[1]1 1 6 9 7 @ 1 2 9 Patented Jan. 1, 1929. UNITED.STATES PATENT OFFICE. HARRY P. McCANK, Or, CLFVELAND, OHIO. HEAT-TR.EATMENT FURNACE. Application filed February 21,1925. Serial No. 10,770. This invention relates to a furnace or apparatus for the heat treatment of various articles for various purposes, such as annealing, tempering, balkino,, etc. It is tl-ie general ptii-pose of the in-@ention to provide an appai@attis wh,erein the articles treated will be conveyed throticli a charnber of relatively Iligli temperature aiid. be inechanically and automatically transferred from such chain10 ber to a chamber of lower temperature, spaced therefrom, and be conducted or conveyed throulyh the latter chamber. A further object R the invention is to provide an appar,itus or furnae.e, for the purpose set 15 forth, which is compact and simple in constrlictio.u, and econoinical in operation. Further and inore limited objects will appear hereinafter and will be realized in and through the embodinients of the invention 20 shown in the drawings formin(y pai@t liereof, wherein Fig. 1 repi,esents, a c@n'tral longitudinal sectional view through one form of furnace or apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2. a 'transverse sectional vie-%v 25 through such furnace or apparattis.; Fig. 3 a view, similar to Fig. 1, of a modifled form of furinace or apparatus; Fio,. 4 Ei traiisverse sect,ioiial vieiv tlirougb the apparattis shown in Fig. 3; and Fi-. 5 a diagram of the electric 30 circuits and coo@eratino,, parts for feedinu the material through tli@ Iiigh and low te-mperature cliambers shoivn in Figs. I and 2 aiid for autoiiiatically transferrin(y the r@aterial from one of such cb ambers to the other. 35 Describing the parts by reference characters, and witl-i special reference to Fio-s 1 2, 3 and 4, 1 denotes the foundation, 2 i%e', side ivalls 3 the front wall and 4 the rear wall of a f urnace or appa.ratus embodying my inven40 tion, the said parts being of any suitable refractory material The ftirnace is divided by a lower perforated arch 5, an intermediate arch 6, a floor 7 and a, roof arch 8 into four horizontal vertically-spaced lon(yitudinally 45 extending chai-nbers A, B, C aird D. The floor of the chamber A supports tracks 9 and the floor 7 supports similar tracks 10, two tracks being shown in each of tbe'ehambers A and D and beina desi(yned for the siipport 50 of the articles to be heat-treated, which articles may be conveniently contained within crates 11. The chamber A is provided witli doors 12 and 13 at opposite ends thereof, each conneefed by a piston rod 121, and 1311, respectively, with a piston or plunger (not r)5 shown) within a cylinder, indicated at 121, and 13b respectively. The cliamber D is provided with a front door 14 connected by a cable 15, extending over pulleys 16, witli a plung er (.not shown) in a cylinder 14a. 60 The cliaiiiber B is a coiixbustion chamber' and is provided witli burners, indicated genei-ally at 17, the said burners being arranged witliin refractory sleeves 18 mounted in ports 19 in the opposite side walls 2, the burners in 65 one - %Yall being staggered with respect to those Os in the @pp 'ite inall. In front of each burner tllere is located a baffle 20, to facilitate the niixtur e and combustion of the fuel incredients. The fuel employed may be gas, oil, or 70 pulver ized fuel. The arch 6 is provided, above each burner 17 , with a port or flue 21 wbich can be opened and closed, as desi.red, by means of a damper 22 slidable in a suitabl e guide 23 in the appropriate wall, 75 each damper havin- an operating rod 24. Ordin arily the prod@icts of combustion in the chamb er B will heat the arch 6 but will be delive red into the cl-lamber A throuah the ports or perforations 51, provided in th-e arch 80 5. As these ports are tiniformly'distributed tliroug liout the arch 5, the products of combustio n will be delivered uniformly into and thi-ouhout the chamber A and will be delivere'd therefrom into the chamber C by 8@i means of transverse flues 25, provided in the fouiidation 1 beneath the tracl<s 9, and the vertical fliies 26 located in the side walls 2, each flue 26 coliiinunicatin,-r with a flue 25, and the flties 26 in one side wall bein(y stag- 90 gered with respect to the, flues in the" other side wall, and each delivering at its upper eiid iiito one side of the chamber C. The chamber C and the floor 7 for the chamber D will tbus be lieated by radiation from the arch 9.5 6 as -v@,ell as by the products of combustion delivered into the chaiiiber C by the flues 26. From the chamber C, the products of combustioii are delivered by flues 28 in the walls 2 into the cliamber D, the said flues 28 being 100 staa-ered in tl-ie same nianner as are the fl'ues 26. The products in the chamber D, after baving heated the articles tlierein, will be discharged therefroiii through flues 29 locat@d in the side walls 2 and being sta(Ygered 105 with respect to each other. The arrangement is sucli tllat the inwardly extendino, end of each flue 26 has directly opposite thereto
[2]9 the receivinz(nr end of -a flue 28; while the clelivery end of each flue 28 has opposite thereto the receiving end of a flue 29. . It will be evident tliat, by the constriietion e and arrangement of the chambers A; B, C and D and of the ports and flues from the cliambers B and C, includin(y the dampei-s 22,, pi@oducts of combtistion fr@@ the chamber B ma), all be delivered froi-n said chamber into the lo chamber A; also that, by opening the da,mpers 22 more oiless, t-he products of coinbustion from the charnber B m,,iy b,r3 distributed proportionally to the chamber A, (ind to the chaml)er D tbrough the chamber C. 15 At the rear of the traclcs 10 in the clianiber D tliei-e is loca-t'ed a i,ertical sliaft or p,,issa(ret'l) w,,ty 30 beneitli ivhich is a well 3i in ivl)icli ,t cylinder 32 is stipporte@t. IVitliiii the cylinder is a piston or Oun-er (not slioii,i-i) hav20 inc,- a piston or pltiiiger rod 33 connected @it its upper end tc) a @latfoi,m 34, th@- upr@ei, surface of the platforri beinc,- fiush Nvith the tracl@s 1 0 vvhen the plunger ancl, platform are elevat,ed. 25 In front ol' the door 14 tnd prefer,,ibly in line @vi-,L,,h the speice betiveen the trac'A-s 10 is a cylincler 35 havin,,r a. -oltinger (no'-u -,hoivn) provided -with a. rocl 36 and a transvei-sely extencling push pl,.t,te 3'7@ 30 lvloun,Lec'L at the re,,@r ol tha door 13 and prefero,'bl:!7 in line izith 'fhe space bet-weeii 'clie traelm 9 is a., cyliricier 38 h,,ivinf,- 2, 1)ltin(rer (not sho,w-7i), illhe rod 39 o--,' v;hich is p ovidecl -vvi'bh v. trai-isverse pi-i@b plat-, 40. It ivill be noted -@hat the triclks 9 ai-ic'l 10 proj-.c-o beyoiid t'lie doors 12 ane@ 14, providi,-i 0 plat-L'orms in front of t-he cloors 'Lor tl-ie regeption oi crates. The@ push plate 40, ivhen ir, retracted position, will acco@inmodate the pi o@t40 form 3,1 betnveen itself and the door 13. Projecting tbroti@@@(i the reir ivall 4- o' -the '@latforni 34, is a rol furnace, above @he a 41 %vhich is employed for tl-ie purpose of closino, X. an electrical circuit, for .,, purpose to be e 45 I)Iained in connection with the clii,grain shoii,n in Fig. 6. In the operation of the furnace shown iii Fi-s. I and 2, the iiiaterial to be treate(I will be-placed in crates or boxes oii the platfori-n ,50 provided b,.y the tracks 9 in front of the door 14 and the door ivill bo opened an(I tliesc@ ei-ates or boxes will be ptisli(,@d in. As,;tiiiiiii(, that the spplee between the door 14 and the front of the platform 34 is already occupied 55 by erdtes or boxes whicli h,,tve been subjected to heat treatment, the pushing in of these boxes or er,,ttes by the plunger rocl in the cylinder 35 will force the rearmost box or crate on each track 10 upon the platfoi-ra 34. 60 One of t-liese boxes or erites ivill en-are the In zn rod 41 and will close such electric circuits as -,vill catise the boxes or crates to bp lo-,iered by the platform to a position in front of the cylinder 38; will also cause the door 13 to be 65 opened and a eircuit, including a valve for the e3,linder 38, Nvill be closed, causing the push plate 40 to sliove the boxes or crates into the rear end of the chaniber A. The door 12,,i-neanivllile will have been automatically opened, and the entering boxes or ei,ates 70 ivill discharge the front boxes or crates on the tracks 9 upon the platform formed by tlle forward ext,@lisions thereof, after -,Yhich the doors 12 and 13 Nvill be closed and tlie platform 34 will be returned to its receivln,- posi- 75 tion. In Fig. 5, 1 bave illustrated dia,(,Tanima,ticilly the n-ie,,ins @y Nvbich the autoi-iiatic opei-- ,it,ioiis iiiiy I)c carried oiit. In this view, tlle evlin(ler 35 isvlioni-n ,is provided ivitl-i a pipe so communicati-n(, ivitli opposit,@ ends tliereLn of and liaviiicr a siil)ply pip 35b d val a-a le 35,@ for stil)pl@ing air or otlier fliiiei under I)i-e.-@siire to ti@e, pipe 35@. This vtlve is I)i@ovided -@vith an operatin- ari-n 3511 - ,Yhicii is S5 iiiterposed between a p-ai@ of solenoids 42 and 421-. The cylinder 14- is also provided -@vit' pipes 43 ancl 43a, similar to -'he pipes 351, and 35b respectively; ,ilso ivith a ValVe 43b aiid -L valve go ol)erating arm 43C silinilir to -valve 3@,c and the arm 35'. The ar -M 43 projects b--tweeii a pair of solenoids 44 qnd 44-. The cylinder 12b iS provided ivitl-i the pi,)es 45, 45a ancl the val-ve 45b anct the valve opler- ID3 @ititig pi-in 450, tli-, parts being -,i.iiillar to the parts 43-430 ancl the,,.ii-in projecon@,r betiveei 'a pair of solenoids 46, 46a. The cyliiider 13b is p,-iovicled ivith -Llie pipes 4'T ai-id q-tacl -L-he valve 4'T' and o arm 470, arrangeo, in @ioi) 'Llie same ia-iinner f is the corresponclino@ parts 45-15c. The ai-m pi,oiec-Ls betvveen a p,,iir of solenoids 48, 48,@. iii the san-ie miniier, ti-ie cyliiider 32 is provided @vitli I)ii)es 4(,,@ 49,1 anL' inith a valve 491, a,nd the valve, @pera@iiig a,2iii lo@r 49c projecti--a- bet",een the solenoids 50 anLI "' linder 38 is provided -%Yith the boa; - @llso the Cy pipes 51, bla, ivith the vilve 51b ancl the valve ue operating ii@m 5!c, s,-tid ai-m ex' i-idinzu be.- t-%veeii the soleiioids 52 and 52'@'. 110 With the parts constructe(I a,-Lad arranged as described and assumino- that the tracks on the cliai-i-ibers A and D a@re filled witli boxes or crates, tbe.door 14 will be opei-ied, preferably by iiianiially closino- tlle switeli d, NNh;-ch ]15 'i ciiable current to b ivil e suppliecl froiii line a, conductor a' and switeli (I to the sol2noid 44, ther y tlirowing tlle arni 430, of the valve 43b in til appropriite direction to cause 'the pressure Liid supplied tbrougli the I)ipe 43, to 120 be d ivei-ecl to the upper end of the cylinder 14a, by the pipe 43, whicli pushes the pitinger downwardly, opeiiin- the door 14. The current flonvs f i-om tlle solenoid 44 through a 2 back to the line ivire b. As the door 14 - rises, 125 it closes the switeli F, tliereby allowill(Y clirrent from a, a' to flow to and enei-gize the solenoid 42 thereby throwing the arm 351 of the valve 3be in the, @II)propriate direction to causetliepressurefluidsupplied'LllirotiLrlipipe 13o
[3]1)697,129 3 35a and pipe 35b to be delivered to the front end of the cylinder 35, baelk -of the pliin(rer tn therein, forcing the push plate 37 toward the open end of the chamber D, thereby forcing into said chamber boxes or crates on the platform in front thereof. The, feeding of the boxes or crates by the push plate 37 results in forcing the rearmost box or crate on each -traelk 9 upon the platform 34. One of these 10 boxes strilkes the arm 41, closing the switch H, wbich permits current from a to flow tbroup,,h a4 to the solenoid 50, thereby throwin- the arms 49c of the valve 49b in the alppro;iriate direction to allow pr ' essure fluid siipplied 15 tlirou(,@h the pipe 49a to be distributed by the pipe 49 to the upper end of the cylind@r 32, wliieh results in lowering the platform 34 to a position witli its upper surface in line witli the tops of tlle tracks 9. The current from 50 20 returns to b through conductor a2. The switch H also permits current to flow through a'- and a5 to the solenoid 42a , reversing the valve 35c and returnincr the push plate 37 to its initial position.. fhe curreiit from tb.e 25 solenoid 42, flows through a3 and a2 to the line b. As the platform G descends, it stril-.es the projecting lever arm of switch 1, closing the latter and supplying current through a 30 and a7 to the solenoid 48 -which throws the operating arm 47c of the valve 47b in pi-oper direction to supplv pressure fluid througb pipe 471, and pipe 47 to the lower end of the cylinder 13b, thereby to open the door 13. As 35 the platform G descends still further, it closes the switch J, supplying current through a and all to the solenoid 52 whicli tlirows the operating arm ble of the ValVe 51b in the appropriate direction to supply pressure fltiid 40 from the pipe 511, and pipe 51 to the rear end of the cyhnder 38, tlfus operttiiig the push plate 40 to transfer the boxes or crates from the platform 34 to the tracks 9. The current flows from 52, tbrough o," and d2 to the li-ne b. 45 When the switcli I is operated, ciirrent also floivs through a7 to the solenoid 46, energizing the latter and throwing the operating arlil 45c for the valve 45b in the appropri-,ite direction to supply pressiire fluid from the 50 pipe 45a and pipe 45 to the lower end of t,,e cylinder 12b, iliereby to open the door 12. The current flowing through 46a will rettirii tliroiigh a' and a 2 to b. When the boxes or crates are delivered onto 55 the platform at the front ends of the tracks 9, they strike'in arm on the switch L, closing the latter and sup@lying current tbrouzh a, a' and a9 -to the so enoid 52a, thus revi2@sinc'r the valve 5 ' lb and withdrawing the push p] aie 60 40. As the push plate 40 returns, it strikes an arm of a switch M which temporarily closes a circuit through a, all and al@ to the solenoid 60a which reverses the valve 49b and elevates the platform 34. While the switch M 65 is closed, current also flows through a, all, alO, all, and dl2 to the solenoid 4811, reversing the valve 47b and supplying liquid to the top of the cylinder 13b thereby to close the door 13. Current also flows through a"2 to the solenoid 46a reversing the valve 45b, thereby closing i-O the door 12. Also, when the switch H is closed, current flows through a, a4 and a5 to the solenoid 42a, thereby reversing the valve 35c and moving th(5 plunger and the push plate 37 away Trom the front of the cham- 75 ber D. Current from 42a returns to b througli a3 and a2. Closing the switch H also causes current to flow through a, a-, a5 and a" to the solenoid 44a , reversing the valve 43b and closing the door 14, current returning to b 80 tlirotigli a:,. The swit-ches F and D are of any of the well l@nown types wherein the circuit in which they are included is closed moiiientaril y, witli a mornentary energizing of the solenoids 42 and 44, followed by the 85 deenergization thereof until the next operation of the switches. Summ arizing and assiiming@ that both chan-ibers A and D are filled with boxes )r crates, the closino, of the switch d will effect 5)0 the followin(y iDp;rations:-The door 14 will be opened, cla,3ing the switch F, which causes boxes or crates on the platform in front of the 6hamber D to be fed or forced into said chamber bv the cross-bar or plate 37, displac- 9@l; ing the riarrnost boxes from said cliambl-r upon the plunger 34. These boxes, closing the s-%vitch H, cause the door, 14 to be c'losed, the push plate 37 to be withdrawn, and the pliinger 34 to descend. As the plunger de- loo scends. it closes t-he switeh I opening the doors i2 'and 1.3. The -final movernent of the platform 34 closes the switch J, thei,eby operating the push plate 40 to force or feed the crates from the platform 34 into the chaml)er 105 A. This forees boxes or crates from said cliamber upon the platform at the fiont ends of t-be rails 9, closing the switch L, thereby retracting the push pl@te 40 which throwsthe switch M, closincr the doors 12 and 13 110 and eleva.ting the -piatform ",4. This conipletes the ey@le of aiitomatic operations. Referen ce bas been made to the ports 21. These are used when it is desired to heat the cliainber D quickly or to an untimal extent.. lir, By openino,, the dampers 22. products of combiistioii from the chamber ]@-will flow directly into the cliamber C and thence through the passages 28 into the ch'amber D. Ordinarily, liowevei-, the cliamber A will be the chamber 120 of Iiigher tempera-ture with'the chamber D t-he chimber of lower temperit-iire. In Figs. 3 and 4 there is show'n a inodification of the invention wliei,ein tli-- chambers A', B', C' and D' are arran(red in the same 125 order qs tlle like,-design@@d paits in Figs. 1 and 2. In this fori-n of my invention, however, the order of travel t-brougli the iippermost and the lowermost chfimber is reversed; the articles in this case are conducted first 130
[4]4 through the lowermost chamber and t-hence through the uppermost cbamber. However, the lowermost chamber is the ehamber of higher temperature while the iippei@most ebamber is the chamber of lower temperature. The chamber B' is construct,-,d in the .,ame manner as the chamber B in the precedin - views, ancl the burner mouutinas are de!@si,omated by the same reference charac-ters. ( As in the cas@ wit-h the precedinlr form of my invention, prodtic-ts of combiise@on from the chaml),er B' are, delivered throil,-h the apertiires 5a in the arch 5 into the chamber A' and tlience, tlirotigli bottoin ti-ansversb flues 25a 15 and vertical side flues 26P- into the chqmber C'. In this latt,6r,forni of my invention, the flties 261, are. notsta,-gered, ut are locatecl (lirectl opposite eacli otlier, and eacli. pair of suc@ opposKI fliles communic@ites ivith ,i 20 Coinmon -branqverse flue 25". No iinperforite floor is provided between the cha&nbers C' and D' . Inste,,id of sucli fio(ir, I employ s, liw-ht, freely-p-r'coratecl floor 50 supported by 6r@q,nsvers@@ 1-bp-ams 51, the floor and beam's L!5 in turn supporting the trtel@s 10. The tracks 9 and 10 project beyond the frbnt o-E t-lie re,@eivin@,T platforms. The upper chamber D' is closed 'by a cloor 14 operated Irom a cylinder 14a in the same ntanner as 30 shoivn in(I (lescrib-ecl in conneetion witli the earlier described form o-f- my invp--ntion. I At the re-.tr of tl-ie, cli,,imbers A', B', CJ' and D' is located .), well 529 Tvhic-li is witliiii tlie .@i,rnace, enclosure; and the platforrii 34, rod S5 3a'@ Eu-nd cylinder 32 are loca-tef'i in such well. In front of the pla.t.foy,m form!-,d by the front ends of the traclrs 9 is a. f-iuicl, pre-,,-tire cylinder 53 having t,he ergss plate 5,1 carried7 by th,,- rod 55 anct artangecl in position to 40 -push into -the el-iarnber A' bo7@es or crates ihat may be plmed upon said tracks. The .'tront of the chamber A' is cla@sed by a door 56 which can be raised by means @f .i. plu'nger or ' t d 57 inountea ill a C,' ylinder 58. 4F) the rear of the ch.-tmber D' is locatecl cylinder 59 h,%ving the plunger rod 60 projec@iin(r tbere-from, said rod being p,@ovided with @ cross pl,,itb 61 adapted to piisli from the platform 3-1 boxes or crates deliverecl 50 thereupon (whpn the pl,,itforii-i is in its IoNvc,red posit-ion) by the forcing of other boxes oi- crates by the cross plate 54 into the chai-nber A'. It'%Vill be understood that the doors 14 and 5.5 56, the feeding cylinders 53, 59, aiid l@lie platform 34 will be operated auto-maticqily in substantio-Ily tl-ie same ma.nnai- as (le;scribed in connectio-n with the preceding vienvs so th,it, when the door 56 is open, er,,ites on the 60 front of t-he t-raeks 9 ivill be pu.-,Iied into the Chamber A' the platfoi-m 34 liavin- been 9 In lowered into the rc.,(@eiving position and tl@at, as the cratl-s or boxes are delivere(I onto, said platforra, the door 56 ivill be closed, the plati-orin elevated, the cross plate retraeted, the door 14 opened, tnd the cross plate 61 operated. to 1)ush the boxes or crates up,on the rails 10,. after wliich tlle door 11 will be closal and the plate 61 restored to initial position. 70 It -will be noted tbat the platform and its operating mechanism re located witl-iin the furnaceiproper, whereby there will be no loss of heat nv6lved in the operation of transferring the articles from the lowerniost to the 75 uppermost chainl)er. Havin- thus described my invention, -what T
