A tempering furnace, in particular for sheets of glass and similar

Abstract: In the furnance the glass sheets (2) are supported and transported by a conveyor plane (1) of the roller type, above and beneath which plane an upper radiating surface (4) are arranged. The upper radiating surface (3) is composed of a plurality of longitudinal strips (31) arranged side-by-side and parallel to the transport direction of the plane (1), while the lower radiating surface (4) is constituted by a plurality of transversal strips (41) arranged transversally to the said transport direction. Each of the strips (31 and 41) is separated from contiguous strips by means of isolating walls (33,43) and represents the lower and upper surfaces of seperate chambers. In each chamber there is a device which confers regulatable thermal energy from a non-electrical energy source, constituted for example by a radiating tube (15) burner (5) combination.

Description: A TEMPERING FURNACE, in particular for SHEETS OF GLASS and SIMILAR. The invention relates to a tempering furnace, in particular for sheets of glass and similar. The prior art embraces tempering furnaces equipped with a conveyor plane, generally having motorised rollers, which plane supports the sheets of glass, transports them and oscillates their movement in the direction of transport. In such realisations thermal energy is transferred to the sheets of glass usually by radiation by way of means such as electric resistance, radiating plates, usually electrically powered, arranged above and below the conveyor plane, and in such a way as to cover the entire surface of both sides of the said sheet of glass completely. An appropriate distribution of the means of radiation and thus its partitioning, combined with ease of regulation of the energy source permits regulation and dosage of the energy flow which reaches, moment by moment, each point or zone of the surface occupied by the said conveyor plane on which the said sheets of glass are moved. In particular, this permits the dosage of energy flow reaching the sheets of glass crossing the furnace both in longitudinal and in transverse directions, and in such a way as to achieve uniform heating of the same sheets of glass. The possibility of control of the flow distribution on the conveyor or work plane, which depends essentially on the relative ease of regulation permitted by the electric energy source, permits treatment, without drawbacks, of loads of glass sheets which differ in size and dimensions both in tranverse and in longitudinal directions. Such prior art realisations, with electric energy source, are characterised by high energy costs. The prior art Patent GB-A-0729072 shows a furnace for metals, glasses and ceramic materials in which a thermal treatment is carried out on objects by a plurality of longitudinally flanked and partitioned sources of heat, such as radiant tubes, electric resistances or flame heaters, mounted above and below the plane of transport. The present invention, as defined in claim 1, provides a tempering furnace, in particular for glass sheets and similar, which is able to provide elevated characteristics of regulation possibilities and flexibility (possibility of treating in the same furnace loads of different transversal and longitudinal dimensions), but with reduced energy costs and offering the possibility of using heat sources other than electrical. Further characteristics will better emerge from the detailed description that follows, of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the invention, illustrated here purely in the form of a non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section made according to plane II-II of figure 2; Figure 2 shows a schematic section made along plane I-I of figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 show two schematic sections made respectively along planes III-III and IV-IV of figure 1. In the figures, 1 denotes a horizontal conveyor plane with motorised rollers aimed at supporting and transferring sheets of glass 2, in two directions and in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the axes of the said rollers. The conveyor plane 1 is in part contained internally to a closed structure which presents, with reference to the movement direction of transfer of the said conveyor plane 1, indicated by the arrow 9, an inlet mouth 10 and an outlet mouth 11. Internally to the said structure, indicated by 20, arranged parallel to and at a short distance from the conveyor plane 1, is an upper radiating surface 3, formed by a plurality of longitudinal radiating plates or strips 31, oriented parallel to the movement direction indicated by the arrow 9. Said radiating strips 31 are subdivided in the longitudinal direction, that is parallel to the arrow 9, into three groups, which describe three zones in the furnace, 6, 7 and 8, consecutively arranged. In particular, each longitudinal strip 31 constitutes the lower part of a longitudinal chamber 32, which is separated from the corresponding longitudinal chambers of the contiguous strips 31 by means of vertical isolating walls 33. Internally to each chamber 32 a radiating tube 15 is arranged, with its axis longitudinal and parallel to the isolating walls, which isolating walls 33 define the chamber; the said radiating tube 15 belongs to a burner with self-recuperating recirculation, powered by means of gaseous fuel. The radiating tube 15 extends over the entire length of the chamber 32 in which it is contained, and thus over the entire length of the strip 31. In the illustrated embodiment each zone of the furnace is constituted by a plurality of strips 31 arranged side-by-side, each of which strips 31 represents the lower wall of a chamber 32 housing a radiating tube 15 of a burner 5. In the two end zones, denoted by 6 and 8, and which are located in opposite position with respect to the central zone 7 of greater length, the radiating tubes 15 housed internally to the chambers 32 present their straight axes inclined with respect to the horizontal with a pre-established inclination in such a way that the parts which are nearest to the strips 31 are the respective non-constrained ends. The geometric arrangement of the burners 5 and their respective radiating tubes 15 in the two zones 6 and 8 is substantially symmetrical with respect to the central zone 7 just as the structure 20 of the furnace is symmetrical. In the central zone, the radiating tubes 15 of the burners 5 are arranged alternatively, so that the radiating tubes 15 of two burners 5 located in two contiguous longitudinal chambers 32 have their respective non-constrained ends situated at the two opposite ends of the said central zone 7. In this case the radiating tubes 15 are also inclined, all with the same inclination with respect to the horizontal, in such a way that the relative non-constrained ends are the parts nearest to the strips 31, which all together form the radiating surface 3. Beneath the conveyor plane 1 a lower radiating surface 4 is arranged, which, similarly to the upper radiating surface 3, is formed by a plurality of transverse radiating strips 41 positioned side-by-side and arranged perpendicularly to the movement direction of the conveyor plane 1 and therefore also to the axes of the motorised rollers of the same conveyor plane 1. Each transversal strip 41 constitutes the upper part, that is the part turned towards the plane 1, of a transversal chamber 42 which is separated from the corresponding transversal chambers 42 of the contiguous transversal strips 41 by means of isolating walls 43. In each chamber 42 a radiating tube 15 of a burner 5 is housed, the radiating tube 15 being of the self-recuperating recirculating type. In this case the radiating tube 15 also extends over the entire length of the chamber 42. By acting upon the controls and regulation of each burner 5, is therefore becomes possible to control the energy flow to each of the strips 31 and 41, and thus it is possible to control and regulate the energy flow which reaches the conveyor plane 1 in the zone beneath or above each strip 31 and 41. In particular, in each of the zones 6, 7 and 8 of the furnace, by individual regulation of the single strips 31, obtainable by acting on each burner 5, a pre-established temperature profile for each transversal section can be "designed" with regard to the temperature existing on the conveyor plane. Analogously, the possibility of controlling each burner 5 housed in the chambers 42 individually permits construction of a desired temperature profile on the conveyor plane 1 according to a longitudinal section of the furnace. From the combined action of the strips 31 and the strips 41 the desired range of temperatures can be determined point-for-point over the conveyor plane 1 on which the sheets of glass 2 to be heated are arranged. A further longitudinal-direction regulation possibility is provided by the inclination of the radiating tubes 15 in areas 6 and 8. The abovesaid control and regulation capability permits working on loads of glass sheets which are very different among themselves with regard to transversal and longitudinal dimensions. The use of self-recuperating gas-fed burners grants a considerable saving in energy costs. A further advantage of the furnace according to the invention is the ease with which is can be converted to a different form of energy source, by simple substitution of the radiating tubes 15 with analogous radiating elements using a different form of energy.

Claims: A tempering furnace, in particular for sheets of glass and similar, comprising : a conveyor plane (1) to support and transfer, in oscillating mode, according to a pre-established longitudinal direction, sheets of glass (2) and similar; such a conveyor plane (1) being positioned between an upper radiating surface (3) and a lower radiating surface (4) characterised in that : the said upper radiating surface (3) is composed of a plurality of longitudinal strips (31), side-by-side and arranged parallel to the movement direction of the said plane (1) along the said pre-established longitudinal direction; said strips (31) being sub-divided, according to the said longitudinal movement direction, into at least three consecutive zones (6, 7 and 8) of the furnace; the said lower radiating surface (4) is composed of a plurality of transversal strips (41) arranged consecutively side-by-side and arranged transversally to the longitudinal movement direction of the said plane (1); wherein each of the said longitudinal strips (31) constitutes the lower part of a longitudinal chamber (32), which chamber (32) is separated from the corresponding longitudinal chambers (32) of the contiguous strips (31) by means of isolating walls (33); and wherein each of the said transversal strips (41) constitutes the upper part of a transversal chamber (42), which is separated from the corresponding transversal chambers (42) of the contiguous strips (41) by means of isolating walls (43); and in each of said chambers (32) and (42) there is at least one device (5,15) aimed at conferring to each individual longitudinal (31) or transversal (42) strip a controllable thermal energy supply. A furnace as in claim 1, wherein the said conveyor plane (1) is constituted by a motorised-roller type conveyor plane. A furnace as in claim 1, wherein the said devices for the supply of thermal energy to each of said individual longitudinal and transversal strips (31 and 41) are constituted by burners (5) of the radiating tube type with self-recuperating recirculation, fed by means of gaseous fuel. A furnace as in claim 3, wherein the said burners (5) are located internally to the said chambers (32 and 42) and are longitudinally disposed with respect to the isolating walls (33 and 43) which isolating walls (33 and 43) laterally describe the said chambers (32 and 42) and extends for nearly the entire length of the said strips (31 and 41). A furnace as in claim 4, wherein each of the said three zones of the furnace (6, 7 and 8) is equipped with its own series of said burners (5) all of which burners (5) are arranged on vertical planes parallel to the movement direction and to the isolating walls (33) which separate the chambers (32). A furnace as in claim 5, wherein the said radiating tubes (15) of the said burners (5), at least in the two end zones (6 and 8) on either side of the said longer central zone (7) present straight axes, inclined with respect to the horizontal with a pre-established inclination, in such a way that the part nearest to the strips (31), contituting together the flat radiating surface (3), are the respective non-constrained ends; the said radiating tubes (15) and the relative chamber (32), in which the said tubes (15) are housed being arranged symmetrically with respect to a median plane perpendicular to the movement direction of the conveyor plane (1). A furnace as in claim 6, wherein the radiating tubes (15) of the burners (5) of the central zone (7) are arranged alternately so that the two radiating tubes (15) located in two contiguous longitudinal chambers (32) have their respective non-constrained ends situated at the two opposite side of the said central zone (7). A furnace as in claim 7, wherein the said radiating tubes (15) of the said burners (5) are inclined with respect to the horizontal with a pre-established inclination in such a way that the relative non-constrained ends are the parts nearest to the strips (31) constituting the flat radiating surface (3).

Inventors: SEVERI ALBERTO, SEVERI, ALBERTO
Applicants: POPPI SPA, POPPI S.P.A.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: C03B29
IPC codes: F27B9, C03B29