Abstract: A method of reducing the heat loss of a workpiece when the workpiece is displaced from a furnace to a tool includes displacing the workpiece resting on a carrier to the tool. The displacement takes place with the workpiece and the carrier located internally in a box with a heat reflecting inner side. At the tool, the workpiece is exposed. An apparatus for carrying the method into effect his according to the present invention, a box with a heat reflecting inner side and a linear conveyor for insertion and removal of the carrier and the workpiece into and out of the box, respectively.

Abstract: A method of depositing one or more stiffener onto a wiring board includes the steps of engaging the wiring board onto a heat-retaining pallet to form an assembly, pre-heating the assembly to a temperature ranged from 70 to 140° C., and disposing the stiffeners onto the pre-heated wiring board of the assembly, wherein the pallet of the assembly retains sufficient heat for the wiring board to at least partially melt the stiffener, more preferably adhesive stiffener, to fix onto the wiring board upon disposition of the stiffeners.

Abstract: A transport apparatus for dry extraction and transport of fly ashes produced inside solid fuel boilers, adapted to be associated with a fume dedusting system and including: a metal belt conveyor, having a plurality of slats partially overlapped, adapted to support a bed of fly ashes to transport the bed along a preset path, and a sealed metal casing inside which the slats move; and containment means for fly ashes, adapted to confine the ashes on the slats and along the transport path so as to limit relative motion between ashes and conveyor, which means comprises transverse boards, leveling members, side boards and a movable rear baffle.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a thermal processing system and methods for uniformly heating and/or cooling a semiconductor wafer. Embodiments of the invention may be applied to provide a more uniform temperature profile when processing 300 mm and larger wafers having different curvature profiles that occur at the same and/or different points in a manufacturing cycle. Wafer curvature can be dependent on the number and thickness of the metal layers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for intermittently conveying packages which are conveyed in a first moving direction in package carriers (2) in a first processing plane in positions underneath various treatment stations and are conveyed back in a second return motion plane in a second moving direction that is parallel in relation to the first moving direction, whereby a conveying cycle is formed. The aim of the invention is to enable such a device to be efficient, compact and be operated using simple devices. According to the invention, the respectively superimposed ends of the essentially horizontal first conveyor (19) in the first processing plane and of the essentially horizontal third conveyor (12) in the second return motion plane are connected to one another for forming the conveying cycle by means of vertically acting second and fourth lifting conveyors (9, 15). Each conveyor (9, 19, 12, 15) has a separate drive (22-24).

Abstract: A method of removing a solidified body of polyethylene from a Unipol reactor using a robotic apparatus extended through a porthole on top of the reactor.

Abstract: An apparatus mounted to an enclosure housing of a water entrained ash hopper for dislodging ash pluggages across an ash discharge opening in the ash hopper to maintain passage of ash from the ash hopper. The apparatus comprising a plate rotatably and sealingly connected to the enclosure housing, and a cylinder, mounted to the plate. The cylinder mounted to the plate such that a rod assembly extending from the cylinder is angularly disposed through the plate toward the ash discharge opening so as to be selectively extendable through a selected area of the ash discharge opening along an arc-shaped path. The piston movable from a retracted position to an extended position such that the rod extends into the ash discharge opening to dislodge ash pluggages disposed across the ash discharge opening. The rod assembly adapted to convey a stream of high pressure fluid against the ash pluggage.

Abstract: A method for forming a terraced structure in the upper surface of a particulate solid bed, typically oil shale, moving upward through an upflow retort and removing particulate solids from the upper surface, which includes rotating a scraping means comprising a shaft having a plurality of scrapers secured thereto arranged in a vertically spaced-apart relationship and in a radially outwardly-stepped relationship relative to a vertical axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A vertical tunnel kiln (10) comprising a firing kiln (30) having a interior core (42) supporting a spiral chute (46) attached to the periphery of the core (42). A vibratory bowl feeder (20) automatically feeds parts (100) individually to the upper end (24) of the spiral chute (46), and the parts (100) progress down the chute by means of vibrations imparted to the interior core (42) and chute (46) by a vibratory mechanism (40) attached to the annular base (47). Heating elements (38) and (70) are disposed exteriorly and interiorly, respectively, about the interior core (42) to produce a temperature gradient. As the parts (100) advance along chute 46, resistive materials on the parts (100) are heated in the preheat section (54) to remove volatile organic materials, fired in the intermediate portion (55) of the firing kiln (30), and then cooled in the cooling portion (56). The parts (100) are removed individually by an escapement mechanism (80) attached to the lower end of the spiral chute (46).

Abstract: A discharge implement is provided, which is operable to discharge sponge iron from a shaft furnace and constitutes the bottom structure of the shaft furnace and is formed with flow passages for a cooling liquid. In order to ensure a uniform discharge, the discharge implement consists of a grate, which comprises parallel grate bars, which are non-circular in cross-section and are operable to perform rotational oscillations about their respective longitudinal axes. The grate bars are hollow so that they can conduct a cooling liquid, and they surround and are radially spaced from an inner tube, which has at least one opening, through which the interior of the inner tube communicates with the annular space defined between the inner tube and the shell of the grate bar.