Abstract: In continuous hot dipping of metal strip, the tension of the strip at pre-treatment furnaces and that at air-wiping nozzles are isolated and made independent of each other. For this purpose bridle rolls driven by motors are disposed downstream of the pre-treatment furnaces. The tension at the former is maintained at a lower value, while the tension at the latter is maintained at a higher value. The bridle rolls are mounted in bearings which are covered by seal boxes in which an inert gas is enclosed so as to prevent the intrusion of atmospheric air into the furnaces.

Abstract: A conveyor roll (20,21,20') for conveying heated glass sheets on a horizontal roller conveyor of a glass sheet processing system is disclosed as including a shaft (42,70,42) having a support (44,72,80) of aromatic polyamide fibers for engaging the conveyed glass sheets. Kevlar fibers are preferably utilized for the support (44,72,80) so as to have the requisite thermal stability and resistance to cutting by broken glass. One embodiment of the roll (20) has a helically wrapped support (44) comprising braided Kevlar rope or an outer Kevlar sleeve (64) and a central core (62) which may be longitudinally extending metallic or glass fiber strands (66) or a helical spring (68). Another embodiment of the conveyor roll (21) includes a ceramic roll shaft (70) of fused silica extending through an outer sleeve (72) of Kevlar fibers. A further embodiment of the conveyor roll (20') includes a support (80) having annular conveying discs (82) made of Kevlar fibers and spaced along the length of the shaft (42).

Abstract: An improved apparatus for manufacturing a rapidly cooled solidified slag, the improvement relating to the use of pairs of weirs having an annular shape and a hollow portion therein; each of said pair of weirs being fixed to each edge of the peripheral surface of one of a pair of cooling drums so as to form a circular flange at right angles to the axial line of the one cooling drum around the entire circumference thereof.

Abstract: A high temperature furnace chamber includes a roller hearth for supporting and transporting workpieces to be heated. The rollers are supported at each end by a rotary sleeve having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the rollers. Rotary movement of the sleeves transmits rotational forces to the rollers. Clearance provided between the rollers and the sleeves allows for roller dimensional variation during various furnace operating conditions.

Abstract: A firing kiln, especially a tunnel kiln, in which ceramic components, especially tiles, are fired, with a roller conveyor with a large number of fixed but rotating rollers with a small diameter and at short intervals, for moving tiles into the kiln and out of it, and particularly through the firing zone of the kiln, wherein each of the rollers is constructed from a ceramic section with a metal cover, and each of the rollers is driven separately.

Abstract: A transport device in a preheating furnace for treating metallic material like bars, billets, blooms and the like of light metal, such as aluminum and its alloys, comprises a slide-in unit adapted to be pushed into and pulled out of the furnace chamber. The slide-in unit supports furnace rollers or slides for the material to be preheated. The slide-unit itself is displaceable preferably by sliding or rolling on rails. With the transport device the thermal efficiency is improved, as after charging the furnace all parts of the transport device are contained in the furnace chamber which may be in this manner completely sealed for the heat treatment of the material. Moreover, assembly and disassembly of the furnace rollers or slides is easy.

Abstract: A ceramic roll for transporting glass sheets for thermal treatment is drivingly connected to a drive shaft through a metal end cap circumferentially grooved to receive a hard rubber O-ring that provides frictional engagement between the metal end cap and an end of the ceramic roll. The metal end cap is constructed and arranged to facilitate its mounting on and removal from the end of the ceramic roll.

Abstract: A roller, particularly for a roller hearth furnace for heating materials to high temperatures, has a supporting body defining a roller axis and having a curved center line and a cross-section substantially normal to said center line. The supporting body includes a plurality of portions which are connected with one another and radially surround the roller axis in spaced relationship therewith. The portions extend in a circumferential direction and are positioned at axially spaced locations relative to one another so that a periphery of the roller is materially formed only at locations corresponding to the axially spaced locations of the portions and the roller has a plurality of empty regions between these locations.

Abstract: A spring end cap for use in rotatably driving a glass conveyor roll of ceramic is disclosed as incorporating helical spring coils that clamp onto an end of the roll. Each spring coil has a diameter in an undeflected condition slightly less than the diameter of the roll end so that coil deflection increasing the coil diameter allows the coils to receive the roll end prior to being released in order to clamp over a round outer surface of the end. Different embodiments of the end cap are utilized with frictionally driven rolls as well as with toothed sprocket or gear driven rolls. Ease of installation is achieved when the spring coils are all part of a single helical spring. The end cap can also be utilized to repair a broken roll end and then must include at least three helical springs whose coils are axially threaded so as to provide circumferentially spaced clamping that secures the broken roll end to the rest of the roll at the fracture.

Abstract: An incinerator is provided with water cooled nozzles for blowing pressure air into refuse in open-topped containers, fuel burners for heating the containers from the outside, a water cooled grate and doors at the inlet and outlet of the incinerator. The containers are mounted on receiver dishes, delivered in sequence into the incinerator. Refuse is incinerated by blowing pressure air from the nozzles down into each container while heating the container at its sides. Emptied containers can be reused.

Abstract: Means and method for preventing distortion in ultrasonic pattern rolls used for quilting layers of thermoplastic material by ultrasonic energy, whereby uniformity of seal quality is maintained. The method contemplates the distribution of heat generated in the roll during warmup over the entire mass of the roll to eliminate distortion from true cylindrical shape, whereby the tendency of the roll to bow out of round resulting in high and low areas with each revolution and the formation of correspondingly uneven welds is eliminated.

Abstract: Pipe insulating units are disclosed which can be slipped radially over the pipe. The units are formed such that two adjacent pieces interlock to form a set which completely surrounds the pipe and which has parallel faces which are abutted by the parallel faces of adjacent sets. The units and sets are then held together by bolting or other means. Each unit comprises a circular piece of insulating material having a hole in the center thus forming an annular disc. This annular disc has a portion of the annulus omitted with this omitted portion having sides which are parallel to each other and which are tangent to the periphery of the hole in the center. The sides of this omitted portion extend outwardly to the periphery of the disc. Formed integrally therewith on one face of the disc is an outwardly extending portion in the area bonded by extensions of the parallel sides of the omitted portion and on the opposite of the center hole from the omitted portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the deposition of a thin film on a substrate in which a length of the substrate such as for example, flexible plastic film, is transported in a path which follows along a convoluted configuration through a pressure vessel and therein is subjected to deposition effects. Such deposition effects, for example, comprise high frequency sputtering plasma. The helical path is arranged so that the substrate is carried through the influence of the deposition effects a plurality of times and at speeds which are much greater than those of known methods and apparatus. As a result, the deposition of the thin film is more uniform and a high throughput is achieved. Many other advantages are also achieved. In addition to conventional types of cooling, efficient cooling is obtained by magnetically sweeping secondary electrons away from the substrate. Batch and continuous processing are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention regards an automatic plant to perform continuously and with high yields on an industrial scale, the drying and single-phase firing operations on ceramic tiles used for wall-lining and floor-lining, which comprises an assembly of the type commonly called "tunnel kiln", along the length of which the semifinished products to be treated travel, and is associated with suitable heat sources, so as to establish in the environment defined by the tunnel or gallery of the kiln, the thermal conditions necessary for the development and completion of firing of the tile body as well as of the surface layer of the glaze.

Abstract: A cooled furnace transport roller comprises a hollow cylindrical roller having an intermediate furnace space portion which is adapted to be positioned in a furnace and with a stub shaft portion adjacent each end which is supported on bearing means located exteriorly of the furnace. A hollow interior tube is located on the interior of the cylindrical roller and is spaced inwardly therefrom and it defines a space between its exterior and the interior of the hollow cylindrical roller for the flow of a coolant gas which is returned through openings of the hollow interior tube and through the interior thereof. A tubular wire net cooling insert is located in the space between the hollow interior tube and the cylindrical roller interior and it is formed with a wire mesh having good heat resistance and good heat conductivity.

Abstract: Continuous casting plant rollers or rolls of small diameter are provided great longitudinal extension, which longitudinal extension exceeds the width of the continuously cast strand. The rollers or rolls have annular recesses distributed over their longitudinal extension, thus forming substantially cylindrical bearing pins to be received in bearings, preferably slide bearings, whose bearing height, measured from the bearing center toward the strand skin, is smaller than the radius of the rollers or rolls. The rollers or rolls may advantageously be composed of a plurality of individual roller or roll bodies held together by at least one bracing anchor. Preferably, the rollers or rolls are provided with internal cooling.

Abstract: A process for continuous annealing silicon containing sheet steel whereby furnace roll pickup marks are eliminated, said process involving the use of furnace rolls having a silica peripheral surface and maintaining an annealing atmosphere containing hydrogen to water at a ratio of at least 5:1.