Retractable infra-red heater

Claim 1

A RETRACTABLE HEATING APPARATUS ADAPTED TO HEAT TREAT NORMALLY MOVING MATERIAL, WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION AN ELONGATED OPEN-SIDED INFRA-RED HEATING UNIT HAVING OPPOSING SPACED CATALYTICALLY ACTIVATED METAL SCREENS, AN ELONGATED FIXED WALL SECTION POSITIONED TO BE IN CLOSABLE CONTACT WITH THE OPEN SIDE PORTION OF SAID HEATING UNIT, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FUEL AND AIR TO EACH OF SAID SPACED METAL SCREENS AND FOR PROVIDING FLAMELESS INFRA-RED HEAT RADIATION FROM THE SCREENS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID UNIT, A MOVABLE SUPPORTING FRAME ATTACHED TO SAID HEATING UNIT, GUIDED MOVEMENT MEANS FOR SAID FRAME PROVIDING RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT OF THE LATTER ALONG A SHORT DEFINED PATH, MOTIVE POWERED MEANS CONNECTING WITH SAID FRAME AND OPERATIVE TO MOVE SAID FRAME AND SUPPORTED HEATING UNIT BACK AND FORTH ALONG SAID PATH, AT LEAST ONE MOVEMENT SENSING ELEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID MATERIAL PASSING THROUGH SAID HEATING UNIT, A CONTROL MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID SENSING ELEMENT AND WITH SAID MOTIVE POWERED MEANS, WHEREBY THE LATTER IS OPERATED RESPONSIVE TO A SIGNAL FROM SAID SENSING ELEMENT AND WHEREBY SAID FRAME AND HEATING UNIT ARE RETRACTED ALONG SAID DEFINED PATH AWAY FROM SAID FIXED WALL SECTION AND THE MATERIAL BEING HEATED.