Abstract: A heating process, a carburizing process and a diffusion process are successively carried out in a continuous ion-carburizing and quenching system, which is provided with a rotary hearth type continuous ion-carburizing furnace and a continuous diffusion furnace disposed adjacent to the ion-carburizing furnace. The ion-carburizing furnace is provided with a charge vestibule and a discharge vestibule while the diffusion furnace is provided with a charge vestibule and a quenching chamber. The discharge vestibule of the ion-carburizing furnace is connected to the charge vestibule of the diffusion furnace by a transfer vestibule so that a material to be treated may be transferred from the ion-carburizing furnace towards the diffusion furnace through the transfer vestibule. An airtight door is disposed midway of the transfer vestibule for partitioning the discharge vestibule of the ion-carburizing furnace and the charge vestibule of the diffusion furnace from each other.

Abstract: A roller hearth type heat treating furnace has a furnace housing, the inside of which is partitioned into first, second and third treating chambers by a plurality of heat insulating intermediate doors. In order to independently control the temperature inside each treating chamber, the first treating chamber is provided with radiant tubes, the second treating chamber with radiant tubes and a cooler with a fan and the third treating chamber with electro tubes and cooling tubes. The furnace accommodates a series of hearth rollers which can be selectively driven by a plurality of electric motors and a plurality of clutches so that a material located in one chamber may be transported into the adjoining chamber only or successively transported within the furnace.

Abstract: A coater gap control arrangement for controlling the thickness of a film of coating to be formed on a workpiece is provided in a coater, which is equipped with a base, a back-up roll rotatably mounted on one end portion of the base for transporting the workpiece, a coater body slidably mounted on the base and a coater head securely mounted on the coater body for supplying the coating material onto the surface of the workpiece. The coater gap control arrangement is comprised of a position control motor securely mounted on the base for moving the coater body back and forth with respect to the back-up roll to control the position of the coater body, a non-contact type distance meter securely mounted on the coater body for measuring the distance up to the surface of the workpiece, and a processor for controlling the position control motor on the basis of a signal from the distance meter so that a predetermined distance may be kept at all times between the coater head and the workpiece.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for measuring temperature by using a state change of a working fluid, a temperature measurement is executed in a manner such that the working fluid is initially supplied at a constant mass flow rate into a flow channel having a throttle portion at a temperature-sensitive portion. Upon the measurement of a pressure difference between opposite ends of the throttle portion, the temperature can be determined through a calculation using the measured pressure difference. The temperature measuring apparatus includes a source of a working fluid and a probe. The probe includes an external cylinder closed at one of its ends and an internal cylinder which is accommodated in the external cylinder and has a capillary tube at its forward end. The apparatus further includes a supply tube for introducing the working fluid from the source into either the internal cylinder or the external cylinder, and a pressure control device.

Abstract: A device for automatically controlling coating amount for use in a coating machine including a backup roll, an applicator roll, a pickup roll, a base, a first table slidably mounted on the base and a second table slidably mounted on the first table. The device includes first and second pressure adjusting mechanisms for adjusting a pressure between the backup roll and the applicator roll and a pressure between the applicator roll and the pickup roll. Each of the first and second pressure adjusting mechanisms further includes a sensor, a stepping motor and a precision ball bearing screw member.

Abstract: In a method of sintering an injection-molded article of raw material powder and organic binder, the injection-molded article already debinderized is initially heated up to a certain reaction temperature at which residual binder is removed from it. In subsequent decarburizing step, the residual binder is removed from the molded article under atmospheric or reduced pressure, while being supplied with H.sub.2 gas. Thereafter, in a reducing and sintering step, the molded article is heated up to a sintering temperature and is held at this temperature under reduced pressure for a predetermined period, with H.sub.2 gas being supplied. H.sub.2 content of the atmosphere in the decarburizing step is kept higher than that in the reducing and sintering step.

Abstract: A method of gas carburizing and hardening a steel article and a continuous furnace therefor. The method includes the steps of carburizing the article in a carburizing atmosphere at atmospheric pressure, heating the article in a vacuum for a predetermined period of time, and hardening the article.

Abstract: A walking beam type reheating furnace which is provided with a furnace housing, stationary beams fixedly mounted in the furnace housing, first movable beams arranged on the charge side in the furnace housing, second movable beams arranged separately from the first movable beams on the discharge side in the furnace housing and a steel workpiece transfer device capable of transferring a steel workpiece which is placed in a zone where the first movable beams are located to a predetermined position in the vicinity of a separating portion of the first and second movable beams by passing the steel workpiece over the stationary beams and the first movable beams, wherein the first and second movable beams can be independently driven from each other.

Abstract: A method of gas carburizing and hardening a steel article and a continuous furnace therefor. The method includes the steps of carburizing the article in a carburizing atmosphere at atmospheric pressure, heating the article in a vacuum for a predetermined period of time, and hardening the article.

Abstract: A continuous heat treating furnace is equipped with an automatic flow control system and contains a high-temperture treating zone internally provided with a plurality of burners, a pre-heating zone connectively disposed at one end of the high-temperature treating zone and a cooling zone connectively disposed at its other end, the pre-heating and cooling zones being partitioned into a plurality of compartments each provided on its ceiling portion with a convection fan.

Abstract: An exhaust oven for cathode ray tubes having a housing and a baffle structure arranged within the housing for forming an atmosphere circulating passage between them. There are formed, at least in heating and slow cooling zones within the housing, plural pairs of upper discharge ports through which the circulating atmosphere is supplied towards panel portions of the cathode ray tubes. There are also plural pairs of lower discharge ports through which the circulating atmosphere is supplied towards funnel portions of the cathode ray tubes. Both the upper and lower discharge ports are located on respective sides in the housing. The positioning and discharge direction of the upper and lower discharge ports reduce the temperature difference between different portions of the cathode ray tubes to less than 10.degree. C. Thus, breakage of tubes owing to heat stresses is virtually eliminated.

Abstract: A surface layer thickness measuring apparatus lower in price with the use of a light ray measuring system only. The correct surface layer thickness may be measured, independently of the variation in the temperature of the measured, in the external light rays, in the radiation energy of the reference light ray source, in the chopper temperature, the influences by the temperature in the surface layer thickness measuring apparatus, through the mode combination by the driving operation of the opening and closing device and the total reflection mirror.

Abstract: A continuous annealing furnace for a strip which is provided with a first treating furnace of horizontal type including at least a heating zone and a soaking zone, and a second treating furnace of vertical type disposed adjacent to the first treating furnace. The first treating furnace further includes a floating type transporting means which is composed of plural stages of floating type supporting devices for supporting the strip to be treated on them in a floating state, and a plurality of direction changing devices for transporting the strip from an upper stage towards a lower stage of the supporting devices, and the second treating furnace includes a plurality of rolls for transporting the material in a zigzag manner on vertically arranged multi-row passage.

Abstract: A walking beam type reheating furnace which is provided with a furnace housing, stationary beams fixedly mounted in the furnace housing, first movable beams arranged on the charge side in the furnace housing, second movable beams arranged separately from the first movable beams on the discharge side in the furnace housing and a steel workpiece transfer device capable of transferring a steel workpiece which is placed in a zone where the first movable beams are located to a predetermined position in the vicinity of a separating portion of the first and second movable beams by passing the steel workpiece over the stationary beams and the first movable beams, wherein the first and second movable beams can be independently driven from each other.

Abstract: A continuous annealing furnace for a metallic strip, wherein each of a direct firing type non-oxidizing furnace and a forced convection type preheating zone is vertically disposed, with an inlet portion of the former being connected to an outlet portion of the latter, through a radiation type preheating zone which is provided with a direction changing roller at its upper end portion.

Abstract: A workpiece charging unit for a walking beam furnace has an entry table and a charging conveyor positioned exteriorly and interiorly of the entry end opening of the furnace. The charging conveyor can undergo a movement along a generally rectangular path for the receipt of the workpiece from the entry table and for the subsequent transfer of the workpiece onto the fixed beams or rails within the heating chamber where it can be picked up by the walking beam conveyor unit for the passage through the heating chamber. The charging conveyor includes charging beams, a plurality of support posts for the support of the charging beams and frame structure coupled with the horizontal and vertical drive mechanisms.

Abstract: A burner assembly of a type wherein both the combustion air and gaseous fuel are controlled by a pressure equalizing control device comprises an inner barrel and a combustion air preheating passage both arranged exteriorly of a gaseous fuel supply tube, an annular space defined exteriorly of the gaseous fuel supply tube and communicated with the preheating passage through at least one perforation in the inner barrel, and an exhaust passage provided with an exhaust gas sucking device and disposed adjacent the preheating passage.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced metal alloy comprising a metal matrix and a fibrous reinforcement which is constituted by refractory fibers having a high tensile strength. The fiber reinforced metal alloy is manufactured by the use of a centrifugal casting method.

Abstract: A continuous heat treating furnace for heat treating a ferrous metal work in a protective atmosphere, including a furnace separated into a charge chamber and a heat treating chamber by a partition door and provided with a transport device for transporting the work. A first heating device, a recirculating fan and a gas purge device are provided in the charge chamber, while a second heating device is provided in the heat treating chamber supplied with the protective atmosphere, whereby the work is preheated through convectional heat transfer in the charge chamber simultaneously with high-temperature purging of the charge chamber and then, is heat treated under the protective atmosphere in the heat treating chamber.

Abstract: A method for making an aluminum nitride powder comprises atomizing a molten aluminum into a nitriding atmosphere of N.sub.2 gas of elevated temperature and solidifying the finely divided liquid particles of aluminum which have been nitrided.