Abstract: A double walking beam furnace for the heat treatment of individual articles which includes a transport apparatus for conveying the part to be treated through the furnace, the transport apparatus including two groups of longitudinal beams which alternately transport the parts in a stepwise manner. The longitudinal beams are alternately arranged in spaced relationship to one another, and a sub-structure is provided beneath each beam to carry the beam and move together therewith. The sub-structure effect both a perpendicular movement and a horizontal movement, in the longitudinal direction of the furnace, of the longitudinal beams. A fixed water trough is provided between each two adjacent sub-structures, which extends approximately over the entire length of the furnace or hearth and is not movable together with the sub-structures, which extends approximately over the entire length of the furnace or hearth and is not movable together with the sub-structure.

Abstract: A furnace for the heat treatment of individual parts, in particular metal sheeting, which has a transport apparatus for conveying the parts to be treated through the furnace. This transport apparatus has two groups of longitudinal beams for supporting the parts, the beams lying alternatively adjacent one another in spaced relationship and at least one beam group of which being movable forwardly into a higher position than the other beam group along a partial stretch of the transport route and subsequently being movable back into its initial position into a lower position than this other beam group. A support structure supporting the beam and movable therewith is provided beneath each longitudinal beam, the support structure having at least one side surface extending continuously over the entire length of the supporting structure and facing the support structure of the adjacent longitudinal beam.