Fluid bed furnace and the like

Claim 1

FLUID BED APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES IMMERSED THEREIN COMPRISING A VESSEL CONTAINING A BODY OF FINELY DIVIDED SOIL MATERIAL, COVER MEANS FOR CLOSING SAID VESSEL, GAS-FIRED MEANS FOR HEATING SAID VESSEL AND THUS SAID BODY OF FINELY DIVIDED MATERIAL, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FLUIDIZING GAS UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID BODY OF FINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL FOR FLUIDIZING THE SAME, MEANS DEFINING AN ANNULAR PASSAGEWAY WITHIN THE UPPER REGION OF SAID APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING SUCH FLUIDIZING GAS AFTER IT HAS PASSED UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID BODY OF FINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL, SAID PASSAGEWAY COMMUNICATING WITH AN EXHAUST STACK FOR EXHAUSTING FROM SAID APPARATUS SAID FLUIDIZING GAS AND THE GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION, AND CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONVEYING THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION OF SAID HEATING MEANS DIRECTLY TO SAID PASSAGEWAY IN THE REGION THEREOF GENERALLY OPPOSITE TO SAID EXHAUST STACK THEREBY TO PROVIDE INTIMATE COMMINGLING OF SAID FLUIDIZING GAS AND ORGANIC FUMES AND SAID GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION THEREBY EFFECTING SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE COMBUSTION OF SAID FUMES PRIOR TO REACHING SAID EXHAUST STACK.