said projecting part comprising a part (20) being fixed relative to the machine housing and a shield (19) being separable from the fixed part.This arrangement permits substantially uninterrupted excavation of the tunnel and prevents the excavated soil from becoming wedged between the boring head and the tunnel front.

Abstract: Tunnel boring machine comprising a number of swingable arms (11,12,13,14) provided with boring tools (41,42,43,44) for the working of the tunnel wall outside its normal diameter. The arms may be swung outwardly into an active position or retracted into an inactive position. These tools may be independently actuated and facilitate the insertion of steel supporting arcs into the excavated area.

Abstract: A filtering cartridge, without asbestos, for the filtration of gases, especially hot and/or radio-active and/or corrosive gases. The cartridge comprises a substantially cylindrical, hollow body, closed at one of its ends and open at the other end, containing at least 50% by weight of alumina and/or zirconia. The body is obtained by molding in vacuo of a slip consisting essentially of fibers of alumina and/or zirconia having a diameter less than 20 .mu.m and length less than 25 mm, colloidal silica, at least one organic binding agent, at least one deflocculant, optionally, other fibers, and optionally sodium, drying the slip and heat treating the dried slip at a temperature sufficient to volatilize the organic binding agent and deflocculant.

Abstract: The supporting component for a suspension spring (3) for a motor vehicle, forming a pressure sensor for a fluid-controlled brake regulator, comprises a base (1) integral with the vehicle, and a cap (5) for supporting the spring (3), which cap (5) is sealingly and slidably mounted on the base (1) counter to the pressure prevailing in a sealed chamber (20) coaxial with the spring (3) and formed between the base (1) and a part integral with the cap. The chamber (20) communicates with a chamber, outside the support component, for controlling the regulator, and a mechanism (10) for guiding the cap relative to the base is arranged axially to the center of the component.

Abstract: In the double brake-booster and master cylinder assembly, the booster comprises, in an outer casing 10, a fixed partition 11 defining, inside the casing 10, a front space A and a rear space B, each space A, B being divided in a sealed manner into a front chamber 12, 18 and a rear chamber 14, 20 by a movable partition 16, 22, at least one elastic mechanism 31 tending to displace one 16 of the movable partitions 16, 22 rearward, at least one passage 38 connecting the two front chambers 12, 18, at least one passage 53 connecting the two rear chambers 14, 20, a pressure difference being established between the front 18 and rear 20 chambers of the rear space B by a valve mechanism 35 on actuation of a control rod 27 in order to actuate an output rod, the output rod actuating a piston of the master cylinder.

Abstract: A peripheral protection device for two metal pieces (10, 12) fitted into one another and having a general flange shape, the first (12) of which has an edge (18) extending outwards and the second (10) of which has a marginal zone, a first part (14) of which has substantially the form of a capital S whose vertical axis is substantially parallel to the edge (18) and a second part (16) of which is substantially perpendicular to the edge (18) consists of an arc having, in section, the general form of the capital letter C enclosing the edge (18) and the marginal zone.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel furan polyols, which are characterized in that they are the product of reaction of a strain selected from the group or consisting of a polyalcohol, a monoamine or polyamine, said polyalcohol or said amine possibly containing a furan cycle and mixtures thereof with a chain extension agent constituted by an organic epoxide, with the proviso that this organic epoxide is a furannic oxiran when this polyalcohol does not contain a furan cycle with the exclusion of 2,5(bis-hydroxy)furan as sole strain, when the chain extension agent does not contain any furan cycle. These furan polyols are used for the preparation of polyurethane foams having improved properties.

Abstract: A catalytic converter block is wrapped in a loose laminate of plastics material and a mat fibrous material, the plastics material being secured to the block at one end and continuing beyond the mat of fibrous material to cover same completely. The plastics material is secured under tension so as to compress the fibrous material to facilitate fitting in a casing for the converter block.

Abstract: So as to avoid installing a heavy remote handling machine in a containment comprising a lifting unit, such as a travelling crane, the present invention proposes an autonomous remote handling machine (20) suitable for being suspended from the hook (b 16) of this crane. This machine (20) includes a support (22), a gripping arm (24) and a counterweight (26) being joined to said support around a normally horizontal axis (26). A device (44) detects any possible slanting of the support (22) with respect to vertical in order to control any modification of the orientation of the counterweight (26), independently of the orientation of the arm, so as to annul any detected slanting.

Abstract: A pneumatic brake-booster comprises a casing on which is formed a well (12) housing operating valve mechanism, a first wall (10) having at least one opening (14) cooperating with a mechanism for fastening the casing on a fixed part of a vehicle, a second wall having at least one opening cooperating with a mechanism for fastening a master cylinder on the casing, at least one annular member (16) being disposed in the casing, against a wall. The fastening mechanism consists of at least one projecting portion (18) of the annular member (16).

Abstract: A cleaning system for cleaning tubing by means of balls circulated with the fluid through the tubing includes a separator having a grid structure in a separator conduit, and an arrangement to move balls tending to accumulate on the upstream face of the grid structure towards a ball outlet at the separator conduit where they may be more effectively drawn into a recirculating conduit by a negative pressure at the inlet thereof.

Abstract: The hydraulic booster device for a brake circuit, comprises a body (30) pierced with a bore (32), in which slide coaxially a pusher (25) controlled by a brake pedal and a piston means (34) located between first (5) and second (33) chambers containing a brake fluid, the first chamber (5) receiving at least one spring (51, 52) which loads the pusher (25) and the piston means (34) away from one another, the first (5) and second (33) chambers being connected respectively to sources of fluid under low pressure (11) and under high pressure (13) by valve mechanism (15). An auxiliary chamber (4) of a volume variable as a function of the position of the pusher (25m), made in the bore (32), communicates with the first chamber (5), on the one hand permanently by way of a restriction (6) and on the other hand by an auxiliary valve mechanism (3) allowing communication during an increased in the volume of the auxiliary chamber (4) and preventing it during a reduction of the latter.

Abstract: The process involves comparing the shape of the edges of a curved object being monitored with that of a standard curved object. A reference is obtained by tracing an orthogonal projection of the standard curved object on a plane. The monitored object is placed face-to-face with the reference and the edges of both the reference and the monitored object are illuminated by a fan beam produced by a laser. The required measurements are performed on the basis of the thus-generated traces and the use of guide marks. The present invention also discloses an apparatus for carrying out the above process. A typical application of the invention is in the monitoring of window panels in the automobile industry.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the accelerated ageing of iris rhizomes consisting of irradiating after harvesting, all or part of the rhizomes with ionizing radiation with a view to accelerating the transformation of triterpenoids of the rhizomes into irones. After leaving them for several days, the irones produced are extracted and are ready for use, particularly in perfumes.

Abstract: A connector element (1) comprises a dielectric sleeve (12) that axially accommodates a conductor (10), which may be female, and peripherally an outer conductor (16) including a rigid zone (160) followed by a nose (170), the solid beginning of which rests on a bearing surface (121) of the dielectric sleeve, while the subsequent slit portion of it terminates at an outer edge (180) provided with two chamfers connected by a flat side (183). This flat side assures electrical continuity, while the remainder of the nose (170) enables guidance and elastic retention in a homologous hole of the other connector, and the support surface (165) determines the coupling limit of the same connectors.

Abstract: The pneumatic brake booster comprises a housing formed from a front and a rear half-shell 12 and 10, a piston structure dividing the housing internally into two chambers and composed of an assembly consisting of a plate 18 and of a diaphragm 20 and possessing centrally a hub structure 24 containing a distribution valve mechanism 26 actuatable by an input member 56 in order to generate a pressure difference selectively between the chambers. The valve mechanism 26 comprises a plunger 28 mounted axially slideably in a coaxial central bore 30 of the valve body and connected to the input member 56, the plunger defining a first shutter seat 32 at one of its ends, a second shutter seat 34 being formed in the valve body concentrically relative to the first shutter seat and a shutter means 36 mounted in the valve body and stressed elastically toward the first and second shutter seats, at least one elastic means 60 stressing the input member 56 axially away from the shutter seats.