US722073A - Annealing apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

ANNEALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1901.

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' ATTORNEY.

TO-LITHQY, wnsmmrcu o c No. 722,073. PATENTED-MAR. 3

J. A. ANDERSON & C. 'M. HOLLINGSWORTH.

AN NEALIN G APPARATUS. APPLICATION-FILED JAN. 21, mp1.

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WITNESSL:

1N VEN T OR-S Unrrnp STATES PATENT JAMES A. ANDERSON AND CLARENCE M. HOLLINGSVVORTI-I, OF OTTAWA,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN R. JOHNSTON, OF HART" FORD CITY, INDIANA.

ANNEALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 722,073, dated March 3, 1903.

Application filed January 21,1901. Serial No. 44,129. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES A. ANDERSON and CLARENCE 1N1. HOLLINGSWORTH, of Ottawa, county of Lasalle, and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Annealing Apparatus; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

One feature of this invention consists in a series of ovens or heating-chambers with independently-controllable means for heating same to a gradually-decreasing temperature and a conveyer movable through the series of ovens. The object of the foregoing invention is to permit each of the individual chambers or ovens constituting the furnace to be maintained independently at a uniform temperature, thus avoiding the necessity of repeated firing and cooling of the individual ovens or chambers. By maintaining the series of ovens at a gradually-decreasing temperature and maintaining a uniform temperature in each oven in the series uniform annealing action is attained on the articles that pass through the annealing-furnace. Such arrangement also greatly economizes the heat or fuel necessary to treat a given lot of material, as the ovens or chambers are built together in series. Such arrangement also better distributes the work of the men engaged in annealing.

Another feature of our invention consists in an annealing-furnace arranged in the arc of a circle and an endless or annular conveyer movable therethrough.

The object of this invention is to render the whole apparatus operative at one point, the material annealed issuing from the furnace near the point where it entered. At such point, between the entrance and exit of the furnace, the workmen operate, placing on and removing the material, and likewise at such point the conveyer is actuated. Such annular arrangement also permits more rapid and convenient operation, because the portion of the conveyer when the annealed material is removed therefrom is in very close proximity to the charging-point and does not have to be returned from a considerable distance or drawn out of the ovens into which it is immediately to be introduced.

These and the other features of our invention will more fully appear from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan of an annealing-furnace with a conveyer and means for mounting the same, part being broken away. Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a portion of what is shown in Fig. l and on the line A A of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line B B of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section longitudinally through one of the air-boxes forming a part of the partition which separates the ovens. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section of the furnace centrally through one of the ovens.

In detail a furnace 1 is built in the arc of a circle with its endsalmost meeting and having the base or bottom 2, that extends also between the two ends of the furnace, thus making a continuous annular base on the samelevel. Atiutervals on said base throughout the entire circle stationary supports 3 are secured for the bearing-rollers 4. There is an inner and outer series or circle of these rollers and supports, which make a double track upon which the conveyer 6 moves. The conveyor is carried on a pair of longitudinally-extending angle-bars 5, placed on edge, forming a double track resting upon the rollers 4 and the upper edge supporting and secured to the under side of the conveyer 6, which is a continuous plate. The angle-bars 5 are secured more firmly by the brace-bars 7. This makes an annular conveyer. It is actuated from any suitable source of power applied to the pulley 8 on the shaft 9, mounted in the bearing-post l0 and carrying on its inner end a pinion 11, meshing with an annular rack 12 on the under side of the conveyer 6. At suitable intervals on said conveyer there are boxes 13, secured to contain the material to be annealed.

The furnace is divided into a number of individual heating-chambers or ovens by the permanent mantels or partitions 14:. The

. preferable form of the dome of the oven is curved in longitudinal section, and at the lower end of the mantels or partitions 14 airboxes 15 are secured sufficiently above the conveyer to permit the passage under it of the material to be annealed. Said boxes are shown square with the cross-section, and they extend crosswise through the furnace and are open at their ends to the outer air. They therefore form a part of the partition that separates the ovens from each other. An opening thus connects the ovens and through it the conveyer moves.

Individual means are provided for heating each oven, consisting of the natural-gas burners 17, entering the top of the oven centrally and leading from the supply-pipe 1S and controlled by the valve 19. Thus the temperature of each oven can be independently controlled, the purpose of such construction being to enable the maintenance of a gradually-decreasing temperature in the series of ovens, the ovens to the left, as shown in Fig. 2, being maintained at the highest temperature and the temperature in the ovens gradually diminishing for a portion of the way around the entire furnace. The last chamber of the furnace is of extended length and is without direct heating means, so that while passing through it the material will be completely cooled.

While we herein show means for heating the ovens with natural gas, we do not wish to limit ourselves to such fuel, as any fuel may be employed provided an independent heating means be furnished for each oven and chamber and independently controlled. The heat from the natural gas enters the top of the oven and is directed from the top down upon the material to be annealed, so that the material gets the full benefit of the heat. The conveyer 6 is preferably as wide as the chamber in the furnace through which it passes, so that comparatively no heat passes below the top of the conveyer. This arrangement confines the heat in the ovens to the chamber above the con'veyer, while the cham ber below the conveyer is comparatively cool.

With natural gas no chimney is needed for the furnace. ary means should be provided for removing smoke and gases.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An annealing apparatus including a series of ovens, means for introducing gas centrally through the top of the ovens, and a conveyer movable through said ovens whose width is substantially the same as the width of the ovens, whereby the heat is confined to the space above the conveyer and directed equably upon the conveyer.

2. An annealing apparatus including a furnace divided into a series of ovens or chambers by transverse depending mantels or partitions, a transverse air-box at the lower end of each mantel or partition, a movable conveyer immediately beneath said air-box, and means for heating the ovens above the conveyer.

3. An annealing apparatus including an annular base, an endless conveyer mounted on said base, means for driving said conveyer, a furnace-top built over said base and conveyer that extends only partially around said base to form the furnace, mantels or partitions extending from the top of the furnace almost to the conveyer to form a series of ovens above the conveyer, and means for heating said ovens.

In witness whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures in the presence of the witnesses herein named.

JAMES A. ANDERSON. CLARENCE M. HOLLINGSWORTH.

Witnesses as to Anderson:

LAURA HITT, V. H. LooKWooD.

Witnesses as to Hollingsworth:

GEORGE J. GLEIM, J. H. IMME.

If other fuel be used, custom- I

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