US1498990A - Electric furnace - Google Patents

Description

June 24 1924. 1,498,990

R. BEYER ELEC'IRIC: FURNACE Filed July 5. 1921 I5 Sheets-Sheet l 0 l Lf W13 /gyafU/MULW( j@ Afro/mfr 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 #v l'. \\W

R. BEYER ELECTRIC FURNACE Filed July 5, 1921 June 24, 1924.

nvm/TOR er 6M/WML #L5 ATTORNEY June 24, 1924. 1,498,990

R.BEYER ELECTRIC FURNACE Filed July 5., 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet I3 /N VE N TOI? Ano/Mfr Patented J une lZ4, 1924 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT BEYER, OF MERAN, ITALY.

ELECTRIC FURNACE.

Application led July 5,

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT BEYER, a citizen of Germany, residing at Meran, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Furnaces, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact speciiication.

My vinvention relates to improvements in electric furnaces, and the same has for its object more particularly to provide an electric furnace in Vwhich an exceedingly high temperature may be quickly produced and maintained with an economical use of electric current.'

Further, said invention has for its object to provide an electric furnace in which the heat producing means and the material to be heated are so insulated and protected as to prevent any undue loss of heat.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide an electric furnace in which the heating units are in the form of hollow slabs or plates having heating elements disposed therein, and iprovided in certain of their Walls or surfaces with openings to permitk of the assage of the radiant heat.

Fu-rt er, said invention has for its object to provide a furnace in which the heating units are so constructed and arranged that the same will not be injuriously Iaffected by the action of any gases or acids present or produced in the furnace during the operation thereof.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide an electric furnace in which the heat may be maintained underva vacuum.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in art be pointed out hereinafter.

otheI attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends my invention consists in the novel details of construction, and in the combination, connection and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 is a front elevation showing one form of electric furnace constructed accord-l ing to, and embodying my said invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan or top view showing one of the heating units, the same being partly broken away and in Section to show t e in; terior construction thereof;

1921. Serial N0. 482,334.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section thereof on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal section on theline 5 5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1 showing the adjustable resistance.

In saiddrawings 10 denotes the furnace as a whole which is mounted upon a stand comprising aframe 12 provided withlegs 12a.

Thefurnace 10 comprises an outer rectangular double-Walled casing 11 formed as a water-cooled receptacle having aninlet 14 at itsbase, and anoutlet 15 at its top adapted to be connected with a source of water supply. i

Thecasin 13 is yopen at its front and provided wit forwardly projectingbolts 16 to receivecover 17 adapted to be secured thereto bynuts 18.

By preference thecover 17 is made hollow and provided with an'inlet 19 and anoutlet 20 whereby to connect the same with a source of water supply. Thecover 17 is further provided with apipe 21 extending entirely through said cover terminating at its outer end in anozzle 22 provided with avalve 23 to permit of the ap lication of a pump for exhausting the interlor of the furnace.

To facilitate the handling of the cover the same is provided withhandles 24, and to insure a fluid-tight joint between thecover 17 and the front of thecasing 13 asuitable packing 25 is interposed between the same.

The interior of thecasing 11 which constitutes the heating chamber has its inner side walls as well as its top and bottom provided withlining members 13* composed of plates of refractory material, such as zirconium, or

. a composition thereof.

rods orpencils 33 composed of carbon or compositlons 'of graphite and zirconium. The enlargedends 33 of saidelements 33 ex- ,tend through saidapertures32 and into the pockets V29, and have their ends connected in-series by splitmetal clamps 34 each hav- 1 ing itsends 35 secured together by ascrew 36 and embracing one end of ametallic bond 37. In order to insulate and protect saidclamps 34 andbonds 37, the same, together with the ends of the elements, are embedded in a mass of granulated or comminuted zirconium oxid.

p In order to enclose and protect theheating elements 33, thebase 27 is provided upon its upper surface adjacent to opposite sides with undercut grooves orrecesses 38 to receive acover plate 39 provided in its central portion, lwhich registers substantially with the recessed portion orchamber 28 of thebase 27, with a plurality ofparallel openings 40 to permit of a certain amount of direct radiation ofvheat emitted by theelements 33.

Certain of theheating units 26 are provided in their upper sides along their edges withrecesses 41 to receive thelongitudinal tongues orprojections 42 on the edges of the adjoining sections.

. The end bonds 37a which serve to connect the heating orresistance elements 33 at the end of oneheating unit 26 with theadjacent element 33 of the adjoining heating unit are carried through the rear ofsaid units 26 through apertures 26a provided in outer side or bottom of thebase 27, and theterminals 43, 43 extending from theheating elements 33 are carried through registering openings 43a provided in the lower insulating plate and the bottom of the-double-walled casing 13. Of said terminals, theterminal 43 is connected directly with the source of electric energy. i j

44 denote sockets secured to theframe 12 below thecasing 10 having insulatingsleeves 45 therein in which are supported the ends of aconductor bar 46 adapted for connection directly with the other conductor leading toa source of electric energy. Belowrthe bar 46 is disposed abar 47 of suitable insulating material having its ends supported insockets 48 secured to theframe 12. 49 denotes a resistance element arranged in spiral form upon said insulatingbar 47 and connected at one end to theother conductor 43 extending from theheating element 33.

50 denotes an adjustable Contact member slidably mounted upon'theconductor bar 46; the said4Contact member 50 comprises a pair of spring pressedjaws 51 adapted to engage thespiral resistance 49 of theinsulatmgy bar 47, and a pair of finger portions 52 for operating saidjaws 51.

In operation the article to be treated may be placed in a suitable container and then v26 and the vsource of electric energy.

introduced ,into the heating chamber of the Hereupon the electric current is conducted by means of thebar 46,adjustable contact 50,resistance 49 to and Jfrom theterminals 43 extending from the heating u'rliits he desired strength of current being readily controllable by theadjustable contact 50 and theresistance 49. I

As the circuit is closed, theheating elements 33 will become incandescent, and the heat emitted thereby will, in part, be absorbed by the body of theheating unit 26,

and communicated to the heating chamber v of the furnace, and, in part, be transmitted l by radiation to the heating chamber through theopenings 40 in thecovers 38 of said heating units.

As aresult of the construction and arrangement of the several parts of the apparatus, it becomes possible to maintain for considerable periods of time a temperature ranging as high as 3000o C., and considerably higher temperatures v'for briefer periods of. time, without danger ofI injury to the apparatus.

It is to be noted that the temperature of theheating units 26 is capable of convenient control by varying the'conducting qualities of theheating elements 33, i. fby increasing or decreasing the'zirconium oxide content, and thereby render theelement 33 more or less eilicient as an electric resistance v heating units each comprising a chamberedV base, heating elements therein, and a cover for said base, substantially as speciied.

2. An electric furnace comprisin an outer casing, a refracto lining, andieating units disposed withmfsaid-casing and forming the inner walls thereof; said'heating units each comprising achambered base,

heating elements therein, means for con- `1430' ducting current to said vheating elements, means for controlling the current supplied to said heating elements, and a cover for said base, substantially as specified.

3. An electric furnace comprising an outer casing, a refractory lining, and heating units disposed within said casing and forming-the inner walls thereof; said heating units each comprising a chambered base, heating elements therein, means .for conducting current to said elements, a variable resistance for controlling the current supplied to said heating elements, and a cover for said base, substantially as specified.

et. An electric furnace comprising an outer casing, a cover therefor, a refractory lining within said casing, and heating units disposed within said casing and enclosed by said lining; said heating units each comprising a hollow base, heating elements extending across said hollow base and connected with a source of electric energy, and a cover' for said hollow base, substantially as specified.

5. An electric furnace comprising an outer casing, a cover therefor, a refractory lining within said casing, and heating units disposed within said casing and enclosed by said lining; said heating units each compris-- ing a lhollow base, `heating elements extending across said hollow7 basev and connected with a source vof electric energy, a variable resistance interposed between lthe source of yelectric energy and said heating elements, and a cover for said'hollow base, substantially as specified.

6. An electric furnace comprising an outer water-cooled casing, a cover therefor, a refractory lining upon the inner Walls pf said casing, and a plurality ef heating units disposed within said casing and enclosed by said lining; said heating units each comprising a hollow base, supports thereon, electric resistance elements mounted in said supports and connected together and with a source of electric energy, and a cover for said base, substantially as specified.

7. An electric furnace comprising an outer Water-cooled casing, a cover therefor, a refractory lining upon the inner walls of said casing, and a plurality of heating units disposed within said casing and enclosed by said lining; said heating units each comprising a hollow base, ysupports thereon, electric resistance elements mounted -in said supports and connected together with a source of electric energy, a variable resistance interposed between the source of electric energy and said heating elements, and

disposed within said lining, said heatingunits each comprising a hollow base, longitudinal receptacles at its opposite edges, a filling of comminuted insulating material therein, aplurality of heating elements disposed in said base and having their ends extending into said longitudinal receptacles and the insulatinglling therein, means for connecting the adjacent ends of said elements, and means for closing said receptacles, substantially as specified.

9. An electric furnace comprising a double-walled casing, a hollow cover therefor, means for securing said cover .to said casing, a lining of refractory material within said casing, a plurality of separate heating units disposed within said refractory lining, means for interengaging the contiguous edges of said heating units;V said heating lunits each comprising a base havinga recessed central portion, and recessed portions at its opposite edges, a filling of comminuted insulating material disposed within the recessed edge portions, a plurality of parallel-disposed heating elements extending across said base and having their ends extending into said recessed ed e portions and into the insulating filling t erein, means for connecting the ends of said heating elements together, and a perforated cover removably secured'u on said hollow base, substantially as spec' ed.

10. An electric furnace comprising a double-walled casing, a hollow cover therefor, means for securing said cover to said casing, a lining of refractory material within said casing, a plurality of se arate heating units disposed -within saiI refractory lining, means for interengaging the contiguous edges of said heating units; said heating units each comprising a base having a recessed central portion, and recessed portions at its opposite edges, a filling of comminuted insulating material disposed within the recessed portions at the edges of said base, covers for said recessed edge portions, a plurality ofy parallel-disposed heating elements extending across said base and having their ends extending into said recessed edge portions and into the insulating filling ther-em, means for connecting the ends of said heating elements together, and witha source of electric energy, and a variable resistance interposed between said heating elements and said source of electric energy, and a perforated cover removably secured upon said hollow base, substantially as specified.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, this 27th day of May, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-one.

ROBERT BEYER. Witnesses:

Corman A. Dmramon, JOSEPH G. QUINN, Jr.

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