CA1069296A - Apparatus for gas treatment of articles traversing an enclosure - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure:

Treatment of articles in an enclosure traversed by gases, according to which the articles are advanced trans-lationally and are simultaneously rotated, characterized by apparatus for causing the articles to travel the length of the enclosure several times and at different levels, and for causing the articles to roll on flat superimposed surfaces extending across the enclosure by bringing them in contact with driving components carried in a continuous or endless circuit so that the same components provide for successive travel of the articles first in one direction, and then in the other direction at two different levels.

Description

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APPARATUS FOR GAS TREATMENT
OF ARTICLES TRAV~RSING AN ENCLOSURE

The present invention relates to a method and ap-paratus for the treatment of artiicles according to which an enclosure is traversed by gases whose temperature and/or com-position are such that they provide for treatment ~f the ar-ticles by contact with them.

The invention makes possible thorough and efficacious treatmen~ of the articles while reducing the dimensions of the enclosure particularly in the direction of the path of movement of the ar~icles as compared wi~h prior arrangements.

The technique of thc invention is of ~he ~ype according to which the articles ~o be treated are advanced translationally and are simulatenously rotated, and is charac~er-ized in that the articles traverse the length of the enclosureseveral times and at different levels, and in that the articles are rolled on flat superimposed surfaces extending from one end of the enclosure by bringing them in contact with driving components carried in a continuous or endless circuit, so that the same components provide for successive travel of the articles first in one direction, and then in the other ~--direction at two different levels.
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The ~echnique of the invention is particularly adapt-¦ ed to the treatment of articles in cylindrical spherical or oval form, the articles being rotated around their axes or centers, whil~ being advanced ~ranslationally.

The technique according to ~he i~vention can be applied to diverse treatmen~s such, for example~, as foT
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~. : ' " ~69Z96 drying, cu.ring and cooling operations, and heating ~erations, such as annealing, temperirlg sr tlle like. It can li};ewise be used to provide for cva~ing of 'che sur:Eaces of the articles with materials such as glaze, paints, etc. whose composition may be heterogeneous and whose constituents are efficaciousl mixed by the movements communica~ed to tlle articles. It can likewise be used to facilitate the a~pl~cation oE semirigid, flexible or retractable coatings to the ar~icles to be ~r~ated.

The articles to be ~rea~ed can have a tubular form, particularly a cylindrical, tubular orm~ They can be made of various materials particularly of -~ibrous materials, especially fibrous insulating slee~es in which a curable binder is distributed between the fibers, the gases contained in the enclosure providing for thermal treatment throughou~
the entire thickness o~ t~le articles by ~rec~ing curin~p polymerization or softening of the binder. The articles can, for example, be made up of ~ibrous insulating sleeves, part~cularly small diameter sleeves of ~he ~ype referred ll~n to in ~he~patent application of Bicho~ and Gest Serial ~o.
226,985 ~iled May 14, 1975~ and assigned to the assignee of the present application, rela~ing to a method and appara~us for the continuous ~ormation of insulating sleeves rom fiber mat in which a binder is distributed, the sleeves having ` a porous structure but ha~ing l~yers at the internal and external surfaces, in which the ~esin is cured in or~er to stabiliie the s]lapc of the sleeves.
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l~9Z96 sroadly speaking, therefore, the present invention provides apparatus for use in heat treating cylindrical articles, comprising at least two superimposed but spaced foraminous decks, heating means for circulating a gaseous curing current through the decks, and mechanism for rolling a sequence of articles first in one direction on the surface of an upper deck and then in the opposite direction on a surface of a subjacent deck, the mechanism co:mprising a series of article engaging elements and an endless carrier for the elements, the .0 carrier having a run travelling in one direction over the surface of one deck and the other run of the carrier travelling in the opposite direction over the surface of the subjacent deck, mounting mechanism for the carrier including a sprocket arranged at adjacent ends of superimposed runs of the carrier moving in opposite directions, the elements being mounted on the carrier with spacing greater than the diameter of the ~ -articles and in position to extend between the articles on the decks and thereby establish movement of the articles over the decks in spaced relation to each ot~er and at a rate conforming ~ :
O with that of the endless carrier, the upper deck being terminated .
at its downstream end at a point spaced from the sprocket at the end o the cooperating run of the endless carrier to , provide an opening larger than the diameter of the articles and :. located inboard of the sprocket for gravity delivery of articles ; ~ from the upper deck to the subjacent deck~
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: Some other characteristics and advantages of the 1~ invention will be evident from the description which follows and '~ which refers to a preferred embodiment o the apparat~s. In the course of this description reference will be made to the attached .~ ~ drawings in which: -: ~ ~ Figure 1 is an elevational view with portions of the I enclosu~ broken away;
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~ ~ yw~ 3 _ ~69Z5~6 Figure 2 is a fragmentary detailed perspective view showing the apparatus for driving and rotating the elements in the enclosure;
Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section of the feeding mechanism in the enclosure of Figure l; and Figures a and 5 are diagrammatic fragmentar~ views of an alternative relative arrangement of components of the drive mechanism for articles to be treated.
The embodiment illustrated is arranged to pro~ide for handliny of fibrous insulating sleeves indicated by the letter A, the sleeves being formed from a fibrous mat in which a binder is distributed, as is more fully described in the . ~.

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~ ~ ~ ` ' ' ' '''' . . ~r~ ywl/~f ~ ' ~ 3a -~69Z~6 patent application iden~ified ~bove. The equipmen~ shown may be used to carry out the complete and uniform curing o-E
the sleeves by providing for the polymerization or the hardening of the binder.

In the course of the curing in the enclosure or oven the sleeves are carried without constrain~ in such a way as to avoid unrolling the exterior layers of the ~ibrous mat, and therefore without formation of surface defects detrimen-tal to both their structure and appearance. On the other hand~ during the time the sleeves remain in the oven, the sleeves are supported on a flat surface throughout their length and the sleeves allso rotate on their axes in such a manner as to promote uniform euring.

The sleeves A are successively brought to a door :15 1 on an inclined feed table~ the door being activated by a jack 2 which stops each sleeve before its entry, thereby assur-ing that the sleeves will be delivered to the interior conveyor mechanism in the desired transverse position. The opening of this door is timed and limited in order to decrease the heat loss from the oven.

In order to l~n~then the time ~he sleeves remain ` in the oven and to do so while limiting the length of the oven, the oven comprises several superimposed levels, of which there are five iin the example illustra~ed.
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Each of the levels is made up of a perforated plate or foraminous deck 3 which may desirably be formed of wire :-mesh~ on which the sleeves A are: rolled by being driven by ; ~ ;`~;
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g6 means of small bars 4 carried by an endless carrier. The bars 4 should be spaced from each other a distance greater than *he diameter of the articles. For the purpose of driving the bars, endless chains are provided, such as indicated at 5, with which the small bars are connected. Preferably a carrier chain is provided a~ each side of ~he decks. The arTangement according to the invention is such that one run of each endless chain S provides the movement of the sleeves in one direction and ~hen, by its lower run provides for movemant in the o~her direction in two successive stages on the perfora ted decks 3.

In the embodiment illustrated the three endless chains 5 are provided, and five superimposed runs are utilized for feeding the sleeves. The chains are preferably driven by a variable speed motor (not shown), for ins~ance by connection with one of the chain carrying pinions 6 o-f each endless chain.
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The sleeves A are successively placed on ~he perfor-ated decks 3 between two successive bars 4. Eaeh of the sleeves ; A is pushed by the bar si~uated immedia~ely behind the sleeve, and the sleeve advances by rolling on the suppor~ deck 3.
Between the end 9 of the perforated deck, the example o~ the top deck and the last bar 4, before the pinion 6, a free space -~ is provided ~o allow ~he passage by gravity of a sleeve A
to the next lower le~el. At this next level, the bars 4 move in the opposite direction since they are driven by the returning run of the endless chain. The result is that the sleeves are submitted, under the same ccndi~ions, to a new horizontal transfer in a direction opposi~e to that to which they were submitted a~ the level immediately above. Tho sleeves finally _5 .

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leave the lowermost deck 8 over the top of the adjacent pinion and are delivered to the inclined plane 10, for the final discharge from the equipment.

The heat for the oven is provided by a gas burners 12 placed on the f1OOT 13 of the oven, and above the burners small insulating compartments 14 o non-oxidizing metal are provided to prevent localized overheating of ~he lower level of the oven. Homogenous distribution of hot air upward through the height of ~he oven is effected with ~he help of a thin perforated steel plate 15 parallel to and spaced the upper portions of the compartments 14, th~reby distributing the hot air in thc oven.

Af~er coming in oontact wi~h all the sleeves, the air is ejected through ~he flue 16.
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The embodiment described and illustrated in Figur~s 1, 2 and 3 incorporat~s decks 3 supporting khe articles for travel in paths arranged horizontally.
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Figures 4 and 5 illustrate fragmentarily and somewhat diagrammatically conditions which will prevail in cases where the decks 3 are obliquely inclined with respect to the hori-zontal. Figure 4 illus~rates a run of an endless conveyor for ~h~ driving elements 4 at an upwardly inclined angle, and showing a driving element in position behind a sl~eve A, thereby driving the sleeve upwardly against ~he ac~ion of gravity. Figure 5 illustrates a run of an endless conveyor ~-for the driving elem~nts 4 at a downwardly inclined angle, and showing a driving element in a position in advance of a ., . -6-sleeve A, thereby restraining and controlling the downward movement of the sleeve under the action of gravity.

When using inclined decks the driving elements 4 are desirably positioned at a greater spacing from the deck than is needed when using horizon~al dec~s~ and with runs which are inclined either upwardly or downwardly the arrangement assuros uniform rotation of the articles being treated even when the articles are not precisely cylindrical or are intention-ally manufactured with oval configuration.

The illustrations o Figures 4 and 5 may be con-sidered as represen~ing separate endless conveyors, but the conditions shown in Pigures 4 and S may occur with a single endl~ss conveyor where one run travels upwardly in one direction and the other run ~ravels downwardly in the opposite dircction.

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The use of inclined decks, particularly downwardly ~; inclined as represented in Figure 5 is also of advantage in that it assists in discharging particles o matter such as fragmen~s of fibers which have become detached from ~he articles being ~reated.
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Claims (4)

The embodiment of the invention in which an ex-clusive property is claimed is defined as follows:

1. Apparatus for use in heat treating cylindrical articles, comprising at least two superimposed but spaced foraminous decks, heating means for circulating a gaseous curing current through the decks, and mechanism for roll-ing a sequence of articles first in one direction on the surface of an upper deck and then in the opposite direc-tion on a surface of a subjacent deck, said mechanism com-prising a series of article engaging elements and an end-less carrier for said elements, the carrier having a run travelling in said one direction over the surface of said one deck and the other run of said carrier travelling in the opposite direction over the surface of said subjacent deck, mounting mechanism for the carrier including a sprocket arranged at adjacent ends of superimposed runs of the car-rier moving in opposite directions, the elements being mounted on the carrier with spacing greater than the diameter of the articles and in position to extend between the articles on the decks and thereby establish movement of the articles over the decks in spaced relation to each other and at a rate conforming with that of the endless carrier, said upper deck being terminated at its downstream end at a point spaced from the sprocket at the end of the cooperating run of the endless carrier to provide an opening larger than the dia-meter of the articles and located inboard of the sprocket for gravity delivery of articles from the upper deck to the subjacent deck.

2. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the decks lie in substantially horizontal parallel planes, the article engaging elements serving to push the articles over the surfaces of the decks.

3. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the decks lie in parallel planes obliquely inclined to the hori-zontal, the article engaging elements serving to push the articles over one deck inclined upwardly and serving to restrain the motion of the articles under the action of gravity as the articles advance downwardly over an adja-cent deck.

4. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the endless carrier comprises a pair of endless chains at oppo-site side edges of the decks and in which the driving ele-ments comprise rods connected with the chains at spaced intervals.