Abstract: A method and apparatus for hardening discrete identical elements, connected to a supporting structure and regularly spaced, by which a laser beam is focused upon the elements as they travel along a path through a hollow sphere containing a mirror on its inside surface. The light reflected by the elements is reflected by the mirror to strike the opposite side of the elements. This process optimizes the radiant energy directed to the elements and produces quick, uniform, well-delineated hardening substantially without a hardness gradient.

Abstract: Meltblowing apparatus includes electrodes spaced from the meltblowing die discharge and protruding grounded emitters positioned proximate the die discharge. The preferred emitters are in the form of pointed pins spaced along and flanking the die discharge.

Abstract: The yarn to be loosened is guided by slots (7;8); it is held on one side thereof and it is cut on the other side. Air is injected by a nozzle (13) for driving the cut end of the yarn into a channel (1), between the bottom (11) of this channel and the longitudinal edge of the adjacent flexible leaf (10) which is vibrated simultaneously at several hundreds of Hz. The air can escape sidewise through a longitudinal opening (4) of channel (1) and entrains the yarn from one side to the other side of the leaf (10) and imparts to this yarn alternatively inverted twists. A further action of the leaf (10) is to pulse the air in the channel and therefore to subject the yarn to intermittently applied pulls.

Abstract: The yarn to be loosened is guided by slots (7;8); it is held on one side thereof and it is cut on the other side. Air is injected by a nozzle (13) for driving the cut end of the yarn into a channel (1), between the bottom (11) of this channel and the longitudinal edge of an adjacent flexible leaf (10) which is vibrated simulatneously at several hundreds of Hz. The air can escape sidewise through a longitudinal opening (4) of channel (1) and entrains the yarn from one side to the other side of the leaf (10) and imparts to this yarn alternatively inverted twists. A further action of the leaf (10) is to pulse the air in the channel and therefore to subject the yarn to intermittently applied pulls.

Abstract: The yarn to be loosened is guided by slots (7;8); it is held on one side thereof and it is cut on the other side. Air is injected by a nozzle (13) for driving the cut end of the yarn into a channel (1), between the bottom (11) of this channel and the longitudinal edge of an adjacent flexible leaf (10) which is vibrated simultaneously at several hundreds of Hz. The air can escape sidewise through a longitudinal opening (4) of channel (1) and entrains the yarn from one side to the other side of the leaf (10) and imparts to this yarn alternatively inverted twists. A further action of the leaf (10) is to pulse the air in the channel and therefore to subject the yarn to intermittently applied pulls.

Abstract: In a knitting machine, a needle position control device comprises knitting needles each having five butts, of which one is fixed and the four others are secured in pairs to two needle latches mounted for oscillation in two recesses formed in the stem of the needle. A selection mechanism acts on the latches so as to move one or the other of their two respective butts out of the guide trick of the needle. By means of this combination of butts, the motion of the needle in the three knitting positions is constantly controlled in both directions of motion of the needle, by moving out two of the three butts. Another embodiment comprising a single latch can give the same result for two knitting positions.

Abstract: A toilet seat (27) is provided with a slide housing (26) comprising nozzles for spraying and/or applying water and/or disinfecting liquid. It comprises at least one wiper for drying the surface of the seat (27). The slide housing (26) is placed over a segment of the seat (27), which then, while being sprayed by the nozzles, is driven in the circumferential direction by at least one electric motor. The entire operation is started up manually by actuating the lever (2) of the flushing water cistern (1), and subsequently is controlled by the control electronics (27) until the cleaning of the seat (27) has been completed. The energy is obtained by a turbine (11), which is mechanically connected to a low-voltage direct-current generator (13), and is driven by the water filling the flushing water cistern (11). The actual flushing water, therefore, flows at the normal kinetic energy into the toilet; the hydraulic resistance of the turbine (11) is not switched on while the flushing water flows into the toilet bowl.

Abstract: A machine for producing pile fabric comprises a sonotrode (1) , a matrix (4) of tubes (5) bringing threads (10) onto a support sheet (7) for the purpose of welding rows of loops to the surface of this sheet. The matrix (4) is guided between slides (6) which are parallel to the longitudinal axes of the tubes (5) and perpendicularly to the surface of application of the sonotrode (1) vibrations. A driving mechanism (13, 14, 15) periodically brings the extremities of the tubes (5) from which the threads leave against the sonotrode (1) by pressing the base of a row of loops and the support sheet (7) against the sonotrode in order to cause them to be welded together.

Abstract: To unravel a terminal portion of a textile yarn, in particular in preparation for joining that yarn to another one by twisting their ends together, an extremity of the yarn is vibrated to loosen the fibers while a part of the yarn spaced from its end is held fast and the yarn extremity is combed or subjected to an aspirated air stream to remove loose fibers. In a preferred arrangement the air stream also causes vibration of a flexible tongue mounted in an air duct alongside the yarn extremity to oscillate its fibers.

Abstract: A cleaning procedure consisting in imparting some ultrasonic vibrations of which the frequency is a harmonic of the natural frequency to at least one mode of vibration of a groove (1b) for union of fibres in a rotor (1) of a spinning unit, and in applying to the rotor a transducer (3) fed with current of an ultrasonic frequency by a generator (4) in such a way as to impart to the wall of the groove an energy capable of detaching the impurities lodged there so that the latter can be discharged with the help of a suction head (5) connected to a fan (6).This procedure can be employed especially at the time when the yarn is pieced-up on a spinning machine of the open-end type.

Abstract: A pile fabric, especially velvet, can have a selection of yarn strands appearing on one of its faces severed by means of a focused laser beam. According to the process of the invention the zone of focus of the laser beam is brought successively into contact with predetermined portions of each of the strands for a period of time sufficient to cause combustion of at least some of the fibers forming each strand.

Abstract: A device for joining together two ends of a yarn in order to recreate the initial structure of the yarn comprises two heads provided with radial slots and fixed to rods which are rotatable in order to take up the yarn by means of the slots and to wind the yarn about the rods. The free ends of the yarns are untwisted and subjected to electrostatic fields created between the heads and an annular electrode. Rotating the heads in the opposite direction then causes the yarns to unwind from the rods and the fibres of the two ends of the yarn to twist together, the yarn then being released.

Abstract: A pile fabric, especially velvet, can have a selection of yarn strands appearing on one of its faces severed by means of a focused laser beam. According to the invention, the zone of focus of the laser beam is brought successively into contact with predetermined portions of each of the strands for a period of time sufficient to cause combustion of at least some of the fibers forming each strand. The invention provides means for shifting the focus of the laser beam accordingly.

Abstract: The density of an elongate fiber mass, in particular a fiber or filament sliver or roving, or a roll of tobacco, is continuously measured by passing the mass through a channel, supplying a fluid "e.g. air under pressure" to a transverse groove in the channel wall so that the fluid escapes along the channel at a rate dependent on said density, and measuring the pressure of the fluid upstream of the groove. Two further transverse grooves in the channel wall, between the first-mentioned groove and the ends of the channel, serve to extract the fluid, whereby the fluid flow and hence the density measurement are rendered independent of conditions at the channel ends. Preferably, a supplementary collector is provided between at least one end of the channel and the associated further groove, to extract any air that may enter the channel end.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for continuously measuring the tension of a filament being displaced from one point to another comprising applying a lateral pressure to the filament to displace it from its trajectory and measuring of variations of the counter-pressure exerted by the filament. The pressure is exerted laterally by producing between the filament and a support a flow of gas whose values of flow rate and pressure are such as to form a gas film between the filament and the support. The filament rides on this gas film. Measurement is made of the variations of one of the values of flow rate and pressure with respect to the corresponding value in the absence of the filament. A direct read-out of filament tension can be made.