Suspended furnace wall

A suspended wall for a high temperature furnace comprising:

• a plurality of spaced-apart, vertically extending columns having upper end portions and lower end portions, said lower end portions being uniformly bent in a rearward direction;
• flanged girder horizontally extending across said furnace and positioned adjacent the upper end portions of said columns;
• roller means associated with the upper ends of each of the columns for travel along an upper flanged surface of said girder means to permit horizontal movement of said columns in response to thermal expansion and contraction;
• beam means horizontally transversing said wall and attached to the lower end portions of the columns to support a bearing weight of said columns;
• a plurality of refractory members forming a refractory face along the columns;
• hanger means for attaching the refractory members to the columns, each of said hanger means including a gripping portion for slidable engagement with said columns to permit vertical movement of said hanger means and tiles in response to thermal expansion and contraction;
• thermal insulation means positioned between said refractory tiles and said columns;
• closure means for enclosing a rear side of said columns, spaced from said thermal insulation means and forming an air chamber therein, said air chamber having an open end facing the upper end portions of the columns;
• and
• duct means communicating both with said air chamber and with a source of forced air to cause a stream of air to flow through said chamber and exit the open end thereof to cool said hanger means and columns.