Device for supplying oxidant from a pressurized reservoir to a reaction reservoir

Claim 1

IN A DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING AN OXIDANT FROM A FIRST RESERVOIR, IN WHICH THE OXIDANT IS PRESENT UNDER PRESSURE,TO A REACTION RESEVIOR CONTAINING A METAL OR MIXURE OF METALS, WHICH IS LIQUID AT THE OPERATING TEMPERATURE AND WHICH CHEMICALLY REACTS WITH THE OXIDANT WHILE DEVELOPING HEAT, THE DEVICE HAVING A DISCHARGE PIECE WHICH CAN BE CONNECTED TO AN OPENING IN THE WALL OF THE REACTION RESERVOIR AND WHICH COMPRISES A SUPPLY DUCT WHICH CONNECTS WITH A DISCHARGE OPENING OF SMALLER DIAMETER, THE DUCT HAVING ARRANGED THEREIN A NEEDLE HOLDER WHICH IS AXIALLY MOVABLE THEREIN AND WHICH SUPPORTS A NEEDLE WHICH IS CAPABLE OF AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSING THE DISCHARGE OPENING, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN THE DEVICE COMPRISES A PISTON SLIDABLE OVER THE NEEDLE HOLDER BETWEEN TWO ABUTMENTS, A SPRING ACTING BETWEEN NEEDLE HOLDER AND PISTON SO AS TO EXERT A FORCE ON THE NEEDLE HOLDER IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DISCHARGE OPENING IN THE CLOSED CONDITION, A CYLINDER WITHIN WHICH THE PISTON IN MOVABLE, ONE END OF WHICH CYLINDER CONNECTS WITH THE DISCHARGE PIECE DUCT, ITS OTHER END BEING CLOSED BY AN END PLATE,A AN OXIDANT SUPPLY LINE COMMUNICATING WITH THE END PLATE AS WELL AS THE DISCHARGE PIECE, AND A CONTROL UNIT BY MEANS WHICH THE COMMUNICATING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THSES SUPPLY LINES AND THE RESERVOIR CAN BE CLOSED OR OPENED