Abstract: A furnace for the thermal treatment of charges of iron and steel components. A cylindrical, vertical heating chamber is disposed within a housing. A plurality of vertical heating elements are disposed in the heating chamber. To accelerate the heating-up of a charge that is disposed within the heating chamber, especially in the lower temperature range, the heating elements have a tubular construction and are provided at their bottom end with an outlet opening. Gas conveyed by a fan flows through the heating elements, at which time it is convectively heated, and thereafter passes into the interior of the heating chamber. In the higher temperature range, the heating elements transfer their heat to the charge as radiant heat, with the furnace then operating in a vacuum.

Abstract: An industrial furnace, especially a single chamber vacuum furnace, for thermally treating metal workpieces. The furnace has a heating chamber which is disposed in a furnace housing and receives a charge. The heating chamber can be heated via heating elements, and has at least one closable chamber opening through which is conveyed a cooling gas which can be circulated with the aid of a blower through a heat exchanger. To control the flow of cooling gas arriving through the cooling gas delivery pipe, a distribution device which is moved back and forth during a cooling process is pivotably mounted in the region of the chamber opening which is provided for the entry of the cooling gas. In order to make it possible for the cooling gas to flow uniformly over the surface of the charge, jet nozzles are provided as the distribution means. The cooling gas flows through these jet nozzles prior to striking the charge.