Abstract: A fixture for supporting articles in an industrial process comprises a plurality of first elongate members extending longitudinally in a first direction. The plurality of first elongate members each comprise a rod member having a riveted portion at an end thereof. The fixture further comprises a plurality of second elongate members extending longitudinally in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and a plurality of third elongate members extending longitudinally in a third direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. The rod member of one of the first elongate members extends through an aperture of one of the second elongate members and an aperture of one of the third elongate members and is movably coupled thereto by its riveted portion.

Abstract: A method of reducing the heat loss of a workpiece when the workpiece is displaced from a furnace to a tool includes displacing the workpiece resting on a carrier to the tool. The displacement takes place with the workpiece and the carrier located internally in a box with a heat reflecting inner side. At the tool, the workpiece is exposed. An apparatus for carrying the method into effect has, according to the present invention, a box with a heat reflecting inner side and a linear conveyor for insertion and removal of the carrier and the workpiece into and out of the box, respectively.

Abstract: In a device and a method for recovering energy from at least one metal hot strip bundle (B) which has a temperature of more than 200° C. and is produced in a hot rolling mill (H), the at least one hot strip bundle (B) passes through an energy recovery device (3). In order to recover energy, a gaseous medium (G) flows around the at least one hot strip bundle (B) within the energy recovery device (3) such that said hot strip bundle absorbs energy, particularly heat, dissipated by the at least one hot strip bundle (B), thereby providing a technically simple method and a corresponding device for recovering energy, both of which can be used for any kind of hot strip, independently of the further processing thereof. Furthermore, CO2 and energy can be saved.

Abstract: A method is described for preheating annealing goods in a hood-type annealing installation, comprising two annealing bases (1, 2) which accommodate the annealing goods (3, 4) under a protective cover (7, 8), with the annealing goods (3) to be subjected to a heat treatment under a protective cover (8) being preheated with the help of a gaseous heat carrier which is guided in a cycle between two protective covers (7, 8) and absorbs heat from annealing goods (4) which are heat-treated in a protective cover (7) and emits it to the annealing goods (3) to be preheated in the other protective cover (8). In order to avoid contaminations of the heat-treated annealing goods (4) it is proposed that the heat carrier flow guided in a cycle flows around the two protective covers (7, 8) on the outside, whereas a protective gas is circulated within the protective covers (7, 8).

Abstract: An iron core annealing furnace that is used in annealing of an amorphous iron core requiring strict control of annealing temperature. There is provided an iron core annealing furnace comprising a furnace body fitted at its superior area with a heat source and a fan, wherein the furnace body has a double layer structure consisting of a furnace interior defined by the inside division wall of the furnace body and an interspace defined by the division wall and the outside wall of the furnace body, and wherein the fan is disposed in the center of a superior area of the furnace body, and wherein the fan is adapted to introduce hot air from the furnace interior of the double layer structure, feed the hot air to the outside of the double layer structure, allow the hot air to enter the furnace interior from an inferior area of the furnace body and heat the iron core, and circulate the hot air.

Abstract: An iron core annealing furnace that is used in annealing of an amorphous iron core requiring strict control of annealing temperature. There is provided an iron core annealing furnace comprising a furnace body fitted at its superior area with a heat source and a fan, wherein the furnace body has a double layer structure consisting of a furnace interior defined by the inside division wall of the furnace body and an interspace defined by the division wall and the outside wall of the furnace body, and wherein the fan is disposed in the center of a superior area of the furnace body, and wherein the fan is adapted to introduce hot air from the furnace interior of the double layer structure, feed the hot air to the outside of the double layer structure, allow the hot air to enter the furnace interior from an inferior area of the furnace body and heat the iron core, and circulate the hot air.

Abstract: The invention describes a hood-type annealing furnace, especially for steel strip or wire bunches, with an annealing base (1) for receiving the material (7) to be annealed, a protective hood (8) which is placed on the furnace in a gas-tight manner, a radial blower (2) which is held in the annealing base (1) and comprises a blade wheel (3) and a guide apparatus (5) enclosing the blade wheel (3) for circulating a protective gas in the protective hood (8), a heat exchanger (11) for cooling the protective gas, which heat exchanger (11) is connected on the input side via a flow conduit (13) with the pressure side of the radial blower (2) and opens on the output side in an annular gap (12) between the guide apparatus (5) and the protective hood (8), and a deflection device which is axially displaceable into the pressure-side flow path of the radial blower (2) for the optional connection to the radial blower (2) of the flow conduit (13) which leads to the heat exchanger (11).

Abstract: Disclosed is a high temperature annealing furnace for hot rolled steel coils. The furnace of the present invention pivotably rotates about a pivot member between an opened and closed position. Prior to the annealing step, the hot rolled steel coils are placed within the housing of the furnace. The hot rolled steel coils are supported on a retaining element secured to a base portion located within the housing of the furnace. The hot rolled steel coils may be positioned on the base portion such that the axial opening of each coil is generally horizontal with the base portion.

Abstract: A support frame for metal coils, which are stacked on top of each other for a heat treatment by means of a hot, gaseous medium, especially in bell-type annealing furnaces, has devices on the support frame for guiding the flow of the medium through the coils. The support frame is a framework constructed of I-sections. The end surfaces of the coils are supported on the flanges of the framework I-sections. The webs of the framework I-sections are provided with holes, which serve for guiding the flow of medium.

Abstract: A top hat furnace especially adapted for annealing steel sheet metal using a protective gas includes a protective top surrounding the batches of sheet steel metal. A cooling top is arranged above the protective top forming an intermediate space. The cooling top has a cover and a lid. The cover of the cooling top has a plurality of air nozzles so that cooling air impacts the protective top in the form of jets. At least one fan produces a flow of cooling air in the intermediate space. The distance between the air nozzles increases from the bottom of the cover towards it upper end. The distance between the nozzles is from four to twelve times greater than is the diameter of each nozzle. The cooling lid is also provided with a plurality of air nozzles. The distance between the nozzles in the cooling lid is from four to seven times greater than is the diameter of each of these nozzles.

Abstract: An annealing furnace inner cover cooperates with a furnace base to define a treatment chamber within which a charge of metal such as steel is housed for annealing, wherein the inner cover carries at least one interior cooling conduit through which cooling water from an exterior source is circulated to expedite the cooling of gas that is circulated within the treatment chamber during cooling portions of an annealing cycle. The water cooled inner cover is especially well suited for expediting the cooling of stacked coils of steel sheet from an annealing temperature, and preferably utilizes a helix of cooling coils that surround mid-height portions of the stack, wherein the cooling coils are protectively housed within an inwardly facing recess defined by an enlarged diameter mid-height portion of the inner cover both to prevent cooling coil damage due to impact during cover movement, and to ensure that gas circulation within the inner cover is not adversely restricted by the presence of the cooling coils.

Abstract: An annealing furnace is disclosed including at least one inner cover for retaining a stack of metal coils to be annealed in an inert atmosphere. A furnace shell is provided for receiving said at least one inner cover and providing an internal furnace environment. A furnace floor is provided for retaining the furnace shell and inner cover. A plurality of burners are received in said furnace floor, and configured around the inner cover so as to fire into the internal furnace environment along side the inner cover without impingement of the flame on the inner cover. A control system sequentially fires each of said plurality of burners in order to establish and maintain a desired thermal distribution among the stacks within the inner cover.

Abstract: A rigid ceramic refractory base for a plural-stack annealing furnace--such as an eight-stack furnace that has two "four-stack rows" or "halves" arranged side by side--is assembled atop a base support structure utilizing a novel set of cast refractory segments, including spaced sets of inner segments, with each set of inner segments being surrounded by a sub-set of outer segments. Defined between each set of inner segments and its surrounding sub-set of outer segments is a circular inner seal positioning trough that opens upwardly, and that has a tapered cross section that narrows with depth. A resilient but reinforced inner seal of novel form is installed in each of the troughs, with each of these seals utilizing upper and lower blankets of refactory fiber material that sandwich a plurality of elongate refractory fiber modules arranged end-to-end to circumferentially fill the trough.

Abstract: A rigid ceramic refractory base for a single-stack annealing furnace is assembled atop a base support structure utilizing a novel set of cast refractory segments, including a pair of C-shaped inner segments and four arcuate outer segments. Defined between the assembled inner and outer segments is a circular inner seal positioning trough that opens upwardly, and that has a tapered cross section that narrows with depth. A resilient but reinforced inner seal of novel form is installed in the trough utilizing upper and lower blankets of refractory fiber material that sandwich a plurality of elongate refractory fiber modules arranged end-to-end to circumferentially fill the trough.

Abstract: An annealing base for hood-type annealing furnaces comprises a support (6) receiving the annealing goods, in particular stacked sheet metal coils. The support (6) rests on the distributor (4) of a central fan (5). The vertical fan axis is surrounded by a thermally insulating filling member (3). The load of the distributor (4) is transmitted by means of a supporting structure (9, 10) through the filling member (3) to a frame member (2) supported on the foundation (1). The filling member (3) consists of insulating wool or the like gas-tightly encapsulated in sheet metal. To avoid the formation of cracks in the filling member (3) during the annealing process, a stronger shaped ring (9) adapted to the bottom surface of the distributor (4) is inserted in the sheet metal constituting the capsule of the filling member (3), which shaped ring constitutes the supporting structure by means of two concentric sheet metal cylinders (10) connecting the same with the frame member (2).

Abstract: A rigid ceramic refractory base for a plural-stack annealing furnace is assembled atop a base support structure utilizing a novel set of cast refractory segments, including spaced pairs of C-shaped inner segments that each are surrounded by a sub-set of outer segments. Defined between each set of inner segments and its surrounding sub-set of outer segments is a circular inner seal positioning trough that opens upwardly, and that has a tapered cross section that narrows with depth. A resilient but reinforced inner seal of novel form is installed in each of the troughs, with each of these seals utilizing upper and lower blankets of refractory fiber material that sandwich a plurality of elongate refractory fiber modules arranged end-to-end to circumferentially fill the trough.

Abstract: A rigid ceramic refractory base for a plural-stack annealing furnace is assembled atop a base support structure utilizing a novel set of cast refractory segments, including spaced pairs of C-shaped inner segments that each are surrounded by a sub-set of outer segments. Defined between each set of inner segments and its surrounding sub-set of outer segments is a circular inner seal positioning trough that opens upwardly, and that has a tapered cross section that narrows with depth. A resilient but reinforced inner seal of novel form is installed in each of the troughs, with each of these seals utilizing upper and lower blankets of refractory fiber material that sandwich a plurality of elongate refractory fiber modules arranged end-to-end to circumferentially fill the trough.

Abstract: An energy efficient wall panel for use together with other such panels to extend about selected peripheral portions of a thermal treatment chamber of a high temperature industrial furnace or the like includes a frame that supports an array of elongate cast refractory thermal insulating members 1) that extend side by side, 2) that have relatively wide flange portions that extend substantially contiguously to define a rigid, impact resistant inner surface that faces toward a thermal treatment chamber for absorbing, storing and re-radiating impingent heat energy back into the chamber, 3) that have relatively thin outer portions connected to the supporting frame, 4) that have central web portions that provide needed strength and rigidity while, at the same time, permitting only minimal conductive heat transfer therethrough, and 5) that have elongate, non-cast, fiber-type thermal insulating members compressively sandwiched between adjacent pairs of the cast refractory members for enhancing the panel's insulating c

Abstract: An energy efficient closure system is provided for minimizing heat loss through an elongate, horizontally extending furnace opening that is utilized to admit elongate charges of material, to the interior of a furnace. The system utilizes a plurality of depending, individually mounted, independently pivoted, inwardly curved, insulated door components that are arranged in a side-by-side array and that are biased by gravity so as to normally close the furnace opening. In preferred practice, the system also utilizes a curtain of insulation that depends from a water-cooled support pipe that extends horizontally through the upper part of the door opening, with the curtain being formed by a plurality of depending bats of insulation arranged in a substantially contiguous, side-by-side array.

Abstract: An improved cooling cover is disclosed for use in bell shaped annealing furnaces. The cooling cover includes a jet nozzle orifice arrangement which develops jet streams from a low pressurized supply of air at ambient temperature in the plenum chamber of the cooling cover. A multitude of free standing jet streams thus impinge the inner cover of the bell shaped annealing stand to produce improved cooling times. Importantly, the plenum chamber includes strategically placed axial jet pump outlets which are effective to draw the jet streams from the cooling cover after they have been in heat transfer contact with the inner cover in a distribution pattern which is not altered so that the work or coils within the inner cover can be more uniformly cooled than heretofore possible.

Abstract: A convection diffuser and charge support system for an annealing furnace utilizes a diffuser base assembly to support a stack of coiled rolls of steel that are to be annealed inside a furnace enclosure. The coils are arranged in a vertical stack atop the base assembly. The furnace enclosure surrounds the base assembly and the stack to provide a "closed" treatment environment. Convector plates are interposed between the ends of the coils, with a separate convector plate extending horizontally between each set of adjacent coil ends. Each of the convector plates includes an annular structure 1) that has an inner diameter, 2) that has an outer diameter that extends substantially concentrically about the inner diameter, and 3) that defines a plurality of radially extending air flow passages which extend from locations near the outer diameter to locations near the inner diameter for assisting in providing a desired type of convection flow of gases within the furnace enclosure.

Abstract: An upper line comprises three furnaces 1, 2, 3 and a washing machine 4, in straight side-by-side arrangement. A lower line comprises movable treatment elements 7, 8, 9 movable on conveyor track 5, and fixed vat 17. Car 6 permits feeding all the elements of the upper line, as well as materials handling equipment 11, from entry station 20. Elements 7, 8, 9 and 17 can be fed either directly from the furnaces 1, 2, 3 via the materials handling equipment 11.

Abstract: A convection diffuser and charge support system for an annealing furnace utilizes a diffuser base assembly that includes a vane-carrying center casting which underlies a charge support plate, and which is perimetrically surrounded by a pair of outer and inner cooling rings. The components of the diffuser base assembly cooperate to define an array of horizontally extending gas circulation passages that are shielded from above by the charge support plate. The horizontal passages extend among a plurality of upstanding heat exchange fins that are carried by the inner cooling ring, and terminate in upwardly extending outer end regions that are defined by grooves formed in the outer cooling ring. A centrifugal fan draws hot gases through a central opening in the charge support plate and conveys the gases radially outwardly through the horizontally extending gas flow passages.

Abstract: A rotary hearth finish annealing furnace includes coil tables carrying thereon steel plate coils to be annealed with their axes being vertical, a hearth traveling along a circle having a predetermined radius and supporting thereabove the coil tables, inner covers covering the coils on the coil tables, and a protective cover covering the above members over a predetermined distance.According to the invention, heating means for heating the coils are arranged at a level above upper ends of the steel plate coils. In a preferred embodiment, the coil tables are arranged so as to permit the coils to be arranged thereon in at least two circular rows on a single plane concentric to said traveling circle of the hearth. Moreover, portions of the hearth subjected to loads of the coils and coil tables are made of comparatively high strength bricks and the other portions are made of a light weight refractory material.

Abstract: A convection diffuser and charge support system for an annealing furnace utilizes a diffuser base, a base-encircling ring, and convector plates which are preferably formed as castings of nodular iron. The diffuser base defines an array of horizontally-extending gas circulation passages which are shielded from above by an integrally-formed, overlying top wall. The top wall prevents debris and other undesirable substances from dropping into and accumulating within the primary flow passages. Vane extension formations project above the top wall and have their upper edges arranged to engage and support a charge of material to be annealed. The ring structure extends perimetrically about the base structure and defines an array of curved, upwardly opening grooves which cooperate with the primary flow passages to direct gases which discharge from the base structure so that the gases flow upwardly, along a generally helical flow paths about a charge of material being annealed.

Abstract: A high temperature box annealing furnace for metallic coil annealing practices. The furnace comprises a fixed base and a removable bell capable of achieving a sealed relationship with the base. The interior of the bell side walls, end walls and roof are lined with ceramic fiber insulation and are provided with electrical resistance heating elements. The heating elements are divided into at least two separately controllable zones, a first zone including the heating elements mounted on the bell roof and the upper portions of the bell side and end walls and a second zone including the heating elements mounted on the lower portion of the bell side and end walls. The base comprises a steel framework supporting a cast refractory base member configured to support one or more coils. Each coil is provided with a cover and the cast refractory base member provides a sand seal for the lower edge of the covers. The cast refractory base has an atmosphere inlet for each coil positioned at the center or eye of the coil.

Abstract: A batch annealing apparatus comprises a bell-shaped furnace, a base plate, an inner cover, plus a bottom chamber that opens upward, has an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of a metal coil to be treated therein, is capable of accommodating the metal coil, and disposed below the furnace. A cylindrical stationary base coaxially extends upward from the bottom of the bottom chamber. The stationary base has a partition with an outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the metal coil that is formed at a point corresponding to the opening of the bottom chamber. The base plate is annular in shape, equipped with cooling means, and supported by elevatable supporting means that passes through the bottom of the bottom chamber. The lower end of the supporting means is connected to an elevating device.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for heat treating at least one work item, such as a coil, having an axial passage and being axially stacked on a base support means disposed within a cover means which is located on the base support means. The base support can be on the floor of a furnace and with the chamber of the furnace. A means to force the atmosphere such as an axial fan is located in the base. The atmosphere is forced axially from the base, up through an axial path including the axial passage of the at least one coil, through a top space between the top of the stack of coils and the top of the cover means, down through the annular space between the outside of the coils and the inside of the cover means, and back to the axial path through a base space beneath the at least one coil, communicating from the annular space to the axial path.

Abstract: An inner cover for a bell-type annealing or thermal processing furnace having a thin walled cylindrical body formed from textured heat resistant stainless steel and/or nickle chrome alloy closed at its upper end and having one or more outwardly flared conical sections at its other or lower end and terminating in a radial flange surrounded by a steel ring connected thereto.

Abstract: Coils of strip to be annealed are placed in a furnace with their eye vertical and are heated to the annealing temperature by heating elements on the furnace side wall at the same elevation as the coils. An insulation shield is provided between the heating elements and the coil. This may be a cover surrounding the coil in spaced relationship therewith and extending the full height of the coil.