Abstract: An extrusion puller which comprises an upper jaw, a lower jaw, and means for mounting the upper and lower jaw relative to each other. The upper jaw comprises a plurality of jaw fingers with radially extending gripping teeth circumferentially spaced around the bottom portion of the tooth wherein the attack angle between teeth and the spacing angle between adjacent teeth is selected so that substantially full penetration of at least one of the gripping teeth into the workpiece is achieved without interference from an adjacent tooth. The lower jaw comprises a serrated upper surface comprising a semi-circular scalloped configuration of a plurality of peaks and valleys. The combination of the upper jaw and lower jaw configuration allows for increased gripping strength to be exerted on the workpiece and thereby avoid defects within the extruded workpiece.

Abstract: An extrusion run-out table for aluminum extrusions and the like has an extrusion support table for supporting extruded profiles as they are extruded from an extrusion press along an extrusion path and a conveyor for moving the extruded shapes from the extrusion support table to a cooling area and to a further processing area. The extrusion support table includes a set of elongated heat-resistant bars mounted perpendicular to the extrusion path, with the bars extending laterally of the extrusion path into the cooling area a distance sufficient to position one or more of the extended shapes in laterally spaced relationship to the extrusion path. The extruded shapes are cooled through an air manifold above the extrusion path and through a series of air jet nozzles which project cooling air against the extruded shapes as they are extruded.

Abstract: A furnace (10) has a preheater zone (12) into which exhaust gases from a combustion chamber (14) are recycled for preheating of articles passing through the furnace. The exhaust gases are supplied to the preheater zone (12) through jet pipes (18) which create a turbulent flow about the articles in the furnace (10). The exhaust gases are withdrawn by a fan (30) which is disposed in a duct (34) adjacent to the furnace entrance (13). To prevent the introduction of ambient air into the furnace (10), a pressure chamber (56), which is maintained at about atmospheric pressure, is provided within the preheater zone (12), with the chamber (56) pressurized by gases supplied by exhaust gases passing through a separate pipe (70) which has an adjustable valve (72) to adjust the pressure in the chamber (50). A sealing arrangement defined by the pressure chamber (56) and the articles passing through the furnace prevents the introduction of cool air through the preheater zone (12).

Abstract: A rotary heat exchanger (10) for a furnace or incinerator has a gap face seal structure which is adjustable during operation of the heat exchanger. A rotary wheel (40) is disposed between adjacent face seals (32, 34) in a housing (15). The face seals (32, 34) are spaced from adjacent side surfaces of the wheel (40) by a predetermined gap. The wheel (40) is carried on a shaft journalled in bearings (48, 54) mounted to a first section (11) of the housing (15). The bearings (48, 54) are coupled to the shaft (41) to permit axial displacement of the shaft (41) relative to the housing (15). The first section (11) of the housing is joined to a second section (12) by an adjustable coupling (26) to permit relative displacement therebetween. In this way, the gaps between the wheel (40) and the face seals (32, 34) can be adjusted while the wheel is hot to maintain the gaps at a minimum to reduce the thermal gradients across the wheel which may induce stresses and cracks in the wheel.