Insulated furnace members

Claim 1

IN A FURNACE CONSTRUCTION FOR USE IN THE HEATING OF METAL STOCK WHEREIN SUPPORTS ARE PROVIDED UPON WHICH SAID STOCK IS ADAPTED TO REST, SAID SUPPORTS COMPRISING TUBULAR MEMBERS WHEREBY COOLANT CAN BE PASSED THERETHROUGH AND WHEREIN SAID MEMBERS INCLUDE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL MEMBERS WITH THE HORIZONTAL MEMBERS BEING PROVIDED WITH UPSTANDING RAIL PORTIONS WHICH DEFINE THE BED OF THE FURNACE FOR SUPPORTING THE STOCK TO BE HEATED, THE IMPROVEMENT IN MEANS FOR PROTECTING SAID SUPPORTS FROM THE HEAT OF THE FURNACE COMPRISING A LAYER OF INSULATING MATERIAL DISPOSED IMMEDIATELY OVER THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORTS, AND A PLURALITY OF BLOCKS OF REFRACTORY MATERIAL OVERLYING SAID LAYER OF INSULATING MATERIAL WHEREBY THE REFRACTORY MATERIAL IS DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO THE HEAT OF THE FURNACE, SAID INSULATING MATERIAL AND SAID REFRACTORY BLOCKS EXTENDING AROUND SAID HORIZONTAL SUPPORT MEMBERS INTO CLOSE FITTING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID RAIL PORTIONS WHILE THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID RAIL PORTIONS REMAIN EXPOSED FOR CONTACT WITH SAID STOCK, AND WHEREIN SAID INSULATING LAYER COMPRISES SHEETS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL DISPOSED IN A PLURALITY OF THICKNESSES OVER SAID SUPPORTS, SAID BLOCKS EACH COMPRISING SEGMENTS OF A GENERALLY CIRCULAR CONFIGURATION, AND INCLUDING ANNULAR GUIDE TRACK MEANS, SAID TRACK MEANS DEFINING LATERALLY EXTENDING FLANGES AND BEING RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO SAID MEMBERS AT SPACED APART INTERVALS THEREON, EACH OF SAID GUIDE TRACKS EXTENDING PARTIALLY AROUND SAID MEMBERS, AND RECESSES DEFINED BY SAID BLOCKS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID LATERALLY EXTENDING FLANGES WHEREBY SAID BLOCKS CAN BE HELD IN PLACE ON SAID MEMBERS.