Abstract: A method of manufacturing a honeycomb structure including a honeycomb unit includes forming a honeycomb molded body having a plurality of cells extending from a first end face to a second end face of the honeycomb molded body along a longitudinal direction of the honeycomb molded body and separated by a plurality of cell walls, placing the honeycomb molded body in a degreasing apparatus so that the first end face faces downward and the second end face faces upward, feeding introduced gas into the degreasing apparatus, degreasing the honeycomb molded body at a temperature of approximately 200° C. to approximately 400° C., and firing the degreased honeycomb molded body at a temperature of approximately 500° C. to approximately 900° C. to obtain the honeycomb unit.

Abstract: A manure removal and drying system is used in an agricultural setting. The system includes a static pressure control system for regulating an amount of static pressure in a high pressure area of the agricultural setting, a variable speed loading system for varying a speed of operation of the system based on an amount of manure being removed and dried in the agricultural setting, a moisture sensing control system for detecting moisture from the manure in order to activate or deactivate the system, a selective capacity control system for selectively scaling a distance the manure in the agricultural setting is moved, and a friction reduction system for reducing the buildup of friction within the system caused by the movement of belts.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally debinding a cellular ceramic green body includes a duct preferably defined between a first housing and a second housing. A carrier assembly for the green body is adapted for arrangement within a channel such that the green body is positioned between a first portion of the channel and a second portion of the channel. The apparatus further includes a nozzle positioned to inject gases from the duct into a first portion of the channel and a recirculation fan positioned to draw gases out of a second portion of the channel and discharge the gases into the duct. Also described is a carrier assembly including a base support comprising a plurality of spaced stringer beams having spaces between adjacent ones; and a plurality of ring supports including openings, said ring supports mounted on, and bridging the spaces between, the stringer beams, the ring supports having a surface adapted to support the green body.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delubrification of parts. The method comprising the steps of moving the parts on the belt into a chamber of the furnace, heating the parts, igniting the unused combustible atmosphere above the parts, and allowing the atmosphere above the parts to escape through a vent in the chamber. The parts are heated uniformly by a heat source beneath the belt. The hot atmosphere is forced up through at least one plenum by blowers. The unused combustible atmosphere in the chamber above the parts on the belt is ignited using a burner and vented through the vent in the chamber.

Abstract: A method for making a furnace for heating a glass sheet by lower electric resistance elements (50) supported by a furnace housing (12) below a roll conveyor (40) and by supplying a gas burner heated hot gas flow from a forced convection heater (56) that provides a dominant mode of external heat for heating the conveyed glass sheet from above. The furnace is manufactured by retrofitting an electric resistance heater type glass sheet furnace that initially has both lower and upper electric resistance elements (50) located below and above the roller conveyor (40). The lower electric resistance elements (50) are maintained while the upper electric resistance elements (50) are replaced with a gas burner forced convection heater (56).

Abstract: A method and furnace for heating a glass sheet by lower electric resistance elements (50) supported by a furnace housing (12) below a roll conveyor (40) and by supplying a gas burner heated hot gas flow from a forced convection heater (56) that provides a dominant mode of external heat for heating the conveyed glass sheet from above. The furnace can also be manufactured by retrofitting an electric resistance heater type glass sheet furnace.

Abstract: In the preheating zone of a ceramic tunnel kiln, a smooth increase in the charge temperature over the full kiln cross-section and, for this reason, a high speed of throughput of goods through the kiln, may be produced by mixing up and heating the kiln gases by at least one flameless hot gas jet forced into the preheating zone of the tunnel kiln. This measure furthermore makes it possible for the heat or thermal balance of a tunnel kiln to be made better.

Abstract: The improvement in a walking beam oil country tube reheat furnace comprises a first row of burners positioned in spaced relationship and transverse the furnace hearth with each of the burners containing a refractory housing positioned in the limited space between the walking beam pass line and the hearth of the furnace. The burner includes a burner body and a centrally disposed fuel tube so as to define an annular air chamber thereabout. The burner includes a 90.degree. bend so as to fire in parallel relationship to the pass line. The method of retrofitting a top fired walking beam furnace includes inserting at least one unitized bung of said spaced burners through the furnace floor and into the space between the pass line and floor and firing the burners in parallel relationship with the pass line.

Abstract: An apparatus for heat-treating pipes comprising a furnace chamber for accommodating a plurality of pipes as arranged in parallel, a chain conveyor disposed in the furnace chamber for transporting the pipes in a direction at right angles to the axes of the pipes, and a plurality of stopper means for stopping the pipes intermittently at suitably spaced-apart positions in the path of transport by the chain conveyor and causing each of the pipes to rotate about its own axis in cooperation with the chain conveyor. Since the pipe is intermittently stopped and rotated about its own axis during heat treatment, the pipe is free of thermal deformation to an elliptical shape. Pipes can be heat-treated in succession in a small space, therefore with a very high efficiency. The motion of the chain conveyor is utilized for rotating the pipe without necessitating any additional device for the rotation.

Abstract: A heat-treating apparatus for practicing a method in which when red-hot iron pipes produced by a centrifugal casting machine are cooled, the pipes are slowly cooled over the temperature range of 800.degree. to 700.degree. C. to ferritize the pipes without separately annealing the pipes. A heat-treating furnace disposed close to one end of the rotary mold of the casting machine has furnace chambers each provided with pairs of rotatable rollers for supporting the pipe in rotation to prevent the deformation of the pipe. Each of the chambers has heating burners or a cooling heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature and cooling speed of the pipe placed in the chamber. According to a preferred embodiment, the furnace chambers are separated by openable partition members of circular-arc section, and each of the chambers has turnable levers for transferring the pipe to another chamber adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A furnace for receiving continuously advancing stock in linear array is assembled from a number of independent furnace units. In each unit, a furnace chamber surrounds the advancing stock with a radiative wall. Each chamber is fired by gas burners which surround the stock at the chamber exit. The burners include a series of gas jets which feed the fuel, with or without air, radially into the chamber toward the stock and a series of air jets which are paired with the gas jets to feed combustion air axially into the chamber.

Abstract: The oven according to the invention comprises a plurality of heated superimposed channels and a plurality of rollers for supporting and advancing the ceramic materials, generally tiles, arranged transversely in each channel and closer to the ceiling than to the floor of the channel. Preferably the distance of the roller axes from the channel floor is not less than twice the pitch of the rollers and their distance from the channel ceiling is not more than such pitch. Preferably the channels are each constituted by a plurality of laterally juxtaposed chambers separated by partitions, the rollers extending through the channels without engaging the partitions. The superimposed adjacent channels are preferably separated by hollow slabs and slabs are located above the highest and below the lowest channels, hot gases being introduced into the cavities within the slabs and flowing out through apertures in the slabs to heat the tiles, or electrical resistances are provided in the slabs.

Abstract: Reasons of ecology, health and prevention of corrosion require firing methods and furnaces with which the contents of soot and uncombustible gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen, hydrocarbons as well as nitrogen oxides and sulfur trioxides do not excess certain levels. This is obtained by a firing method in which a fuel is decomposed with deficient amounts of primary combustion air to combustible gases. Such gases are combusted by the admixture of secondary and tertiary combustion air amounts whereby a flame is obtained which is extended in space and time and, thus, the temperature of which does not rise above moderate values such as 1400.degree. C. Prior to being exhausted, the combustion gases are thoroughly mixed so as to obtain perfect combustion of possibly subsisting combustible substances. Exhausting takes place with heat withdrawal so that cool and pure combustion gases enter the ambiency.

Abstract: This oven has a primary heating chamber containing heat-generating equipment producing hot gases. These gases pass from the primary heating chamber to a secondary heating chamber occupied by an indexing rotary magazine in object-exchanging relationship with a mechanism for inducing movement of the objects through the oven. The secondary heating chamber can be used for either pre-heating or heat-soaking the objects, depending on the direction of movement of the objects through the oven. The objects are loaded on the carrier (or removed, according to the application of the oven) radially at a position angularly spaced from the position of exchange with the movement-inducing means.