Furnaces
AssigneeAssociated Electrical Industries Limited
InventorsEdward F. B. Croft, John J. Lane
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A furnace for heating one or more bodies in which heated gas is introduced into the furnace chamber through one or more injectors and are conveyed to the bodies in a manner involving appreciable resistance to gas flow. In a preferred arrangement a continuous metal strip is conveyed through the furnace on a gaseous support cushion, the gas being introduced into the furnace under pressure through injectors which communicate with the lower portion of the furnace. The injectors generate a substantial recirculation of gas within the furnace.
Claims16
A furnace for the heat treatment of metal strip comprising a furnace chamber with heating means
- having an internal wall structure defining a flow path for gas recirculating internally within the chamber, a strip support surface extending lengthwise through the furnace chamber, a plurality of injectors in communication with a source of gas under pressure located externally of said chamber and operably connected with the furnace to place the interior of the furnace chamber under pressure to promote internal recirculation of gas within the furnace chamber and means for directing recirculating gas over the strip support surface to provide a gaseous cushion between said surface and metal strip travelling through the furnace.
A furnace for the continuous heat treatment of metal strip comprising a furnace chamber having an internal wall structure defining a flow path for gas recirculating internally within the chamber, a trough extending along substantially the full length of the furnace chamber and including a base and divergent side walls extending upwardly from the base which define strip support surfaces for strip travelling through the furnace chamber, a plurality of injectors operable to place the interior of the furnace chamber in communication with a source of gas under pressure to promote internal recirculation of gas within the furnace chamber, and means for directing recirculating gas into the trough whereby said gas flows upwardly over the side walls of the trough to provide a gaseous cushion between said walls and metal strip travelling through the furnace.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.