Claire Cox (asker) Aug 9, 2015:

Late glossary addition A colleague has recently (only 10 years after the event!) asked me what I put for this term and I was able to go back in my archives and find that I used ratchet valve. Unfortunately, I haven\'t noted my source - I can only assume I checked back with the client. I think I was very new to ProZ in those days and didn\'t realise the value of the glossary for future searches. HTH

Non-ProZ.com Jan 10, 2005:

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts - I've gone back to the client in desperation and received these comments:
"En ce qui concerne "la vanne dite � progr�s social", je suis le premier amus� de cette expression. Mais c'est peut-�tre une illustration "socio m�canique" de l'effet de rochet (autrement dit "toujours plus"): le cliquet se place de mani�re � aller toujours dans le m�me sens (celui du progr�s social) ???!!!"
On that basis I've called it a "ratchet valve"

Charlotte Allen Jan 10, 2005:

Claire - in that case could they mean 'environmentally friendly'? Or 'green'?

Non-ProZ.com Jan 10, 2005:

No, this is an isolated occurrence, I'm afraid, apparently similar to a manual motorized valve, but no other info. It does say "Vanne dite a progres social", so it's obviously a bit odd in French. Time for a note to the client, I think!

Charlotte Allen Jan 9, 2005:

This does seem weird, certainly. Typo? Does it recur? Could it be 'socle'?