Abstract: The continuous heat treatment furnace of the present invention is provided with at least one drying and binder-removing area where drying of the objects to be thermally treated and/or removal of binder are carried out and a firing area where the objects to be thermally treated is fired in succession from inlet side towards outlet side of the furnace, the objects to be thermally treated being subjected to drying and/or removal of binder while being transported through the drying and binder-removing area and thereafter being fired while being transported through the firing area, wherein the heat treatment furnace has at least two transporting mechanisms disposed along the transporting direction of the objects to be thermally treated as transporting mechanisms for transporting the objects to be thermally treated, the objects to be thermally treated are transported by different transporting mechanisms in the drying and binder-removing area and the firing area, respectively, and the transporting speed of each tran

Abstract: The continuous heat treatment furnace of the present invention is provided with at least one drying and binder-removing area where drying of the objects to be thermally treated and/or removal of binder are carried out and a firing area where the objects to be thermally treated is fired in succession from inlet side towards outlet side of the furnace, the objects to be thermally treated being subjected to drying and/or removal of binder while being transported through the drying and binder-removing area and thereafter being fired while being transported through the firing area, wherein the heat treatment furnace has at least two transporting mechanisms disposed along the transporting direction of the objects to be thermally treated as transporting mechanisms for transporting the objects to be thermally treated, the objects to be thermally treated are transported by different transporting mechanisms in the drying and binder-removing area and the firing area, respectively, and the transporting speed of each tran

Abstract: The rollers of a roller hearth kiln are coupled to corresponding driving shafts respectively, and each of the driving shafts has one thereof horizontally extended away from the kiln. A case which is disposed along the kiln houses the extended ends of the driving shaft, and vertical sprocket wheels are mounted on the extended ends of the driving shafts in the above case respectively. A rail is secured to the bottom of the case so as to extend below the sprocket wheels, and a driving chain moves on the rail while engaging the sprocket wheels from below.