Patent ID: 9518318
Filing Date: 2016-12-13
CPC Classification: C23C

Claim Text:
1. A device for hardening metallic workpieces comprising a rack designed to hold workpieces arranged in one layer or row, two or more carburizing chambers, at least one cooling chamber, a lock chamber arranged between the carburizing chambers and the cooling chamber, and a transfer system for handling racks for the workpieces, wherein the cooling chamber can be connected to the lock chamber via a vacuum gate valve, each of the carburizing chambers can be connected to the lock chamber via thermal insulation gate valves, and each of the carburizing chambers has a receptacle for the rack and at least two heating elements consisting of graphite or carbon-fiber-reinforced carbon, said heating elements positioned to emit radiation directly onto the surface of each of the workpieces at an average solid angle of 0.5 π to 2 π, and said heating elements are meandering heaters having a U-shaped serpentine form disposed on a bottom side and a top side of each of the carburizing chambers, wherein the lock chamber further comprises a rack repository, and the cycle time based on one workpiece is 5 to 120 seconds.