TW202303062A - Continuous heating furnace - Google Patents

Abstract

A continuous heating furnace is provided. The heat treatment efficiency of an object to be treated is improved. The continuous heating furnace has at least one furnace body that forms a continuous conveyance space in which the heating container is conveyed. The transport space has a first heating chamber, a layer number changing chamber, and a second heating chamber. The first heating chamber and the second heating chamber are configured so as to convey the heating container in different numbers of layers. The layer number changing chamber includes a layer number changing member that is disposed between the first heating chamber and the second heating chamber along the conveyance direction and that changes the number of layers of the heating container being conveyed.

Description

Continuous heating furnace

The present disclosure relates to a continuous heating furnace.

In the heat treatment equipment disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-48981, the conveying trays containing the objects to be processed are input to the decompression processing part in a state of being stacked in multiple layers, and the decompression processing part stores the trays in each conveying tray. The processed object of the tray is decompressed. The transport trays after the decompression treatment are carried into the transport tray separation unit. Then, a part of the conveyance trays is separated from the multilayer conveyance trays thus carried into the conveyance tray separating unit, and is sequentially conveyed to the heat treatment unit. During this period, the conveyance trays containing the objects to be processed are reintroduced into the above-mentioned decompression processing unit in a multi-layered state. During the period in which the multi-layer transport trays input into the transport tray separation unit are sequentially transported to the heat treatment unit and the objects to be processed stored in each transport tray are sequentially heat-treated in the heat treatment unit, in the decompression treatment unit, a long time can be spent. time to decompress. The conveying tray separating part disclosed in this gazette is provided with four rotary actuators on the top wall through the sealing material, and the four rotating actuators are in the feed direction of the conveying tray and are perpendicular to the feed direction. Open the required intervals in the width direction of . The rotation rods are introduced from the respective rotary actuators into the conveyance tray separation part through the ceiling wall of the conveyance tray separation part. A holding member is provided at the tip of each rotating rod so as to protrude in the horizontal direction. As each rotating lever rotates, each holding member rotates in the horizontal direction. Accordingly, the holding member is configured to be operable to hold the conveyance tray and the state where it is not in contact with the conveyance tray. [Prior art literature] [Patent Document]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication 2017-48981 Publication

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

In addition, when heat-treating the object to be processed, it may be efficient to treat the conveyance trays stacked in multiple layers together, or it may be appropriate to separate the conveyance trays and process one or a few layers at a time. Condition. However, when the number of layers is changed during the heat treatment, it is necessary to temporarily cool the object to be processed according to the operation of changing the number of layers, and the processing time becomes longer. [Means to solve the problem]

A continuous heating furnace according to a technical solution disclosed here is a continuous heating furnace having at least one furnace body forming a continuous conveying space for conveying heating containers. The transport space has a first heating chamber, a layer change chamber, and a second heating chamber. The first heating chamber and the second heating chamber are configured so that the heating containers are transported in different layers. The layer number changing chamber includes a layer number changing member arranged between the first heating chamber and the second heating chamber along the conveying direction, and changes the number of layers of the heating containers to be conveyed. According to this continuous heating furnace, lamination and layering can be performed while maintaining the temperature of the object to be processed, and heat treatment can be efficiently performed on the object to be processed.

The number-of-floor changing chamber may include a heater. The continuous heating furnace may further include a replacement chamber in at least any one of between the first heating chamber and the number-of-layers changing chamber and between the number-of-layers changing chamber and the second heating chamber. The first heating chamber and the second heating chamber may each include independent transport mechanisms. Alternatively, the chamber for changing the number of floors may include a furnace wall, and the means for changing the number of floors may include: an elevator that raises and lowers the heating container; and a holding mechanism that holds the heating container lifted by the elevator. It is also possible that the holding mechanism has: a hollow shaft, which penetrates through the furnace body; a holder, which is installed on the shaft; a sealing member, which is installed on the part where the shaft passes through the furnace body; and a refrigerant supply device, which is connected to the shaft. , to supply the refrigerant to the hollow part of the shaft. The furnace wall may have a pair of side walls on both sides in the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and the shaft may be rotatably mounted on the pair of side walls. Alternatively, the holder may include: an arm extending from the shaft; and a claw bent from a lower end of the arm. Alternatively, the holding mechanism may include a plurality of holders, and the plurality of holders may be arranged on the shaft at intervals. Alternatively, the elevator lifts the heating container to a predetermined height, and the holding mechanism is configured to hold a predetermined number of layers or more of the heating containers from the bottom among the heating containers lifted by the elevator. It is also possible for the holder to consist of a nickel-chromium-iron alloy or a nickel-based alloy. The first heating chamber and the second heating chamber may include a plurality of conveying rollers arranged along the conveying direction.

Hereinafter, one of typical embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the following drawings, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected to the member and part which play the same role, and it demonstrates. In addition, the dimensional relationship (length, width, thickness, etc.) in each drawing does not reflect the actual dimensional relationship. Hereinafter, although the continuous firing furnace is mentioned as an example and demonstrated as an example of a continuous heating furnace, it does not intend that this invention is limited to the content described in this embodiment. In this specification, a "continuous heating furnace" refers to a heating furnace for continuously heat-treating an object to be processed. In this specification, a "continuous firing furnace" refers to a heating furnace for continuously firing an object to be processed at a high temperature. In addition, in this specification, the heating container used when firing a to-be-processed object is suitably called a "sintering container."

＜Continuous firing furnace 10＞ FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a continuous firing furnace 10 . Arrow T1 in the figure shows the conveyance direction of the conveyance firing container A. In FIG. 1, the longitudinal section along the conveyance direction T1 of the continuous firing furnace 10 is shown schematically. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a chamber 10 b for changing the number of floors of the continuous firing furnace 10 . In this embodiment, the firing containers A are transported in three rows in the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction. As shown in FIG. 1 , the continuous firing furnace 10 has at least one furnace body 12 forming a continuous conveying space 12 a for conveying firing containers. In this embodiment, the to-be-processed object is conveyed in the conveyance space 12a in the state accommodated in the firing container A, and is heat-processed continuously. The conveyance space 12a of the continuous firing furnace 10 has the 1st heating chamber 10a, the layer number changing chamber 10b, and the 2nd heating chamber 10c sequentially along conveyance direction T1. In addition, in this embodiment, a replacement chamber 10d is provided between the first heating chamber 10a and the number-of-layers changing chamber 10b. Moreover, the replacement chamber 10e is provided between the number-of-layers changing chamber 10b and the 2nd heating chamber 10c. Hereinafter, this continuous firing furnace 10 will be described sequentially. Moreover, the continuous firing furnace 10 further includes the conveyance mechanism for conveying the firing container A to conveyance direction T1.

＜Furnace body 12＞ As shown in FIG. 1, the furnace body 12 has the conveyance space 12a which can convey to the conveyance direction T1 in the state which laminated|stacked the some baking container A inside. In this embodiment, the furnace body 12 is a tunnel-type furnace body surrounding the transport space 12a. The transport space 12a has a desired height capable of transporting the stacked firing containers A. FIG. In this embodiment, the conveyance space 12a is set linearly. As shown in FIG. 2 , the furnace body 12 surrounds the periphery of the conveyance space 12 a in the conveyance direction T1 (see FIG. 1 ) over the entire circumference with furnace walls 12 b to 12 d made of heat insulating materials. In this embodiment, the furnace body 12 has a pair of side walls 12b, a top wall 12c, and a bottom wall 12d on both sides in the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. Each furnace wall 12b-12d is comprised with the ceramic fiber board, for example. The ceramic fiber board is, for example, a board material formed into a plate shape by adding an inorganic filler and an inorganic or organic bonding material to so-called bulked fibers. Ceramic fiber boards are cut into predetermined shapes and overlapped to form furnace walls of required thickness. The thickness of the furnace walls 12b to 12d can be set to a desired thickness to sufficiently block the heat of the conveyance space 12a.

Various structures for controlling the atmosphere of the transport space 12a may be provided in the furnace body 12 . For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , a gas supply pipe 12 f may be provided so that nitrogen, argon, or the like can be supplied. A shield rod 12f2 may be appropriately provided at the discharge port 12f1 of the gas supply pipe 12f so as to suppress the impingement force of the discharged gas. A gas discharge pipe 12g may be provided so that the adjustment and exhaust of the atmospheric pressure can be performed. In this embodiment, the gas supply pipe 12f is provided on the bottom wall 12d. The gas discharge pipe 12g is provided on the top wall 12c. Moreover, the partition material 12h for switching atmosphere for every space may be provided in the furnace body 12. As shown in FIG. The furnace body 12 is disposed on a base 18 set at a predetermined height. The base body 18 (see FIG. 2 ) may have a space provided with a gas supply pipe for adjusting the atmosphere in the continuous firing furnace 10 , a drive device for the conveyance mechanism 15 , and the like.

＜Conveying mechanism 15＞ The conveyance mechanism 15 is a mechanism which conveys the firing container A to conveyance direction T1. In this embodiment, the conveyance mechanism 15 has a structure in which a plurality of conveyance rollers 16 are arranged in a conveyance space 12 a inside the furnace body 12 . The conveyance roller 16 is a roller for conveying the firing container A. As shown in FIG. The plurality of conveyance rollers 16 are cylindrical rollers, are aligned in height so as to be able to support the firing container A, and are arranged in the conveyance space 12a at a predetermined pitch. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a chamber for changing the number of layers 10 b in the continuous firing furnace 10 . As shown in FIG. 2 , the conveying rollers 16 penetrate through the through holes 12 e of the side walls 12 b on both sides of the furnace body 12 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. As the transport roller 16, for example, a ceramic roller, a metal roller, or the like is used. The transport roller 16 is rotatably supported by support plates 16 a and 16 b provided outside the furnace body 12 via bearings not shown.

In this embodiment, a sprocket 17 is attached to the end portion of the conveyance roller 16 on the support plate 16 a side. An unillustrated roller chain is attached to the sprocket 17 . The roller chain is connected to a driving device such as a motor that rotates the transport roller 16 . The roller chain also links adjacent conveyor rollers 16 . A sprocket is not attached to the end portion of the conveyance roller 16 on the support plate 16b side. The end portion of the conveyance roller 16 on the side of the support plate 16b rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the side of the support plate 16a. In this way, the conveying rollers 16 linked by the roller chain rotate at the same speed at the same timing. Continuous firing furnaces in which the product is conveyed by rollers are known as Roller Hearth Kilns (RHK). The rollers used in the roller kiln are generally also high-strength in the conveying mechanism used in the continuous firing furnace, and can be used appropriately when firing heavy objects to be processed, for example. In addition, since there is a gap between the ceramic rolls, it is possible to efficiently heat from above and below, for example, it can be suitably used for firing at a relatively high firing temperature.

＜Heater 14＞ The heater 14 is a device for heating the object to be processed accommodated in the firing container A in the conveyance space 12 a (see FIG. 1 ). As shown in FIG. 1 , the heater 14 is arranged in the conveyance space 12 a of the furnace body 12 . In this embodiment, the heaters 14 are arranged above and below the plurality of conveyance rollers 16 at predetermined intervals along the conveyance direction. In this embodiment, a cylindrical ceramic heater is used as the heater 14 . The heater 14 penetrates the side wall 12b. In this embodiment, although the heater 14 is arrange|positioned above the conveyance roller 16, it is not limited to this form. The heater 14 may also be arranged above or below the transport roller 16 so that the object to be processed accommodated in the firing container A can be heated from one direction. In addition, in FIG. 2 , illustration of the heater 14 is omitted. In addition, as the heater 14, various heaters can be used according to heating temperature etc. For the heater 14, a metal sheath heater or the like can be used other than a heater made of ceramics. In addition, the shape of the heater 14 is not particularly limited, and for example, a plate-shaped flat panel heater or the like can also be used.

<1st heating chamber 10a, 2nd heating chamber 10c> The 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c are cavities which heat the to-be-processed object accommodated in the firing container A, respectively. In this embodiment, the 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c are comprised so that the firing container A may be conveyed by the number of different stages. In the form shown in FIG. 1, the 1st heating chamber 10a is comprised so that several baking containers A may be conveyed in the state stacked. In the second heating chamber 10c, the firing container A is transported in a separated state. In the form shown in FIG. 1, in the 2nd heating chamber 10c, the baking container A is conveyed layer by layer. For example, partition 12h is provided in 1st heating chamber 10a. The partition material 12h of the 1st heating chamber 10a is set to the height which can pass the some baking container A in the state stacked. The partition 12h is similarly provided in the 2nd heating chamber 10c. The partition 12h of the 2nd heating chamber 10c extends to the position lower than the partition 12h of the 1st heating chamber 10a so that the baking container A conveyed layer by layer may pass between the partitions 12h. Thus, the 1st heating chamber 10a is comprised so that the firing container A laminated|stacked in multiple layers may be conveyed, and the 2nd heating chamber 10c shall be comprised so that the firing container A divided layer by layer may be conveyed. In addition, in this embodiment, although the partition 12h was provided in the 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c, it is not limited to this form. The partition 12h may be provided in any one of the 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c. In addition, neither the partition material may be provided in the 1st heating chamber 10a, nor the 2nd heating chamber 10c.

In this embodiment, the first heating chamber 10 a and the second heating chamber 10 c are respectively arranged with heaters 14 on the upper part and the lower part of the conveying space 12 a so as to sandwich the conveying roller 16 . The 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c heat the firing container A under different conditions. For example, in the 1st heating chamber 10a, several baking containers A are conveyed in the state which was stacked, and are heated together. In the first heating chamber 10a, for example, treatments such as debonding treatment and preheating can be performed. In the second heating chamber 10c, the firing containers A are transported one by one and heated. Therefore, the object to be processed accommodated in the firing container A can be heated under higher precision conditions. In the second heating chamber 10c, for example, main firing and the like can be performed. In this embodiment, the gas supply pipe 12f and the gas discharge pipe 12g are respectively provided with respect to the 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c. Different atmospheric gases can be supplied to the first heating chamber 10a and the second heating chamber 10c, respectively.

<Replacement chamber 10d> The replacement chamber 10d is provided between the first heating chamber 10a and the number-of-layers changing chamber 10b. The firing containers A transported in a stacked state are introduced into the replacement chamber 10d. In the replacement chamber 10d, gates 10d1 and 10d2 for partitioning the space are respectively provided on the upstream side (the first heating chamber 10a side) and the downstream side (the layer number changing chamber 10b side) in the conveying direction. The shutters 10d1 and 10d2 are made of a heat insulating material. When the firing container A is introduced into the replacement chamber 10d, for example, the shutter 10d1 on the side of the first heating chamber 10a is opened while the shutter 10d2 on the side of the layer number changing chamber 10b is closed. In this state, the stacked firing containers A are introduced from the first heating chamber 10a to the replacement chamber 10d. Next, the shutter 10d1 on the side of the first heating chamber 10a is closed, and the firing container A stays in the replacement chamber 10d.

<Replacement chamber 10e> The replacement chamber 10e is provided between the layer number changing chamber 10b and the second heating chamber 10c. In this embodiment, the firing container A conveyed in the state layered in the layer number changing chamber 10b is introduced into the replacement chamber 10e. In the replacement chamber 10e, space-dividing gates 10e1 and 10e2 are respectively provided on the upstream side (the layer number changing chamber 10b side) and the downstream side (the second heating chamber 10c side) in the conveying direction. The shutters 10e1 and 10e2 are made of a heat insulating material. When the firing container A is introduced into the replacement chamber 10e, for example, the shutter 10e1 on the side of the second heating chamber 10c is opened while the shutter 10e2 on the side of the second heating chamber 10c is closed. In this state, the layered firing containers A are introduced from the layer number changing chamber 10b to the replacement chamber 10e. Next, the gate 10e1 on the side of the number-of-layer changing chamber 10b is closed, and the firing container A stays in the replacement chamber 10e. In addition, the shutters 10e1 and 10e2 are not limited to being made of a heat insulating material, and for example, metal shutters that can supply cooling water to the inside may be used.

The substitution chamber 10d and the substitution chamber 10e can each be a space in which the atmosphere in the room can be adjusted. For example, the gas composition, temperature, pressure, etc. of the substitution chambers 10d and 10e can be appropriately adjusted. A mechanism for adjusting the gas atmosphere may be suitably incorporated in the substitution chambers 10d and 10e. After the atmospheres of the substitution chambers 10d and 10e are adjusted, the gates 10d2 and 10e2 on the downstream side are opened, and the firing container A is delivered from the substitution chamber 10d and the substitution chamber 10e. In this embodiment, the substitution chambers 10d and 10e are surrounded by furnace walls 12b to 12d of the furnace body 12, respectively. The continuous firing furnace 10 may have at least one furnace body 12 forming a continuous transport space 12a for transporting the firing container A, and may have replacement chambers 10d and 10e in part of the transport space 12a. In this case, the transfer space 12 a of the substitution chambers 10 d and 10 e is formed by the furnace body 12 . Therefore, the temperature of the firing container A conveyed in substitution chamber 10d, 10e can be maintained high.

By providing the replacement chamber 10d between the first heating chamber 10a and the number-of-layers changing chamber 10b, the atmospheric gas of the first heating chamber 10a is less likely to reach the number-of-layers changing chamber 10b. Moreover, by providing the replacement chamber 10e between the number-of-layers changing chamber 10b and the second heating chamber 10c, the atmospheric gas in the number-of-layers changing chamber 10b is less likely to reach the second heating chamber 10c. In this embodiment, replacement chambers 10d and 10e are respectively provided between the first heating chamber 10a and the number-of-layers changing chamber 10b and between the number-of-layers changing chamber 10b and the second heating chamber 10c. From the point of view that it is difficult to mix the atmosphere gas of the first heating chamber 10a and the atmosphere gas of the second heating chamber 10c, between the first heating chamber 10a and the number of layers changing chamber 10b and between the number of layers changing chamber 10b and the second At least any one of the heating chambers 10c is provided with a substitution chamber. Also in this case, since the replacement chambers 10d and 10e are constituted in the transfer space 12a formed by the furnace body 12, the temperature of the firing container A can be maintained high.

In addition, in this embodiment, the 1st heating chamber 10a, the number-of-layers changing chamber 10b, and the 2nd heating chamber 10c each have the some conveyance roller 16 lined up along a conveyance direction. However, the first heating chamber 10a and the second heating chamber 10c may each include an independent conveyance mechanism. For example, in the 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c, the conveyance roller 16 may be connected to a different driving device. That is, in the 1st heating chamber 10a, several baking container A is conveyed in the state stacked. In the second heating chamber 10c, the firing container A is transported in a layered state. Therefore, the speed at which the firing container A is transported may be different between the first heating chamber 10a and the second heating chamber 10c. That is, in the first heating chamber 10a in which a plurality of firing vessels A are conveyed in a stacked state, the conveyance may be carried out slowly, and in the second heating chamber 10c in which the firing vessels A are conveyed in a layered state, The firing container A is conveyed at a conveyance speed faster than that of the first heating chamber 10a. Thereby, the firing container A is conveyed smoothly without stagnation in the 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c. In addition, the replacement chambers 10d and 10e may also have independent transport mechanisms. The replacement chambers 10d and 10e may be configured to appropriately interlock with the conveying mechanism of the first heating chamber 10a, the number of layers changing chamber 10b, and the second heating chamber 10c that sandwich the replacement chambers 10d and 10e.

In addition, the conveyance of the firing container A in the 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c is not limited to the conveyance roller 16. For example, the firing container A may be conveyed by a metal conveyor belt as used in a so-called mesh belt kiln (MBK).

＜Floor change room 10b＞ The layer number changing chamber 10 b includes a layer number changing member 11 , a stopper 50 , a width adjustment mechanism 70 (see FIG. 2 ), a heater 14 , and a transport roller 16 . The number of layers changing means 11 is a device for changing the number of layers of firing containers A to be transported. The firing containers A having different numbers of layers are conveyed from the layer number changing means 11 to the first heating chamber 10a and the second heating chamber 10c. The layer number changing unit 11 includes an elevator 20 and a holding mechanism 30 .

<Stop 50> The stopper 50 is a device that stops the firing container A conveyed in the conveyance space 12 a at a predetermined position in cooperation with the elevator 20 . In this embodiment, the stopper 50 includes a stopper main body 51 , a shaft 52 supporting the stopper main body 51 , and an elevating device 53 for lifting the stopper main body 51 via the shaft 52 . The stopper main body 51 is a plate-shaped member whose normal direction faces the conveying direction, and protrudes above the conveying roller 16 from a gap between the conveying rollers 16 at a predetermined position in cooperation with the elevator 20 . The shaft 52 is a shaft that supports the stopper main body 51 . The shaft 52 supports the lower end of the stopper main body 51 and penetrates the bottom wall 12d of the furnace body 12 up and down.

The raising and lowering device 53 is a device that raises and lowers the shaft 52, and is constituted by, for example, a cylinder device. In this embodiment, the cylinder as the elevating device 53 is attached to the outer surface of the bottom wall 12d of the furnace body 12 so that the piston rod faces downward. A shaft 52 is connected to the tip of the piston rod of the cylinder. The stopper main body 51 descends by depressing the piston rod of the elevating device 53 . When the piston rod of the lifting device 53 is pulled up, the stopper main body 51 rises, and the firing container A stops at a predetermined position.

<Width adjustment mechanism 70> As shown in FIG. 2, the width adjustment mechanism 70 is a mechanism for adjusting the position of the firing container A in the width direction. The width adjustment mechanism 70 adjusts the position of the firing container A stopped by the stopper 50 (see FIG. 1 ). The width adjustment mechanism 70 includes a width adjustment plate 71 , a shaft 72 supporting the width adjustment plate 71 , and a driving device 73 that drives the width adjustment plate 71 via the shaft 72 . The width adjustment plate 71 is a plate-shaped member parallel to the side wall 12 b of the furnace body 12 . The shaft 72 is vertically attached to the surface of the width adjustment plate 71 on the side opposite to the side wall 12b. The shaft 72 penetrates the side wall 12b and extends to the outside of the furnace body 12 . The driving device 73 is a device that drives the shaft 72, and is constituted by, for example, a cylinder device. In this embodiment, the cylinder as the driving device 73 is attached to the outer surface of the side wall 12b of the furnace body 12 so that the piston rod faces outward in the width direction. A shaft 72 is connected to the tip of the piston rod of the cylinder. When the piston rod is pulled inward, the width adjustment plate 71 inside the furnace body 12 is driven inward in the width direction. At this time, the position of the firing vessel A stopped by the stopper 50 is adjusted to a predetermined position. In this embodiment, the positions of the firing containers A arranged in three rows in the width direction are adjusted in a state of being in contact with each other. The firing containers A transported in three rows are aligned in the transport direction by the stopper 50 (see FIG. 1 ), and aligned in the width direction by the width adjustment mechanism 70 . In addition, the number of rows at the time of conveying the firing container A is appropriately set according to the size of the object to be fired, the size of the firing container A, and the like. The number of rows at the time of conveying the firing container A may be a single row or a plurality of rows of two or more.

＜Lift 20＞ The elevator 20 is a device that raises and lowers the firing container A transported from the first heating chamber 10 a (see FIG. 1 ). In this embodiment, the elevator 20 is provided at a position vertically facing the holding mechanism 30 in the furnace wall 12 . The elevator 20 includes an elevator main body 21 , an elevator device 24 and a guide 25 .

As shown in FIG. 1 , the lifter main body 21 protrudes upward from between the conveying rollers 16 arranged along the conveying direction, and lifts up the firing container A. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the elevator main body 21 has the 1st plate 21a, the 2nd plate 21b, and the connection part 21c. The first plate 21a and the second plate 21b are each rectangular plates. The first plate 21 a and the second plate 21 b are arranged so that the normal direction of the plate faces the conveying direction, one long side faces upward, and the other long side faces downward, and are arranged to pass through the gap between the conveying rollers 16 . The 1st plate 21a and the 2nd plate 21b have the width|variety of the grade which placed the firing container A arranged in three rows.

In this embodiment, the 1st plate 21a is arrange|positioned at the upstream side of the conveyance direction T1, and the 2nd plate 21b is arrange|positioned at the downstream side of the conveyance direction. The connection part 21c is a member which connects the lower end of the 1st board 21a and the 2nd board 21b below the conveyance roller 16. As shown in FIG. In other words, the first plate 21a and the second plate 21b stand upward from the connection portion 21c. An operation lever 21d extending downward is attached to the connection portion 21c. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, two operation rods 21d are attached to the connection part 21c at intervals in the width direction of the conveyance space 12a. The operating rods 21d respectively penetrate the bottom wall 12d up and down, and extend downward from the bottom wall 12d. The lower ends of the two operation rods 21d are connected by a connecting rod 21e. Both ends of the connecting rod 21e may be attached to guides 25 extending downward from the outer surface of the bottom wall 12d via linear bushings 25a.

The elevating device 24 is a device for elevating the connecting rod 21e. The elevating device 24 is constituted by, for example, a cylinder device. The cylinder as the lifting device 24 is attached to the outer surface of the bottom wall 12d of the furnace body 12 so that the piston rod faces downward. A connection rod 21e is connected to the tip of the piston rod of the cylinder. When the piston rod of the elevating device 24 is pulled up, the connecting rod 21e rises, and the lifter main body 21 rises. Thereby, the firing container A stopped at a predetermined position by the stopper 50 is raised. By depressing the piston rod of the elevating device 24, the connection rod 21e descends, and the firing container A descends. In addition, in this embodiment, although the cylinder device was used as the lifting device 24, it is not limited to this form. For example, an actuator that moves the lift main body 21 up and down may be used as the lifting device. In addition, the shape of the elevator main body 21 is not limited to a plate shape, For example, it may be a column shape etc. too.

<Lifting position L1～L3> As for the elevator 20, three elevation positions L1-L3 are preset. Here, FIG. 3A is a side view showing the position of the lift main body 21 in the state of the first lifting position L1. FIG. 3B is a side view showing the position of the lift main body 21 in the state of the second lifting position L2. Fig. 3C is a side view showing the position of the lift main body 21 in the state of the third lift position L3.

In the first lifting position L1, the position of the lifter main body 21 is set such that the upper end of the lifter main body 21 is lower than the upper end of the transport roller 16 . At the lifting position L1, the lifter main body 21 does not come into contact with the firing container A conveyed on the conveyance roller 16 . For example, when the firing container A is conveyed by the conveyance roller 16, the elevator 20 may be controlled to the elevation position L1.

In the second lifting position L2, the position of the lifter main body 21 is set so that the firing container A is lifted to a predetermined height overlapping the firing container A held by the holding mechanism 30 . At the lifting position L2, for example, the lifted firing container A overlaps the firing container A held by the holding mechanism 30 . At this time, even if the holding by the holding mechanism 30 is released, the firing container A can be held by the elevator 20 .

In the third lifting position L3, the position of the lifter main body 21 is set so that the firing container A is lifted up to a height held by the holding mechanism 30 . For example, the elevator 20 may be controlled to the lifting position L3 when the firing container A lifted by the elevator 20 is held in the holding mechanism 30 or when the firing container A held by the holding mechanism 30 is lowered.

＜Holding mechanism 30＞ As shown in FIG. 2 , the holding mechanism 30 is a mechanism for holding the firing vessel A raised by the elevator 20 . The holding mechanism 30 has two shafts 31 , a plurality of holders 32 , a sealing member 33 , and a refrigerant supply device 40 . In this embodiment, three holders 32 are attached to one shaft 31 at required intervals. The three holders 32 can be attached at positions corresponding to the respective positions of the firing containers A arranged in three rows. Here, FIG. 4 is a side view of the firing container A, which is a substantially rectangular housing with a shallow bottom. The wall a1 stands on the periphery of the firing container A. As shown in FIG. The central portion of the wall a1 along the sides of the substantially rectangular shape is recessed. The recess a2 forms a gap through which the atmosphere gas flows when the firing containers A are stacked.

<Axis 31> The two shafts 31 pass through the through holes of the furnace body 12 . The shaft 31 has a hollow structure. The shaft 31 has a cylindrical shape. The shaft 31 is formed with a cavity extending from one end to the other end. A metal excellent in heat resistance and strength is used as the shaft 31 , for example, stainless steel, a nickel-based alloy described later, a nickel-based alloy containing a total of about 20 to 35% by mass of chromium and molybdenum, or the like can be used. In this embodiment, the shaft 31 made of stainless steel is used. The shaft 31 is provided before and after a predetermined position where the firing vessel A is lifted by the elevator 20 in the conveyance direction T1 (see FIG. 1 ). The shaft 31 penetrates along the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction T1 and is rotatably mounted on the pair of side walls 12b (see FIG. 2 ).

As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C , the holder 32 includes a base portion 32 a, an arm portion 32 b, and a claw portion 32 c. The base 32 a is a cylindrical member and is attached to the shaft 31 . The arm portion 32b is a plate-shaped portion extending downward from the outer peripheral surface of the base portion 32a. In this embodiment, the arm part 32b is provided in the opposite inner side surface along the conveyance direction T1 among the outer surfaces of the base part 32a attached to the shaft 31 provided in the front and back of the conveyance direction T1. Thereby, the arm part 32b is extended so that the baking container A lifted up by the elevator 20 may be pinched from front and rear. The claw portion 32c is a portion bent inward from the lower end of the arm portion 32b. The claw part 32c can support the bottom part of the firing container A. As shown in FIG. In this manner, in this embodiment, the shaft 31 is rotatably mounted on the pair of side walls 12b of the furnace body 12 . The holder 32 has an arm portion 32b extending from the shaft 31 and a claw portion 32c bent from the lower end of the arm portion 32b.

As the holder 32 , a metal having high heat resistance and oxidation resistance, for example, a nickel-chromium-iron alloy, a nickel-based alloy, or the like is used. In this specification, the nickel-chromium-iron alloy refers to an alloy in which the total content of nickel, chromium, and iron is 80% by mass or more when the entire alloy is 100% by mass. The total content of nickel, chromium, and iron may be 90% by mass or more, for example, 95% by mass or more. The content ratio of nickel contained in the nickel-chromium-iron alloy may be, for example, 20% by mass or more and 35% by mass or less. The content ratio of chromium may be, for example, not less than 20% by mass and not more than 25% by mass. The content ratio of iron may be, for example, 40% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less. In addition, in this specification, a nickel-based alloy refers to the alloy whose content rate of nickel is 50 mass % or more when the whole alloy is 100 mass %. The content ratio of nickel may be 70% by mass or more. As metals other than nickel, for example, chromium and iron may be contained. When the entire alloy is 100% by mass, the content of chromium may be 10% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less. The content rate of iron may be 20 mass % or less, and may be 5 mass % or less.

<Sealing member 33> As shown in FIG. 2 , the sealing member 33 is attached to a portion where the shaft 31 penetrates the furnace body 12 . In this embodiment, the furnace body 12 is provided with a casing 34 outside the portion through which the shaft 31 penetrates. A seal member 33 and a bearing 35 are installed in the housing 34 . The shaft 31 is rotatably supported by bearings 35 within the casing 34 . Furthermore, the seal member 33 seals the gap between the shaft 31 and the housing 34 . As the sealing member 33 , for example, a carbon fiber-based gland gasket, a rubber oil seal, a silicon-based sealing material, or the like is used. Atmospheric gas inside the furnace body 12 is prevented from leaking to the outside by the sealing member 33 .

The shaft 31 further extends outward from the casing 34 , and is attached to a drive device 37 via an operating arm 36 extending in the radial direction of the shaft 31 . Here, the driving device 37 is a cylinder device, and one end of the cylinder is fixed to a support piece 38 provided on the casing of the furnace body 12 . The operating shaft 31 is rotationally operated by the driving device 37 . In addition, a connector 39 connected to the refrigerant supply device 40 is provided at an end of the shaft 31 . The connector 39 may have a structure connected to the hollow portion of the shaft 31 to supply refrigerant to the hollow portion of the shaft 31 .

The holding mechanism 30 is configured to be able to hold the firing container A by rotating the shaft 31 in the circumferential direction by the drive device 37 to open and close the holder 32 . In this embodiment, the holding mechanism 30 is configured to simultaneously open and close the three holders 32 when the shaft 31 is rotated. Therefore, the firing containers A arranged in three rows are held at the same time.

As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C , when the front and rear shafts 31 in the conveyance direction T1 rotate inward, the arms 32 b attached to the shaft 31 to hold the firing container A are closed. Moreover, when the front and rear shafts 31 rotate outward, respectively, the arm part 32b attached to the shaft 31 so that the firing container A may be held is opened.

In the closed state H1 in which the arms 32b of the front and rear shafts 31 are closed, the claws 32c support the bottom of the firing container A, and thus the firing container A is held. In the open state H2 in which the arm portion 32b of the front and rear shaft 31 is opened, the claw portion 32c is retracted to a position where it does not interfere with the bottom of the firing container A. As shown in FIG. In this way, by controlling the driving device 37, the holder 32 of the holding mechanism 30 can be operated into the closed state H1 and the open state H2. 3A to 3C schematically show. In FIGS. 3A to 3C , the illustration of the side wall 12 b of the furnace body 12 is omitted, and the driving device 37 of the holding mechanism 30 is illustrated. In addition, in this embodiment, the holding mechanism 30 is configured to have the shaft 31 spanning the side wall 12b, and to supply the refrigerant from one end to the other end, but it is not limited to this form. For example, a shaft penetrating through the ceiling wall 12c of the furnace body 12 may also be used. The shaft may be configured, for example, to have a double tube structure, and the flow of the refrigerant is turned back from the inner tube toward the outer tube. For this shaft, a retainer can be mounted at the end.

<Refrigerant Supply Device 40> As shown in FIG. 2 , the refrigerant supply device 40 is a device that supplies refrigerant to the inside of the shaft 31 . As the refrigerant, water or the like can be used. The temperature of the refrigerant supplied to the inside of the shaft 31 is, for example, a temperature lower than the ambient temperature of the transport space 12 a such as normal temperature. The type and temperature of the refrigerant are not particularly limited, and are appropriately set according to the atmospheric temperature and the like of the transfer space 12a. In this embodiment, connectors 39 are attached to both ends of the shaft 31 . A refrigerant supply device 40 is connected to one end of the shaft 31 via a connector 39 . The refrigerant is supplied from one end of the shaft 31 toward the other end by the refrigerant supply device 40 . The method of supplying the refrigerant to the shaft 31 by the refrigerant supply device 40 is not particularly limited. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which different refrigerant supply devices are respectively connected to the two shafts 31 and the refrigerant is supplied to the respective shafts 31 . In addition, a configuration may be adopted in which a circulation type refrigerant supply device is used as the refrigerant supply device, and the same refrigerant is circulated on the two shafts 31 .

The refrigerant supply device 40 can appropriately supply the refrigerant into the shaft 31 . For example, it is possible to perform a stacking operation and a layering operation described later while supplying the refrigerant to the shaft 31 . For example, it is possible to appropriately supply the refrigerant to the shaft 31 when performing lamination work or stratification work in a high-temperature environment.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the elevator 20 , the holding mechanism 30 , and the stopper 50 (refer to FIG. 1 ) can be controlled by a control device 60 . The control device can be configured to control, for example, conveyance of the firing container A, lifting and lowering of the elevator 20 , and opening and closing of the holder 32 of the holding mechanism 30 . Here, the control device 60 is connected to the elevating device 24 for raising and lowering the elevator 20 and the driving device 37 for driving the holding mechanism 30 . As a control method, for example, various control methods such as sequence control can be employed. In addition, the supply of the refrigerant by the refrigerant supply device 40 may also be controlled by the control device 60 .

Combining the operations of the lifter 20 and the holding mechanism 30 described above, the firing containers A can be stacked or a plurality of firing containers A stacked separately can be stacked. Here, the work of stacking a plurality of firing containers A is appropriately called "stacking". The operation of separating the stacked plurality of firing containers A is appropriately called "layering". Here, the operation|work of layering the firing container A piled up in multiple layers conveyed from the 1st heating chamber 10a in the conveyance direction T1 is demonstrated, and then the stacking operation is demonstrated.

＜Layered work＞ In the layering operation, a plurality of firing containers A are conveyed in a state of overlapping. The firing container A is divided every predetermined number of layers. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the operation|work which separates and conveys the baking container A layer by layer is demonstrated exemplarily.

As shown in FIG. 3A , the control device 60 (see FIG. 2 ) makes the lifter 20 stand by at the first lift position L1 lower than the transport roller 16 . In addition, as shown by the dashed-two dotted line, the holding mechanism 30 is made to stand by in the open state H2 in which the arm portion 32b is opened. In this state, the control device 60 detects the firing container A at a predetermined position in the conveyance space 12a, and raises the stopper 50 at a predetermined timing. Thereby, the firing container A stops at the predetermined position raised by the lifter 20 .

As shown in FIG. 3B , the control device 60 raises the elevator 20 to the second elevation position L2. In this state, the arm portion 32b of the holding mechanism 30 is closed to the closed state H1, and the firing container A above the lowermost firing container A among the stacked firing containers A is held by the holding mechanism 30 . Then, as shown in FIG. 3A , the control device 60 lowers the elevator 20 and makes the elevator 20 stand by at the first lifting position L1 lower than the transport roller 16 . Thereby, the lowermost firing container A descends. The firing container A is conveyed by the conveyance roller 16 by lowering the stopper 50 and opening it. Thereby, the lowest firing container A among the stacked firing containers A is separated and transported.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3C , the control device 60 raises the elevator 20 to the third elevation position L3. As a result, the stacked remaining firing containers A held by the holding mechanism 30 are supported by the elevator 20 . The control device 60 brings the holding mechanism 30 into the open state H2, and after lowering the elevator 20 to the second lifting position L2 as shown in FIG. 3B , makes the holding mechanism 30 into the closed state H1. Thus, the lowermost firing container A among the stacked firing containers A is supported by the elevator 20 . In addition, the firing container A above the bottom firing container A is held by the holding mechanism 30 . In this state, as shown in FIG. 3A , the control device 60 lowers the elevator 20 to the first elevation position L1. Thereby, the lowermost firing container A descends and is conveyed by the conveyance roller 16. In this way, the lowermost firing container A among the stacked firing containers A is separated.

Thereafter, the above-mentioned processing is repeated by the control device 60 . Thereby, the stacked firing containers A are sequentially separated from the bottom and conveyed by the conveying rollers 16 . When the firing containers A are divided into two stages, the height of the second lifting position L2 of the lifter 20 can be adjusted to a height corresponding to two firing containers A descending from the third lifting position L3. Thereby, the baking container A is divided into two layers, and it conveys in the state laminated|stacked in two layers. Similarly, the firing container A can also be separated in a multi-layer (for example, three-layer) stacked state.

＜Cascade operation＞ In the stacking operation of the firing containers A conveyed in the transport direction, the stopping of the firing containers A, the lifting of the firing containers A, and the holding of the firing containers A are repeated in the following steps.

FIG. 3A shows a state in which the firing container A is stopped during the stacking operation. Here, as shown in FIG. 3A , the lifter 20 makes the lifter main body 21 stand by at the lifting position L1 located below the transport roller 16 . In addition, the holding mechanism 30 does not hold the baking container A, and it stands by in the open state H2 in which the arm part 32b opened, as shown by the dashed-two dotted line. In this state, when the control apparatus 60 (refer FIG. 2) detects the firing container A at the predetermined position of the conveyance space 12a, it raises the stopper 50 at predetermined timing. Thereby, the firing container A stops at the predetermined position raised by the lifter 20 . At this time, the rotation of the transport roller 16 may be stopped, or the transport roller 16 may be idly rotated without stopping the rotation.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3C , the control device 60 raises the elevator 20 to the third elevation position L3. Thereby, the firing container A is raised to a height capable of being held by the holding mechanism 30 . Then, the arm portion 32b of the holding mechanism 30 is closed by the control device 60 to the closed state H1. Thus, the raised firing container A is held by the holding mechanism 30 . Then, as shown in FIG. 3A , the control device 60 lowers the elevator 20 and makes the elevator 20 stand by at the first lifting position L1 lower than the transport roller 16 . Moreover, the holding mechanism 30 is made to stand by in the closed state H1 which holds the firing container A. FIG. Thereby, the firing container A is held by the holding mechanism 30 .

Next, the firing container A is stopped at a predetermined position by the stopper 50 again. Then, as shown in FIG. 3B , the lifter 20 is raised to the second lifting position L2, and the firing container A is stacked under the firing container A held by the holding mechanism 30 . Then, the holding mechanism 30 is brought into the open state H2 in a state where the firing container A is supported by the elevator 20, and the claw portion 32c is pulled out from the firing container A. FIG. In this state, as shown in FIG. 3C , the control device 60 raises the elevator 20 to the third elevation position L3. Thereby, the firing container A held by the holding mechanism 30 and the firing container A newly raised by the lifter 20 are raised to a height where they are held on the holding mechanism 30 in a state of overlapping. Then, the control device 60 brings the holding mechanism 30 into the closed state H1. Thereby, the lowermost firing container A among the firing containers A lifted by the elevator 20 is supported by the claw part 32c of the holding mechanism 30, and the firing container A is hold|maintained by the holding mechanism 30 in the stacked state.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3A , the lifter 20 may be lowered to wait at the first lift position L1 lower than the transport roller 16 . Then, the firing container A is stopped by the stopper 50 . The lifter 20 is raised to the second lifting position L2, and the firing container A is lifted up and stacked under the firing container A held by the holding mechanism 30 (see FIG. 3B ). The holding mechanism 30 is brought into the open state H2, the claw portion 32c is pulled out, and the elevator 20 is raised to the third lifting position L3 (see FIG. 3C ). The holding mechanism 30 is brought into the closed state H1, and the stacked firing containers A are held. The elevator 20 is lowered to the first elevation position L1 and is on standby. The control device 60 repeats the above steps. Thus, the firing containers A are stacked layer by layer.

When the firing container A is conveyed by the conveying roller 16 at every two levels, the height of the second lifting position L2 of the elevator 20 can be adjusted so that the firing container A lifted by the elevator 20 is held by the holding mechanism 30. The firing container A overlaps under it. Thereby, the baking container A can also be laminated|stacked every two layers. Similarly, the firing containers A can also be stacked in multiple layers (for example, three layers).

In this way, the elevator 20 can be configured to lift the firing container A to a predetermined height, and the holding mechanism 30 can hold firing containers of a predetermined number of layers or more from the bottom of the firing container A lifted by the elevator 20 . That is, layering and lamination can be performed for every desired number of layers.

As mentioned above, the continuous firing furnace 10 has at least one furnace body 12 which forms the continuous conveyance space 12a in which the firing container A is conveyed. The conveyance space 12a has the 1st heating chamber 10a, the layer number changing chamber 10b, and the 2nd heating chamber 10c. The 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c are comprised so that the baking container A may be conveyed by the number of different stages. The layer number changing chamber 10b is arrange|positioned between the 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c along the conveyance direction T1. The number-of-layers changing chamber 10b includes a number-of-layers changing means 11 for changing the number of layers of firing containers A to be conveyed. The lamination and layering operations in the layer number changing chamber 10b are time-consuming, and therefore the temperature of the firing container A tends to drop during the lamination and layering operations. It also takes time to reheat the firing container A whose temperature has dropped to the heating temperature. In this continuous firing furnace 10 , the first heating chamber 10 a , the number-of-layer changing chamber 10 b , and the second heating chamber 10 c are provided in a transport space 12 a formed by at least one furnace body 12 , including the number-of-layer changing chamber 10 b. Therefore, the firing vessel A can be maintained at a desired temperature in the number-of-layer changing chamber 10b. Therefore, the time required for the heat treatment can be shortened, and the heat treatment can be efficiently performed on the object to be processed. The layer number changing chamber 10 b may include a heater 14 . In this case, for example, when the main firing is performed in the second heating chamber 10c, the temperature of the firing vessel A can be prevented from falling further while staying in the layer number changing chamber 10b.

In this embodiment, the continuous firing furnace 10 has a replacement chamber 10d between the first heating chamber 10a and the number-of-layer changing chamber 10b. Moreover, the continuous firing furnace 10 has the replacement chamber 10e between the layer number changing chamber 10b and the 2nd heating chamber 10c. In this way, by having a substituting chamber in at least one of between the first heating chamber 10a and the number-of-layer changing chamber 10b and between the number-of-layer changing chamber 10b and the second heating chamber 10c, even between the first heating chamber 10a and the second heating chamber 10c, Even when the heating conditions are greatly different in the second heating chamber 10c, it is possible to prevent the atmosphere of one from leaking to the other.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the shaft 31 of the holding mechanism 30 of the continuous firing furnace 10 is a hollow shaft, and is connected to the refrigerant supply device 40 . Therefore, it is possible to perform lamination work and layering work while cooling the shaft 31 . In this embodiment, the holding mechanism 30 is provided in the high-temperature environment in the continuous firing furnace 10 . However, since the shaft 31 is cooled by the refrigerant supplied from the refrigerant supply device 40 , the sealing performance of the sealing member 33 (see FIG. 2 ) is ensured. Therefore, in the high-temperature environment in the continuous firing furnace 10 , even if a lamination operation or a delamination operation is performed, it is difficult for the internal atmospheric gas to flow out through the shaft 31 . In addition, since the deterioration of the seal member 33 is suppressed by cooling the shaft 31 , the life of the seal member 33 can be prolonged. This configuration can be suitably used in a continuous firing furnace that continuously fires a to-be-processed object at a relatively high temperature.

In this embodiment, the holder 32 attached to the shaft 31 includes an arm portion 32 b extending from the shaft 31 and a claw portion 32 c bent from the lower end of the arm portion 32 b (see FIGS. 3A to 3C ). In this case, since the firing container A is held by the claw portion 32c at the lower end of the arm portion 32b, it is difficult to lose heat by the shaft 31 cooled by the refrigerant.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , the retaining mechanism 30 includes a plurality of retainers 32 . The plurality of holders 32 are arranged on the shaft 31 at intervals. With this configuration, the heat treatment and the change of the number of layers can be simultaneously performed on the firing containers A arranged in a plurality of rows, and the processing time can be shortened.

In this embodiment, the holder 32 is made of a nickel-chromium-iron alloy or a nickel-based alloy. With this structure, the durability of the holder 32 is also good in an atmosphere such as an oxidizing atmosphere, a reducing atmosphere, or a nitriding atmosphere. In addition, durability is good even when used in a high-temperature environment.

In this embodiment, the 1st heating chamber 10a and the 2nd heating chamber 10c include the some conveyance roller 16 lined up along conveyance direction T1. With this structure, heat treatment can be performed with a larger number of layers, and the space of the equipment can be saved. In addition, the continuous firing furnace 10 can also be used for heating at a higher temperature.

As mentioned above, although specific embodiment was given and described in detail, these embodiment is only an illustration, and does not limit a claim. In this way, the technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the embodiments described above.

10: Continuous firing furnace (continuous heating furnace) 10a: The first heating chamber 10b: Floor change room 10c: The second heating chamber 10d:10e: Replacement chamber 10d1:10d2:gate 10e1:10e2:gate 11: Layer change parts 12: furnace body 12a: Delivery space 12b: side wall (furnace wall) 12c: top wall (furnace wall) 12d: bottom wall (furnace wall) 12e: Through hole 12f: gas supply pipe 12f1: Jet outlet 12f2: Masking Rod 12g: Gas exhaust pipe 12h: Divider 14: heater 15: Conveyor mechanism 16: Conveyor roller 16a:16b: Support plate 17: sprocket 18: matrix 20: Lift 21: Lift body 21a: Plate 1 21b: 2nd plate 21c: Connecting part 21d: Joystick 21e: connecting rod 24: Lifting device 25: guide 25a: Linear Bushing 30: Hold body 31: axis 32: Holder 32a: base 32b: arm 32c: claw 33: sealing member 34: shell 35: Bearing 36: Operating arm 37: Drive device 38: Support piece 39: Connector 40: Refrigerant supply device 50: stopper 51: Stopper body 52: axis 53: Lifting device 60: Control device 70: Width adjustment mechanism 71: Width adjustment plate 72: axis 73: Drive device A: Firing container (heating container) a1: wall a2: depression H1: closed state H2: open state L1～L3: lifting position T1: Conveying direction

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a continuous firing furnace 10 . FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a chamber 10 b for changing the number of floors of the continuous firing furnace 10 . Fig. 3A is a side view showing the position of the lift main body 21 in the state of the first lifting position L1. FIG. 3B is a side view showing the position of the lift main body 21 in the state of the second lifting position L2. Fig. 3C is a side view showing the position of the lift main body 21 in the state of the third lift position L3. FIG. 4 is a side view of a firing container A. FIG.

10: Continuous firing furnace (continuous heating furnace)

10a: The first heating chamber

10b: Floor change room

10c: The second heating chamber

10d, 10e: replacement chamber

10d1, 10d2: gate

10e1, 10e2: gate

11: Layer change parts

12: furnace body

12a: Delivery space

12b: side wall (furnace wall)

12c: top wall (furnace wall)

12d: bottom wall (furnace wall)

12f: gas supply pipe

12f1: Jet outlet

12f2: Masking Rod

12g: gas supply tube

12h: Divider

14: heater

15: Conveyor mechanism

16: Conveyor roller

20: Lift

21: Lift body

21a: Plate 1

21b: 2nd plate

21c: Connecting part

21d: Joystick

30: Hold body

31: axis

32: Holder

50: stopper

51: Stopper body

52: axis

53: Lifting device

A: Firing container (heating container)

T1: Conveying direction

Claims (10)

A continuous heating furnace having at least one furnace body forming a continuous conveying space for conveying heated containers, wherein, The conveying space has a first heating chamber, a layer changing chamber, and a second heating chamber, The first heating chamber and the second heating chamber are configured to convey the heating container in different layers, The layer number changing chamber includes a layer number changing member arranged between the first heating chamber and the second heating chamber along the conveying direction, and changes the number of layers of the heating containers to be conveyed. The continuous heating furnace as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The layer change chamber includes a heater. The continuous heating furnace as claimed in item 1 or 2, wherein, This continuous heating furnace further includes a replacement chamber in at least one of between the first heating chamber and the number-of-layers changing chamber and between the number-of-layers changing chamber and the second heating chamber. The continuous heating furnace as claimed in item 1 or 2, wherein, The first heating chamber and the second heating chamber each include an independent conveying mechanism. The continuous heating furnace as claimed in item 1 or 2, wherein, The layer changing room includes a furnace wall, The number of layers changing parts include: an elevator that raises and lowers the heating vessel; and a holding mechanism that holds the heating vessel lifted by the elevator, The holding mechanism has: a hollow shaft that runs through the furnace body; a retainer mounted to the shaft; a sealing member installed at a portion where the shaft penetrates through the furnace body; and A refrigerant supply device is connected to the shaft and supplies refrigerant to the hollow portion of the shaft. The continuous heating furnace as claimed in item 5, wherein, The furnace wall has a pair of side walls on both sides in the width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, The shaft is rotatably mounted on the pair of side walls, The holder includes: an arm extending from the shaft; and a claw bent from the lower end of the arm. The continuous heating furnace as claimed in item 5, wherein, The retaining mechanism includes a plurality of retainers, The plurality of holders are arranged on the shaft at intervals. The continuous heating furnace as claimed in item 5, wherein, the elevator lifts the heating container to a predetermined height, The holding mechanism is configured to hold a predetermined number of layers or more of the heating containers from the bottom among the heating containers lifted by the elevator. The continuous heating furnace as claimed in item 5, wherein, The holder is made of nickel-chromium-iron alloy or nickel-based alloy. The continuous heating furnace as claimed in item 1 or 2, wherein, The first heating chamber and the second heating chamber include a plurality of conveying rollers arranged along the conveying direction.

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