Abstract: A device for operation of a discharge lamp in which a dielectric barrier discharge lamp can discharge with high efficiency. A discharge lamp of the outside electrode type, a dielectric barrier discharge excimer lamp type, or the like, is operated by applying a lamp voltage of 1 kV to 10 kV with a periodic waveform by an operation circuit. In this lamp, within bulb including a dielectric, at least one type of rare gas is hermetically enclosed in a given amount. A dielectric barrier is located between at least one electrode and the gas, and a discharge is produced in the bulb via this dielectric barrier. The rise time or fall time of a waveform which represents a main energy supply time in the periodic waveform, is fixed at greater than or equal to 0.03 .mu.s and less than or equal to 9 .mu.s. Furthermore, the distance between the waveform which represents the main energy supply and a adjacent waveform which represents an adjacent main energy supply is greater than or equal to 3.4 .mu.s.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for operating a fluorescent discharge lamp of the outer electrode type. As claimed in the invention a switching device is turned on and off by driver signals with a stipulated frequency, by which on the secondary side of a transformer the periodic voltage waveform shown at A in FIG. 1 is produced. This voltage waveform is applied to the fluorescent discharge lamp of the outer electrode type, and thus operation is effected. For the above described periodic voltage waveform, with respect to repetition period t 2 Wo<t, if the width at a voltage of the waveform of 0 V which has a single maximum peak value within one period is labeled WO, its full width at half maximum (the width between a and b in FIG. 1) being set to a stipulated value (for example, to a value of less than or equal to 2.5 .mu.sec). This makes it possible to maintain stable emission even if the pressure of the gas filled in the discharge lamp is increased.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fluorescent lamp of the external electrode type and an irradiation unit using this fluorescent lamp. In a fluorescent lamp of the external electrode type, a glass tube with fluorescent material applied to its inside is hermetically filled with a suitable amount of rare gas, in the axial direction of the outside surface of the glass tube there is at least one pair of electrodes, and on the side which is opposite the aperture for emission of the light to the outside there is reflector material. The electrodes are at least partially translucent, and the reflector material is located in these translucent regions. In this way the electrostatic capacity of the lamp is not significantly reduced even if the electrodes are partially provided with translucent regions. The energy input into the lamp thus has a value which would be obtained essentially even if the translucent regions were absent.

Abstract: In a composite-machining machine tool for carrying out a turning operation and a machining center operation, a B-axis shaft 13, having a tool spindle head 14 mounted on its front end, is rotatably supported by a Y-axis slide 10, and the B-axis shaft 13 can be indexingly rotated by a B-axis servomotor 22. Clamp pistons 26 are provided in opposed relation to a flange portion 25 of a front end portion 13A of the B-axis shaft, and the clamp pistons 26 are pressed against the flange portion 25 to thereby fix the B-axis shaft at an arbitrary rotational angle position. By doing so, a hobbing tool 29 can be fixed in such a manner that the axis of this hobbing tool can be precisely indexed at a desired angular position with respect to a workpiece W, thereby enabling a hobbing operation.

Abstract: An image forming member, e.g. a pen or a cutter (for cutting image patterns), which member requires to be lowered onto and applied with a given pressure to a writing surface, is controlled in two modes. In a position control mode, the image forming member is controlled by means of a closed loop circuit by which it is lowered and positioned at a very small distance off of the writing surface. In accordance with a second, pressure control mode, the image forming member is controlled by means of an open loop circuit. With the aid of the open loop circuit the member is lowered and then applied with a given pressure to the writing surface. Thus, accurate and rapid controlling of such an image forming member is achieved.

Abstract: A metal vapor laser device wherein the pressure of carrier gas within a metal vapor laser tube can be normally maintained constant and a stabilized laser beam can be generated. The metal vapor laser device comprises a metal vapor laser tube, and a carrier gas supplier for supplementing carrier gas into the metal vapor laser tube. The carrier gas supplier includes an outer tube substantially impermeable to the carrier gas, and an inner tube having a permeability to the carrier gas which varies according to temperature and partitioning the inside of the outer tube into a reservoir section and a tank section. The inner tube is disposed in the tank section of the outer tube in such a manner as to form a duplex tube. The carrier gas supplier further includes a heater provided on outer peripheries of regions of the outer tube including the reservoir section and the tank section.

Abstract: A metal vapor laser device which prevents a possible discharge between an electrode and a pressure detector thereof and can generate a laser beam in a stabilized condition. The metal vapor laser device comprises a metal vapor laser tube, a carrier gas supplier, and a pressure detector. The carrier gas supplier communicates with a discharge spacing within the laser tube by way of a communicating hole formed at an end portion thereof. The pressure detector includes a tube defining a pressure detecting chamber therein and communicating with the inside of the carrier gas supplier, and an energizable detecting element provided in the inside of the pressure detecting chamber. A discharge preventing thin tube is provided in the inside of the carrier gas supplier and has an end connected to the end portion of the carrier gas supplier in such a manner as to surround the communicating hole of the carrier gas supplier.

Abstract: A metal vapor laser device which can generate laser oscillations stably even if the atmospheric temperature of a metal vapor laser tube thereof varies suddenly. The metal vapor laser device comprises a metal vapor laser tube having a metal tank in which a working metal is contained, a heater for heating the metal in the metal tank, a power source circuit for the heater, a voltage detector for detecting an inter-electrode voltage of the laser tube, and a temperature detector for detecting an atmospheric temperature of the laser tube. The power source circuit includes a controlling circuit for controlling a power supply to the heater in response to detection signals from the voltage detector and the temperature detector to maintain the pressure of the metal vapor within the laser tube constant. When the atmospheric temperature of the laser tube varies suddenly, the operation of the heater is thus feed-forward controlled in response to the detection signal from the temperature detector.

Abstract: A machine tool comprising a table on which a spindle holding the workpiece moves in horizontal direction along the workpiece. A tool post is sidewardly movable toward the table. An arbor head is connected to the end of the post and is both axially and circumferentially movable. The arbor head includes a powered arbor for holding and possibly rotating a tool. The result is that the workpiece is movable in one direction and the arbor support is movable in two other orthogonal directions as well as being rotatable. Thereby, a variety of complex machining operations may be performed. A tool magazine and an automatic tool changer are provided.