Apparatus for continuous heat treating advancing continuously formed pipe in a restricted space

An apparatus for continuously heat treating advancing continuously formed pipe in a restricted space and for minimal deformation of said pipe during said heat treatment comprising;

• a pipe feeding means;
• a series of powered rollers spaced apart in a circle of sufficient size within said heat chamber for tangential and non-deforming contact with said pipe for driving said pipe through said heat chamber for heat treatment;
• a heat chamber for housing said series of powered rollers;
• a heater means for providing heat to said heat chamber and said pipe;
• a first deforming means for deforming said pipe just sufficiently into a curve for following said series of powered rollers upon said pipes advancing into said heat chamber and for directing said pipe to transverse across said rollers as said pipe is advanced around said rollers;
• an second deforming means for receiving and deforming said pipe just sufficiently as it exits from said series of powered rollers into a substantially straight line;
• and
• a take up means for receiving said pipe as it comes from said exit second deforming means.