# US 4,399,984 A · Automatic installation for the heat treatment of workpieces in fluidized beds

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- Number: US 4,399,984 A
- Document ID: US4399984A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/346,530
- Filed: 1982-02-08
- Granted: 1983-08-23
- Earliest claimed: 1982-02-08
- Assignees: Midland-Ross Corporation
- Inventors: Jean-Claude M. Bouchon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4399984A

## CPC

- C21D 9/005: {Furnaces in which the charge is moving up or down (for wire, strip C21D9/54)}
- C21D 1/53: Heating in fluidised beds
- C21D: MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass C23F17/00; unidirectional solidification of eutectic materials or unidirectional demixing of eutectoid materials C30B)

## Abstract

Workpieces are heat treated in a fluidized bed contained within a vessel having a central well surrounded by helical ramps along which the workpieces move into and out of the bed. A perforated platform connects the ramp and movement of the workpieces along the discharge ramp is achieved by vibrating such ramp.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for heat treating articles in a fluidized bed of heated particles, said apparatus comprising: a fluidized bed of heated particles, and a vibrating conveyor for moving said articles through said bed, said conveyor including a cylindrical member, first helical ramp means coaxial with said cylindrical member for guiding the articles into said fluidized bed, second helical ramp means coaxial with said first ramp means and said cylindrical member for guiding the articles out of said fluidized bed, at least one of said first and second ramp means being connected with said cylindrical member, a platform at least partially closing one end of said cylindrical member for receiving articles from said first ramp means, moving said articles radially, and for thereafter transferring said articles to said second ramp means, said platform being formed of material having perforations smaller than the articles being heat treated and substantially larger than the heated particles, and means for vibrating said cylindrical member, said first and second ramp means, and said platform to cause said articles to advance along said first ramp means onto said platform, and onto said second ramp means to thereby move said articles into and out of said fluidized bed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first ramp means has a relatively steep pitch and said second ramp means has a relatively small pitch, the pitches of the two helices being selected to control the time the articles remain in said fluidized bed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said first ramp means is located radially inward of said second ramp means.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said first ramp means is disposed radially outward of said second ramp means.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first ramp means is connected with an inside surface of said cylindrical member and said second ramp means is connected with an outside surface of said cylindrical member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first ramp means is connected with said cylindrical member, said fluidized bed having a cylindrical container coaxial with and surrounding said cylindrical member, said second ramp means being connected with an inside surface of said cylindrical container, and said vibrating means includes means for vibrating said cylindrical container with said cylindrical member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluidized bed includes a cylindrical container coaxial with and surrounding said cylindrical member, said first ramp means being connected with said container and said second ramp means being connected with said cylindrical member, and said vibrating means includes first vibrating means for vibrating said cylindrical member, said platform and said second ramp means, and second vibrating means for vibrating said cylindrical container and said first ramp means.