Abstract: A valve device useful for obtaining a predetermined and immediate appreciable initial rate of flow of aerosol from an aerosol container and a subsequent predetermined and small continuous rate of flow. The valve device contains a standard valve, which is crimped on the aerosol container, and a unidirectional valve, located within the aerosol container and connected on one side to the standard valve, the connecting element providing a passage from the unidirectional valve to the standard valve, and on the other side to a conduit connected to a plunger tube for access to the contents of the container. Within the body of the standard valve is a movable closure element having a spring which holds the valve closed. The valve may be opened by depressing the spring with an actuator located outside the container. A closure member is provided for acting on the actuator. The closure element of the unidirectional valve is a movable diaphragm which is held closed by a second spring.

Abstract: The clamp is of the type which may be actuated by means of an auxiliary actuating member. It consists of two parts, namely a clip (1), whose two branches are connected via a thin part (7) and a slit housing (8) in which an actuating member (2), consisting of a pin with a diameter greater than the diameter of the housing (8) or a cam equipped with a radial arm, is accommodated. The introduction of the pin or, respectively, the rotation of the cam results in closure of the clip, causing the thin part (7) to bend resiliently.

Abstract: Ski boot having an articulated shank comprising means for fixing or releasing the shank for rotation, means for adjusting the inclination of the shank and an elastic element (15), the elasticity of which is adjustable. The adjustable inclination is achieved by means of a shank in two parts, the length of which is adjustable by means of a button (12). The locking or the release for rotation is obtained by means of a sliding locking member (24) interacting with a V-shaped bolt (16) itself interacting with cut-outs (19) in a cradle fixed to the shank (2). The elasticity of the elastic element (15) is ensured by the displacement of a sliding rigid sleeve (19) around the elastic element (15), which displacement is controlled by a button (32).

Abstract: The boot is equipped at the rear with a cable-type clamping and closing device consisting of a lever (9) mounted on a support piece (10) displaceable on a rack (11). This rack is preferably movable and connected to two cables (23, 24) for clamping the foot, the upper (4) being closed and clamped by a cable (17) attached to the tensioning lever (9) and acting on the rack in a direction opposite to that of the other cables (23, 24).

Abstract: The device comprises a base (10) on which is articulated a tension lever (9) acting on cables (6, 7). These cables are attached to a member (16) movable between two positions, namely a tightening position and a relaxation position, and mounted for sliding on the tensioning lever (9). Said movable member is displaceable by means of an auxiliary lever (11) mounted on the tensioning lever (9).

Abstract: This fastener for closing two portions (2, 4) of a footwear in general and more particularly of a ski boot comprises a toothed strap (8) having ratchet teeth which is attached to one portion (2) of the footwear and has mounted permanently thereon a stirrup (10) provided with a pawl (11) and a tension lever (14) pivoted on the stirrup (10) fulcrumed on the other hand on the other portion (4) of the boot, the length of the toothed strap (8) being sufficient to allow a wide opening of the footwear, the fastener being adapted to keep the footwear closed permanently and being easily operated with one hand by the user.

Abstract: The boot consists of a shell having a lower part (1), on which is articulated an upper part (2, 3) which can pivot about a substantially horizontal pivot pin (4). This pivoting is limited by an elastic device (7) mounted between the upper part (2) and the shell (1). This elastic device comprises a rigid base (8), in the extension of which is mounted a bar of elastic material (15) having the same cross-section as the base. A tubular slide (19) slides on the base and prevents the elastic material from expanding when axial pressure is exerted on the latter. The elasticity of the device therefore varies according to the position of the slide (19). A means of axial guidance prevents the elastic material (15) from bending or buckling.

Abstract: An electrical heating element intended to be incorporated in an inner lining of an item of clothing or accessory intended to be placed against a part of the human body, in which the heating element is formed by a ductile metal wire coated with an insulating lacquer, for example a commercially available insulated copper wire, fixed over its entire length to at least one metal sheet, preferably a sheet of aluminium having an adhesive side to which the wire is adhered. The wire can be disposed in meanders. It may be covered by an insulating sheet, and the metal sheet may have cut-outs therein.

Abstract: This ski boot comprises a fastening and tension device consisting of a cogged strap of which the teeth are cycloidal segments parallel to the strap plane. These teeth cooperate with drive studs carried by a rotary disc coupled to a control knob. The studs are disposed at spaced angular intervals on a circumference so that they describe cycloids corresponding to the teeth with respect to the strap.

Abstract: This ski boot comprises an inner skipper fitted in a rigid outer shell and the skier's heel is caused to fit in the rear portion of the boot by a pressure plate disposed between the shell and the slipper, on the instep. The pressure exerted by this plate is obtained by means of a cable acting in the fashion of a garrot when a rotary control member is actuated so as to twist the cable having its ends attached to the shell in the heel portion thereof.

Abstract: The ski boot is closed by a device acting both as a closing and a tightening device. This device comprises a worm-screw mounted in one of the two portions of the boot and cooperating with a cogged strap rigid with the other portion, the cogged strap being kept in meshing engagement with the worm-screw by guide means adapted to be moved away from the strap for releasing same or quickly bringing a selected portion of the strap in front of the worm-screw.

Abstract: A ski boot with rear entry including a rigid shell integrally formed with a front part of an upper, opened towards the rear throughout its height and of a sort to be closed by a shield articulated on the boot in such a way as to be provided with at least two degrees of freedom, which permits every movement thereof, albeit limited, both in rotation and in translation in a substantially vertical plane, when the fastening means are in a closed position. It is possible, hence, to ensure the best possible fitting of the shield to the shape of the ankle and of the lower part of the calf. The shield may be articulated on the boot through its lower end in such a way as to permit play.

Abstract: This boot comprises an upper pivotable on a lower portion of the boot and adapted to be locked by means of interconnecting means comprising a rack rigid with the upper and a lever fulcrumed to the rack in two guide members in which the pivot pin of the lever is adapted to move parallel to the rack. The lever has an eccentric hub acting as a cam upon a toothed strap, and can be set in three specific position, namely a turn down position in which it engages the boot and the strap is urged against the rack while a male element of the lever engages a female element rigid with the lower portion of the boot, a partially raised position in which the male and female elements are released from each other but the strap is still in engagement with the rack, and a fully raised position in which the strap is released from the rack, the intermediate position being an inoperative or operative position, the third position being an adjustment position.

Abstract: A ski damper which can be inserted into a hole formed in the ski blade comprises a pair of housing portions which can be joined together from opposite sides of the blade to define a receptacle in which a disk is shiftable between a pair of foam rings. The disk is composed of a material having a specific gravity greater than 10 and has a thickness/diameter ratio between 1/3 and 1/30 and damps primarily vibrations in the frequency range between 100 and 200 Hz.

Abstract: A ski boot has a cuff pivotally connected to its lower shell member and a latch mechanism for holding the cuff in a predetermined angular orientation with respect to the shell member. The easily operated latch mechanism comprises a toggle linkage whose actuating lever is pivotally connected to the cuff within a window formed within a reinforcing rib along the spine of the cuff and connected to an articulation between a pair of links which can be swung to either side of a metastable position by the lever.

Abstract: An edge seal for articles such as goggles and earphones comprises two layers of foam of a thermo-formable material between which there is located a heating body whose ends terminate in terminals for connection to a current source so as to heat the foam to its thermo-forming temperature while e.g. the goggles are held tightly on the head of a user by an elastic strap. This enables the seal to be moulded to the shape of the user's face.

Abstract: This heating body is cut from a metal sheet (1) and defined by slots (2) obtained by punch stamping on a support (4) of plastics foam. The opposite edges of these slots (2) are spaced from one another by deformation of the portion of the conductor (7) adjacent to these slots, obtained by the bevelled shape of the portion of the cutter (3) defining the cutting edge and by the compressibility of the material forming the support (4). According to the method of manufacturing this heating body, its external profile and the slots (2) are obtained by a same single punching operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a padding allowing an article of clothing or an accessory to be adapted closely to a part of the human body.This padding is constituted by a thermo-formable plastic foam 2 placed in a non-extensible covering 1 and making an open cavity intended to receive the part of the body, but of which the dimensions are generally smaller than this part of the body. The housing is thus formed by the reciprocal compression of the foam and of the part of the body placed in the cavity while the temperature of the foam is brought to the thermo-forming temperature.This invention can be used for adapting boots, helmets, gloves, swimming flippers, etc.

Abstract: This process involves detecting piezo-electric potentials which are characteristic of a mechanical strain exerted on a long rigid member made of organic material. For this purpose, the potentials at two points spaced apart on this member are measured by means of two operational amplifiers CI.sub.1 and CI.sub.2 in order to obtain a signal which is characteristic of the stress rather than of its derivative and these signals are processed by means of analog operators OA.sub.1, OA.sub.2, OA.sub.3 in order to identify the bending .DELTA. F and torsional T stresses which are then compared with reference values RT, RF in order, for example, to trigger a signal. This process can be used for opening a safety ski binding.

Abstract: A tennis racket comprises dynamic weights (6) distributed symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis of the racket between the throat and the transverse axis of the head and suspended by arcuate straps (7) glued to the racket frame (2), the weights being displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the stringed area (3). The combination of weights and straps is adapted for having an intrinsic vibration frequency about 1.4 to 2 times the fundamental vibration frequency of the racket, such that when the weights are vibrated at their intrinsic frequency (by a ball striking the racket), the vibration of the racket is damped by energy transfer to the weights, and yet energy is also returned to the racket as a reaction in the direction of the ball's flight before the ball leaves the racket. The angular stability of the racket is improved over either fixed weights or dynamic weights having frequencies outside the critical range.