Abstract: A furnace (1), which, for the heat treatment of metal workpieces, has a tubular metal retort (3) and a furnace housing (2) enclosing the retort (3), the retort (3) comprising a gastight closable treatment or batch space (10), which receives the protective and reactive gases, for the heat treatment of the workpieces and a receptacle framework (8) as a batch receptacle for the positioning thereof, the weight of the batch and the receptacle framework (8) is decoupled from the retort (3), the receptacle framework (8) is connected to means (5) for support on the furnace housing (2), and the means (5) are guided gastight in passages (6) of a wall (2.1) of the furnace housing (2) and a wall (3.1) of the retort (3).

Abstract: To increase the usage value and for increased availability of retort furnaces (1), which, for the heat treatment of metal workpieces, have a tubular metal retort (3) and a furnace housing (2) enclosing the retort (3), the retort (3) comprising a gastight closable treatment or batch space (10), which receives the protective and reactive gases, for the heat treatment of the workpieces and a receptacle framework (8) as a batch receptacle for the positioning thereof, the weight of the batch and the receptacle framework (8) is decoupled from the retort (3), the receptacle framework (8) is connected to means (5) for support on the furnace housing (2), and the means (5) are guided gastight in passages (6) of a wall (2.1) of the furnace housing (2) and a wall (3.1) of the retort (3) (FIG. 1).

Abstract: An electrically heated retort furnace for the heat treatment of metal workpieces comprises a furnace housing having retort, a heating unit, and a circulation unit, in which, to increase the efficiency of the heat treatment by more uniform heating of the retort, the heating unit has multiple heating elements, which are situated so they are at least individually replaceable in the first volume space using closable first openings incorporated in the furnace housing, a second circulation unit for circulating the air in the first volume space is received by the furnace housing and is situated so it is replaceable as a module using a closable second opening, and the heating elements and circulation unit are received in the first volume space.

Abstract: In a retort furnace having a heating assembly, a circulation unit, and an assigned cooling unit, uniform and rapid cooling of the heat-treated workpieces is achieved by three solution variants. The first variant includes a second floor (9.1) assembled to a floor (9) to form an intermediate space which is divided into two ring spaces which are isolated gastight from one another including a first volume space (16) and a second volume space (17). The second variant includes situating throttle valves (20, 21) in a housing (36), each valve having a receptacle space (33), into which a valve plug is movable. In the third variant which is a combination of the first and second variants, the first volume space (16) and the second volume space (17) are adapted to interact for flow technology in such a manner that in the open position of the plug, the flow cross-section of each line (11, 14) is completely unblocked and provides circulation of a cold gas with favorable flow and therefore rapid cooling of the batch (7).