Abstract: A diaphragm valve comprises a housing (1) provided with a supply and a discharge opening, and adapted to be inserted in a conduit. A sleeve-shaped elastic diaphragm (4) is accomodated in the housing (1), and extends between the openings. The diaphragm (4) is adapted to be loaded from the outside by a pressure fluid. In its unloaded condition, the diaphragm (4) is at a radial distance from a core body (5) located centrally therein, and the valve is open. In its fully loaded condition, a middle section (11) of the diaphragm (4) is pressed against the core body (5), and the valve is closed. The wall of the resilient diaphragm has means (10) for increasing its stiffness. These means (10) only extend from an end of the diaphragm (4) to a place near its middle section (11), thus simplifying manufacture of the diaphragm (4) and improving its sealing.

Abstract: A screen, e.g. fire-guard is provided for heating a room by convection using the heat from a radiation heat source, e.g. an open hearth fire, a gas-fire or an electric radiant heater, and when the heat source is an open hearth fire for use as a fire-guard preventing sparks or other small particles of combustion from entering the room in which the fire is located. The screen includes a row of at least with their upper portions spaced apart vertical pipes having each at or near their lower end an inlet opening and at or near their upper end an outlet opening for air sucked from the room by the chimney-action of the warm pipes. The pipes of at least one pair of adjacent pipes of the screen are hingedly interconnected for the rotation of one of these pipes about the longitudinal axis of the other pipe thereof by coupling and clamping means.

Abstract: A fire-guard is provided for heating a room by convection using the heat from a radiant heat source, such as a fire in a fireplace. The fire-guard includes a plurality of substantially vertically extending pipes. Each of the pipes has an inlet opening located adjacent to its lower end for receiving relatively cool air and an outlet opening located adjacent to its upper end for passing air heated by the fire-guard into the room. The portion of the fire-guard extending from its base to a height above the inlet openings constitutes a threshold for preventing the movement of air between adjacent pipes into the radiation heat source. The two pipes of at least one pair of adjacent pipes are hinged together in such a manner to permit pivoting by one of the two pipes about the longitudinal axis of the other of the two pipes.

Abstract: A swimming apparatus of restricted dimensions comprising a basin and a supporting device is provided, the supporting device being supported in the basin and having members for engaging a swimmer's trunk while being pivotable about at least two horizontal orthogonal axes in order to allow the swimmer mobility while keeping his center of gravity fixed.