US 4,834,649 A · Random access oven

Abstract

A random access oven system including an oven, a vestibule, a loading conveyor, and a cooling conveyor. A plurality of load carriers, arranged in one or more tiers, are translated within the oven by one or more drive chains, in response to remotely generated commands. Loads to be treated in the oven are queued on the loading conveyor and are supplied to the vestibule in response to remotely generated commands. Any desired load carrier may be brought to a position adjacent the vestibule where the load carried by the carrier may be transferred to a conveyor within the vestibule, or a load within the vestibule may be transferred to the load carrier. After exiting the oven following heat-treatment, a load within the vestibule may be transferred onto the cooling conveyor. After a desired cooling period, each load on the cooling conveyor may be transferred out of the inventive system, for example to an adjacent conveyor. Any load may be removed from the oven after a desired time period, while all other loads remain in the oven. Thus, a variety of loads may simultaneously be subjected to different heat-treatments in the oven, with the constraint that all loads will be subjected to the same oven atmosphere and temperature while resident in the oven.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An oven system, including:

an oven;
a first group of load carriers translatably mounted within the oven;
a first transfer mechanism capable of transferring a load onto each load carrier in the first group and capable of removing a load from each load carrier in the first group;
conveyor means for supplying loads to the first transfer mechanism for transfer into the oven;
a first reversible drive means, operable in a first mode for translating any one of the load carriers in the first group in a forward direction to a position adjacent the first transfer mechanism, and operable in a second mode for translating any one of the load carriers in the first group in a reverse direction to a position adjacent the first transfer mechanism.

2 more elements

An oven system, including:

an oven;
a first group of load carriers translatably mounted within the oven;
a first transfer mechanism capable of transferring a load onto each load carrier in the first group and capable of removing a load from each load carrier to the first group;
a vestibule from which the first transfer mechanism transfers loads into the oven;
conveyor means for supplying loads to the first transfer mechanism for transfer into the oven, including a first conveyor for conveying loads into the vestibule, and a second conveyor, housed in the vestibule, for receiving loads from the first conveyor and supplying them to the first transfer mechanism;
and
a first drive means for translating any one of the load carriers in the first group to a position adjacent the first transfer mechanism;
a cooling conveyor;
means for transferring loads from the first transfer mechanism to the cooling conveyor;
a loading chamber housing the first conveyor;
a cooling chamber housing the cooling conveyor;
first sealing means capable of being operated to prevent gas from flowing between the vestibule and the oven;
second sealing means capable of being operated to prevent gas from flowing between the vestibule and the loading chamber;
and
third sealing means capable of being operated to prevent gas from flowing between the vestibule and the cooling chamber, where the first sealing means, the second sealing means, and the third sealing means are independently operable.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Random access oven

Life of this patent

Random access oven

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25