Continuous atmosphere controlled furnaces

A continuous atmosphere controlled furnace having:

• (i) a circular roof rotatable in one direction in a horizontal plane,
• (ii) a plurality of enclosed pots carried by said roof in a suspended form and arranged in a circle having a center on the axis of rotation of said roof, each of said pots comprising a body having an open top and a cover capable of closing said open top in gastight manner, said open top projecting above said roof, and that portion of each said pot which encloses the material to be heated depending below said roof,
• (iii) sidewalls of a heating furnace extending under said roof along a portion of the path of rotation of said roof and surrounding a portion of the path of travel of said pots,
• (iv) a rotary base having its axis of rotation on said axis of rotation of said roof, said rotary base being provided with a driving motor, said roof and rotary base being connected to a driving rod,
• (v) a distributor for atmosphere gas having its center on said axis of rotation of said roof and connected to said post by supply and exhaust ducts, said distributor comprising a central shaft secured on said axis of rotation of said rotary base and a central ring fitted around said central shaft and rotatable in unison with said rotary base, said central ring being formed with a plurality of gas supply passages connected respectively to exhaust ducts, each of said gas supply and exhaust passages having one end open at the inner peripheral surface said central ring, said central shaft being formed therethrough with a gas supply duct and a gas exhaust duct, each of which has one end open at the outer peripheral surface of said central shaft, said outer peripheral surface of said central shaft being formed with a plurality of interconnecting passages each of which interconnects one of said gas exhaust passages to which the exhaust duct leading to one of said pots is connected and one of said gas supply passages to which the supply duct leading to an immediately adjoining pot is connected.