Abstract: A heating device including a first exothermic member disposed below a subject to be heated for preventing heat radiation from the subject while heating the subject from below, a second exothermic member disposed above the subject for preventing heat radiation from the subject while heating the subject from above, and a base or sandwiching and supporting body for bearing the subject sandwiched between the first exothermic member and the second exothermic member while securing a space under the first exothermic member. The heating device is convenient to carry about and capable of easily heating a food or the like without rapidly generating a great amount of heat.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment system for heat treating a large number of semiconductor wafers housed in a boat at once includes a heat treatment unit having a boat loading/unloading port, a boat section communicating with the heat treatment unit through the boat loading/unloading port, an elevator mechanism for loading/unloading the boat between the boat section and the heat treatment unit through the boat loading/unloading port, a cassette section provided adjacent to the boat section, a wafer transfer mechanism for transferring wafers between a cassette and the boat, a gas supply mechanism for supplying a non-oxidization gas into the boat section, and a gas shower means for blowing the non-oxidization gas to the wafers in the vicinity of the boat loading/unloading port.

Abstract: This invention relates to a combustion device for feeding hydrogen gas and oxygen gas into a combustion vessel, while heating the same, to generate water vapor. The combustion device comprises a hydrogen gas injection nozzle for feeding hydrogen gas into the combustion vessel, and an oxygen gas injection nozzles for feeding oxygen gas into the combustion vessel. The oxygen nozzles are projected further upward in the combustion vessel beyond the forward end of the hydrogen gas injection nozzle, and opened at a plurality of positions, whereby to diffuse oxygen widely around. The combustion device of this structure can feed a large amount of hydrogen gas for the combustion, whereby a large amount of water vapor can be generated without enlarging the combustion vessel, and troubles, such as the devitrification of the forward ends of the nozzles, abnormal heating in the combustion vessel.

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: 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: An exhaust system for use with a high temperature furnace used to perform oxidation and/or annealing operations of the type used in semiconductor fabrication. The exhaust system is designed to permit the furnace to be used with a controlled environment chamber surrounding the entry to the process chamber of the furnace. The exhaust system allows a relatively high velocity flow of exhaust gas from the process chamber through the exhaust system to occur when a positive pressure (e.g., annealing) operations are performed. Such high velocity flow prevents (a) backstreaming and (b) the accumulation of non-uniform concentrations of exhaust gases in the exhaust system, thereby permitting the accurate monitoring of the concentration of a selected gas in the exhaust system. Based on such monitoring, the opening of the door to the process chamber of the furnace may be prevented when the concentration of the selected gas exceeds a predetermined level.

Abstract: A method is provided for heating and transferring a substantially flat workpiece made of a deep drawable plastic material including the steps of enclosing at least a substantial portion of the workpiece between first and second opposing carrier plates such that a gas-tight seal may be formed by one of the carrier plates about the substantial portion of the workpiece and supplying hot gases through a gas distribution conduit associated with the first carrier plate while withdrawing hot gases through a gas distribution conduit associated with the second carrier plate such that the workpiece is heated and transferred to the second carrier plate. The workpiece is then transferred to a third carrier plate or a deep-drawing device.

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 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 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 method for producing a plurality of kinds of heat-treated products economically and efficiently and with minimum sorting errors, using fewer number of heating devices than pre-treatment and post-treatment devices. Pre-treatment devices (e.g., compacting machines) and post-treatment devices (e.g., sizing presses and finishing devices) are provided upstream and downstream of the sintering furnace. Also provided is a carrier device comprising a carrier conveyor, a return conveyor and loading/unloading devices. A first transfer device and a second transfer device are provided between the entrance of the furnace and the conveyor and between the outlet of the furnace and the conveyor, respectively. Each heat-resistant tray carrying products (works) and supported on a corresponding carrier case is removed from the case and fed into the sintering furnace. The empty cases are put back on the conveyor and transported separately from the trays.

Abstract: A heat-treating apparatus comprises a heat-treating portion which performs a required heat treating to a plural number of objects to be treated mounted on a heat-treating boat, a vacuum exhaust system which creates a vacuum inside the heat-treating portion, a load lock chamber which is connected so as to be freely openable and closable with respect to the heat-treating portion, which is filled therein with an inert gas and which is for transporting an object to be treated into and out of the heat-treating portion, and a residual treating gas exhaust system which is connected to the load lock chamber.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for heating injected, cold preform blanks composed of partly crystalline synthetic resins which have been produced by injection molding. The preform blanks are positioned in holders on a conveyor and are rotated about their longitudinal axes as they are moved along the conveyor, heated to blow mold temperature in multiple stages including a series of heating and cooling stations on respective opposite sides of the conveyor so as to be heated from one side of the conveyor and cooled from the other side while being carried on the conveyor and while being simultaneously rotated whereby they are uniformally heated across their cross sections. The process is completed by tempering and producing a protective surface on the preform blanks before they are supplied to a blow molding device. The entire process requires only several minutes of time.

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: A wafers transferring method in the heat treatment apparatus of the vertical type comprising providing a boat loading/unloading chamber under a process tube, providing an elevator in the boat loading/unloading chamber, providing a wafer loading/unloading chamber communicated with the boat loading/unloading chamber, providing a robot in the wafer loading/unloading chamber, mounting a boat on the elevator, loading wafers one by one into the boat from the bottom to the top by the robot, while lowering the boat every pitch, heat-processing the wafers in the boat in the process tube, and unloading the wafers one by one from the boat from the top to the bottom by the robot, while lifting the boat every pitch.

Abstract: A heat-treating apparatus comprises a heat portion which performs a required heat treating to a plural number of objects to be treated mounted on a heat-treating boat, a vacuum exhaust system which creates a vacuum inside the heat-treating portion, a load lock chamber which is connected so as to be freely openable and closable with respect to the heat-treating portion, which is filled therein with an inert gas and which is for transporting an object to be treated into and out of the heat-treating portion, and a residual treating gas exhaust system which is connected to the load lock chamber.

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 heat-treating substrates includes a plurality of heat-treating units arranged in vertical stages, and at least one hollow column for supporting the heat-treating units. Each heat-treating unit has an exhaust line communicating with the column to exhaust gases from the heat-treating units through the column by suction.

Abstract: The continuous furnace serves for the simultaneous two-sided sintering of sintered sheets upon substrates. It has a muffle and a conveyor belt longitudinally traversing the muffle and carrying the substrates and consisting of a pair of individual belts which are guided in parallel next to each other and synchronously. The belt surfaces are mutually inclined at a small angle to the horizontal in the muffle. The substrates which are self-supporting between two parallel lateral edges, lie with one lateral edge on the belt surface of one individual belt and with the second lateral edge on the belt surface of the other individual belt, so that the bottom side of the substrate does not touch the individual belts.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a workpiece has an enclosure, a means for reducing the pressure and a platen on which the workpiece is mounted. A heating mechanism is located within the platen and the platen is coated with a high emissivity material, which facilitates the radiative heat transfer between the platen and the workpiece. Consequently, the workpiece can be rapidly raised to a specific temperature. This apparatus is particularly applicable to the supporting of a semiconductor wafer within a vacuum system.

Abstract: A method of repairing a damaged portion of a glass layer of glass-lined steel equipment by repeated steps of applying a repair agent to a damaged area of the glass layer and then heating the repair agent for solidification and adherence to the glass by the use of a sol-gel process, until a thickness of a repair glass layer becomes almost equal to the existing glass layer adjacent thereto without generating cracks or exfoliations in the glass.

Abstract: An impurity furnace is disclosed, which includes: an atmoscan tube 1, a gas inlet 20, a processor tube 2, a door flange 60 and a discharge tube 70.A pressure gage 80 is installed at a side of the door flange 60, for measuring the internal pressure of the atmoscan tube 1 and transmitting the measured value thereof in the form of electrical signals. A microcomputer 3 connected to pressure gage compares the measured value of the pressure gage with a preset reference value, and generates control signals in order to control the opening degree of a butterfly valve 90. The butterfly valve is connected to the microcomputer 3, the opening degree thereof being controlled by the value controlling the signals from the microcomputer 3. The discharge tube extends from the interior of the atmoscan tube to the butterfly valve.

Abstract: Waste products, particularly scrap metal, adulterated by organic components, is pyroprocessed by: (1) shredding the adulterated scrap metal into particles having a maximum size of 5 cm.; (2) in a pyrolysis stage operating at a temperature of approximately 550.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. converting the particles into solids and pyrolysis gas; (3) in a mechanical processing stage separating the solids into unadulterated metal and pyrolysis coke; and (4) in a high-temperature gasification stage into which an oxidizing agent and, optionally, metallurgical coke is introduced converting the pyrolysis coke together with pyrolysis gas stemming from the pyrolysis stage into a heating gas free of organic substances.

Abstract: The invention relates to an intermediate storage system mounted adjacent to a bending furnace in a windshield production line, said system comprising a first intermediate storage (1) for pairs of flat glass sheets and a second intermediate storage (2) for pairs of bent glass sheets. Each intermediate storage includes a number of separate storage racks (3) for pairs of glass sheets and a carrier trolley (5, 9) for pairs of glass sheets. A carrier trolley (5) in first storage (1) is controlled for carrying pairs of glass sheets one at a time from storage racks (3) to the proximity of the loading end of a bending furnace (11) and carrier trolley (9) in second storage (2) is controlled for carrying pairs of bent glass sheets from the proximity of the end of bending furnace (11) onto the storage racks (3) of second storage (2).

Abstract: An excellent method of firing ceramic materials is provided wherein bending or deformation of a supporting plate which supports a green shaped body of the ceramic materials, deformation of the green shaped body caused by its own weight, and cracks and breakage of fired shaped body, during the firing of the shaped body of the ceramic materials, are eliminated. The method comprises mounting a green supporting plate on a fired supporting plate, mounting a green structural body of ceramic raw materials on the green supporting plate, and firing the green structural body on the green supporting plate.

Abstract: A thermal treating apparatus includes a reaction tube having an opening end and storing an object to be treated, an annular manifold arranged at the opening end and having an inlet for supplying a gas to the reaction tube and an outlet for exhausting the gas from the reaction tube, and a cover arranged on the opening end of the manifold. The surfaces of the annular manifold and the cover exposed to the inside of the reaction tube are covered by a material which is not corroded by the gas supplied to the reaction tube.

Abstract: Mixing of spent reactant gases with ambient air inside a semiconductor wafer fabrication facility is avoided and consequently corrosion of a scavenger box in a wafer fabrication facility is avoided. Repeatability of reaction gas results on wafers in a process tube is improved by maintaining precisely constant pressure in the wafer processing tube, which is operated close to ambient atmospheric pressure. This is accomplished by positioning an exhaust tube downstream from the wafers in the processing tube at a location that results in a uniform, repeatable reaction gas flow pattern between the wafers. Pressures at or near that point are measured by a differential manometer referenced to ambient atmospheric pressure to produce a pressure-indicating signal. The pressure indicating signal is electronically compared with a preset constant signal representative of the desired constant pressure at the pressure measurement point to produce an error signal.

Abstract: An industrial electrical, vacuum furnace for ion processing of work is provided with an improved feed-through interlock and insulator arrangement. A sealed interlock chamber on the furnace door is in fluid communication with the furnace's heat treat chamber. A bellows outside of the interlock chamber is in fluid communication therewith. When a vacuum is drawn in the heat treat chamber, the bellows distends into a collapsed position to provide a firmly clamped electrical connection with the feed-through which extends through the door into the interlock chamber. The feed-through is thus pinned by the bellows at one end and a V-shaped pulley guide arrangement within the furnace controls thermal distortion of the feed-through.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for heating injected, cold preform blanks to blow molding temperature on a conveyor path wherein they are thereafter fed to a blow mold, the preform blanks being first heated to a temperature below the blow moulding temperature, then cooled and later reheated to a temperature slightly above the blow molding temperature, whereupon the preform blanks are allowed to equalize in temperature inside and out or are caused to do so by slightly cooling their outsides. The spacing on the holders on the conveyor chain, on which are mounted the preform blanks, is selectively adjustable to avoid heat radiation losses. The neck portions of the mounted preform blanks are surrounded completely by protective sheathings so that such neck portions are not heated while being conveyed to the blow mold.

Abstract: A tube furnace used for high-temperature processing of semiconductor wafers or the like employs a cone-like shape for the gas inlet or nozzle where the reactant or insert gas enters the furnace tube. This conical nozzle produces a gas flow of faster velocities, following the flow streamlines, and avoids or minimizes recirculating gas cells. The amount of gas used in purging a tube with this configuration is reduced, and the time needed for thorough purging is also reduced. Greater process control, and enhanced process reproducibility, are also possible because of the reduction in overlap of process steps permitted by the faster purging. This feature of faster purging can, in addition, reduce the infiltration of ambient air which occurs during any processing step.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for positioning and for simultaneously oscillating a plurality of heater probes within a plurality of heat exchanger tubes mounted in a tubesheet of a nuclear steam generator is disclosed herein. The apparatus generally comprises a frame, a plurality of probe drivers mounted onto the frame, wherein each driver includes a pneumatically operated, bladder-type gripper for selectively gripping and ungripping the push-cable of one of the heater probes, as well as an oscillating mechanism powered by a variable voltage d.c. motor. A controller connected between the d.c. motor and a power source separately controls the frequency and the amplitude of the cycle that the oscillating mechanism moves the gripper in, and further controls the alignment between the midpoint of the oscillatory cycle and a selected point along the longitudinal axis of the tube.

Abstract: A wafer boats supporting wafers is loaded into and unloaded from a reaction tube with a lid therebelow in a vertical heat treatment apparatus, while holding the wafer boat vertical with respect to the lid. An arm is provided in a space below the reaction tube, for transferring wafer boats along a path, while holding the wafer boats vertical and in a substantially horizontal plane. Three stations are formed in the path. At the first station, unprocessed wafers are mounted on a first wafer boat located, while wafers mounted on a first wafer boat is being heat-treated in said reaction tube. Then, the first wafer boat is transferred from the first station to the third station, and is held at the third station. While the first wafer boat is held at the third station, the second wafer boat is lowered to the second station to unload the second wafer boat from the reaction tube, and then is transferred to the first station.

Abstract: A strap binding a plurality of articles together is automatically cut and removed by gripping the strap between two counter-rotating rollers and cutting the strap by using an oscillating cutting blade. The two counter-rotating rollers are then operated to advance the cut end of the strap into a cylindrical recess of a collecting device to cause the strap to be coiled up within the recess. The coiled strap which is of a thermo-fusable material is then heated locally to cause adhesion between the adjacent turns. The coiled strap which is now in a stable, coiled condition, is then ejected from the apparatus.

Abstract: A wafer handling apparatus has a common desk including a top surface having a front zone, a middle zone and a rear zone, the front zone being capable of receiving plural indexers functioning as a wafer sender and/or receiver, a couple of wafer processing units disposed adjacent lateral sides of the middle zone, a wafer baking oven disposed adjacent a middle of the rear zone, and a wafer handling mechanism disposed adjacent a middle of the front zone, the wafer processing units and the oven.

Abstract: A ceramic coating for a subminiature fuse includes sodium silicate and silicon dioxide applied over a subminiature fuse wire in slurry form. The coating gives the fuse arc quenching properties.

Abstract: A plurality of semiconductor chips are sequentially mounted on a rotary table, heated on the rotary table for a predetermined time, and ejected from the rotary table. The semiconductor chips ejected from the rotary table are fed to a bonding apparatus. The semiconductor chips are heated while the rotary table is stationary and are held to the rotary table by a vacuum chuck. The position of a semiconductor chip is adjusted before the semiconductor chip is ejected from the rotary table.

Abstract: A method of heat-processing semiconductor wafers comprising forming a purge tube which encloses the plural wafers by supporting a boat, on which the plural wafers are mounted, by a carrier arm to define a space on the upper side of the wafers while defining another space on the lower side of the wafers when the boat is to be loaded into and unloaded from a heat process furnace by the moving carrier arm or either when the boat is to be loaded into the heat process furnace or when it is to be unloaded from the heat process furnace, moving the carrier arm to communicate the purge tube with the heat process furnace, supplying nitrogen gas into both of the purge tube and the heat process furnace, keeping them connected to each other, pre-heating or cooling the wafers to a predetermined temperature range, and loading the purge tube into the heat process furnace or unloading the purge tube from the heat process furnace.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for retaining the configuration of an aperture formed through a coil when the coil is supported on a saddle. The saddle has a pair of spaced apart upstanding legs. The apparatus includes a first and a second member, with the second member having a length sufficient to span the legs of the saddle. A pair of arms are pivotably attached to the first member and the arms are joined to the second member by a pair of links. The links enable the arms to move between a first position in which the arms are spaced inward and apart from the perimeter of the aperture when the second member is not in contact with the legs of the saddle and a second position in which the arms cooperate with the first member to support the weight of the coil when the second member is in contact with the legs of the saddle. The apparatus is particularly useful for supporting a coil during a heat treatment operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for establishing a preferred temperature profile useful in the oven portion of a blow molding machine by incrementally adjusting heating elements for the exterior of the oven while a stream of parisons are in motion through the oven. The disclosure also includes means and method for preserving and duplicating a preferred temperature profile.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for vacuum purging bell type furnaces is provided. A vacuum shell unit is provided which is removably emplacible over the inner cover of the furnace and has a vacuum tight seal to the base. A vacuum is pulled both within the inner cover and within the vacuum shell to remove the ambient gas. Nitrogen is then introduced into the inner cover and within the vacuum shell. The vacuum shell is then removed and purging continues within the inner cover either with nitrogen or other desired atmosphere gas, and finally furnace is emplaced over the inner cover to heat treat the work in a conventional manner.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process and an apparatus for optimizing combustion in a furnace which has open chambers, referred to as a ring furnace, for the baking of carbonaceous blocks, the furnace comprising a plurality of preheating, baking and cooling chambers which are aligned in series, each chamber being formed by the alternating juxtaposition of hollow heating partitions in which the combustion gases circulate and compartments in which the carbonaceous blocks to be baked are stacked, the combustion gases being extracted by a suction pipe connected by delivery tubes to each of the heating partitions of the first natural preheating chamber.

Abstract: An improved heat transfer arrangement for use in a unique multi-function, industrial heat treat furnace which employs a sealed, closed end, heat exchanger shell member containing the work. The heat transfer arrangement includes a totally contained, internal recirculation system which develops an especially configured annular jet stream that produces highly efficient, convective heat transfer with the shell member. After heat transfer between the entrained gases in the jet stream with the shell member has occurred, the jet flow is reversed at one end of the shell and impinged against the workpiece, the spent stream being reformed into the annular jet at the opposite end of the shell member.

Abstract: A process for preparing a heat-resistant composite body, comprising forming silicon carbide crystal powder into a molded product, sintering the molded product in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, and thereafter filling with metallic silicon the inside of permeable voids of said porous body obtained by sintering. Powder having an average particle diameter of 5 .mu.m or less is used as said silicon carbide crystals to form it into secondary particles having an average particle diameter of from 40 to 150 .mu.m and such a particle size distribution that 60% by weight or more of particles are included in .+-.20% of the average particle diameter. This is followed by pressure molding to form a molded product using a molding pressure such that said granular secondary particles collapse at their surface areas to mutually bond there and at the same time the insides thereof remain uncollapsed, and also the molded product may have a bulk specific density of from 1.1 to 2.0 g/cm.sup.3.

Abstract: A compact to be sintered is moved vertically through a zone in which it is heated locally above its sintering temperature. The body is supported at both its top and bottom ends so that the area being sintered at a given time is not exposed to stress due to the weight of the body. Apparatus includes an oven casing having inductive heating means about a sintering zone therein, a lower lifting system on which the compact is supported, and an upper pulling system for lifting the top of the compact.

Abstract: A method, and a kiln, by and in which to fire ceramic tiles (8), or similar items, which are taken along a given path each stage of which is singular in terms of temperature level and other parameters governing the firing cycle. Travelling forward along the path, the tiles are subjected to a succession of alternating forward and reverse movements (30, 31) sequenced in such a way that each passage forward is followed by a shorter movement in reverse.

Abstract: In a heating furnace for forming films on semiconductor substrates (1), holding means (2, 4) for holding semiconductor substrates (1) are provided with projections (3, 5) for holding at least part of bottom faces of the semiconductor substrates (1) horizontally with predetermined spacing between the projections.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for retaining the configuration of an aperture formed through a coil when the coil is supported on a saddle. The saddle has a pair of spaced apart upstanding legs. The apparatus includes a first and a second member, with the second member having a length sufficient to span the legs of the saddle. A pair of arms are pivotably attached to the first member and the arms are joined to the second member by a pair of links. The links enable the arms to move between a first position in which the arms are spaced inward and apart from the perimeter of the aperture when the second member is not in contact with the legs of the saddle and a second position in which the arms cooperate with the first member to support the weight of the coil when the second member is in contact with the legs of the saddle. The apparatus is particularly useful for supporting a coil during a heat treatment operation.

Abstract: An intermittent flames, heated bed type furnace and a method for heating steel plate. The furnace and method for heating solve problems inherent in conventional furnaces, namely, consuming too much energy, having low efficiency, and providing a heat which is unstable and non-uniform in quality. The invention includes a modified furnace with a special heated bed, the furnace having a wide or square body to replace the conventional rectangular type of furnace, thus enlarging its loading volume. To improve product quality, a combined or continuous operational heating sequence is substituted for the conventional intermittent or batch heating mode, thus raising labor productivity. The overall effectiveness obtained by this invention has increased from 1 to 3 times the productivity of a conventional intermittent flame furnace, while decreasing energy consumption by 30 to 70 percent. Deflection of the size of the steel plate or end is only a fraction of that specified in conventional standards.

Abstract: An automated installation for the rapid thermochemical treatment of parts, notably for the mechanical industry, characterized in that it includes: a transfer lock for the parts under a controlled atmosphere; a plurality of treatment modules of the parts, all said modules being connected to said transfer lock; a loading lock; an unloading lock, and a handling robot for the parts, disposed in said transfer lock in order to provide for the successive transfers of parts between the various modules.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for establishing a preferred temperature profile useful in the oven portion of a blow molding machine by incrementally adjusting heating elements for the exterior of the oven while a stream of parisons are in motion through the oven. The disclosure also includes means and method for preserving and duplicating a preferred temperature profile.