Abstract: In the furnace a plurality of floaters are arranged in series in a direction in which the metal strip is transferred. The strip is fed through the furnace, floated by these floaters. A test floater is installed along the strip transfer pathway. The height of the strip floated by the test floater is detected by a float sensor. The gas pressure of the test floater detected when the test floater floats the strip to an appropriate height is reflected on the gas pressures of the in-furnace floaters. As a result, the in-furnace floaters float the strip to the appropriate height.

Abstract: An impeller for a high-temperature gas blower suitable for a floating conveyor furnace, having vanes each formed of a dispersion-strengthened alloy which includes as a disperse or internal phase 0.1-2.0% by weight of finely divided particles of an oxide of a high melting-point metal, such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, Ce.sub.2 O.sub.3, ZrO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Gd.sub.2 O.sub.3, preferably dispersed in an austenite matrix or external phase of Cr, Fe, Al, Ti and Ni. A gas blower having such impeller, and a furnace using such gas blower are also disclosed.

Abstract: An impeller for a high-temperature gas blower suitable for a floating conveyor furnace, having vanes each formed of a dispersion-strengthened alloy which includes as a disperse or internal phase 0.1-2.0% by weight of finely divided particles of an oxide of a high melting-point metal, such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, Ce.sub.2 O.sub.3, ZrO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Cd.sub.2 O.sub.3, preferably dispersed in an austenite matrix or external phase of Cr, Fe, Al, Ti and Ni. A gas blower having such impeller, and a furnace using such gas blower are also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying strip materials while floating them whereby a strip is allowed to pass between a pair of plenum chambers vertically spaced apart from each other and provided with blowoff openings through which gases are blown against the strip to float it as well as heat or cool the same. After the gases have been blown against the strip, a portion of them streams in one direction crossing the predetermined conveyance course of the strip, while the other portion thereof streams in the opposite direction. A pair of flow-rate control means are provided in conjunction with the plenum chambers and in opposite positions so as to vary the amount of gases streaming in said one direction in relation to that of those streaming in the other direction, when the strip has taken a winding course during conveyance, so that the strip is restored to its predetermined course of conveyance.