Molten salt spray apparatus for descaling stainless steel

Claim 1

IN THE CONTINUOUS SPRAY DESCALING OF METAL STRIP WITH MOLTEN SALT; A DESCALING DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING ENCLOSING A CHAMBER; INLET AND OUTLET SLOTS IN OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID HOUSING THROUGH WHICH HOT METAL STRIP TO BE DESCALED MAY ENTER AND LEAVE WHILE PASSING THROUGH SAID CHAMBER WITHOUT MARRING CONTACT WITH THE WALLS; MEANS OUTSIDE SAID CHAMBER FOR SUPPORTING AND PASSING SAID METAL STRIP ENTERING AND LEAVING SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID INLET AND OUTLET SLOTS; THE LENGTH OF THE CHAMBER BEING SUCH, IN RELATION TO THE WEIGHT AND STIFFNESS OF THE METAL STRIP AND ITS SPEED OF PASSAGE THROUGH THE CHAMBER AND THE LOCATION OF THE STRIP SUPPORTING MEANS, THAT THE STRIP IS OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE SURFACES OF THE SLOT; THE CHAMBER BEING FREE OF MEMBERS WHICH MIGHT ENGAGE OR MAKE CONTACT WITH SUCH STRIP IN ITS NORMAL PASSAGE THROUGH THE CHAMBER; A SUPPLY OF STEAM UNDER PRESSURE; A SUPPLY OF MOLTEN SALT; AND NOZZLES IN SAID CHAMBER CONNECTED TO BOTH SUPPLIES, STEAM AND MOLTEN SALT, FOR ATOMIZING AND SPRAYING MOLTEN SALT ON TO THE STRIP PASSING THERETHROUGH AND FOR FILLING SAID CHAMBER WITH STEAM UNDER PRESSURE TO SEAL THE INLET AND OUTLET SLOTS AGAINST ENTRANCE OF OUTSIDE AIR INTO SAID CHAMBER.