Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
`1 ~ 6~ ~ 9 ~
APPARATUS FOR GAS TREATMENT
OF ARTICLES TRAV~RSING AN ENCLOSURE
The present invention relates to a method and ap-
paratus for the treatment of artiicles according to which an
enclosure is traversed by gases whose temperature and/or com-
position are such that they provide for treatment ~f the ar-
ticles by contact with them.
The invention makes possible thorough and efficacious
treatmen~ of the articles while reducing the dimensions of the
enclosure particularly in the direction of the path of movement
of the ar~icles as compared wi~h prior arrangements.
The technique of thc invention is of ~he ~ype
according to which the articles ~o be treated are advanced
translationally and are simulatenously rotated, and is charac~er-
ized in that the articles traverse the length of the enclosureseveral times and at different levels, and in that the articles
are rolled on flat superimposed surfaces extending from one
end of the enclosure by bringing them in contact with driving
components carried in a continuous or endless circuit, so
that the same components provide for successive travel of
the articles first in one direction, and then in the other ~--
direction at two different levels.
~ . .
The ~echnique of the invention is particularly adapt-
¦ ed to the treatment of articles in cylindrical spherical or
oval form, the articles being rotated around their axes or centers,
whil~ being advanced ~ranslationally.
The technique according to ~he i~vention can be
applied to diverse treatmen~s such, for example~, as foT
.
.
::
~. : '
" ~69Z96
drying, cu.ring and cooling operations, and heating ~erations,
such as annealing, temperirlg sr tlle like. It can li};ewise
be used to provide for cva~ing of 'che sur:Eaces of the articles
with materials such as glaze, paints, etc. whose composition
may be heterogeneous and whose constituents are efficaciousl
mixed by the movements communica~ed to tlle articles. It
can likewise be used to facilitate the a~pl~cation oE semirigid,
flexible or retractable coatings to the ar~icles to be ~r~ated.
The articles to be ~rea~ed can have a tubular
form, particularly a cylindrical, tubular orm~ They can
be made of various materials particularly of -~ibrous materials,
especially fibrous insulating slee~es in which a curable
binder is distributed between the fibers, the gases contained
in the enclosure providing for thermal treatment throughou~
the entire thickness o~ t~le articles by ~rec~ing curin~p
polymerization or softening of the binder. The articles
can, for example, be made up of ~ibrous insulating sleeves,
part~cularly small diameter sleeves of ~he ~ype referred
ll~n
to in ~he~patent application of Bicho~ and Gest Serial ~o.
226,985 ~iled May 14, 1975~ and assigned to the assignee
of the present application, rela~ing to a method and appara~us
for the continuous ~ormation of insulating sleeves rom fiber
mat in which a binder is distributed, the sleeves having
` a porous structure but ha~ing l~yers at the internal and
external surfaces, in which the ~esin is cured in or~er to
stabiliie the s]lapc of the sleeves.
". '
, ~ '"'
- 2 - . .
. .
l~9Z96
sroadly speaking, therefore, the present invention
provides apparatus for use in heat treating cylindrical articles,
comprising at least two superimposed but spaced foraminous
decks, heating means for circulating a gaseous curing current
through the decks, and mechanism for rolling a sequence of
articles first in one direction on the surface of an upper
deck and then in the opposite direction on a surface of a
subjacent deck, the mechanism co:mprising a series of article
engaging elements and an endless carrier for the elements, the
.0 carrier having a run travelling in one direction over the
surface of one deck and the other run of the carrier travelling
in the opposite direction over the surface of the subjacent
deck, mounting mechanism for the carrier including a sprocket
arranged at adjacent ends of superimposed runs of the carrier
moving in opposite directions, the elements being mounted on
the carrier with spacing greater than the diameter of the ~ -
articles and in position to extend between the articles on the
decks and thereby establish movement of the articles over the
decks in spaced relation to each ot~er and at a rate conforming ~ :
O with that of the endless carrier, the upper deck being terminated .
at its downstream end at a point spaced from the sprocket at
the end o the cooperating run of the endless carrier to
,
provide an opening larger than the diameter of the articles and
:. located inboard of the sprocket for gravity delivery of articles
; ~ from the upper deck to the subjacent deck~
::
: Some other characteristics and advantages of the
1~ invention will be evident from the description which follows and
'~ which refers to a preferred embodiment o the apparat~s. In the
course of this description reference will be made to the attached
.~ ~ drawings in which: -
: ~ ~ Figure 1 is an elevational view with portions of the
I enclosu~ broken away;
. ~ .
~ ~ yw~ 3 _
~69Z5~6
Figure 2 is a fragmentary detailed perspective
view showing the apparatus for driving and rotating the
elements in the enclosure;
Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section
of the feeding mechanism in the enclosure of Figure l; and
Figures a and 5 are diagrammatic fragmentar~ views
of an alternative relative arrangement of components of the
drive mechanism for articles to be treated.
The embodiment illustrated is arranged to pro~ide
for handliny of fibrous insulating sleeves indicated by the
letter A, the sleeves being formed from a fibrous mat in which
a binder is distributed, as is more fully described in the . ~.
` . :
~: ~
.~ :
. ~ ' '.
"; ' : : '
~: ~ , - r : '
.
~ ~ ~ ` ' ' ' ''''
. . ~r~ ywl/~f ~ ' ~ 3a -
~69Z~6
patent application iden~ified ~bove. The equipmen~ shown
may be used to carry out the complete and uniform curing o-E
the sleeves by providing for the polymerization or the hardening
of the binder.
In the course of the curing in the enclosure or
oven the sleeves are carried without constrain~ in such a
way as to avoid unrolling the exterior layers of the ~ibrous
mat, and therefore without formation of surface defects detrimen-
tal to both their structure and appearance. On the other
hand~ during the time the sleeves remain in the oven, the
sleeves are supported on a flat surface throughout their length
and the sleeves allso rotate on their axes in such a manner
as to promote uniform euring.
The sleeves A are successively brought to a door
:15 1 on an inclined feed table~ the door being activated by a
jack 2 which stops each sleeve before its entry, thereby assur-
ing that the sleeves will be delivered to the interior conveyor
mechanism in the desired transverse position. The opening
of this door is timed and limited in order to decrease the
heat loss from the oven.
In order to l~n~then the time ~he sleeves remain
` in the oven and to do so while limiting the length of the
oven, the oven comprises several superimposed levels, of which
there are five iin the example illustra~ed.
~ ,:
Each of the levels is made up of a perforated plate
or foraminous deck 3 which may desirably be formed of wire :-
mesh~ on which the sleeves A are: rolled by being driven by
; ~ ;`~;
~ -4-
: ~. ' ' '
.: .
g6
means of small bars 4 carried by an endless carrier. The
bars 4 should be spaced from each other a distance greater
than *he diameter of the articles. For the purpose of driving
the bars, endless chains are provided, such as indicated at
5, with which the small bars are connected. Preferably a
carrier chain is provided a~ each side of ~he decks. The
arTangement according to the invention is such that one run
of each endless chain S provides the movement of the sleeves
in one direction and ~hen, by its lower run provides for movemant
in the o~her direction in two successive stages on the perfora
ted decks 3.
In the embodiment illustrated the three endless
chains 5 are provided, and five superimposed runs are utilized
for feeding the sleeves. The chains are preferably driven
by a variable speed motor (not shown), for ins~ance by connection
with one of the chain carrying pinions 6 o-f each endless chain.
.. .:
The sleeves A are successively placed on ~he perfor-
ated decks 3 between two successive bars 4. Eaeh of the sleeves
; A is pushed by the bar si~uated immedia~ely behind the sleeve,
and the sleeve advances by rolling on the suppor~ deck 3.
Between the end 9 of the perforated deck, the example o~ the
top deck and the last bar 4, before the pinion 6, a free space
-~ is provided ~o allow ~he passage by gravity of a sleeve A
to the next lower le~el. At this next level, the bars 4 move
in the opposite direction since they are driven by the returning
run of the endless chain. The result is that the sleeves
are submitted, under the same ccndi~ions, to a new horizontal
transfer in a direction opposi~e to that to which they were
submitted a~ the level immediately above. Tho sleeves finally
_5
.
. .
'~
~ ~9 Z~ ~
leave the lowermost deck 8 over the top of the adjacent pinion
and are delivered to the inclined plane 10, for the final
discharge from the equipment.
The heat for the oven is provided by a gas burners
12 placed on the f1OOT 13 of the oven, and above the burners
small insulating compartments 14 o non-oxidizing metal are
provided to prevent localized overheating of ~he lower level
of the oven. Homogenous distribution of hot air upward through
the height of ~he oven is effected with ~he help of a thin
perforated steel plate 15 parallel to and spaced the upper
portions of the compartments 14, th~reby distributing the
hot air in thc oven.
Af~er coming in oontact wi~h all the sleeves, the
air is ejected through ~he flue 16.
:, :
The embodiment described and illustrated in Figur~s
1, 2 and 3 incorporat~s decks 3 supporting khe articles for
travel in paths arranged horizontally.
'.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate fragmentarily and somewhat
diagrammatically conditions which will prevail in cases where
the decks 3 are obliquely inclined with respect to the hori-
zontal. Figure 4 illus~rates a run of an endless conveyor
for ~h~ driving elements 4 at an upwardly inclined angle,
and showing a driving element in position behind a sl~eve
A, thereby driving the sleeve upwardly against ~he ac~ion
of gravity. Figure 5 illustrates a run of an endless conveyor ~-
for the driving elem~nts 4 at a downwardly inclined angle,
and showing a driving element in a position in advance of a
., . -6-
sleeve A, thereby restraining and controlling the downward
movement of the sleeve under the action of gravity.
When using inclined decks the driving elements
4 are desirably positioned at a greater spacing from the deck
than is needed when using horizon~al dec~s~ and with runs
which are inclined either upwardly or downwardly the arrangement
assuros uniform rotation of the articles being treated even
when the articles are not precisely cylindrical or are intention-
ally manufactured with oval configuration.
The illustrations o Figures 4 and 5 may be con-
sidered as represen~ing separate endless conveyors, but the
conditions shown in Pigures 4 and S may occur with a single
endl~ss conveyor where one run travels upwardly in one direction
and the other run ~ravels downwardly in the opposite dircction.
.
The use of inclined decks, particularly downwardly
~; inclined as represented in Figure 5 is also of advantage in
that it assists in discharging particles o matter such as
fragmen~s of fibers which have become detached from ~he articles
being ~reated.
`~ :.
~ '
..~
:
' ~ ,'.
., .
~ : . ...
