Apparatus for heating tubular metal goods

Claim 1

AN APPRATUS FOR HEATING ELONGATED ARTICLES WHICH COMPRISES, IN COMINATION, A PREHEATING FURNACE; A HOLDING OVEN; FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ARTICLES AXIALLY ONE AT A TIME, THROUGH SAID FURNANCE FOR A RAPID PREHEAT INTO SAID OVEN; SECOND CONVEYOR AND STORAGE MEANS FOR RECEVING SAND ARTICLES FROM SAID FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ARTICLES IN PARALLEL SIDE-TO-SIDE RELATING ACROSS SAID OVEN, SAID SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO ELONGATED SCREWS EXTENDING PARALLEL TO BUT SPACED FROM EACH OTHER PARTLY ACROSS TO THE OVEN AND IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE ARITLCES ACROSS THE OVEN, EACH OF SAID SCREWS BEING ROTATABLE IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE OTHER AND HAVING A THREAD PITCH OPPOSITE TO THE OTHER; MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING SAID ARTICLES FROM SAID FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS TO SAID SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS ACTUABLE BY SWITCHING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY INCOMING ARTICLES; SWITCHING MEANS FOR REGULATING THE TRAVEL OF SAID SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY ARTICLES CARRIED ON SAID SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS; THIRD CONVEYING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID HEATED ARTICLES AXIALLY, ONE AT A TIME, OUT OF SAID OVEN; MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING SIAD ARTICLES FROM SAID SECOND CONVEYOR AND STORAGE MEANS TO SAID THIRD CONVEYOR MEANS ACTUABLE BY SWITCHING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY OUTGOING ARTICLES; AND MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE OVEN SUCH THAT SAID OVEN IS MAINTAINED AT A UNIFORM DESIRED TEMPERATURE.