Heat treating furnace having improved hot zone
OwnerWilliam R. Jonesinventor
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Abstract
The present invention provides a high temperature vacuum furnace including a hot zone, which is made for heavy-duty heat treating applications. In a preferred embodiment, the hot zone chamber has an outer and an inner wall. The inner wall includes a heat shield secured to it for containing radiant energy. The hot zone chamber further includes a plurality of banks of electric resistance heating elements spaced axially within the chamber. Heating elements in furnaces according to this invention have a specially designed width-to-thickness aspect ratio, which enables heating elements to have a longer life between replacements. These heating elements can be designed in polygon banks or arrays, which virtually completely surround the workpiece and provide maximum temperature uniformity during heating.
Claims5
A vacuum furnace comprising an outer wall, a hot zone chamber including an inner wall having a heat shield secured thereto, said hot zone chamber further comprising a plurality of spaced polygons having electrical resistance heating elements linked together by stabilizer bars and compensator bars arranged to shape said polygons, a substantial number of said heating elements having a width to thickness aspect ratio of less than about 80.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.