Abstract: A roll of composite tape composed of an adhesive tape and a strippable backing tape is paid out, and the adhesive tape and the strippable tape are separated. A circular hole of predetermined diameter is punched through the strippable tape, and the strippable tape and the adhesive tape are brought back together again such that a circular portion of the adhesive face of the adhesive tape remains exposed through the circular hole punched in the strippable tape. The exposed portion of the adhesive face of the adhesive tape is applied against a face of a lens placed on a support by displacing at least one of the support and a buffer toward each other. A cutting device is used to cut the adhesive tape around the peripheral edges of the lens, and the lens is removed together with its cut-out portion of adhesive tape. The remaining portion of the adhesive tape and the punched strippable tape is also removed, and the above operations are repeated for each lens in a series of lenses.

Abstract: In this blocking apparatus, at least a portion of the pipe connecting the inlet orifice of the mold to the outlet orifice of the tank containing molten metal is in thermal contact with the mold, which mold includes at least one channel through which a cooling fluid can be caused to flow. Heater means are also associated with the pipe. Thus, the flow of molten metal from the tank into the mold can be stopped by allowing a plug of solidified metal to form in the pipe when the mold is cooled, and the flow of molten metal can be re-established by melting the plug of solidified metal by use of the heater means.

Abstract: This tool whose shape adapts automatically to the surface of an ophthalmic lens is suitable for use as a polisher or as an applicator buffer. It comprises a rigid support (2) having a cavity (5) in one of its faces, together with a buffer (1) constituted by two elastically deformable membranes (7 and 8) which are fixed at their peripheral edges to the side walls of the cavity (5) at a distance from the bottom thereof, thereby defining a space (9) between the membranes which is filled with an incompressible material (11) consituted by small-size grains, with the support (2) including a passage (12) having one end opening out into said space (9) and having its other end connectable to a vacuum source (15).

Abstract: A roll of composite tape comprising an adhesive tape and a strippable backing tape is paid out and the adhesive tape and the strippable tape are separated. A hole of predetermined diameter is punched through the strippable tape and the strippable tape and the adhesive tape are brought back together again such that a circular portion of the adhesive face of the adhesive tape remains exposed through the hole punched in the strippable tape. The exposed portion of the adhesive face of the adhesive tape is applied against a face of a lens placed on a support by displacing at least one of the support and a buffer towards each other. A cutting device is used to cut the adhesive tape around the peripheral edges of the lens and the lens is removed together with its cut-out portion of adhesive tape. The remaining portion of the adhesive tape and the punched strippable tape is also removed, and the above operations are repeated for each lens in a series of lenses.

Abstract: A method of transmitting signalling along a bidirectional digital transmission link consists in transmitting from an intermediate equipment of the link a signalling message in two parts. One is a characterizing part the form of which depends on the signalling type and which is substituted for data of one of the digital bit streams carried by the link in the direction from one of the terminals referred to as the processing terminal. The other is a localizing part whose form is independent of the signalling type and which is substituted for data of the digital bit stream carried by the link in the direction towards the other, so-called relay terminal. The relay terminal responds by sending an acknowledgement message to the processing terminal, the time-delay of this relative to the characterizing part being used to identify the sending equipment. A signalling message transmission circuit controls switching circuits inserted into the paths of the digital bit streams carried by the link.

Abstract: Apparatus for implementing a remote signalling method which consists in momentarily replacing the transmitted digital data stream by a remote signalling message which is built up from not more than n identical and nonconsecutive sequences of N bits, with the first sequence of each message being present on each occasion that a message is sent, and with the remaining n-1 sequences of each message representing, by their presence or absence, the values 0 or 1 of n-1 digits in a binary number encoding remote signalling data. FIG. 2 shows a circuit for transmitting a remote signalling message from an equipment along a very high data rate digital link, which equipment is provided with a circuit (6') for detecting and handling alarms, and a circuit (3) for recovering the bit rate from the digital stream.

Abstract: The method consists in momentarily replacing the data transmitted by a digital data link with a digital message comprising two non-consecutive sequences, with the first sequence being a prefix sequence and the other sequence being a suffix sequence. The period of time separating the prefix and suffix sequences is variable and encodes remote signalling data. FIG. 2 shows a message transmitter circuit fitted in digital link equipment for operation at a very high data rate, and provided with a circuit (6') for detecting and handing alarms and with a circuit (3) for recovering the bit rate from the digital stream. A pattern generator (10) serves to generate a 1000 pattern and its 0111 complement from the recovered check rate. An oscillator (20) has a period which defines the time interval separating the prefix sequence and the suffix sequence.

Abstract: The method consists in momentarily replacing the data in a transmitted digital data stream by a remote signalling message which is built up from consecutive sequences, each of which is obtained by repeating a specific binary pattern chosen from a plurality of possible binary patterns which are generated from the second and fourth sub-harmonics of a clock signal at the bit rate of the digital stream, and from logical combinations thereof. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a transmitter circuit for transmitting a remote signalling message. Said transmitter circuit is located in equipments on a very high data rate digital link, which equipments include a circuit (6') for detecting and handling alarms, and a circuit (3) for recovering the bit rate from the digital stream. Divide-by-two circuits (10, 14) and a logic gate (16) serve to generate three kinds of pattern from the recovered clock rate, namely: 0101, 0011, 1000.

Abstract: A circuit permits the output voltage of an amplifier to be limited for certain ranges of its input voltage by causing the amplifier to saturate for said ranges of its input voltage by reducing the power supply.The invention is applicable, for example, to eliminating or levelling the components of a signal whose amplitude lies within a certain range, without affecting any other components.

Abstract: The invention relates to transmission systems and in particular to level regulators controlled by a pilot tone and used in such systems to correct variations over a period of time in the attenuation of the transmission system.The subject of the invention is a level regulator governed by a pilot tone whose gain control circuit locks in a mean position where there is a very low or zero value detected for the pilot tone. This locking is achieved by modifying the supply voltage of the error amplifier of the loop providing automatic gain control for the regulator.The invention is of particular application to cable transmission systems with repeaters.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of continuously determining the internal resistance of an electrolysis cell and to an apparatus for carrying out this method. In the method according to the invention a weak alternating current (if) of frequency (f) is superimposed upon the electrolysis current, the active part (rf) of the impedance which the cell offers to this alternating current is measured, followed by extrapolation to the zero frequency of the function giving the active part (rf) of the impedance as a function of the frequency (f), (rf) thus inclining towards the internal resistance of the cell. The invention is applicable to any electrolysis cell and more particularly to cells for the igneous electrolysis of alumina.