Transfer apparatus for laterally transferring kiln cars between tunnel kilns

A transfer apparatus for transferring a kiln car relative to a tunnel kiln, said transfer apparatus comprising:

• (a) a transfer carriage including a housing structure which defines a space for accommodating said kiln car, and a wall disposed within said defined space;
• and
• (b) mounting means for mounting said wall relative to said housing structure for reciprocal movements within said defined space, wherein
• said housing structure includes (i) a thermally insulated inverted U-shaped housing having a pair of separated side walls and an upper wall joined to upper ends of said side walls, and (ii) means associated with a lower end of each said aide wall for supporting said housing structure upon said transfer carriage to allow said housing structure to be reciprocally movable between a first position, wherein said housing structure is closely adjacent an end of said tunnel kiln, and a second position, wherein said housing structure is separated from said tunnel kiln end.

A transfer apparatus for transferring a kiln car relative to a tunnel kiln comprising:

• transfer carriage means for supporting at least one kiln car and for transferring said kiln car relative to a tunnel kiln;
• and
• a housing operatively associated with said carriage means and defining an interior space having opposing open ends alignable with said tunnel kiln and adapted to receiving said kiln car when said kiln car is transferred onto, and supported by, said carriage means;
• said housing including,
• (i) a wall disposed within said interior space,
• (ii) mounting means for mounting said wall for reciprocal rectilinear movements therewithin between said opposing open ends thereof, and
• (iii) means for allowing said housing to be reciprocally movable between a first position, wherein said housing is closely adjacent to an end of said tunnel kiln, and a separated position, wherein said housing is separated from said tunnel kiln end.

In a tunnel kiln system of the type having at least one pair of elongate tunnel kilns, and a number of kiln cars adapted to pass in train formation through said tunnel kilns, the improvement comprising transfer means for sequentially transferring said kiln cars from an exit end of one of said pair of tunnel kilns to an entrance end of another of said pair of tunnel kilns, said transfer means including:

• transfer carriage means for (i) supporting at least one kiln car discharged from said exit end of said one tunnel kiln, (ii) transferring said supported at least one kiln car between said exit end of said one tunnel kiln and said entrance end of said another tunnel kiln, and (iii) introducing said at least one kiln car into said another tunnel kiln at said entrance end thereof;
• a housing carried by said transfer carriage means and defining a pair of open ends alignable with said exit and entrance ends of said one and another elongate tunnel kilns, respectively, said open ends establishing therebetween a space for accommodating said at least one kiln car;
• and
• a wall structure disposed within said space and including means for movably mounting said wall structure relative to said housing for reciprocal movements between said open ends thereof.

A method of transferring a kiln car relative to a tunnel kiln, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) aligning a carriage structure with an exit end of a tunnel kiln, the carriage structure carrying a housing defining a space for accommodating said kiln car and a wall movably disposed within said defined space;
• (b) initially positioning said movable wall adjacent said end of the tunnel kiln;
• and then
• (c) allowing the kiln car to advance onto said carriage structure and into said defined space, which advancement causes said movable wall to move from its said initial position towards a final position in said defined space which is spaced in a downstream direction from said initial position thereof.

A transfer apparatus for transferring a kiln car relative to a tunnel kiln, said transfer apparatus comprising:

• (a) a transfer carriage including a housing structure which defines a space for accommodating said kiln car, and a wall disposed within said defined space;
• and
• (b) mounting means for mounting said wall relative to said housing structure for reciprocal movements within said defined space, wherein
• said mounting means includes a dolly upon which said wall is supported and operatively associated with said transfer carriage for relative reciprocal movements towards and away from said tunnel kiln.

A transfer apparatus for transferring a kiln car relative to a tunnel kiln comprising:

• transfer carriage means for supporting at least one kiln car and for transferring said kiln car relative to a tunnel kiln;
• and
• a housing operatively associated with said carriage means and including a pair of opposing open ends defining therebetween an interior space which is adapted to being longitudinally alignable with a tunnel kiln and also adapted to receiving a kiln car when the kiln car is transferred onto, and supported by, said carriage means, wherein said housing includes;
• (i) a wall disposed within said interior space;
• and
• (ii) mounting means for mounting said wall for reciprocal longitudinal movements within said interior space between said opposing ends thereof towards and away from the tunnel kiln.