US2608309A - Tube heating machine - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26, 1952 J. w. GARRETT 2,608,309

TUBE HEATING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l W h WN INVENTOR JAMES W. 5mm-:Tr Zwywvw ATTORNEY Aug. 26,1952 J. w. GARRETT 2,608,309

TUBE HEATING MACHINE Filed April 2s, 1948 4 sheets-sneet 2 V TOR Im/:rs Anna-rr ATTORNEY WWWWMAMAAAAAAAAAAA A Aug. 26, 1952 J. w. GARRETT 2,608,309

TUBE HEATING MACHINE Filed April 2s. 194s 4 sheets-sheet 5 lNVENTOR JAMES W. BARRETT A TORNEY Aug- 25, 1952 J. w. GARRETT 2,608,309

TUBE: HEATING MACHINE Filed April 23, 194s 4 sheets-sheet 44 @'Z INVENTOR TAMESVV EARaEfr-r ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 26, `1952 f TUBE HEATING MACHINE James W. Garrett, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to vSelas Corporation of America, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 23, 1948, Serial No. 22,931

The present invention relates to furnaces and more particularly to a furnace in which tubes, or` rods of various materials may be heated for drying, annealing, softening, baking or other purposes. The invention is herein described as being a softening furnace for glass tubes as that is one'of the many uses for which it is adapted. In any case the operation will `be the same, the difference being in the heat that is supplied for any given material' and the speed with which the tubes or rods are moved through the furnacel In the manufacture of curved Vfluorescent tubes for `lighting purposes it iscustomary first to coat the interior of the tube with a fluorescent material, then to bake this material and soften the tubes so that they may be bent to shape. The furnace of the present invention will be described as being used for softening the tubes and baking the lining prior to the time the tubes arebent to their final form.

In the present invention there lis provided a furnace chamber which has heat applied from the roof to objects to be heated that are moved progressively through the chamber by a novel work forwarding mechanism. While the tubes are being moved through the furnace chamber they are alsorotated around their axes so that they will be evenly heated on all sides and Will not sag to change their shape.

It is an object of the invention to provide a heat treating machine in which tubes or rods may be rapidly heated to some desired temperature. It is a further object'of the invention to provide a heat treating machine in which tubes or rods are evenly heated on all sides as they are moved through a heating zone.

It is an object of the invention to provide a work forwarding mechanism of novel design for moving` cylindrical objects through :a heating zone of a furnace while rotating the objects. rThe Work forwarding mechanism. is characterized by a construction inlwhich the parts thereof will always remain within the heating zone.` Because of this no heat is lost vas aresult of the movement of the tubes.

-It is Ia further object of the inventionto provide an apparatus for rapidly and evenly heating tubes or rods in which the heat loss is reduced toa minimum. With the apparatus of the present invention only those parts that are designed to withstand the high temperatures developed are subjected thereto `and they are not removed from the heated zone. The remaining parts and the operating mechanism :are loc-ated `cui; of the heated Zone? lsoiaims. (ol. 214-18) It is a further object of the invention to providemechanism by means `of which the interior of the tubes being heated may be purged or treated with some desired atmosphere while the heating is taking place. l y A The various features of novelty which characterize `my invention are pointed out with par-` ticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, its advantages, and specic `objects `attained with its use. reference should be hadV to the accompanying drawingsvand descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention. y j

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a section taken approximately on line l-I of Figure 2 showing a sectional view of the furnaces and forwarding mechanism, and a side view of the drive means;

Figure 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of the work forwarding mechanism; l

Figure 4 is a view taken from the left of Figure 3 showing a portion of the work forwarding grammatically the manner in which the Work forwardedthrough the furnace; Figure 6v `is a side View of a different embodiment of the work forwarding mechanism; and Figure 7 is a top View of a portion of the em-` bodiment disclosed in Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing it will be seen that the machine of the present invention includes a suspended roof I by means of which the heat is supplied to the work as it is being forwarded through a furnace chamber which extends between the roof l and a `floor 2; Located in the chamber between the roof and the floor is a work forwarding mechanism 3 by means of which work to be heated is moved from a feeding zone on the left of the machine to the right of the machine, where the heated work is received by mechanism" to operate further upon it. The roof and floor are mounted on a suitable frame 4. f

The `roo-f is composed of a' number of structural steel members 5 which `aresuitably joined together. Extending between these members are plates 6 to form a metal backing for the roof. The sides of the roof are composed of hollow castings l which extend fro-m one end to the other thereof and form water cooled portions to protect the remaining part of the `mechanism from the heat. Across the front of the roof there is also provided a hollow casting 8 which forms a water cooled front for the outlet end of the machine. The metal framework described above has a lining of heat insulating material I beneath which areastened refractory members 9 and burners II.V Therefractory blocks andthe burners are mounted within the framework of the roof so that the burners are located in rows across the same and in staggered relation to each other. I3 to be moved in a counterclockwise direction from the normal position sho-wn in Figure 11,. ;'For

this purpose there is provided a ring I4 onthe upper porti-on of casting B through which a hook may be put so that a crane canlift the roof away from the forwarding mechanism for inspection and adjustment of both the roof and theforwarding mechanism.

The endsof the rod I3 are mountedin bearings I5 that extend upwardly from the rear portion ofthe framework of themachine. The frame also i-ncludesa pair of hollow castings' lr6 extending the entire length thereof to'form water cooled sid-es. Y These v`castings are divided Vinto upper and. lower `'chambers .as shown in the drawing, between which thework supporting members'for the-work forwarding mechanism Aextend into the furnace chamber.

From an Ainspection of Figure 2 it will beseen that A"in its-normal operating position Ithe -roof is located-withrespect to theframework of the machine byf-means of vengagement 'between flanges I8 projecting from the castings 1 of thev roof to engage cooperating surfaces :which arel Vformed on the upper lpor-tionsof the sidewalls |16- of the frame. Y

The burners I Ithatrarevusedinthe presentmachine may be of any `suitable type, but they Yare preferablyr ofthe vtype disclosed in Hess Patent 2,215,079, granted September 1'1, 1940, and reference may be made to -that patent for aidetailed description of the burners-andtheiroperation. Heatfrem the burners, as well as-the-exhaust gases resulting from'the combustion, are directed downwardly against the work as it is passing-under-fthe roof, andthe-work is thereby` heated to a degree'depending upon ythe time required for the work to move through the furnace chamber and thextemperature .at which the burners are'flred. Fuel is supplied to the individual burn-ers through pipes:.:22 vthat are connected toy a manifoldv23. Valves 24 are provided in the .pipes Y22 so'that nach burner may `beadjustedfindividuallyto prowideethefproper amountofrheat to form a definite heatrpatternifor lthework: that is beingheated. It is'flnotedthat there is an opening 25 provided 'izIliithe leitorgrearendgof 4the roof fin Figure 1 thltOllghWhiChthe Products of combustionare withdrawn. YAny;suitable typeof suction means may be usedfor this-purpose, and as the products Qf;combustion are movedztoward .thev rearv of the :roof :they/serve to :preheatthe work as it is :moved.intonositoil under the roof.

'Ighe floor :2 Of th-e ihating chambergincludes :a steel backing plate thatv lis .suitably .reinforced with cross members 21. Lying against theface of the :plate 12.6 is .some:suitable heat i insulating material 2Bfabove1which areplaced refractory' blocks l231-togform a refractory floor just below the work forwardingmechanism. This flooris also heated fbythe heat radiated from the roof,.and tends to reflect heat upwardly'againstfthe'lowerportion of tthezworksasjtjs beingfmoved through fthe furnace '4 chamber. The front end of the floor is provided with a passage 3| through which a combustible fuel can be supplied to a series of burners 32 extending across the front of the floor. These burners are of the type which produce a flame and they serve the purpose of blanketing the front end of the furnace chamber to prevent an inflow of cool Iairjand also to give ,all 3.1331' heating to the work as it is being moved out of the' furnace and isbeyond the last of the burners I I in the roof. The passage 3| is supplied with the combustible The roof as a whole is pivotevd oniafrod l The floor o f the furnace is mounted for pivotal Ymovement'in a clockwise direction from the position `shown vin1l:i gure l around a shaft 34 that is also mounted in the framework of the machine.

' 'Ihisflporisnormally held in the position shown b y means` of a iiuid operated piston rod 35 and cylinders'SB that are pivotally connected to the furnace floor and the machine frame respectively. Referring to Figure 2 Iitwillbeseen that the-plate 26' forming the bottom` ofthe floor extends. beyond each edge-of thexheating .chamber so that when .thefloor-is inA its normal pOition, this frame will-engage asurface formed onvthe` bottomgof the s-de framesl I6. 1f desired,;;suitable gaskets canvbe used topreventA an inflowl of airA` so; that the combustion-chamber will notgbe subjected to the cooling effects of air-which-inay leakizpast these joints throughout` the lengthof,;1thema. chine. :It fis noted that the tube 33 must be iiexi.- ble since-the oor canzbe moved.

'The work vis :moved into thefu'rnace chamber from-the left `through an lentrance slotl A422k Which has-a water cooled upper A,wall 43. As theswork, which in. this caseconsists of glass tubes,-moves through .this `slot itis fedpiece by piece .by feeding mechanismv 44 to thezsets of feedrollers 45 and 46. Alternate Yrollers are -moved together so that the mounting means of all of the rollers 45..are -similar,-while the mounting -meansof all of the, rollers `lII- are similar. These rollers are moved tovbothrotate the work and .forward-"it through the furnace chamber. Each r-of the rollers 45 is Ymounted on a shaft 45a, whereas each of rollers `46 is'mounted onzashaft 46a. rIhe rollers of each: group orset are raised and lowered together and each roller is rotated continuously. Rollers 45 and 46 and theirshaftsare made of a heat resisting alloy :that will withstand the temperatures encountered in the furnace chamber.

The mounting means for the 'shafts 45a of rollers I5 .1(Figure 3) includes a casting or bracket 41 in which the left end of the .shaft is 'journalled This casting is mounted for oscillation around a shaft 43 that is fixed in an upwardly projecting portion `I9 of the frame. The casting or bracket inlwhch the right end of the shaft 45o-is mounted is indicated at 5l. This casting -is mounted for oscillation around Vshaft 52v that in turnis vjournalled for-rotation in a bearing 53 projecting upwardly from the frame of 'the machine, as shown bestin Figures I2 andy 3 of the drawing.

VRoller 45 is rotated by a gear 54 `that is attached to the right end of shaft 45a. This gearis driven by an idler'gear 55-which -is mountedY on a stud shaftthat'is journalledfinthe casting, andthe idleris, in turn,-rotated by a gear 56 which is attached to the-inner end of shaft 452. The outer end offshaft '52-has-mounted on it a vworm lgear 51 that-is rotated by aworm 58 on a shaft 59, extendinglparallel tothe-side of the machine and `j ournalled in suitable bearings.

Rollers IIE aremounted in a similar fashion to that described above in connection with rollers andasse" 45 except that the driving mechanism for these rollers is on theopposite'side or leftof the machine. rThr-right end of shaft 46a is mounted in a casting 4or bracket 6|, which `is -in turn mounted for oscillation on a` shaft 62 that pro-` jects from a support 63 extending upwardly from the frame..V The` left end of shaft 46e isjournalled in a casting 84 that is, in turn,` mounted for` oscillation around a shaft 65 which is journalled in a bearing 66 projecting upwardly from the frame of the machine. Roller 46 is rotated by means of agear 61 attached to theo'uter end of shaft 46a. This gear meshes with idler 58 that is on a stud shaft journalled for rotation in cast` ing 6.4and the-idler is in turn rotated by a gear 69 attached to the inner end" of` shaft 85. The outer endof-shaft 65 has mountediupon it a .worm gear 1| that is rotated by a worm 12 on a'shaft 13 extending lengthwise of the machine.`

1 `Each ofthe rollers 45 and 46 4i s rnounted in the same way for rotation around an axison a pair Y of castingswhile the castings upon which each roller is mounted are in turn o s'cillatablev around a center that is axiauy aligned with thenext adjacentshaft. Thus, while roller 45, for example, is being rotar-edit c analsobe oscillated around an axis that is in line with the axis of the next adjacent roller 46.

The castings41 and 84 are so `formed that there will be no interference between them as theyare oscillatedfabout their respective-`shafts 48 and 65. The same is true aboutcastings and 5|. It will be seehthat each casting` 4l has a generally U-shaped portion extending between its end journalled o n shaft 4 8 andits end that receives shaft 4 5a. ,Casting 64 also; has a .generallyfU- shaped portion between that portion thereof received en shaft (i5 and that portion which receives shaft 46a-1 The, U-Shapedrortion of Casting 41 extends downwardlywhile that of casting-64 extends upwardly as? shown in Figures- Zand 4.` Therefore, while` the castings have parts crossing each other as shown-in Figure 3, there will be n ointerfer` ence as they are oscillated around their respective Genirse. .1.3` 'f Castings-i 1 5 and 6 |41 :are formed similarly I to castings v4l and 64: respectively.Y Casting 6| has av downwardlyextending `.llshaped portion between itsV ends, while casting r5| has an `upwardly extendingiJ-shaped portion between its ends.-

The rollersg45 are `raised and lowered in-arcs around shaftsti4 and 52, and;rollers;46 are raised and` lowered in arcs around shaft 62 andi-.655111 order tov feed the-tubes through'Y thefurnace chamber. The` mechanism for oscillating; the rollers will-now be described.' p

. Each casting41 is provided with afdownwardly extending arm 41a and in alike manner castings 5| ,.l6| and 64 areprovided with downwardly extendingl arms Ela, 6|a, and' 64a jrespectively. Since the rollers 45 are mounted for movement together the lower ends ofthe arms 41a are joined by means of a rod 14 extending parallel to the side of the machine whilethe lowerendsof arms 5|a are joinedv by a rod 'l5extending parallel to the .other sideiof the machine.- In like manner arms4 Ela aref-joined by-a rod-16j `while anmsfB-fla are joined bylafrodll; Rods-14 and 15-arejmoved in -l unison to oscillate rollers 45 simultaneously and rods 16 and -11 aremovedjin-unison to oscillate rollers `46 simultaneously. -jRodsA-M and 15 aremoved respectively fby'levers 'mand- 19 while rods 16 and 11 arelmoved respectively-by levers 8| -and 82, Lever 1 8 is attached at its midpoint, as shown in Figure 2, to a sleeve 83 which serves 6 as its fulcrum, and this sleeve lis journallediri; bearings 84 and 85 which extend downwardly from the frame of the machine. Lever 19 is free on a shaft 86 that in turn is journalled in the sleeve 83, and levers 8| and 82 are journalled on` the outer ends of shaft 86. Levers 18 and '19 and sleeve 83 are oscillated by cams81 and 88 to move the rollers 45. To this end the lower ends of levers 18 and 19 are connected respectively-by links 89 and 9| to the upper end of levers 92and 93. These latter levers have pins 92a and 93a respectively which engage in cam slots formed in the faces of cams 8l and 88.

In asimilar manner levers 8| and 82` are os-` Yeillated by cams 88 and 81. To this end the lower ends of these levers are attached by links 96 `and 91 lto theupper ends of levers 98 and 98. respectively. Levers 98 and 99 are provided with pins 98a and 99a that extend into 'carri slots formed on the opposite faces of cams 88 and 81 respectively. The lower ends of levers"'9`3'and 98 are journalled on a shaft |83 which in turn is held in position by supports |04. The lower ends of levers 82 and 99 are mounted forosthat move levers 98 and 99` that only one set of the forwarding rollers are .being mov`ed`.at a time. Thus, when rollers 45 are being movedA upwardly rollers 46 are still, and vice versa. The cam grooves are so'shaped that the moverrientl of the rollers is sufcient to shift a tubefrom one pair of rollers 45, 46 to an adjacentpair of rollers 46, 45 in a manner to be described below. The last roller at the right. end of .the furnace chamber (Figure 1)` is rotated,.but-r`1 ot moved. vThus this roller provides `a definitely located dischargepoint fromthe machine... .L

The feeding mechanism` `44ffor controlling .the supply of tubes passing through entrancefslot 42 Y'to `the forwarding `mechanism in the .furnace chamber is operated by the oscillation .of tube.83. in synchronism with the movement of the rollers 45 and'46. The feeding mechanism consists. vof! a pair of fingers fand||2 which areaalternately projected into `the path of Vmovement-of the tubes, as they are passing in Ythe "feeding slot 42` toward the furnace chamber. VFinger is pivoted at its lower end to a boss I 4 which-pro jects rearwardly 4from the tube 83V while linger I2 is pivoted at its lower end to a boss |3iwhich projects `forwz-irdly from sleeve 83. `As the sleeve is oscillated` in' the manner `described Y above the ngers will be raised and lowered. They, are guidediin their `movement by a `rod ||5 `that is suitablyfastened in the frame of the machine and passes through slots which are provided` for this purpose. It is noted from an inspection `of Figure 2 of the drawing that two setsof the feeding-fingers are used, one on each side .of the machine toward the ends of the feeding rollers' 45 and 46.v `These two parts of the feeding mechanism are operated-together and are bothoperated by the sleeve 83. vThis meansthat the tubes will be` maintained parallel to the rollers 45 and 46 as they are permitted to move into the furnacechamber.

Thev mechanical construction of apreferred ElQIQQIlt-Of .the-..1flfchpe. 115:5. bnde'elbed,

' ved that a description fthe inanch the variuspartsojerate will be Itf'i's assumed' that the burners inthe f urnaee roof are operating and that 'the furnace ohamberhas been brought up' to temperature. Some drive means, suchas an electric 1noto'r,' v is used to rotate shafts 5'9 and 13 to rotate rollers 45 and 4,6 at asuitable speed. Drive means, whieh maybe the Ysame ora different motoraots throughchain |08 torotate the cam shaft |05, an ansupply of tubes T vtol beheated has ybeen placed in the entrance. slot 42 ofthe furnace chamber. The sequence of operationwill be vdesgibedinoonnection'with the diagrams of Figure'- 5in which the sequences are lettered'from A toII inclusive. It is noted thatthe lparts'of Athe mechanism vrin Figuresl tov lare'fshown in the positionsthey assume in ldiagrams C and Got Fleuret- .esterne 81 and 88 rotate they will eet. through the levers' and links mentioned above to move rods 'Hand l5 forwardly and rearvvarllyin unison. and will alternately eet .to move rode 'mand H rearwardly and forwardly in unison. es rods 14 and 'l5 move forward rollersf45 will be r noved to their lowposition shown in diagram Alof: rigore .Thenrodel and. Will'flole moved rearwardly to move rollers 46 to their Ahigh position of diagram lA of Figure 5. Finger vvillbe in its low position and finger ||2 will be in its high position, so that la tube vmay roll e. .11net. the .first roller 46 es Shown. et .11.111 diegram A. It is noted that when this occurs roller 45 is `its up position .so that the tube will only Inoveian short VVdistance and cannot get broken.' Continued rotation of Vthecams will bring Vthe ro Iers to thefeame level as shown inediagrarn B a then to; the relative positions of diagram nC with rollers 45 higher than rollers As this ooonrsljto'be l Inoves to the .right to loe eonnorted by the'second pair of rollers while tube IIis npporteobvtne nrst noir of. rollers es .ehovnin diagrams C endD- At tneserne time llneer .l .Il has movedupward1y and ringer I j| 2 has moved @ovnverellr'to nlaoe .tnenezit tubeim position .to entertne. .fornace .enemben -Continued .rotetlonof Gerne 81 enel et Will more the respe'otive groupsoi rollers 45and46 to the positions. shown in diagram E, and will at the same time lower finger Vl and raise nger I2. This permits a third tube III to move against the irstlroller '46. As the rollers move to the pos ition -shovvnfin vdiagranl vF it will be seen' that tubes II and III are supported on the first three rollersyvhile-'tllere is a space between tubes II andI. As rollers 45 are raised, however, tubes Iand II vmove to the right so that, as shown in diagrams Gand I-I, each tube is supported on a separate" pair of rollers. This spacing i'slmaintained between the tubes during the entire time they are 'moving through the furnace.

As noted above, ro1le`rs'45 and 46 are continually rotated as theyare beingmovedhup and clown. This results inthe tubesbeing rotated continually about their own axes as theyY 'are being moved through the heating acne.l Consequently the tubesare evenly heated all around andas the tubes get soft toward the end of their path of travel there is no tendency Afor them, to flatten due to their own weight.

Itis frequently `desirable to force airor some inert gas into the tubes as they are being moved through the furnace chamber. This may be accomplished with Ythe.Present Innenne. by haring totes through. reign the. eas is, .forced .attending gierig the Yflower portions "of' fjtejfwat cooled sides o`f the roolasshovvnat' These't'ubs' are, 'provided with one or Amore outlets l 1' 'este tending'in the' directionof the aXisof the tubes and aligned therewith. By forcing fa :suitable gas through the tubes 'as theyare being heated; treatment of a material V inside the tubes vrrx'avbe aompusheu;

.ln-Fienresjo endif there .is shown another tute. of meoltonlent. for operating .the rollersno'on whichthe tubes aremountedfas theyare moved throughthe furnace chamber. thisern'b die nient of the 'de viee the. sets of Vrollers" are tiered llo.. andl Ienr rhenr'avinsonn one end of each of the sets otrollers' r`isshow' since the type Aof operating niechanismffor of nd of ro1lers B is' eg'actlv the' samejas the' tyeof operating mechanism o n the "oftherends' of V rolleis ||9 and viceversa. Alternate rollers are driven from opposite ends. Therefore a' description of the mounting and driving Vof o n'e" end `of each" of the 'roursfenould be sortaient.' shaft I 18a' of roller r I |`8 is mounted in Llishap'ed supporting member 12| which has adownvvardlyeiitfending arm |22. This member is pivotedon a shaft`|23 thatis in turn pivotd infa bearing '|2412' Roller ||8 is driven "by means 4of asprocket '|2533'.- taehed to the end of its nshaft 4and' 'a second sprocket |26 that is on the' innerend' of shaft |23. These sprockets are 'connected by "a 'chain |21. -Shaft |23 extends'through the'bearing |24 and hasa second sprocket |'23on itsiouter'end. This "sr'nocket',v along with the other sprockets` |28 for theV various" rollers "l I8 is drivenVV by achain |29 which eXtends' doWnthe length of themachine, arid is inturn drivenin'a suitable manner aY similar chain" n the 'other side of the machne.

Shaft |9a for roller ||9 is received in a bearing formed'on one arin |3| of 'an Ill-shaped'mehrber whose otherv arm'is indicated 'at' |32.VV This member is pivoted 'to'tu'rn" about aishaftv |33 that is journalled in a bearingfl 34." v The lower end of arms" |22 are'fastend togethento beV moved in unison as are lthe lower ends of arms |32 so thatfthe various sets of rollers'can be moved in unison.4 The' means for moving arms |22' com; prises a rod |35 that ispivotally attachedto their lower ends and extends lengthwise o'fthe machine." Thisfrod has "an enlarged head '|36 on one end of it. Ina like manner theris provided a vred |31 which is f'astenedto the'low'er end' :of the arms |32,'fthat has' on its 'end an enlarge'- ment shown at |38'. These rods are nove'dhawk and forth'in'a horizontal direction in order to oscillate the roll holdingmerbersarid to' there# foreraise and lower these rollers, by means'Y of a disc |39 that is mounted on a shaft |40. This disc has a drive' roller projecting from each 'face with one roller |4| 'engaging the flat surface'of the'enlar'gement |3|1l andthe other roller |42 IrrtheV operation ofthe device disc `|39 is rotated, and as itfrot'ates the rollers |4| and |42 wmauernately move the' rods '|36 andV |31v ma hormonen direction. -js i 1 1ce jone`ro11e'r is on one side ofthe disc andthe other roller is (n-the other side Yof the disc-the tworods will be moved in oppositedirectionsl'i This movementis imparted through the supportingA members" for the rollers ||8 and r| I9 to raise and llower the rollers alternately, and therefore to movev tubes through teorema@ in j manner simuar to that' de- `9 scribed indetail in connectionwith the embodiments of the invention of Figures 1 to 5 inclusive. It isA noted that shaft |40 will prevent lmovement to the right` of the enlarged portions ofthe rods |35 and |31 beyond the position of theshaft. This means that the rollers ||8 and H9 in their positions shown in Figure Gare at approximately the lowest position that they will assume. When drive rollers |4| and |42 move to theleft of shaft |40, however, they Will move the rods |35 and |31 through the full length of the stroke dependent upon the radial `distance ofthe drive rollers from shaft |48. l A

It will be seen that in this embodimentof .the invention as well as in the previously described one a means is provided forl rotating the `work forwarding rollers as their supports are being oscillated around a series of shafts. work is progressively moved through the furnace chamber while it is being rotated.

In each embodiment of the invention there is provided a compactmheating mechanism by means of which tubes or rods may be heated to a temperature depending upon the treatment to which they are being subjected. The heating of the work will be dependent upon the speed with which it is moved through the furnace as well as Vthe temperature of the burners.. s f

It snoted that only those parts of the mechanismthat are designed to withstand the temiperature of the furnace chamber are located therein. The remaining parts of the mechanism are outside ,of the chamber and protected therefrozrrbywater' cooled'w'allsor the refractory work of the furnace chamber." Another advantage of the described construction Ais that those parts ,of the machine which are located in the furnace chamber remain in thechamber so that the heat they absorb will not be lost, as would bethe case, for examplauwith a chain type or ai car type work transporting mechanism.A

`While in accordance Virl/ith `the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described `the best form of embodiment of my invention now `known to me, it will be` apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spiritandV scope of the invention, as set forth'in `the appended claims, and: that in some caseswcertain features ofmy invention maybe usedto advantage without` a corresponding use of other features.

` What is claimed is:

1.3Apparatus`for moving cylindrical objects through a heating structure including a furnace chamber having an entrance and an exit at opposite ends comprising in combination means to transport said objects through the structure including a plurality of elongated members extending in parallel relation across the chamber,

each adjacent pair of members serving to support jointly an object, means to lift said members in sequence to move an object supported by an adjacent pair of members to the next adjacent pair of `members in the direction toward the exit of the chamber, feed means to feed said objects one at a time to the entrance of the chamber, and means to synchronize the operation of said feed means and said lifting means so that an object is fed to the entrance of the chamber as the member adjacent the entrance thereof is in its lifted position.

2. Apparatus for supporting and moving cylindrical objects through an elongated work zone comprising a plurality of elongated members. a

Thus, the V geteste 10 bracket on each end lof each member to support the same, means to mount each `bracket for pivotal movement around an axis concentric with themember next to the member supported by a given bracket, means to connect the `brackets supporting alternatel members for movement together, and means tok move in sequence'said connecting means whereby alternate` ones of said members will be raised to roll objects thereon from'. one member to the other through said work Yzone.

"BLApparatus according to claim 2 including `means to rotate continuously said members.

. .4. Apparatus for moving Vcylindrical objectsl ject jfrom one pair of members toan adjacent pair of members;

5; Apparatus formoving Vcylindricalobjects :through a heating structure includingla furnace chamber having an entrancefor said objects at one end, and an exit at the other end comprising combination "supporting and c transporting mechanism located in the chamber Vto movethe objects from the entranceV to the exit-V thereof including a plurality of rollers, pivoted means to support' individually said rollers, and `means-to move 'simultaneously alternate ones of said supports around their pivots to raise rollers carried thereby abovethe level ofthe remaining "rollers whereby objectsare rolled progressivelyfualong said rollers. c

tus according to -claim- 5 5 including i` 6. Appara continuously said rollers. 7;;Apparatus `to move cylindrical l objects through a treatingrstructure including-a chammeans carried by said supporting means to rotate ber'having an entrance at one end andan exit atlthe opposite end comprising in combination supporting and transporting mechanism'forirthe objects located in the structure, said mecha- `nism including a plurality of parallelrollers, in-

dividual supporting means for each `rollerarrcl means to` move in sequence Athe supporting means for alternate -ones of said` rollers-to raise first one group of rollers and then the other group of rollers above a given normal level thereof whereby objects on said rollers are progressively moved from the entrance end of the structure to the exit thereof.

8. Apparatus according to claim 'I including supply means for said objects to supply a single obj ect at a time to the structure, and mechanism cooperating with said moving means to operate said supply means only when the roller adjacent thereto is in its raised position.

9. Apparatus to move cylindrical objects through a work zone including a chamber having an entrance at one end and an exit at the opposite end thereof comprising in combination a plurality of rollers, means to mount said rollers in the chamber for rotary movement around their axes and for lateral movement parallel to their axes, means to move alternate ones of said rollers from a normal position to a position higher than said normal position to throw objects from between one pair of rollers to between the next pair, and means to rotate said rollers while they are being moved. y 10. Apparatus for moving cylindrical objects Ithrough a work zone including a chamber havan entrance at one end and an exit at the other comprising in combination supporting and conveying means to move objects through the chamber including a plurality of elongated members, means to mount individually said Inembersparallel to each other, means to sup- -port said mounting means for pivotal movement whereby said members will be raised above a normal position as said mounting means is pVoted, mechanism to pivot said mounting means including Parts connected to alternate ones of saidmo'unting means whereby as said mechanis'r'n is operated alternateones of 'saidmembers will be raised,A and means to rotate said members continuously. Y

1 1 Apparatus f or moving cylindrical objects Sthrough an elongated chamber having an `entranceat one end and an exit at Athe opposite end, supporting and transferring mechanism to move objects through said chamber including a plurality of elongated cylindrical members, means to mount said members in parallel rela- -ijliinmacross said chamber, an object being sup- .ported jointly by two members, means operativeto move simultaneously alternate ones of said members to a position above a normal position to s l 1ift objects supported thereby tothe next pair of members, and Vmeans to rotate continuously each of said members.

v1 2. Apparatusfor supporting and moving cylindrical objects through an elongated work Zone comprising a plurality of elongated members adapted to support an object jointly between adjacent members, means to mount said members in parallel relation to each other including a vbracket on'each end of each member, means to support eachof said brackets for pivotal movement around an axis concentric with the member next to the member supported by a given bracket, andmeans to pivot in sequence adjacent pairs Q ibrackets supporting a member to thereby raisesuccessive members to a level above a v normal level to thereby move objects from one pair of members to an adjacent pair of members.

13 Apparatus for supporting and moving cylindrical objects through an elongated work zonercomprising a plurality ofelongatedmembers adjacent ones of which support jointly an 12 Y e 4 object, a'bracket journalle'dfo'n 'each'end'cf each member, means toy pivotally supprt 'eaeh bracket for rotation around an axis coaxialwith the member adjacent' the one supported'by'a pair of brackets, means to move alternate'fpairs of brackets mounting a "single `member around their pivots to thereby move 'an v'object partially supported thereby'to an adjacent pair ofin'embers.

14. Apparatus according to'claimlincluding means to rotate 4eachof said members in their respective brackets whereby objects will be rotated as they are moved from onerrenber to the other through saidwork zone.

1 5. Apparatus yfor moving cylindrical objeets through a work zone comprising 4in cinbinatiori, supporting and forwarding mechanism" located continuously in said zonev y comprising "a plurality of elongated members located in parallel -rela'i tion and extendingV across said 'zone' with-the ends thereof extending outside 'of said Zone, brackets to mount each endof saidfmernbers'ffor rotation about its axis, and means to move-"the rpairs of brackets supporting 'each member 4v'from a normal position through ya path concentric with the vnormal position of the-*next member'iin la'direction toward the exit end olf said zone', Yand means to operatefsaid movingme'ans tci'moveiacljacent members i alternately through said -Dth.

JAMES W. GARRETVI.

REFERENCES CITED The 'following references are of 'record :in "the le of this patent:

UNITED sTArIrs P'2riir1'y"'sN OTHER REFERENCES Trinks, Industrial Furnaces. vo1.vI,-`2nd ed., June 1944, page 244. (Copy in Div. 30.)

Images