US 4,079,921 AGranted

Apparatus and method for continuous treatment of metal coils or the like

AssigneeLee Wilson Engineering Company, Inc.

InventorLudwik Iszczukiewicz

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Abstract

Apparatus and process are disclosed whereby open coils having spaces between the convolutions may be treated in a longitudinally extending furnace by passage of treating gases between the convolutions of the coils, the coils being introduced at one end of the furnace, passed through the furnace while being treated, and removed from the other end of the furnace. Walking beam apparatus is disclosed having sealing means, disclosed as a trough and flange sealing means that prevents gas leakage between the lower portion of the walking beam apparatus and the atmosphere, so that a completely gas sealed enclosure may be provided above the walking beams. Transfer means are disclosed at the entrance and discharge ends of the furnace, for introducing coils into the furnace and removing them from the furnace through purge chambers. A coil support that travels with the coil through the furnace is disclosed. Processes are also disclosed for continuously treating open coils.

Claims39

Dependent claims

Walking beam apparatus for treating work comprising first laterally and longitudinally extending worksupporting means having an upwardly facing work-supporting surface;

second laterally and longitudinally extending work-supporting means located generally parallel to and adjacent to said first work-supporting means and having an upwardly facing work-supporting surface;
support means movable solely in a fixed upright path for supporting and moving one of said work-supporting means in an upright path between a position in which its worksupporting surface is above said work-supporting surface of said other work-supporting means, and a position in which its worksupporting surface is below said work-supporting surface of said other work-supporting means;
means for moving one of said first and second work-supporting means solely in a lateral longitudinal direction extending generally parallel to the other work-supporting means, while said work-supporting means movable in an upright path is positioned with its work-supporting surface above the work-supporting surface of the other work-supporting means, and in an opposite lateral longitudinal direction when said work-supporting means movable in an upright path is positioned with its work-supporting surface below said work-supporting surface of said other work-supporting means;
enclosure means enclosing space above both said work-supporting means, said enclosure means including wall portion means completely surrounding said support means movable in said upright path;
and gas seal means operating between said wall portion means of said enclosure means and said support means movable in said upright path to prevent passage of gas between said space above said work-supporting means in said enclosure means and the exterior of said enclosure means by passage of gas between said wall portion means of said enclosure means and said support means movable in said upright path to prevent at all times including during said movement of either of said work-supporting means passage of gas between the space above said work-supporting means and the exterior atmosphere below said work-supporting means.

2 more elements

Walking beam apparatus for treating work comprising base means;

first laterally and longitudinally extending work-supporting means having an upwardly facing work-supporting surface;
second laterally and longitudinally extending work-supporting means located generally parallel to and adjacent to said first work-supporting means and having an upwardly facing worksupporting surface and supported from said base means;
support means for supporting said first work-supporting means from said base means, said support means being movable in a fixed upright path relative to said base means for moving said first work-supporting means in an upright path between a higher position in which the worksupporting surface of said first work-supporting means is above the work-supporting surface of said second work-supporting means and a lower position in which the work-supporting surface of said first work-supporting means is below the work-supporting surface of said second work-supporting means, said support means supporting said first work-supporting means on said support means for reciprocable lateral longitudinal movement relative to said base means and generally parallel to said second work supporting means;
means for so moving said support means in said fixed upright path;
means for so moving said first work-supporting means in one lateral direction while said first work-supporting means is in said higher position and in the opposite lateral direction while said first work supporting means is in said lower position;
enclosure means enclosing space above said first and second work-supporting means, said enclosure means being supported from said base means and having wall portion means connected gas-tight to said second work-supporting means and extending downwardly below said work-supporting surfaces of both of said work-supporting means and completely surrounding said support means for said first work-supporting means;
and gas seal means operating between said surrounding wall portion means of said enclosure means and said support means for said first work-supporting means to prevent passage of gas between the space above said work-supporting means and the exterior of said enclosure means by passage of gas between said wall means of said enclosure means and said work-supporting means.

4 more elements

Walking beam apparatus for treating work comprising first laterally and longitudinally extending work-supporting means having an upwardly facing work-supporting surface;

second laterally and longitudinally extending work-supporting means located generally parallel to and adjacent to said first work-supporting means and having an upwardly facing worksupporting surface;
support means movable solely in a fixed upright path for supporting and moving said first worksupporting means between a higher position in which its work-supporting surface is above said work-supporting surface of said second work-supporting means, and a lower position in which its work-supporting surface is below said work-supporting surface of said second work-supporting means;
means for moving one of said first and second work-supporting means solely in a lateral longitudinal direction extending generally parallel to the other work-supporting means, while said first work-supporting means is in a higher position with its work-supporting surface above said work-supporting surface of said second work-supporting means, and in an opposite lateral longitudinal direction when said first work-supporting means is in a lower position with its work-supporting surface below said work-supporting surface of said second work-supporting means;
enclosure means enclosing space above both said work-supporting means and adapted to be opened to permit work to be introduced into said enclosure means and adapted to be closed after introduction of work for treatment in said enclosure means, said enclosure means being substantially impervious to passage of gas between the interior and exterior of said enclosure means after being closed, said enclosure means including wall portion means completely surrounding said support means for said first work-supporting means;
and gas seal means operating between said surrounding wall portion means of said enclosure means and said support means for said first work-supporting means to prevent passage of gas between the interior and exterior of said enclosure means by passage of gas past the support means for said first worksupporting means at all times during movement of said first worksupporting means.

2 more elements

Walking beam apparatus for treating work comprising first movable laterally and longitudinally extending work-supporting beam means having an upwardly facing work-supporting surface;

second laterally and longitudinally extending work-supporting means located generally parallel to and adjacent to said first work-supporting beam means and having an upwardly facing work-supporting surface;
support means for supporting said first work-supporting beam means, said support means being movable in a fixed upright path for moving said first work-supporting beam means between a position in which its work-supporting surface is above the work-supporting surface of said second work-supporting means and a position in which its work-supporting surface is below the work-supporting surface of said second work-supporting means, said support means supporting said first work-supporting beam means on said support means for reciprocable movement in a generally lateral horizontal path that is fixed relative to said support means and extends longitudinally of said first and second work-supporting means;
means for so moving said support means in said fixed upright path;
means carried by said support means for so moving said first work-supporting beam means in said lateral path;
enclosure means enclosing the space above said first work-supporting beam means and said second work-supporting means, said enclosure means having gas tight lower portion means surrounding said support means for said first work-supporting beam means;
and gas seal means operating between said lower portion means of said enclosure means and said support means for said first work supporting beam means to prevent passage of gas between the space within said enclosure means and the exterior of said enclosure means by passage of gas between said first work-supporting beam means and said lower portion means of said enclosure.

3 more elements

Apparatus for treating objects comprising a treating chamber in which said objects are subjected to a treating gas and adapted when closed to be essentially secluded from the atmosphere;

a purge chamber at an end of said treating chamber through which purge chamber objects being treated pass between said treating chamber and the atmosphere, said purge chamber having first door means between the interior of said purge chamber and the atmosphere and second door means between said purge chamber and the treating chamber;
walking beam means in said treating chamber adapted to move objects being treated through said treating chamber between a treating station in said treating chamber that is adjacent said purge chamber and a location in said treating chamber that is removed from said purge chamber and said treating station;
and auxilary walking beam means adapted to move an object being treated between the exterior of said purge chamber and the interior of said purge chamber when said first door means is opened and said second door means is closed to permit such movement without harmful effects on the treating gas in said treating chamber.

A coil support for supporting an open coil of spirally wound spaced convolutions between the spaces of which convolutions treating gas is to be passed while the coil is supported on the coil support, said coil support being of generally laterally extending configuration and having a side and top, the top being provided with opening means to permit passage of gas between the coil support and the spaces between the convolutions of the coil;

means in said coil support providing gas passages extending between at least one gas opening means in said side of said coil support and said opening means in the top of said coil support so that gas can pass between the opening means at the side of said coil support through said opening means at the top of said coil support and through said spaces between the convolutions of said coil;
means in said coil support providing at least one passage adapted to receive transfer means for supporting said coil support, which passage communicates with said gas opening means and has entrance opening means for said transfer means in a side of said coil support at a location remote from said gas opening means;
and closure means for said entrance opening means of said passage for said transfer means to permit said entrance opening means to be closed while treating gas passes through said gas opening means in the side of said coil support, through said opening means in the top of said coil support and through the spaces between the convolutions of said coil, said closure means permitting said entrance opening means of said passage for said transfer means to be opened when transfer means is to be entered into said passage in said coil support;
and means for supporting said coil on said coil support.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.