Furnace installation and method for heat treatment of metal components - with division walls and with three empty stations left between the stations loaded first and last

摘要

The furnace installation consists of a ring-tunnel furnace for high-temperature and/or a low-temperature treatment, with a rotatable hearth divided into segments corresponding to heat treatment stations for reception of charges of components to be heat treated. The segments separated from one another by division walls are individually loadable/unloadable, with incremental rotation of the hearth through the furnace. The division walls (29) have profile openings (30) which basically correspond to the outer profile of a charge (23) undergoing heat treatment. Three empty sections are between the first and last loaded sections. Loading/unloading operations are carried out so that three empty sections are maintained between the first and last loaded sections. The method of heat treating metal components is also claimed. Pref. the charging opening (36) of the furnace (11, 12) are provided with tubes (32) for flame curtains and nozzles for inert gas. The charging openings of a high-temperature furnace (11) and a low-temperature furnace (12) face one another. A central charging mechanism (13) serves both furnaces. In the case of several furnaces arranged in a row, a mobile charging mechanism on rails is provided. In the starting position, the middle one of 3 empty stations is situated opposite the loading opening. The rotatable hearth is rotated one segment backwards. The first empty station is now situated opposite the loading opening and the material to be heat treated is loaded into this first station. The rotatable hearth is rotated 3 segments forwards leaving the first hearth section for unloading opposite the loading opening. After this has been unloaded, the rotating hearth is rotated one segment backwards, giving 3 empty sections near the loading opening with the middle one lying after the loading openings. USE/ADVANTAGE - For heat treatment of metal components in various industries. The installation requires little space, has simple construction, and enables temperature cross-over to be effectively avoided.