Abstract: There is disclosed a clamp device for clamping a workpiece, e.g. a ceramic shaped body having a surface curvature. Support members are mounted on the base frame to support the workpiece thereon, and are adapted to swing about predetermined rotational axes. First clamp members are mounted on a base frame and adapted to swing about predetermined rotational axes. Second clamp members are mounted on a sub-frame, which is movable relative to the base frame, and are adapted to swing about predetermined rotational axes. The second clamp members can be moved toward the first clamp members to clamp a workpiece therebetween.

Abstract: A microwave heating device for heating a material in a heating room by microwave radiation produced by a microwave oscillator. The heating device includes an outer waveguide for channeling the microwave radiation from the microwave oscillator into the heating room. The outer waveguide is connected at a first end to the heating room. The microwave heating device also includes a rotary reflector unit disposed adjacent to the first end of the outer waveguide, for uniformly distributing the microwave radiation in the heating room. The rotary reflector unit includes a reflector member positioned to receive the microwave radiation from the outer waveguide for reflecting the microwave radiation, and a drive device for rotating the reflector member to cause irregular reflection of the microwave radiation.

Abstract: A vacuum conveyor system including a conveyor having plural mounting portions on which workpieces are mounted in spaced-apart relation along an endless track, comprising: plural enclosure devices provided on the plural mounting portions of the conveyor, respectively, for forming air-tight enclosed chambers in which the workpieces mounted on the mounting portions are accommodated, respectively; a vacuum source for drawing an atmosphere from the enclosed chambers; and a suction piping assembly disposed along the conveyor and travelling together with the conveyor along the endless track, the suction piping assembly being connected to the vacuum source and having connections which are adapted to communicate with the enclosed chambers to evacuate the enclosed chambers to a predetermined reduced pressure.

Abstract: The disclosed method and device use a gear rotatably carried by a holder and a movable support board supporting a film-attached ceramic honeycomb body, the gear having pointed teeth disposed at a suitable pitch, and as being thrusted into the body through the film attached to the body the gear is allowed to sway, so that the film is perforated at positions corresponding to selected open ends of throughholes of the body while allowing the gear to sway, so that the throughholes are selectively plugged by pressing sealant therein through the perforated film and the body is rendered into a ceramic honeycomb filter with filtering passages formed of partitions of the thus plugged throughholes.