Systems and methods for processing metallic articles with a retort furnace

A method of treating metallic articles, comprising:

• loading a plurality of metallic articles into a retort chamber of a retort through an inlet chute;
• supplying heat to a furnace chamber in which the retort is positioned to heat the furnace chamber to a temperature sufficient for carburizing or annealing of the metallic articles;
• oscillating or rotating the retort back and forth so as to cause the metallic articles to be engaged by a series of flights located along the retort chamber and be moved along the retort chamber toward a discharge;
• controlling the oscillation of the retort so as to control a dwell time during which the metallic articles are heated within the retort chamber to facilitate a uniformity of heating of the metallic articles;
• and
• discharging the metallic articles from the retort chamber.

A retort furnace comprising:

• a furnace chamber having at least one heat source in communication therewith for heating the furnace chamber;
• a retort received within the furnace chamber, the retort including a rotatable retort body defining a retort chamber, and having a charge inlet through which a plurality of metallic articles are introduced into the retort chamber, a discharge outlet for discharge of the metallic articles from the retort chamber, and a plurality of flights mounted in spaced series along the retort chamber;
• a support system for rotatably supporting the retort body within the furnace chamber and including at least one shaft coupled to at least one of an upstream or a downstream end of the retort body;
• a drive system connected to the support system, the drive system configured to rotate the at least one shaft of the support system to cause rotation or oscillation of the retort body;
• and
• a control system including a controller configured to transmit control signals to the drive system for controlling the rotation or oscillation of the retort body in first and second directions up to 360° in one or both directions, in conjunction with controlling the at least one heat source for heating of the metallic articles within the retort chamber to a desired temperature and to control dwell times and facilitate substantial temperature uniformity of the metallic articles as the metallic articles move along the flights toward the discharge outlet.