Abstract: A tower for drying the inner diameter of elongated tubes includes a plurality of endless synchronously driven pintle conveyors having vertically ascending and descending support paths for the tubes and an air manifold system operative to force heated air at controlled velocity through the pipes in one direction during ascent and to force heated air at increased controlled velocity through the pipes in the opposite direction during descent. The endless conveyors are supported by a plurality of spaced tower frames, with the two end tower frames having air ducts of the manifold system connected thereto, one of said end tower frames and the air duct carried thereby being movable relative to the other tower frames to permit tubes of varying lengths to be conveyed and dried.

Abstract: A high speed end forming apparatus for elongated work pieces, such as coated tube, includes two selectively variably spaced C-shape heads having feed openings therein to receive the two ends of the advancing work piece, the two ends sequentially being clamped and formed in such position, respectively, by relatively movable chuck jaws and forming apparatus carried by such C-shape heads. The work piece is advanced to the C-shape heads by a walking beam transfer conveyor that is simultaneously operative to deliver an unformed work piece to the C-shape heads and to remove a formed work piece from the C-shape heads.

Abstract: Apparatus and method automatically for moving elongated objects into and out of a hot dip galvanizing kettle or the like includes a screw feed conveyor system that continually maintains control over the elongated objects while feeding and removing the objects at a uniform predetermined rate. The screw feed conveyor system includes at least two generally U-shape screws which are rotated about their axes to feed elongated objects horizontally placed thereon at opposed diametrical sides thereof through the galvanizing kettle, said screws, if desired, having flights with selectively varying pitches to tilt the objects for entry into the kettle and drag out from the kettle.