Industrial heat treating furnace that uses a protective gas
US9890999B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 8, 2013 |
| Grant date | Feb 13, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 23, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF27D2009/0089
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An industrial furnace (1) into which protective gas is admitted for the heat treatment of batches (5) of metal workpieces is described. The heat treating furnace includes an entrance lock (2) which can be sealed with respect to the surrounding environment by means of a first gas-tight closure device (2.2.1). The heat treating furnace also includes a third gas-tight closure device (3.1) disposed between a heat treatment chamber (3) of the furnace and a quenching facility (4) at the exit of the heat treatment chamber. With the foregoing arrangement a pressure of the protective gas admitted into the heat treatment chamber (3) can be maintained during loading and unloading of a batch of metal workpieces (5). The entrance lock may be configured as a dual-chamber vertical arrangement or as a single chamber horizontal arrangement.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.