Carbon baking furnace with system for controlling movement of sacrificial medium and anodes through the baking path

A vertical path carbon baking furnace for baking green carbon articles;

• the furnace comprising:
• a furnace body defining a substantially vertical baking path adapted to receive the carbon article;
• the baking path having upper and lower ends;
• a sacrificial medium delivery system disposed at the top of the baking path;
• the sacrificial medium delivery system including a pair of channels disposed on opposite sides of the baking path;
• each of the channels defining outlets adapted to deliver sacrificial medium from the channel to the baking path;
• and
• a sacrificial medium conveyor disposed in the channels;
• the conveyor having movable elements that deliver sacrificial medium to the channel outlets along the length of the channels.

A vertical path carbon baking furnace for baking green carbon articles;

• the furnace comprising:
• a furnace body defining a substantially vertical baking path adapted to receive the carbon articles in a stacked column wherein the stacked column has a lowermost article and a second lowermost article;
• the baking path having upper and lower ends;
• an unloading device disposed under the baking path to control the movement of the column through the baking path;
• a holding mechanism associated with the baking path;
• the holding mechanism having elements that selectively support the second lowermost article independent of the lowermost article;
• and
• the holding mechanism including a plurality of grabs that selectively rotate downwardly and inwardly relative to the article from a disengaged position to an engaged position;
• the plurality of grabs including grabs disposed on opposite sides of the article such that the weight of the article causes the article to be pinched and held by the opposed grabs.