Abstract: A device for heating a substrate according to a predetermined temperature profile for crystallizing a material on the substrate includes: a housing, at least a process chamber situated inside the housing and provided with a first and second opening for passing through a substrate, an inlet for introducing a process gas which includes the material in vapour phase into the chamber, at least two transport rollers attached to the housing for transporting the substrate into the chamber. The device further includes passage spaces for preventing the escape of process gas from the chamber to a space between the chamber and housing, which are situated near respective ends of the transport rollers in the chamber, the respective passage spaces having a first passage opening on an inner wall of the chamber, a second passage opening on an outer wall of the chamber and a first flange fixed around the transport roller.

Abstract: A heat treatment furnace, also referred to as a multi-chamber furnace, that includes a plurality of treatment chambers, each having heating and cooling dampers and being controllable to adjust a flow rate into the treatment chamber, the dampers of each treatment chamber being selectively and independently adjustable with respect to one another so as to allow simultaneous heat processing of a plurality of products in different treatment chambers at different respective heat treatment states depending on the amount of heating and cooling flow rates allowed to enter in each treatment chamber via the dampers.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part configured to hold and support a substrate, a heating module configured to heat a substrate, and a cooling module configured to cool the substrate heated in the heating module. The substrate processing apparatus further includes a substrate transfer mechanism configured to take out the substrate from the substrate holding part and to sequentially transfer the substrate to the heating module and the cooling module, and a control unit configured to set a cooling time of the substrate in the cooling module based on a transfer history of the substrate while the substrate heated in the heating module is loaded into the cooling module.

Abstract: An industrial furnace (1) into which protective gas is admitted for the heat treatment of batches (5) of metal workpieces is described. The heat treating furnace includes an entrance lock (2) which can be sealed with respect to the surrounding environment by means of a first gas-tight closure device (2.2.1). The heat treating furnace also includes a third gas-tight closure device (3.1) disposed between a heat treatment chamber (3) of the furnace and a quenching facility (4) at the exit of the heat treatment chamber. With the foregoing arrangement a pressure of the protective gas admitted into the heat treatment chamber (3) can be maintained during loading and unloading of a batch of metal workpieces (5). The entrance lock may be configured as a dual-chamber vertical arrangement or as a single chamber horizontal arrangement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an opening and closing device of an autoclave and the autoclave, wherein: supplying and discharging of a product to a chamber having a sealed structure can be performed automatically, and the occurrence of accidents caused by back pressure is structurally prevented; and a product bonded by pre-load is heated and transferred whereby energy loss is minimized and the product is cooled off uniformly, thereby improving the quality of the product.

Abstract: A continuous heat treatment furnace is provided in which an atmosphere-control gas is introduced to a heating chamber having a heating zone, metal tubes are continuously charged along an axial direction from a furnace entrance, and the metal tube subjected to a heat treatment is taken out from a furnace. The continuous heat treatment furnace includes a front chamber which has a preheating zone on an entrance side of the heating chamber and seal curtains which are located on an entrance side and an exit side of the front chamber.

Abstract: A fiber treatment oven having slots for the fibers to pass through and adjustable gates located proximate the slots. The gates may be connected via a linkage that allows movement of many gates at once and may be connected so that individual gates may be adjusted as well.

Abstract: A cover for the opening of a process tube of a furnace used in semiconductor manufacturing is comprised of a substantially continuous sheet of metal so that it may be rolled opened and closed while being against the opening of the process tube by a guide frame. The roller on which the cover is rolled is driven by a bidirectional DC motor. The process tube cover can be operated by a computer or controller that operates the furnace.

Abstract: A processing chamber tube used in a semiconductor furnace is guided during its removal from the furnace by a plurality of circumferentially spaced guides. The guides are mounted for adjustable radial movement on a ring-shaped plate. The plate is secured on the base of the furnace. The guides are preferably in the form of rollers which engage and guide the tube during its removal from the furnace.

Abstract: A gas-fired heating and ventilation system includes a blower which draws air through a recirculation damper from a building and through a direct gas-fired burner from a fresh air inlet. A passive control damper is mounted to bypass air around the burner and to thereby regulate the air flow through the burner for optimum combustion over a wide range of operating conditions.

Abstract: A process for thermically recovering old sand obtained in casting plants and for treating dust containing combustible organic components and incombustible inorganic components is disclosed. Dust obtained by mechanical preparation of the old sand is separated from the sand. The sand is used to form a fluid bed in a fluid-bed kiln having a post-combustion space and an outlet for releasing combustion gases. Dust containing combustible organic components and incombustible inorganic components is introduced into the fluid bed, the combustion of the organic components being used to maintain reaction temperature in the fluid bed. The heat of the fluid bed and the post-combustion space deactivates inorganic components of the dust, which are transported by released combustion gases to effectively separate the inorganic components of the dust from the thermically recovered old sand. These deactivated inorganic components of the dust can be separated from the released combustion gases for easy disposal.

Abstract: A thermal cycling apparatus having an upper heat chamber and a lower cold chamber positioned vertically beneath the upper heat chamber and vertically coaxial therewith whereby a material to the thermal cycle tested can be transferred between the upper heat chamber and the lower cold chamber. An externally operated flapper door within the thermal cycling apparatus separates the two chambers. The material to be thermally tested is placed in a basket constructed of suitable material which can be translated between the two chambers from a location externally of the chambers. The temperature in the upper chamber is elevated by gaseous nitrogen to a temperature up to about 1000 degrees F. and the lower cold chamber is cooled by a cryogenic liquid. Cycle testing is preformed by alternately transferring the material, i.e. 40 or more specimens at a time, between the upper and lower chambers the number of times desired.

Abstract: Semiconductor wafers within a supporting vertical wafer tower are positioned within a vertical process chamber through a lower gate valve fixed to a supporting framework. The gate valve is sealed to a similar gate valve at the upper end of a movable load lock on the framework, within which the wafers are subjected to pre-treatment and post-treatment processes. Two load locks are alternately used in conjunction with the process chamber and a wafer loading station on the framework. In addition, a cleaning element is movably mounted on the framework for periodically maintaining the interior surfaces of the process tube within the process chamber.

Abstract: A metal melting installation in which a movable carrier has a kiln door fixed at its front end for closing an entrance opening of the kiln and a crucible provided forwardly of the door so as to lodge in the kiln when the entrance opening is closed. A drive means for closing the carrier comprises: an electric motor in a control circuit that also includes a limit switch mounted adjacent the kiln entrance opening; a chain and sprocket gear for moving the carrier; a damper device interconnecting the drive shaft of the motor and one sprocket wheel of the gear for allowing it to keep on rotating to dissipate accumulated momentum energy when the motor is de-energized, a push button being provided on the carrier for contacting the limit switch to thus cut off the electric circuit and deenergize the motor when the door on the carrier closes the kiln opening.

Abstract: Method for sintering blanks into fuel pellets, in which the blanks are moved through the muffle of a tunnel furnace by pushing the blanks through the muffle on a guiding device which goes through the muffle and protrudes therefrom at least on the input side, in the form of a single-layer column of abutting blanks.

Abstract: An apparatus for taking a material to be treated into and out of a treating high pressure tank such as a heating sterilization tank comprises a conveyor passage interconnecting the high pressure tank and a water tank and constituted by two or more partially cylindrical casings connected in a side-by-side relation and each rotatably accomodating a rotary closure member having 2 to 6 blades adapted to make a sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the casing. Due to a specific phase difference between the blades of adjacent rotary closure members, the conveyor passage is always closed by some of the blades. A pair of endless conveyor chains, carrying a plurality of treating vessels accomodating the material, are adapted to run along both side surfaces of the conveyor passage through the high pressure tank and the water tank in a timed relation to the rotation of the rotary closure members. Means are provided for returning the leaked liquid back to the high pressure tank from the water tank.

Abstract: A rotary retort furnace wherein the retort is supported for rotation at only one end outside of the heated furnace shell such that the retort is cantilevered into the shell. The rotary retort has a charging door mechanism that cooperates with a skip hoist loading mechanism to provide charges of the parts to be heat treated that are of a uniform size and are introduced into the retort so as to minimize the loss of any controlled atmosphere. The skip hoist loading mechanism has a vibrating feed hopper that dispenses a weight controlled charge into a skip hoist bucket which, after receiving the predetermined charge of parts, is held in a ready position until such time as a cam mechanism controlling the opening and closing of a door on the charge end of the retort causes the door to open and the skip bucket to be moved to a position wherein the parts are dumped into the retort for heat treating.

Abstract: An oven is disclosed having an inner shell forming a heatable oven chamber, a conveyor within the oven chamber, a layer of insulation around the inner shell, an exterior cabinet shell spaced outward from the insulation, and a fan for moving a flow of cooling air between the insulation and the exterior shell; also disclosed in the oven is an inlet to the oven chamber having separate inner and outer doors operatively connected together, an outlet from the oven chamber having a discharge chute directed into an exterior outlet frame with insulation between the chute and the frame, and a single electric motor connected to operate both the cooling fan and a friction drive connected to drive the conveyor.