Patent US2942910A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3565409A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Heat-treating apparatus
Assignee: BTU Engineering Corp
•
Filing: 1968-04-12
•
Granted: 1971-02-23
•
Expires: 1988-04-12
Abstract
Abstract A furnace for precision heat treatment of materials which permits selective liquid or gas quenching and substantially prevents undesired transitional cooling between heating and quenching phases. The furnace includes a muffle having adjacent zones of individually controllable temperature and gas environments, adjacent zones being separated by a barrier operative to maintain effective temperature and gas isolation as required. Transported by an endless conveyor, the materials being heat treated remain at elevated furnace temperatures for a preselected time, thereafter, depending on the presence or absence of a removable furnace section, the materials enter a chilled continuation of the furnace muffle or are dropped instantaneously into an appropriate liquid quench.
Inventors
- 👤 Jacob Howard Beck
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 20:41
CPC Classifications
C; C21; C21D; C21D1/00; C21D1/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A heat-treating furnace comprising: a muffle having an elongated heated zone and a cooled longitudinally adjacent elongated quench zone disposed therein; means for establishing a predetermined elevated temperature and gaseous environment within said heated zone of said muffle; means for establishing a predetermined cooling temperature and gaseous environment within said quench zone of said muffle; a barrier disposed between said adjacent zones of said muffle and operative to maintain an abrupt temperature gradient therebetween and to prevent migration of gas from one to the other of said zones; a conveyor extending through said muffle and adapted to transport materials being treated through said furnace from said heated zone to said quench zone; a bath of quench fluid disposed beneath the quench zone of said muffle and adapted to receive materials dispensed from said conveyor; and a removable bridge section adapted to be disposed over an opening in the quench zone of said muffle adjacent said barrier, said conveyor being operative selectively to dispense materials being treated into said quench bath in the absence of said bridge section and to transport materials for a predetermined time through said quench zone of said muffle in the presence of said bridge section over said opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
A heat-treating furnace comprising: a muffle having an elongated heated zone and a cooled longitudinally adjacent elongated quench zone disposed therein; means for establishing a predetermined elevated temperature and gaseous environment within said heated zone of said muffle; means for establishing a predetermined cooling temperature and gaseous environment within said quench zone of said muffle; a barrier disposed between said adjacent zones of said muffle and operative to maintain an abrupt temperature gradient therebetween and to prevent migration of gas from one to the other of said zones; a conveyor extending through said muffle and adapted to transport materials being treated through said furnace from said heated zone to said quench zone; a bath of quench fluid disposed beneath the quench zone of said muffle and adapted to receive materials dispensed from said conveyor; and a removable bridge section adapted to be disposed over an opening in the quench zone of said muffle adjacent said barrier, said conveyor being operative selectively to dispense materials being treated into said quench bath in the absence of said bridge section and to transport materials for a predetermined time through said quench zone of said muffle in the presence of said bridge section over said opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A heat-treating furnace in accordance with claim 1, wherein said barrier is inclined thereby extending said heated zone over said bridge section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A heat-treating furnace in accordance with claim 1, including a chute extending from said opening in said quench zone into and beneath the surface of said quench bath.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
88 words
A heat-treating furnace in accordance with claim 3 and including: a plurality of trays for said materials being heat treated, said trays being spaced along the length of said conveyor and pivotally attached thereto; said trays being adapted to pivot into said opening in said quench zone in the absence of said bridge section to dispense said materials through said chute into said quench bath; and said trays being further adapted to pass into said quench zone with said materials therein in the presence of said bridge section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
A heat-treating furnace in accordance with claim 4 wherein: said conveyor is adapted to transport said materials being heat-treated in said trays by intermittent movement through said furnace from said heated zone to said quench zone; said intermittent movement being arranged to convey each of said trays in succession from a stationary position rapidly through said barrier to a position over said opening in said quench zone; each of said trays in said last position being thereby adapted to pivot into said chute and dispense said materials therein into said quench bath in the absence of said bridge section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A heat-treating furnace as in claim 1 wherein said bridge section may be cooled when disposed over said opening in said quench zone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
157 words
A heat-treating furnace comprising: a muffle having an elongated heated zone and a cooled longitudinally adjacent elongated quench zone disposed therein; means for establishing a predetermined elevated temperature within said heated zone of said muffle; means for establishing a predetermined cooling temperature within said quench zone of said muffle; conveyor means adapted to transport materials being treated through said furnace from said heated zone to said quench zone; a bath for quench fluid disposed beneath the quench zone of said muffle and adapted to receive materials dispensed from said conveyor means; and a removable bridge section adapted to be disposed over an opening in the quench zone of said muffle, said conveyor means being operative selectively to dispense materials being treated into said quench bath in the absence of said bridge section and to transport materials for a predetermined time through said quench zone of said muffle in the presence of said bridge section over said opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
157 words
A heat-treating furnace comprising: a muffle having an elongated heated zone and a cooled longitudinally adjacent elongated quench zone disposed therein; means for establishing a predetermined elevated temperature within said heated zone of said muffle; means for establishing a predetermined cooling temperature within said quench zone of said muffle; conveyor means adapted to transport materials being treated through said furnace from said heated zone to said quench zone; a bath for quench fluid disposed beneath the quench zone of said muffle and adapted to receive materials dispensed from said conveyor means; and a removable bridge section adapted to be disposed over an opening in the quench zone of said muffle, said conveyor means being operative selectively to dispense materials being treated into said quench bath in the absence of said bridge section and to transport materials for a predetermined time through said quench zone of said muffle in the presence of said bridge section over said opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
89 words
A heat-treating furnace in accordance with claim 7 wherein said conveyor means includes: a plurality of trays for said materials being heat treated, said trays being spaced along the length of said conveyor means and pivotally attached thereto; said trays being adapted to pivot into said opening in said quench zone in the absence of said bridge section to dispense said materials into said quench bath; and said trays being further adapted to pass into said quench zone with said materials therein in the presence of said bridge section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A heat-treating furnace in accordance with claim 7 including a barrier disposed between said adjacent zones of said muffle and operative to maintain an abrupt temperature gradient therebetween and to prevent migration of gas from one to the other of said zones.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US530183A
Cited
US1828836A
Cited
US1960219A
Cited
US2438064A
Cited
US2637671A
Cited
US3219330A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-22 | 1974-08-24 | 1975-02-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-22 | 1978-08-24 | 1979-02-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-22 | 1982-08-24 | 1983-02-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |