Claims
- 1. A furnace for heating zinc used for galvanization, comprising:
- (a) a reservoir having bottom and side walls, inwardly facing surfaces of which are constructed of non-ferrous refractory materials, and an upper opening;
- (b) a vertically movable horizontal furnace lid receivable in the upper opening within the side walls covering the reservoir and adjustable within the side walls in its height from the bottom wall while being maintained horizontal, the inwardly facing surface of said lid being constructed of non-ferrous refractory material;
- (c) a plurality of pre-heaters carried by said furnace lid and constructed and arranged to heat the furnace walls before the furnace is charged with zinc by directing heat toward inwardly facing wall surfaces of the reservoir;
- (d) a plurality of immersion heaters each having an outer immersible element constructed of non-ferrous refractory material, said heaters carried by said furnace lid and constructed and arranged to be immersed in molten zinc within the reservoir when the lid covers the reservoir, the extent of immersion being controllable by the movable furnace lid; and
- (e) means including said lid for controlling the extent of immersion of the immersion heaters in the molten zinc within the reservoir.
- 2. An apparatus for heating and melting zinc, comprising:
- (a) a reservoir having walls constructed of non-ferrous refractory materials for containing zinc;
- (b) a vertically movable wall portion including a horizontal cover portion substantially closing the reservoir above the level of the contents constructed of non-ferrous refractory materials;
- (c) a plurality of immersion heaters supported by said movable wall portion, each including an elongated heating element extending into the interior of said reservoir below the level of the contents and constructed of non-ferrous refractory material;
- (d) means including said movable wall portion for controlling the extent of immersion of the immersion heaters in the molten zinc within the reservoir while maintaining said movable wall portion horizontal; and
- (e) a plurality of non-immersible pre-heaters supported by said movable wall portion and including means for directing heat toward the interior of said reservoir before the reservoir is charged with zinc.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said immersion heating elements are further comprised of an inner and an outer tube wherein said outer tube encases said inner tube.
- 4. A furnace for heating zinc, comprising:
- (a) a reservoir having bottom and side walls constructed of non-ferrous refractory materials and encased in a metal shell;
- (b) a vertically movable, horizontal, furnace upper wall constructed of non-ferrous refractory materials and adjustable vertically while being maintained horizontal within the side walls relative to the level of zinc contained in the reservoir and movable to a position above the reservoir to facilitate repair and loading, said upper wall essentially closing the reservoir;
- (c) gasket material surrounding the perimeter of the upper wall and forming a seal between the reservoir side walls and upper wall when the upper wall is within the side walls;
- (d) a plurality of pre-heaters supported on said upper wall and wherein each pre-heater contains a nozzle which can be directed toward the inner walls of said reservoir and capable of pre-heating said inner walls to approximately 480.degree. C. prior to the introduction of zinc into said reservoir;
- (e) a plurality of immersion burners supported on said movable furnace upper wall, said burners including an elongated heating element constructed of silicon carbide extending downward from the upper wall receivable within the contents of the reservoir; and
- (f) means including said movable wall for controlling the extent of immersion of the immersion heaters in the molten zinc within the reservoir while maintaining said movable wall horizontal.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 384,968, filed June 4, 1982, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
961175 |
Jun 1964 |
GBX |
598962 |
Sep 1975 |
SUX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
384968 |
Jun 1982 |
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