Patent ID: 7204952

Claim:
A vacuum furnace for carburizing ferrous workpieces therein comprising: a furnace casing defining a furnace chamber therein closed at one end by a vacuum sealable door; a heater within the furnace chamber; a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the furnace chamber; an injector configured to deliver pulses of liquid carburizing hydrocarbon into the furnace chamber, the injector being vacuum sealed to an opening in the casing; the injector having an inlet in fluid communication with a source of liquid carburizing hydrocarbon under pressure in relation to the vacuum furnace, and an outlet in fluid communication with the furnace chamber; and, a controller for controlling i) the heater for regulating the temperature of the workpiece in the furnace chamber, ii) the vacuum pump for regulating the pressure of the furnace chamber, and iii) the injector for regulating the pulsing of the liquid carburizing hydrocarbon.