Annealing furnace

Claim 1

IN AN ANNEALING FURNACE HAVING MOVING MEANS FOR MOVING WORKPIECE WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO BE PUSHED ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE FURNACE FROM AN ENTRANCE END TO AN EXIT END THEREOF WHERE SAID FURNACE IS PROVIDED WITH AN EXIST END WALL FORMED WITH A WORK OPENING, SAID FURNACE HAVING ARCHED TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS PROVIDED WITH CONCAVE SURFACES DIRECTED TOWARD THE INTERIOR OF THE FURNACE AND PROVIDING THE FURNACE IN ITS INTERIOR WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY ELLIPTICAL CROSSSECTION, SAID FURNACE HAVING OPPOSED SIDE WALLS AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH IS FORMED WITH A PLURALITYH OF INLET OPENINGS DISTRIBUTED LONGITUDINALLY ALONG THE FURNACE AND EXTENDING TANGENTIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE INNER SURFACE OF ONE OF SAID WALLS FOR DIRECTING HEATING GASES INTO SAID FURNACE, BURNER MEANS FOR BURNIGN SAID HEATING GASES, AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS OF SAID FURNACE BEING FORMED WITH OUTLET OPENINGS ALSO DISTRIBUTED LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID FURNANCE AND COMMUNICATING WITH WHICH SAID OUTLET FURNACE HAVING A FLUE GAS CONDUIT WITH WHICH SAID OUTLET OPENINGS COMMUNICATE, AND SAID FURNANCE BEING FORMED AT SAID EXIT END WALL THEREOF WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS INCLINED TOWARD SAID PATH ALONG WHICH THE WORKPEICES MOVE AND THROUGH WHICH A PROTECTIVE GAS IS INTRODUCED INTO SAID FURNACE, AND A PROTECTIVE GAS SOURCE COMMUNCIATING WITH SAID INCLINED OPENINGS OF SAID EXIT END WALL.