Abstract: An apparatus for heating plastics material pre-forms includes a conveying device which conveys the plastics material pre-forms along a pre-set conveying path (P). A plurality of holding elements for holding the plastics material pre-forms and a plurality of screening elements for screening off heat are arranged on the conveying device. The apparatus has a plurality of carrier units on which at least parts of the holding elements and at least parts of the screening elements are arranged and these carrier units are capable of being removed from the conveying device jointly with the parts of the holding elements and screening elements which are arranged thereon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate from sand grain-shaped mineral material (1) with a propellant, wherein the material (1) is fed into a vertically upright furnace (2) from above and said material (1) falls along a drop section (4) through multiple heating zones (5) in a furnace shaft (3) of the furnace (2), wherein each heating zone (5) is heatable using at least one independently controllable heating element (6), and the material (1) is heated to a critical temperature at which the surfaces (7) of the sand grains (15) plasticize and the sand grains (15) are expanded by the propellant.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus capable of achieving high-accuracy processing and high safety and a method of manufacturing a substrate are provided. The heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a reaction tube 42 for processing a substrate, a manifold 44 for supporting the reaction tube 42, a heater 46 installed around the reaction tube 42 to heat an inner part of the reaction tube 42, a surrounding member 500 installed to surround a side portion of the reaction tube 42 arranged in a lower portion than the heater 46; an exhaust device 301 for forcibly exhausting a gap 506 between the surrounding member 500 and the reaction tube 42; and a sealing member 150 installed in a contacting portion between the reaction tube 42 and the manifold 44. Here, an inlet hole 501 through which the exhaust device inhales an atmosphere outside the surrounding member 500 to the gap 506 is installed in the surrounding member 500.

Abstract: A rotary tube furnace (1) comprising an insulated heating chamber (4), the insulated heating chamber having a product discharge outlet (21) and a process tube inlet (39), a heating element (14) operatively arranged to selectively heat the heating chamber, a generally horizontally extending process tube (2) supported for rotation relative to the heating chamber, the process tube having a first portion (36) generally arranged outside of the heating chamber and a cantilevered second portion (37) extending from the first portion into the heating chamber and terminating at a discharge end (38) within the heating chamber, a feed mechanism (40) configured and arranged to feed product into the process tube, and a bearing assembly operating between a support frame (34) and the first portion of the process tube and configured and arranged to support the process tube and transmit rotational torque to the process tube.

Abstract: A vertical heat processing apparatus for performing a heat process on a plurality of target substrates all together includes a vertical process container configured to accommodate the target substrates and having a transfer port at a bottom; a holder configured to support the target substrates at intervals in a vertical direction inside the process container; and a heater disposed around the process container, and configured to supply heat rays through a sidewall of the process container, so as to heat an interior of the process container. A thermal buffer member is disposed between the heater and a lower end side of the process container to surround the lower end side, and is configured to decrease transmissibility of the lower end side for heat rays between the heater and target substrates inside the process container.

Abstract: An apparatus through which a substrate may be transferred between a first chamber and a second chamber in which the first chamber is maintained at a high temperature relative to the ambient temperature of the second chamber. The apparatus comprises a passageway for receiving the substrate and a thermally isolating interface. The thermally isolating interface reduces heat transfer from the first chamber to the second chamber and allows for transfer of the substrate between the apparatus and the second chamber. The thermally isolating interface includes a hole having dimensions such that the substrate is transferrable through the thermally isolating interface.

Abstract: A processing system including a chamber defining an interior cavity having a processing tube assembly arranged within the interior cavity. A heating assembly moveable relative to the processing tube assembly from a first position where said processing tube assembly is disposed within the heating assembly and a second position where the processing tube assembly is exposed to an internal environment within the interior cavity of the chamber.

Abstract: When carrying workpieces from a loading area in which the workpieces are handled into a heat treatment furnace to make the workpieces subjected to a heat treatment process using a predetermined process gas, the loading area is evacuated and controlled at a predetermined low negative pressure. An exhaust for evacuating the loading area is connected to the loading area, and a controller controls the exhaust so that the loading area is maintained at the predetermined low negative pressure. A specific gas and particles contained in a gas discharged from the loading area are removed by filters.

Abstract: An electronic unit soldering apparatus includes: a pallet on which an electronic unit to be reflow-soldered is placed; a transporting unit for transporting the pallet having the electronic unit; and a reflow furnace through which the pallet passes, the reflow furnace having: an air cooling furnace for cooling a first side of a printed-circuit board where a non-heat-resistant part is placed; and an air heating furnace for heating a second side of the printed-circuit board opposite to the first side. The pallet is placed between the cooling furnace and the electronic unit, and the pallet is a mask pallet having a hole in correspondence with a position which the non-heat-resistant part is placed.

Abstract: A present vacuum treating apparatus comprises a process chamber for subjecting an object to a predetermined process in a predetermined vacuum state, a stage located in the process chamber and on which the object is placed, a lamp unit provided at the lower side of the processing chamber and having a plurality of lamps as a light source and adapted to heat the object on the stage by a heat energy of light directed from these lamps to the stage for illumination, a rotation shaft connected to the lamp unit to rotate the lamp unit, a support body rotatably supporting the rotation shaft, and a thermo-module provided at a contacting area of the support body selective to the rotation shaft and, by absorbing heat on its rotation shaft side and dissipating heat on its support body side, transferring the heat on the lamp unit to the support body through the rotation shaft.

Abstract: An epitaxial barrel reactor for depositing a material on a semiconductor wafer by a chemical vapor deposition process using a reactant gas. The barrel reactor includes a receptacle defining a reaction chamber sized to receive at least one semiconductor wafer. The receptacle has an inlet port for introducing reactant gas to the reaction chamber and an exhaust port for removing reactant gas from the reaction chamber. The reactor also includes an exhaust tube sealingly engageable with the exhaust port of the receptacle for transporting reactant gas to facility piping to remove the gas from the reaction chamber after the chemical vapor deposition process. In addition, the reactor includes an actuator spaced from the receptacle for moving the exhaust tube between an operating position in which the tube sealingly engages the exhaust port of the receptacle and a maintenance position in which the tube is spaced from the exhaust port to provide access to the receptacle.

Abstract: A substrate transporting device used in the process of manufacturing, for instance, semiconductor chips including a substrate guide comprised of a substrate guide rail which guides one side of each substrate and a substrate supporting plate which supports another side of the substrate, feeding claws for feeding a substrate to, for instance, a bonding position, the feeding claws being provided on a feeding claw holder and extending in the direction perpendicular to the substrate supporting plate, a claw X-direction feeder which moves the feeding claw holder in a direction in which the substrate is conveyed along the substrate guide, and a claw Y-direction feeder which moves the feeding claw holder in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the substrate is conveyed along the substrate guide; thus, the substrates are conveyed one pitch at a time by means of a rectangular motion of the feeding claws on a horizontal plane effected by the claw X-direction feeder and the claw Y-direction feeder.

Abstract: A vacuum furnace method and apparatus including unique heat dissipation means and methods, including reduced area of the vacuum chamber extension, heat reflecting discs, and unique cooling methods, wherein the vacuum furnace is constructed and operated at a small fraction of the previously known vacuum furnace costs.

Abstract: Heating chamber rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and having a plurality of heating tubes located in the interior thereof, a first end plate to which each of the heating tubes is secured by an end thereof, a second end plate to which each of the heating tubes is secured by the other end thereof, at least one of the ends of each of the heating tubes protruding through a respective opening formed in at least one of end plates, and a respective collar for connecting the at least one end of the respective heating tubes to the outer surface of at least one end plate, includes a respective reduced diameter portion formed in each of the heating tubes, the heating tubes being spaced from one another a greater distance at the at least one end plate than in the interior of the heating chamber; and method of replacing the heating tubes in the heating chamber.

Abstract: A heat processing apparatus for subjecting heat processing to a wafer by heating includes a reaction tube for containing the wafers, a heating element provided around the reaction tube, for heating an inside of the reaction tube, a plurality of heat radiating members provided concentrically around the heating element with an airtight space between the heating element and an innermost one of the heat radiating members and airtight spaces between the heat radiating members, and a pressure-reducing device for reducing the pressure of these airtight spaces. In this heat processing apparatus, the pressures of the airtight spaces are reduced by the pressure-reducing means at least when the temperature of the inside of the reaction tube is increased.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus comprising a holder, a hollow cylindrical cover, a flat plate, and a processing chamber. The holder holds disk-shaped objects, each having an orientation flat portion at circumference. The objects are arranged coaxially and spaced at predetermined intervals, with the orientation flat portions aligned with one another. The cover has gas ports and surrounds the objects held by the holder and is spaced from a circumference of each object by a predetermined distance. The flat plate is mounted on an inner surface of the cover and opposes the orientation flat portions of the objects. In the processing chamber, the objects held by the holder are processed by using a process gas.

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: A heat treatment boat for mounting a number of disc-shaped objects to be treated at a vertical interval for heat treatment thereof in a vertical heat treatment furnace comprises arcuate or ring-shaped support members provided on support rods at a vertical interval for supporting the objects to be treated in surface contact with the undersides of peripheral parts of the objects to be treated. The heat treatment boat is disposed on a ring-shaped intermediate member of high radiant heat absorption disposed on a heat insulating cylinder. The heat treatment boat comprises support rods which are planted on an annular support member circumferentially in accordance with a contour of the objects to be treated and whose upper ends are secured to an annular fixation member. The heat treatment boat of such constitution can reduce occurrences of slips in the disc-shaped objects when heat treated.

Abstract: A heat treatment boat for mounting a number of disc-shaped objects to be treated at a vertical interval for heat treatment thereof in a vertical heat treatment furnace comprises arcuate or ring-shaped support members provided on support rods at a vertical interval for supporting the objects to be treated in surface contact with the undersides of peripheral parts of the objects to be treated. The heat treatment boat is disposed on a ring-shaped intermediate member of high radiant heat absorption disposed on a heat insulating cylinder. The heat treatment boat comprises support rods which are planted on an annular support member circumferentially in accordance with a contour of the objects to be treated and whose upper ends are secured to an annular fixation member. The heat treatment boat of such constitution can reduce occurrences of slips in the disc-shaped objects when heat treated.

Abstract: A furnace for high temperature, for example a glass furnace, is insulated thermally by arranging layers of material on the interior wall of the furnace shell. On the layers ceramic fibre material and a heat reflecting surface layer are arranged. According to the invention, the heat reflecting surface layer is arranged by a substance containing silicon. By subjecting the furnace to great heat and cooling it rapidly thereafter, a heat reflection is obtained in the micro-structure of the ceramic fibre. The substance may for example be water-glass. According to the invention, the fibre material is arranged in vertical blocks of trapezium form, then pressed and strapped up. After all blocks have been placed, one removes the strapping so that the blocks expand.

Abstract: A convection braze furnace for brazing aluminum heat exchangers in an inert gas rich atmosphere includes entrance and exit vestibules forming atmosphere barriers of suspended stainless steel strips. The interior of the braze furnace is divided into multiple zones for progressively heating the heat exchangers to a brazing temperature and then cooling the heat exchangers in the final zone. An impeller circulates the heated inert gas atmosphere within each zone to accelerate heat transfer. A chain type conveyor supports the heat exchangers as they are moved through the braze furnace. An isolated return tube surrounds the lower return side of the conveyor chain as it passes through the braze furnace. The braze furnace housing is comprised of inner and outer shells having an inert gas pressurized cavity interstitial therebetween. The inner shell includes a plurality of expansion strips having generally ellipsoidal corner expansion joints.

Abstract: A curtain door for use at the charge or discharge openings of a metal reheating furnace the curtain door comprising a horizontal support bar extending across the furnace opening, a horizontal curtain hanger member removably attached to the horizontal support bar and supporting at least two spaced apart metal mesh curtains of unequal length, an insulation means depending from the horizontal support bar adjacent the furnace side of the metal mesh curtain nearest the furnace opening and means to vertically raise or lower the horizontal support bar.

Abstract: A conveyor with a frame and a guide rail for guiding the movable member supported on the frame with a tension imparting arrangement which applies a tensile force between the ends of the guide rail.

Abstract: Assembly for pulsatory combustion comprising a combustion chamber, a horn and an exchanger part, made through drawing and welding of two half-shells, the separation plate being secured to the inside of the chamber in a recess provided for this purpose such an assembly being applied to domestic heating.

Abstract: A steel strip heating furnace has a movable wall which can be positioned closer or farther away from the transverse edges of the steel in order to adjust the heat radiation applied to the opposing edges of the steel. The movable wall extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of a course along which the steel is transported through the furnace. The movable wall constitutes part of a ceiling of a furnace body and can be shifted vertically toward and away from the transverse edges of the steel so as to adjust the high-temperature heat radiation transmission area about the opposing transverse edge and thus control the heat applied to the corresponding section of the steel. Also, it is especially advantageous to provide means for cooling the movable wall so as to adjust the heat radiation therefrom. Therefore, the heating furnace can control the heat applied to the transverse edges of the steel so that the entire surface of the steel can be heated uniformly.

Abstract: A plant for hot-rolling strip or plate stock comprises roller conveyors for conveying the stock to be rolled, which is guided on the roller conveyors by side guards, which are provided on the roller conveyors near their side edges and adjustable transversely to the direction of travel on the roller conveyors. To ensure that on such roller conveyor provided with the side guards the cooling of the stock to be rolled will be minimized, the roller conveyors are provided with coverings, which are supported by the side guards and movable in unison with at least one of the side guards.

Abstract: A composite thermal insulation panel for a metal processing installation has a thin-walled casing providing a cover plate or membrane that will be heated quickly to near the temperature of an adjacent hot metal slab or strip being processed. To allow substantial freedom for movement relative to adjoining regions of the casing due to thermal expansion caused by the large temperature changes, retaining elements of the casing that locate the membrane transversely to its extent but permit relative movement in its own plane, and/or the membrane may have surfaces that slope to a central region to accommodate relative thermal expansion by flexure. Panels below the material path may have membrane surfaces that slope downwards to an escape aperture for scale dropping from the hot metal. Panels above the material path may have apertures aligning with the lower panel apertures for temperature sensors that detect the passage of hot material between the panels.

Abstract: A drum aggregate drier and a drum mixer for making asphaltic concrete feature heat shields between circumferentially adjacent flights inside the drum along the radiant zone of the burner flame in order to minimize drum overheating, heat loss and drum wall wear.

Abstract: A screw conveyor (10) is disclosed for use in environments having a large range of temperature. The screw conveyor (10) includes a hollow shaft (12) having a number of aligned circular holes (18a, 18b) therein, with adjacent sets of holes being at right angles to each other. A stake (16) is slidably inserted in each set of holes (18a, 18b) for securing a helical flight (14a-e) to the shaft (12). Four stakes (16) are welded to the back (26) of each of the helical flights (14) along a helical line corresponding to the helical path defined by the flights (14). The slidable interaction of the stakes (16) with respect to the shaft (12) permits each flight (14) to move relative to the shaft (12) during expansion or contraction of the screw conveyor (10). The back peripheral edge (20) and front peripheral edge (22) of adjacent helical flights (14) are overlapping and movable with respect to each other to further accommodate the expansion and contraction of the screw conveyor (10).

Abstract: Skids used to support a workpiece in a reheat furnace are adjustably positioned and anchored to resist longitudinal movement of the skids while workpieces are moved therealong. The anchor apparatus includes a rectangular housing, one end of which is attached by an anchor rod to a foundation while the other end has an aperture to pass an anchor rod into the space between the side walls of the housing. An internal bearing wall subdivides the space in the housing into two cavities. A bearing plate on the movable anchor rod in one cavity is forced by a piston and cylinder assembly to move the rod into the housing to thereby adjust the position of a skid to which it is attached. Shim plates are placed in the second cavity within the housing between an internal wall and a bearing flange attached to the movable anchor rod. Other shim plates are inserted between the end wall of the housing and the actuator to maintain an effective range of adjustment by the actuator.

Abstract: There is disclosed a traveling grate apparatus wherein materials are treated at an elevated temperature for purposes such as sintering, pelletizing, calcining, and the like. In such apparatus, a grate and upstanding side plates form a channel for carrying the material along. Each side plate has along its inner face a bench for holding the material to be treated. As the treatment of material effects changes in the volume of the material, the material tends to lose contact with the side wall, but, by resting on the bench, a seal is provided to prevent direct passage of gases through the bed in the sidewall sections.

Abstract: In a conveying arrangement for accommodating and conveying slabs, including a roller supporting chain whose chain links, at their ends, are connected by articulation pins and have projections that overlap each other, each chain link is provided with a cover plate having load supports that rise above the projections in terms of height.

Abstract: A grate wherein several steps of alternating partly overlapping mobile and stationary grate bars are adjacent to a compensating device which expands or contracts to compensate for heat-induced variations of the width of adjacent steps. The compensating device supports or is adjacent to a sealing device having auxiliary bars which abut against the side faces of adjacent mobile grate bars and abut against the top faces of adjacent stationary grate bars. The side faces of the stationary bars are separated from the sealing device and from the compensating device by permanent clearances which are overlapped by the auxiliary bars. The auxiliary bars rest on the stationary bars and are biased against the side faces of the respective mobile bars by weights or springs of the compensating device.

Abstract: The calciner is an elongated, insulated chamber, in which material is fed to counter-rotating screw conveyors. The material is calcined by heat radiating from a muffle plate interposed between the conveyors and gas-fired burners. This radiant heating, applied evenly to material having a constantly-exposed fresh surface, results in increased production, lower fuel cost per pound of product, and higher quality product.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting a workpiece at high temperature is provided with enclosure means substantially surrounding a workpiece supported, or gripped by, the apparatus. The enclosure includes an interior surface positioned to be exposed to the workpiece and formed from a material that is highly reflective of infrared radiation. Separate segments of the enclosure are movable relative to each other (e.g., hingedly connected to each other) to permit entry and removal of a workpiece. Provision is also made for introducing an inert atmosphere into the enclosure.

Abstract: A roller-hearth furnace has workpiece-supporting rollers which are thermally shielded at the sides and from below. Intermediate the rollers the workpieces are exposed to heat action from below.

Abstract: In a strand sintering machine, an arrangement and position of drive lifting sprockets, operable in conjunction with two pairs of pallet alignment gears, is disclosed. The drive lifting sprockets are positioned at the feed end of the strand tracks. Two pairs of gears, operable by a common chain drive, are positioned near the discharge end of the strand sintering machine adjacent to the pallet return tracks. The gears coact with the tooth pockets in the pallets to align those pallets with the return tracks and to separate the pallets thus relieving the pressure of pallet accumulation upon the drive lifting sprockets.

Abstract: Apparatus which compensates for thermally induced changes in the width of gaps between longitudinally extending marginal portions of grate sections in industrial furnaces has two rows of plate-like cheeks which abut against the marginal portions of neighboring sections and can swivel on fulcra defined by the webs of inverted U-shaped supporting devices whose legs are turnable about pivots mounted in a frame and extending in parallelism with the marginal portions of grate sections. The cheeks are urged away from each other and against the marginal portions of neighboring grate sections by pairs of two-armed levers mounted on a common shaft which is biased downwardly by a package of dished springs through the medium of a pull rod. The cheeks of each row are secured to plate-like carriers which are disposed between the respective rows of cheeks and the corresponding arms of the levers and are swingable on the associated fulcra.

Abstract: A continuous heating furnace having a heating chamber for the passage therethrough of a metal ingot heated predominantly by radiant heat from the walls of the furnace and comprising a plurality of screening shield arranged adjacent the conveying path of the ingots at the ends thereof for forming niches to reduce the size of the heating chamber in the region of the ends of the ingots. The screening shields are mounted in the furnace in front of the furnace walls by mechanisms for adjusting the position of the shields to adjust the spacing with the ingot.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing controlled annealing of parts within a furnace comprising a series of heat radiation distributors, thermal conduction dosing devices and heat accumulators positioned within the furnace to provide a temperature gradient in the radial direction of the furnace cross section. The controlled temperature distribution within the furnace provides a controlled temperature distribution to the objects within the furnace during the annealing process. This controlled annealing process is particularly applicable to a method for controlling the coercive force distribution within a magnetically hard reed armature for matching the coercive force distribution along the armature to the magnetic flux intensity of the reed contact assembly.

Abstract: A housing for a travelling hearth has longitudinally spaced vertical columns which support a plurality of horizontal beams and housing sheets. Some of the beams are subjected to higher temperature loading than are others. Those beams that are subjected to lower temperature loading are fixed to each column whereas those that are subjected to higher temperature loading are fixed only to every second column and are slidably connected to the intermediate columns.

Abstract: A stable, heat-protective aqueous composition formed by admixing boric acid, asbestos and glycerol, with water added to provide the desired consistency, the composition being particularly suitable to absorb and disperse heat at elevated temperatures while not conducting heat through the composition and not forming objectionable deposits on a protected product.