Abstract: A distributor rotor electrode comprising an electrode head having a pair of flat surfaces substantially parallel to a plane of rotation of the rotor electrode and a generally arcuated, convexed discharge surface perpendicular to the plane of rotation to define a discharge gap on it. The electrode head has an electrically high-resistance layer attached to at least the pair of substantially flat surfaces, and comprises a material including a ceramic effective to suppress noise electromagnetic wave radiation at the discharge surface. The high-resistance layer material may comprise 10% to 70% of SiC and a mixture of SiOx, Si and C and may be attached to the discharge surface as well as to the flat surfaces, or to the flat surfaces only to expose the arcuated discharge surface to the discharge gap. The arcuated discharge surface may have ridges and grooves extending generally perpendicularly to the plane of rotation, and may have a wave-shaped or comb-shaped contour.

Abstract: A thin film vacuum evaporation device having a reaction gas supplier for locally supplying a reaction gas to the evaporating point on a target. The device includes a reaction chamber that can be kept under vacuum with a light transmitting window disposed therein allowing the passage of a laser beam on the target. Also, a differential pressure chamber may be provided between the target and the light transmitting window, and a gas introducing section may be connected to the differential pressure chamber. Thus, the vapor generated by the target is prevented from adhering to the light transmitting window, and the light transmitting window can be kept clean.

Abstract: A laser vapor deposition apparatus includes a vacuum chamber which includes an exhaust port and in which a material to be vaporized and a substrate are enclosed, a laser beam source for irradiating the material to be vaporized with a laser beam so as to deposit from the material a desired compound onto the substrate, and a gas supply source which supplies to the surface of the material, a gas that can prevent changes in property of the material which could be caused by the laser beam irradiation.

Abstract: A method for forming a fiber-reinforced metal sheet including the steps of preparing a wire preform in which fibers and a matrix are combined together; arranging regularly a plurality of wire preforms in a predetermined direction in a side-by-side relation; irradiating simultaneously using a CO.sub.2 laser beam, and a YAG laser beam the regularly arranged wire preforms to elevate the temperature of the wire preforms; and pressing the wire preforms by rollers while the wire preforms are at the elevated temperature.

Abstract: A plurality of different laser oscillators are optically connected through respective first laser beam transmission paths to a corresponding number of machining stations. The first laser beam transmission paths are mutually connected optically through laser beam converters and second laser beam transmission paths and the second laser beam transmission paths may be optically connected through laser beam branching devices to a common laser beam transmission path which is optically connected through laser beam branching devices and third laser beam transmission paths to the machining stations, respectively, so that, by suitably controlling the laser beam converters and the laser beam branching devices, a workpiece in one of the machining stations can be machined in various manner with any or any combination of laser beams generated by the laser oscillators.

Abstract: A control apparatus for energy beam hardening which has an electromagnetic wave detector for detecting an electromagnetic wave irradiated from the surface of a hardened portion to which an energy beam is being emitted, a temperature converter for converting a detection signal from the electromagnetic wave detector to a temperature, hardening characteristics presuming means for presuming hardening characteristics by processing temperature distribution data from the temperature converter, energy beam deciding means for deciding the output and moving velocity of the energy beam emitted to obtain desired hardening characteristics and according to hardening characteristics to be presumed, and energy beam control means for controlling at least one of the output and moving velocity of the energy beam according to the output of the energy beam deciding means to thus suppress the irregularities in the hardening characteristics, thereby obtaining hardening characteristics of the hardened material as desired even if pre

Abstract: A process for coating a workpiece with a ceramic material comprising the steps of axially advancing a cylindrical ceramic rod of a ceramic material relative to a workpiece while rotating it about its axis in a vacuum, to feed the ceramic rod into an energy beam for evaporation. The rate of feeding of the ceramic rod depends on the rate of deposition of the evaporated ceramic material on the workpiece.

Abstract: A laser machining and assembling apparatus comprises a plurality of different laser oscillators, laser beam transmission means for transmitting laser beams from the laser oscillators, a plurality of machining and assembling cells each including a laser machining center for laser maching and assembling workpieces, a machining center for mechanically machining the workpieces to desired configurations, and in-cell transportation robot for transporting the workpieces between the laser machining center, the machining center and a depository of the workpieces, an assembling robot for assembling the workpieces and a controller for controlling operations of the laser machining center, the machining center, the in-cell transportation robot and the assembling robot, inter-cell transportation robot means for transporting the workpieces between the machining and assembling cells and a system controller for controlling operations of the laser oscillators, the machining and assembling cells and the inter-cell transportatio

Abstract: A noble metal coating method of coating an underlying metal with a noble metal comprises the steps of feeding a mixture comprising the noble metal, an oxide film removing agent, such as borax, and a binder for binding the metal and the agent to each other to a portion of the underlying metal that is to be coated and irradiating a laser beam onto the mixture on the underlying metal.

Abstract: Two metal plates 1a, 1b are projection welded together using a truncated conical projection 12 on a first one of the plates having a spherical end surface. The plates are pressed together through the projection, and a welding current pulse is applied which reaches a maximum value in less than 2 milli-seconds. The shape and dimensional limitations of the projection coupled with the high amplitude, short duration current spike result in a thin welding nugget 9 and prevent any thermal distortion of the outer plate surface due to localized overheating.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing stone and gravel from excavated soil by vibration. The apparatus is particularly useful for operation at the foot of a volcano, mountainous district or the like. Characteristic features of the apparatus are that it is self-propelled by means of endless tracks and the excavated soil is separated into stone, gravel and soil with the aid of a sieving means and the separated stone and gravel are discharged from the apparatus by way of a conveyor, while the separated fine soil is conveyed by way of another conveyor and then is scattered rearward by means of a scattering device to be piled up on the working ground.