Continuous annealer

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY ANNEALING A FIBER COMPRISING: (A) A PRESSURE RECEPTACLE INCLUDING (1) AN ENTRANCE PORT, (2) AN EXIT PORT, AND (3) MEANS FOR MAINTAINING A DESIRED PRESSURE IN SAID RECEPTACLE; (B) FIRST AND SECOND JET-SEALED ORIFICES CLOSING SAID ENTRANCE PORT AND EXIT PORT RESPECTIVELY, EACH INCLUDING (1) A PASSAGEWAY FOR FIBERS THERETHROUGH, (2) MEANS FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID AT A HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW VELOCITY TO SAID PASSAGEWAY, (3) A FIRST PORTION OF SAID PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING BETWEEN THE ATMOSPHERE AND SAID MEAND FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID AND A SECOND PORTION OF SAID PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING FROM SAID MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A LIQUID INTO SAID RECEPTACLE AND HAVING A REDUCED CROSS SECTIONAL AREA IN REGARD TO SAID RECEPTACLE, AND (4) MEANS IN SAID SECOND PORTION FORMING A LOW PRESSURE AREA AS THE PRESSURIZED LIQUID FLOWS THERETHROUGH AT AN ELEVATED VELOCITY FOR INTRODUCING SAID PRESSURIZED LIQUID INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID RECEPTACLE AND MAINTAINING THE INTERIOR OF SAID RECEPTACLE AT A PRESSURE HIGHER THAN ATMOSPHERIC; (C) MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING A FIBER TOW FROM SAID SECOND JET-SEALED ORIFICE WHEREBY SAID TOW IS DRAWN THROUGH SAID FIRST ORIFICE, PASSES THROUGH SAID RECEPTACLE IN A RELAXED STATE TO BE ANNEALED AND IS WITHDRAWN THROUGH SAID SECOND ORIFICE.