Abstract: A fuel cell comprises at least two cell members, each of which has a flat-plate solid electrolyte having a fuel electrode layer on one surface thereof and an air electrode layer on the other surface thereof, separators, each of which is arranged between the cell members and comprises frame materials and metallic sheets having concave and convex portions and being coupled to the frame materials, a fuel supply path for supplying fuel and an air supply path for supplying air, a fuel discharge path for disharging fuel and an air exhaust path for exhausting air and collector members mounted on the outer sides of the separators of the highest and lowest stages.

Abstract: A fuel cell comprises a stack of cell members, each cell member including a flat-plate separator, an air electrode, a solid electrolyte and a fuel electrode, spacers arranged along peripheries of the separators among the separators of the stack of cell members, air supply paths for supplying air to the air electrodes, air being sent to the air electrodes through grooves of the flat-plate separators and air supply paths, air exhaust paths for exhausting excessive air, fuel supply paths for sending fuel to the fuel electrodes and fuel discharge paths for discharging excessive fuel. The fuel cell has an oxidation-resistant coating layer on the surface of the separator on the side of the air electrode. The solid electrolyte is made by the use of one selected from the group of Laser Physical Vapor Deposition Method, Plasma Thermal Spraying Method, Electron Beam Vapor Deposition Method and Sputtering Method.

Abstract: When forcing together the mating end faces of a pair of rails into contact and pressure welding the rails, the clamping operation of each rails end is effected by dividing it into a vertical positioning clamping and a lateral positioning clamping performed independently of the former. With the contacting end faces being interposed, each of the two rail ends is first forced upward at the chins of each rail below the head thereof to press the upper surface of each rail against the lower surface of a leveler which establishes a preliminarily adjusted reference level. Then, each of the rail ends is clamped by a pair of clamping means which are pressed against the sides of the web of the rail from both sides.

Abstract: A gas-shielded arc welding apparatus automatically welds materials to be welded, such as rails or shape steel. The apparatus includes a gas-shielded chamber and a pair of side backing plates arranged within the chamber whereby the whole weld zone of the materials is gas shielded and a welding nozzle and shielding gas outlets are separated from each other. The apparatus also includes a welding apparatus proper and a control unit thereby performing the welding in a fully automatic manner.

Abstract: An apparatus for quenching a butt-welded portion of a rail, includes an inverse U-shaped cooling box for covering from above and throughout a butt-welded portion of a rail, and for quenching the butt-welded portion by cooling air. The cooling box is divided into a head cooling chamber, a web left cooling chamber, and a web right cooling chamber each having a plurality of cooling air nozzles directed toward the butt-welded portion. A cooling air supply mechanism supplies cooling air to the cooling box, the cooling air supply mechanism including a cooling air source, a solenoid valve operatively arranged in a cooling air supply pipe, a head cooling air regulating valve, a web cooling air regulating valve, and a valve opening controlling mechanism which opens each of the head cooling air regulating valve and the web cooling air regulating valve according to a predetermined program.