Abstract: A forced cooling apparatus for a heat treatment apparatus comprising a heat treatment furnace having a process tube with one end open at an furnace opening and another end closed at an furnace top portion; and a heater portion which covers the process tube, and wherein cooling of the heat treatment furnace is performed by forced cooling by flowing air into a gap formed between the heater portion and the process tube and which extends to the furnace top portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a plurality of circular wafers including a tubular heater, a boat and a plurality of heat transfer bodies. The tubular heater has a heating space inside and radiates heat within the heating space. The boat is loaded inside the heating space of the tubular heater and holds the wafers in parallel. Heat transfer bodies are located between the wafers.

Abstract: Nozzles that blow an air are disposed in a space between an outer wall of a process tube and a heat generating resistor. The openings of the nozzles are oriented to the process tube corresponding to an arrangement area of semiconductor wafers. An air blowing angle and alignment of the openings of the nozzles are designated corresponding to the length of the arrangement area of the semiconductor wafers. Thus, since a portion where natural heat radiation is weak is forcedly cooled, the cooling effect can become equal in the entire region of the process tube, thereby reducing temperature drop time.

Abstract: A silicon/silicon carbide material which eliminates contamination by outgassing and direct contact is described as well as wafer processing pans made of this material and wafer processing methods using the silicon/silicon carbide material. An ultraclean silicon/silicon carbide material may be formed by first forming a Si/SiC part by prior art methods. The Si/SiC part then is subjected to a temperature sufficient to cause the impurities within the silicon carbide to either react and/or diffuse into the silicon fill. The contaminated silicon fill is then removed, either by high temperature evaporation or by a chemical etch. Clean silicon is then impregnated within the pore space of the silicon carbide pan. The part which results has ultraclean silicon and silicon carbide grains which have most, if not all, of the impurities removed from the surface of the grains. Thus, an ultraclean material results which will not outgas or directly contaminate silicon wafers.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a vertical heat treatment apparatus having a heat insulator, which has sufficient heat insulation, heat retention and high load pressure bearing properties to cope with increased size dimensions and number of layers of wafer workpieces and can be particularly advantageously used as a semiconductor and TFT substrate heat treatment apparatus. The apparatus features the use of a heat insulator casing 40 supporting a substrate holder 3 on its top and receiving a heat insulator 50 having numerous inner microspaces in its lower space, and defining a substrate holder or boat insulator receiving space A and a heat insulator receiving space B such that these spaces are hermetically sealed with respect to each other by the heat insulator casing.

Abstract: A heat treating device including a pressure detecting unit for outputting an output signal when a pressure in a heat processing furnace becomes a set value, an air release pipe having a first valve and a check valve, a differential pressure gauge shut off by a second valve in terms of pressure from the interior of the heat processing furnace, and an air feed pipe having a third valve. One ends of each of the air release pipe and the air feed pipe is connected respectively to the heat processing furnace and the other ends opened in air. In such arrangement, after processing gases are evacuated from the heat processing furnace, an inert gas is fed. Then when an internal pressure of the furnace becomes near an air pressure, the first valve is opened in response to the output signal of the pressure detecting unit to make the internal pressure of the heat processing furnace a little higher than the air pressure.

Abstract: An atmospheric oven containing an atmospheric gas kept at a predetermined purity accommodates a transport for transporting an object to be heated along a predetermined transporting path. A rectangular sectioned tubular body for preventing the gas from flowing outside the oven extends a certain length from an entrance of the oven and an exit of the oven and has a sectional area necessary for passing the object through the tubular body.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for heat treating in a heat treating apparatus having a heating chamber to be introduced with predetermined gas, a heater disposed around the heating chamber, and jigs disposed in the heating chamber for supporting wafers of a plurality of substrates to be treated in parallel with each other, wherein in order to make the temperature distribution of the wafers of the substrates to be treated in the radial direction uniform in the heat treatment, the jigs are formed to determine the sizes and the shape thereof in predetermined ranges having a gradient according to the heat treating method having a predetermined shape determining procedure so that the jigs are formed in ring-shaped trays (i.e. support-ring) for holding at the peripheries the substrates to be treated and the thickness of the tray is constant or such that the outer peripheral side thereof is thicker than the inner peripheral side thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal processing method wherein a cylindrical process tube that has at one end an entrance/exit is provided at the other end thereof with a heat source, and thermal processing is performed on a workpiece which has been brought in from the entrance/exit of the process tube to a prescribed position therein. This thermal processing method and an apparatus therefor is characterized in that, when the workpiece is moved to the prescribed position, it is first moved to a proximity position that is closer to the heat source than the prescribed position, then it is returned therefrom to the prescribed position.

Abstract: A ventilated conveyor oven is provided. The oven uses a makeup air fan to admit air to the plenum extending across the front of the unit and across the top of the unit. Exhaust channels are provided on the sides spaced above and below the conveyor oven entrance and exit and extending across the top to an exhaust fan outlet. The exhaust channels on the top are superimposed over the air makeup plenum. Vertical exhaust plenums are provided at each of three corners, with the fourth corner mounting a control panel and an air makeup external channel thereover.

Abstract: The invention relates to a soldering apparatus comprising: a soldering chamber; transporting means for transporting the objects to be soldered through the soldering chamber; and heating means for heating the objects to be soldered in the soldering chamber, wherein the heating means are formed by means for feeding heated gas to the chamber. A simple device is thus obtained which heats uniformly. Such an apparatus can be embodied in both closed and open form. According to one of the preferred embodiments the means for feeding heated gas are formed by at least one heating unit, wherein the heating units are each formed by a fan and at least one heating device, for instance an electrical heating filament, connected forwardly thereof. Cooling units can also be used.

Abstract: An easily repairable, high efficiency, durable, compact heat exchanger having a modular heat exchanger tube may be provided. The modular heat exchanger tube may be easily disassembled so that any of its modular component tubes (such as its combustion area tube) may be easily removed for repair or replacement. Internal alignment and sealing sleeves may be provided for the adjacent modular component tubes of the heat exchanger tube. The internal sleeves may automatically and permanently increase their sealing power due the automatic and permanent expansion they undergo when they are stress relieved by being heated for the first time by the combustion gasses within the heat exchanger tube. Stress cracking of the heat exchanger tube may be reduced by supporting the heat exchanger tube so that it may move freely as it heats up (expands) and cools down (contracts) during the normal thermal operating cycles of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A pusher which pushes up semiconductor wafers has wafer fixing grooves to which they are fixed. Wafer detecting sensors which detect whether the semiconductor wafers are present are positioned in side walls of the wafer fixing grooves. The pusher is composed of an grounded aluminum base material and a resin coat formed on the base material. The surface of the aluminum base material is alumite-treated. The resin coat has a thickness of approximately 20 .mu.m. The resin coat is made of Teflon.

Abstract: A treatment system is disclosed, which has a treatment apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment for a planar workpiece contained in a carrier, and an first air-tight carrier storage chamber for storing the carrier. The treatment apparatus may also have an air-tight second carrier storage chamber. An inert gas supply and an exhaust means are connected to each of the treatment apparatus, the first carrier storage chamber, and the second carrier storage chamber. A valve device is provided for the inert gas supply and exhaust means.

Abstract: In a semiconductor wafer heat-treating apparatus, there is provided a piping connection device on a gas inlet pipe leading to the heat-treating apparatus and a gas outlet pipe derived from the heat-treating apparatus. The piping connection device has a spherical convex connecting element, and a concave connecting element having a concave spherical surface into which the spherical element is snugly fitted. A pair of presser plates are placed on the outer surfaces of the two connecting elements and clamped by bolts so as to press confronting sealing surfaces of the convex and concave connecting elements against each other. Because the outer surfaces of the two connecting elements to be engaged with the pair of presser plates are spherically fashioned, the connection surfaces can present a satisfactory sealing condition without subjecting the pair of the pipes connected by the piping connection device to excessive biasing forces even though the two pipes are angled to each other.

Abstract: A forced cooling apparatus for a heat treatment apparatus comprising a heat treatment furnace having a process tube with one end open at an furnace opening and another end closed at an furnace top portion; and a heater portion which covers the process tube, and wherein cooling of the heat treatment furnace is performed by forced cooling by flowing air into a gap formed between the heater portion and the process tube and which extends to the furnace top portion.

Abstract: A soldering apparatus is disclosed which includes a longitudinally extending, air-tight housing having four contiguous, first through fourth zones and and inlet and outlet openings at both longitudinal ends thereof, a conveyer for conveying an article to be soldered along a predetermined path extending through the inlet opening, the first to fourth zones and the outlet opening, a soldering device provided in the second zone for applying a molten solder to the article traveling through the second zone, a plurality of upper and lower partition plates disposed in each of the first, third and fourth zones to partition each zone into a plurality of open ended chambers, an inert gas diffuser provided within at least one of the chambers of the third zone, and an air diffuser provided within at least one of the chambers of the fourth zone, so that the diffusion of air from the fourth zone to the third zone is substantially prevented while the diffusion of the inert gas from the third zone to the outlet opening throug

Abstract: A reflow soldering apparatus comprises a preheating chamber and a reflow chamber, both of which are furnished with a plurality of means for circulating a hot gas being composed of a cross flow blower, a divergent nozzle, a heater, a temperature sensor, a temperature controller, and a power regulator etc. The cross-flow blowers above a conveyer are arranged in a back to back manner and the blowers beneath the conveyer are arranged in a face to face manner, and soldering is performed by impinging the hot gas upon a circuit substrate being transferred by the conveyer.A reflow soldering apparatus having a small temperature fluctuation in the preheating chamber and the reflow chamber, high reliability in the soldering by maintaining a desired temperature profile, and preferable economy is provided.

Abstract: A movable cantilevered purge system providing for a wafer load position, a wafer purge position, and a wafer process position. The movable cantilevered purge system includes an elephant carrier vehicle for movement of a movable quartz elephant tube. The movable quartz elephant tube includes a purge injector and a return exhaust tube. A cantilevered paddle clamping vehicle moves behind the movable quartz elephant carrier vehicle and holds a silicon carbide or ceramic paddle. The elephant carrier vehicle includes a quartz sealing ring and a stainless steel sealing ring carried on pivotable adjusting blocks, and are supported by a plurality of cylindrical tubes. The quartz sealing ring concentrically positions about the process tube of the furnace and a metal ring positions about a scavenger face. The return exhaust tube connects back into the scavenger area of the furnace.

Abstract: A solder reflow furnace includes piping to supply an inert gas into the furnace to maintain an inert gas atmosphere within the furnace and a cooling zone provided next to a main heating zone. The cooling zone is provided with a gas cooling device in which printed circuit boards after soldering are cooled by an inert cooling gas which is in turn cooled indirectly by air outside the furnace so that air is prevented from flowing into the furnace.

Abstract: An oxidation/diffusion processing apparatus includes a processing vessel, arranged such that a longitudinal direction is vertical, for storing a plurality of target objects to be processed, a heater arranged around the processing vessel, for heating the interior of the processing vessel, a process gas supply mechanism for supplying a process gas from the lower portion of the processing vessel into the processing vessel, and an exhaust mechanism for exhausting a processed exhaust gas from the upper portion of the processing vessel. The process gas is supplied to the target objects heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater to perform oxidation/diffusion processing to the target objects.

Abstract: A heater body or a circulation path for a heating gas is provided in an inner surface of a lid body that opens and closes an opening portion of a process tube. The circulation path is formed in such a manner that it passes through a gap between the lid body and the shaft of a rotation mechanism that rotates a quartz boat holding semiconductor wafers within the process tube. A heating gas at a temperature at least as high as the vaporization temperature of reaction products is made to circulate through this circulation path. Since the inner surfaces of the lid body are heated, reaction products do not adhere to the inner walls of the lid body and the lower portions of the process tube. Since there no source of contamination is generated thereby, the semiconductor wafers and the clean room are not contaminated. Since the circulation gas is made to flow in the reverse direction in the gap, there is no leakage of reaction gas therefrom.

Abstract: A contaminant trap for a high temperature, vertical furnace of the type used in semiconductor fabrication processing. The trap is designed to reduce particulate deposition within the process chamber, thereby decreasing the likelihood of by-product contamination of the wafers. The trap includes a housing having at least one sidewall, a bottom wall and a top wall which together define an inner compartment. The housing is attached to the exhaust port of the process chamber such that exhaust by-products in the process chamber may not be evacuated through the exhaust port around the housing. The housing has an input opening in the sidewall through which exhaust by-products pass from the process chamber into the inner compartment. An output opening extends through the sidewall near the top wall through which exhaust by-products are subsequently removed from the interior compartment of the housing.

Abstract: A crosshead shoe for the sliding transport on rails of a material to be annealed has, for the lateral guiding on the rails, an approximately U-shaped cross section with downwardly projecting legs. Special glide elements are provided on the side of the glide shoe which faces the glide plane, and/or the rail, which glide elements are designed so that as little wear and friction as possible occur during the movement of the crosshead shoes. The glide elements have glide surfaces for this purpose, the side surfaces of which glide surfaces are rounded and/or downwardly inclined, and/or the peripheral edges of which are associated with one another in obtuse angles or have a shape which is at least partially circular. These conditions exist, for example, in glide elements with polygonal or circular surfaces, which can be arranged in one or several rows or in a honeycomb pattern.

Abstract: A conveyor oven module has a very low profile so that more oven modules may be stacked to give a greater baking capacity in the same "foot print" without the top conveyor being higher than the five and a half feet from the floor, which is the generally accepted maximum height for people to reach. Almost all serviceable parts are in the front of the oven. The oven modules are self-contained so that an oven module may be serviced while the remainder of the oven modules in the stack continue to operate.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus includes a process tube for heat treatment of an object to be heat treated, and a load lock chamber linked to the process tube and for housing the object to be heat treated and maintaining either a vacuum or maintaining an arbitrary inert gas atmosphere, and with the load lock chamber being provided with an elevator for raising the object to be heat treated on a loading mechanism and into the process tube, and a nozzle unit provided with a plural number of gas emission openings in an inner wall of the load lock chamber on a side opposing the elevator, and to uniformly emit gas to the object to be heat treated and which is on the loading mechanism. By such a configuration, it is possible to emit gas uniformly to the object for heat treatment and which is on the loading mechanism for the object for heat treatment.

Abstract: A convection muffle furnace for brazing and/or annealing a workpiece includes a muffle having towers formed integrally therewith and being mounted movable relative to a top wall of a furnace. Circulation fans are mounted in the towers so as to move along with the muffle during its expansion and contraction for producing forced convection heat transfer.

Abstract: A tube furnace used for high-temperature processing of semiconductor wafers or the like employs features to improve the gas flow. One feature is reducing, or essentially eliminating, regions of gas recirculation in the outer annular region inherently present in a horizontal hot-wall atmospheric oxidation reactor equipped with a tubular cantilever for holding semiconductor wafers. The annular region is effectively isolated from the rest of the reactor by a solid circular quartz ring or barrier formed on the inner wall of the furnace tube, acting as a physical barrier against gas penetration inside the outer annulus.

Abstract: The subject invention encompasses a thermal processing furnace having an elongated cylindrical processing chamber surrounding a tower assembly capable of receiving one or more articles to be processed. A pedestal assembly supports the tower assembly and contains a quartz door thereon which is axially translatable relative to the processing chamber into an inserted position where the tower assembly is inserted into the processing chamber. A quartz flange located along the perimeter of an opening at the end of the processing chamber contacts the quartz door forming a quartz seal therewith when the pedestal assembly is moved into the inserted position. A scavenger cavity is located at the end of the chamber having the opening therein and is in fluid flow relationship with the contact area between the quartz flange and the quartz door forming a quartz seal. Gas from within the processing chamber which may leak through the quartz seal is captured by the scavenger cavity and evacuated by an evacuation means.

Abstract: A forced cooling apparatus for a heat treatment apparatus comprising a heat treatment furnace having a process tube with one end open at an furnace opening and another end closed at an furnace top portion; and a heater, portion which covers the process tube, and wherein cooling of the heat treatment furnace is performed by forced cooling by flowing air into a gap formed between the heater portion and the process tube and which extends to the furnace top portion.

Abstract: A tube furnace used for high-temperature processing of semiconductor wafers or the like employs features to improve the gas flow. A primary feature of this invention is improving the plug flow characteristics of the furnace by preventing the undesirable elongation of the gas jet entering the reaction system through the injector nozzle. This elongated gas jet induces unwanted turbulence within the system and causes premature and incomplete mixing of reactant gases in the longitudinal direction. Improvement in plug flow characteristics is attained by use of a quartz baffle at the entrance region of the reactor located a distance from the gas inlet. The shape and location of the baffle are such that it acts as a physical barrier against the elongated gas jet and confines the turbulence in the initial fill chamber created by the entrance region of the reactor and the baffle.

Abstract: A material treating apparatus having a treating chamber through which material is continuously displaced over an elongated, horizontally disposed bedplate. The bedplate is formed with a large number of small apertures distributed over the plate and permitting a gaseous treating fluid to flow upwardly through the bedplate and the overlying material to effect its treatment. A distribution chamber for the gaseous fluid underlies and extends the length of the bedplate and connects at one longitudinal end with a source of the fluid. This source induces the gaseous fluid to flow into and then longitudinally through the distribution chamber ultimately exiting through the apertures of the bedplate. A flow control plate is positioned in the distribution chamber adjacent the end through which the gaseous fluid enters.

Abstract: An improved industrial furnace employing a new and unique heat transfer arrangement is disclosed. The furnace is a closed end cylindrical chamber with a circular, concentrically positioned plate dividing one side of the furnace into a fan chamber containing a fan and the other side of the furnace into a heat treat chamber containing the work. The plate has a central under-pressure opening and its outer circular edge is spaced from the cylindrical wall to define an annular space which is non-orificing. Fan rotation in the fan chamber produces an annulus of wind mass swirling at high circumferential speed which axially travels through the non-orificing space towards the closed end of the heat treat chamber at slow speed. Heating elements extend through the non-orificing space into the heat transfer chamber and are constantly impinged by the swirling annulus wind mass to effect good heat transfer therewith.

Abstract: A rotary, continuous pyrolytic conversion system converts solid hydrocarbons into gases, liquid hydrocarbons and char by pyrolyzing feed stocks including: plastic waste, tires and plastic from automobile shredding operations; containers and trays of styrofoam and other plastic materials such as used in "fast food" restaurants; rubber; leather; tires; garbage; sewage sludge; coal; oil shale; broken asphalt and the like. These materials are preferably shredded and kinds thereof having different melting points are mixed to facilitate movement of the feed stock through the converter without clogging. Preferably, the materials are baled and injected into the converter where they are severed as they are injected. The materials are fed by gravity from the input end of a converter drum to the discharge end thereof; the input end being elevated above the discharge end.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus includes a casing, a vertical heat treatment furnace provided in the casing, a substrate holding unit mounted in the casing for holding substrates to be heat-treated in the vertical heat treatment furnace, a loading/unloading unit having a wafer boat for supporting the substrates, the loading/unloading unit being adapted to put the substrates in and take the same out of the vertical heat treatment furnace, and a transportation robot for moving the substrates between the substrate holding unit and the wafer boat. The vertical heat treatment apparatus further includes a clean air supplying unit for supplying clean air sideways to the wafers supported by the wafer boat when the loading/unloading unit is at an unloading position, a and duct for introducing air from the outside of the apparatus. The clean air supplying unit is provided with an air filter disposed opposed to the wafer boat.

Abstract: A heat processing apparatus of the vertical type includes a box which has a process tube in the upper half thereof and a space in the lower half thereof. A cap for the process tube can be moved up and down between an upper position where the cap closes the process tube while holding a wafer boat on it and a lower position in the space where it opens the process tube. Clean air is supplied into the space through a dust removing filter located on one side of the space and exhausted from the space through the other side of the space. The air thus exhausted is collected by a gas processing system, which serves to remove harmful components from the air thus collected. A scavenger is arranged enclosing the open bottom of the process tube. Gas remaining in the process tube after the heat process is sucked by the scavenger and collected by another gas processing system.

Abstract: A heat processing apparatus comprises a heating furnace, a process tube located in the heating furnace and having an open bottom, a manifold connected to the open bottom of the process tube, a sealing member sandwiched between the process tube and the manifold to air-tightly seal the process tube, a fixing member for fixing the process tube to the manifold, a heat transmitting member made of metal and sandwiched between the fixing member and the process tube to radiate heat at that area of the process tube, which is opposed to the fixing member, to the fixing member by heat conduction, and a heat exchange conduit arranged in the fixing member and having a passage through which heat exchanging medium flows to cool the fixing member by heat exchange.

Abstract: A compact efficient air flotation dryer with a built-in afterburner for combustion of solvent-laden air within a dryer-enclosed combustion chamber. An internal exhaust fan propels internal solvent-laden air across a burner where it combusts, causing a heat rise. Heated, combusted air is routed to a recirculating supply air fan which provides for pressurized heated air for air bars for drying a web. Heated air in excess of that required to dry the web is vented externally and helps to maintain desired solvent concentration levels Variable parameters such as fan speed, burner temperatures, air box pressures, exhaust air rate, solvent concentration, supply air flow, supply air temperature and damper vane position are monitored, and the components are actuated to effect a high level of clean up efficiency.

Abstract: In a method and a system in which while carrying objects to be treated to a preheating chamber and a reflow chamber adjacent thereto, hot gases are blown against the objects to be treated by cross flow blowers provided in the preheating chamber and the reflow chamber to melt solder so as to solder electronic parts on a circuit substrate; a free air introducing port is controllably provided in the vicinity of an intake port of the cross flow blower in the preheating chamber, and an exhaust port and an exhaust fan for exhausting gases having an amount corresponding to the free air taken from the free air introducing port, out of the preheating chamber are provided.

Abstract: A controlled diffusion environment capsule system (10) is used with a conventional tubular high temperature furnace (12) as employed in semiconductor manufacturing. The system (10) includes a cantilever boat loading apparatus (14) and a quartz diffusion capsule (16). Wafer carriers (20) support semiconductor wafers (22) concentrically with capsule (16) in closely spaced relationship for processing in the furnace (12). The diffusion capsule (16) is supported on a pair of quartz rods (24). A quartz injector tube (28) extends the length of the diffusion capsule (16). The injector tube (28) has three rows of high aspect-ratio apertures (30) extending along its length to disperse nitrogen or other inert gas uniformly across the sufaces (32) of the wafers (22).

Abstract: A convection oven comprises a heating compartment, a burner for effecting combustion of gas, a heat exchanger for conducting therethrough the products of combustion of gas initiated at the burner, first and second blowers for blowing air past the heat exchanger and into the heating compartment for heating the compartment, upper and lower blowers each having an inlet through which air is drawn into the blowers from a common side of the heating compartment for recirculation past the heat exchanger, and the heat exchanger having first and second outlets for the combustion products respectively disposed in front of the inlets of the upper and lower blowers. Each outlet is located to direct the combustion products towards a lower region of the inlet of the respective blower.

Abstract: A device at a heat treatment oven of the type using a combination of radiation heat and convection heat, and where in connection to the oven chamber are provided means (4, 19) arranged to circulate the oven atmosphere through the oven chamber and a channel (20, 21) situated outside the oven chamber and back to the oven chamber, whereby the device incorporates a gas burner (7) arranged at combustion to emit its flame in a direction, which at least partly touches or coincides with the circulation channel (20, 21) for the oven atmosphere, and where the gas burner (7) is arranged to direct its flame into a vessel (22), provided in the circulation channel (20, 21) for the circulating atmosphere.

Abstract: An apparatus for burning pollutants in a carrier gas flow such as exhaust gases, is constructed as a compact unit. For this purpose a radial blower for the supply of the carrier gas which carries the pollutants is arranged directly in an inlet chamber of the gas cleaning apparatus. The inlet port of the inlet chamber is connected through a duct to the suction inlet of the radial blower. The compression outlet of the radial blower leads into a ring gap which in turn opens radially into the inlet chamber. For this purpose, the radial blower is enclosed by a blower housing which is arranged concentrically at one end of the housing opposite the burner arranged at the other end of the housing. The drive motor for the radial blower is mounted directly on the outside to an end wall of the housing of the apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed is a baffle apparatus for insertion into a semiconductor wafer processing furnace to diffuse processing gases that are injected into the furnace by an injector nozzle. The baffle apparatus comprises: a diffuser plate assembly having an upper end and a lower end, the diffuser plate assembly having at least one diffuser plate against which injected gases are to be forced; and the lower end of the diffuser plate assembly being sized and shaped to engage with and be supported by an elongated wafer paddle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating a product which includes a plurality of tapered ducts in a cabinet above and below a conveyor to form streams which are directed toward the product. Spent air is drawn through return ducts which have intake openings centered between entrance and exit openings in the cabinet and centered between lateral edges of a conveyor and between the tapered ducts to provide a balanced flow of spent air in the cabinet to the return opening. Temperature controlled gas is delivered at an angle through an array of openings adjacent opposite edges of an opening through which a conveyor extends to cause most of the heated air to be drawn to the return duct opening and to maintain internal pressure in the cabinet to prevent ingress and egress of air through the opening.

Abstract: An improved vacuum treatment system includes containers for accommodating articles to be treated, a tunnel-like casing in which a plurality of the casings can move contiguously, a driving device for making the containers move in the casing, a plurality of evacuation ducts open to the casing at a plurality of locations, sealing devices for sealing the clearance between the outer surfaces of the containers and the inner surface of the casing at the positions between the openings, and an evacuation facility for evacuating the inside of the casings through the evacuation ducts. The locations of the evacuation ducts closest to the opposite ends of the casing are spaced apart from the ends of the casing by distances greater than the length of the container. The intervals between the locations of the evacuation ducts are preferably longer than the length of the container.

Abstract: A radiant wall oven with a heating chamber and hot air chamber separated by a radiant wall, an air heating chamber, supply and return ducts between the air heating chamber and hot air chamber and blower means for circulating hot air through the ducts is provided with a radiant wall temperature control comprising two cascaded closed loop controls. The first compares the radiant wall temperature with a first setpoint value to generate the difference as a second setpoint value for the second, which compares the temperature of the supply duct with the second setpoint value to control a heat source such as a burner. Under certain conditions, the air heating chamber is vented to atmosphere.

Abstract: A heat-treatment apparatus of the invention includes a collective exhaust unit for constantly performing gas exhaust from a clean room to keep the room in a clean atmosphere, a heat-treatment furnace for receiving a gas and/or a liquid for forming a desired film on a surface of an object to be treated in a heating atmosphere, an exhaust path, communicating with the collective exhaust unit and the heat-treatment furnace, for introducing a gas filling the heat-treatment furnace into the collective exhaust unit, an outer air intake unit for taking in outer air in the exhaust path to adjust an exhaust pressure of the exhaust path, and a trap unit, arranged below the exhaust path, for trapping a waste liquid collected in the exhaust path.

Abstract: A preheater (12) preheating flat glass sheets prior to further heating to a higher temperature is disclosed as including a conveyor (18) and a pair of opposed forced convection heaters (20) that each include a plurality of elongated housings (22) having a baffle (30) that extends diagonally between the housing ends (26) and is spaced from outlets (28) of the housing to provide a mixing chamber (32) that results in mixing of hot gas supplied from opposite directions to plenum of the housing. This mixing provides a uniform flow of hot gas through the outlets (28) between the housing ends and thereby provides uniform preheating of the glass sheet over its entire extent.

Abstract: An improved industrial furnace employing a new and unique heat transfer arrangement is disclosed. The furnace is a closed end cylindrical chamber with a circular, concentrically positioned plate dividing one side of the furnace into a fan chamber containing a fan and the other side of the furnace into a heat treat chamber containing the work. The plate has a central under-pressure opening and its outer circular edge is spaced from the cylindrical wall to define an annular space which is non-orificing. Fan rotation in the fan chamber produces an annulus of wind mass swirling at high circumferential speed which axially travels through the non-orificing space towards the closed end of the heat treat chamber at slow speed. Heating elements extend through the non-orificing space into the heat transfer chamber and are constantly impinged by the swirling annulus wind mass to effect good heat transfer therewith.