Catalytic radiant heat treating apparatus

Claim 1

A CATALYTIC RADIANT HEAT TREATING APPARATUS COMPRISING A BASE, A PAIR OF VERTICALLY DISPOSED SPACED OPPOSED RADIANT HEATING UNITS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, EACH UNIT INCLUDING AN INNER WALL, THE INNER FACE OF SAID WALL COMPRISING A GAS PERVIOUS THIN CATALYTIC ELEMENT PROVIDING A SOURCE OF RADIANT HEAT, A LAYER OF GAS DIFFUSING HEAT REFLECTIVE MATERIAL COVERING THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID CATALYTIC ELEMENT, A CLOSED CHAMBER DISPOSED OUTWARDLY OF SAID WALL AND HAVING COMMUNICATING INNER AND OUTER COMPARTMENTS, A PREHEATING BURNER DISPOSED IN SAID INNER COMPARTMENT FOR PREHEATING SAID CATALYTIC ELEMENT TO IGNITION TEMPERATURE AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A FUEL AND AIR MIXTURE TO SAID OUTER COMPARTMENT UNDER SUFFICIENT PRESSURE TO CAUSE SAID MIXTURE TO FLOW TO SAID INNER COMPARTMENT AND THROUGH SAID LAYER TO SAID CATALYTIC ELEMENT, SAID UNITS PROVIDING A SPACE BETWEEN SAID INNER WALLS TO RECEIVE AN ARTICLE TO BE TREATED BY RADIANT HEAT EMANATING FROM SAID CATALYTIC ELEMENTS.