Abstract: Disclosed is an elongated cylindrical furnace that includes a housing which defines an internal pressure chamber. An annular heater is disposed in the chamber in surrounding relationship to a centrally disposed material treatment space and an insulation layer is disposed in surrounding relationship to the heater. An annular gas impermeable wall is disposed in the chamber between the heater and the treatment space to isolate the latter from the space outside the wall where the heater is located. The outer heater space and the inner material treatment space are each provided with a respective source of pressurized gas for pressurization of the furnace to operating pressure.

Abstract: Apparatus for thermally treating glass sheets comprising a combustion chamber, a kiln and a hot gas delivery system for delivering a mixture comprising combustion products into the kiln in such a manner as to avoid deviations from a substantially uniform temperature pattern across the kiln suitable for sag bending and annealing glass sheets.The delivery system comprises a delivery pipe, means for dividing said mixture into two approximately equal flows of said mixture for supplying said flows through a pair of branch pipes, then through the length of a pair of manifolds, each comprising an open ended inner pipe, and a concentric apertured outer pipe. The outer pipes have upwardly directed nozzles of substantially equal cross-section located at approximately uniformly spaced intervals along their length.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of removing oil from metal scrap, comprising the steps of introducing oil-laden scrap into a hermetically sealed chamber, evacuating said chamber, heating said scrap to vaporize the oil, and removing the vaporized oil from said chamber.

Abstract: Gas is circulated within the chamber of a heat treating furnace by a fan which is driven by an electric motor. The current drawn by the motor is detected and, when the current exceeds a predetermined magnitude, the density of the gas in the chamber is reduced to prevent an excessive load from being imposed on the motor. The density of the gas is reduced by shutting off the flow of gas to the chamber and by exhausting gas from the chamber.

Abstract: A firing kiln, especially for use as a vacuum firing kiln for dental ceramic purposes, having a lower portion having a fixed firing platform, an upper portion raisable from the lower portion and in abutting relationship therewith, the lower portion having a hollow firing chamber in facing relationship with a fixed firing platform. The firing chamber includes means for emitting heat into the hollow chamber and toward the fixed firing platform, the surface of the fixed firing platform being at or above the level of the upper edge of the lower portion.

Abstract: A high temperature-high pressure furnace which includes a cylindrical pressure chamber formed of a hollow cylindrical wall and two end closures therefor, a cylindrical sheath positioned within the cylindrical wall to provide a gap therebetween, and heaters positioned within the cylindrical sheath in order to provide a furnace space therewithin. The sheath at one end is sealingly connected to one of the end closures and at the other end is provided with a channel to provide fluid communication between the furnace space and the gap when an insulating lid is positioned over this other end of the sheath. The end closure to which the sheath is sealingly connected is provided with passageways which allow for fluid circulation therethrough and between the gap and the furnace space.

Abstract: The method for gas circulation in a furnace, such as a vacuum furnace, for the heat treatment of work pieces wherein the gas is caused to circulate with turbulence while avoiding a set or stable flow pattern and the vacuum furnace adapted to carry out this method by means of fans so located and operated as to circulate the gas with turbulence and vorticity.

Abstract: A convection oven of the rack type for treating goods, e.g., baking bread, including a rotating duct which sequentially delivers heated air to a series of ducts which distribute the heated air across the oven chamber according to a flow pattern which provides uniform treatment of the goods while maintaining the goods and the rack stationary with respect to the oven chamber.

Abstract: In a cylindrical elongated furnace for treating materials at high temperature in a gaseous atmosphere under high pressure, there is a vertical cylindrical pressure chamber forming a furnace space surrounded by a cylindrical heater, with an insulating sheath around the furnace space and the heater formed of a number of metal tubes with insulation between them. At least one of the metal tubes is suspended from a supporting member at the upper part of the insulating sheath and is provided at its lower part with a number of slots extending upwardly from the bottom edge.

Abstract: A vacuum furnace heats articles by radiation from a condenser portion of a heat pipe. The heat pipe further includes an adiabatic portion passing through the enclosing wall of the furnace and an evaporator portion outside the enclosure. The evaporator portion is preferably heated by a gas-fired burner which may surround it, and the heat pipe acts as a flux converter accepting heat outside the enclosure and delivering heat inside the enclosure to the articles to be heated. The condenser portion of the heat pipe may be panel-shaped and is disposed adjacent the articles to be heat-treated. In the more elaborate forms of the invention involving condenser panels, the condenser panel, or each condenser panel where several heat pipes are used, is a cylindrical section which partially, or substantially completely, surrounds the articles.

Abstract: Apparatus for rapidly and conveniently drying an agarose gel slide following electrophoresis is provided which utilizes both vacuum and heated air to remove moisture from the slide.