Patent ID: 7134397

Claim:
A vertical furnace binding system for controlling vertical expansion of a vertically-extending wall of a furnace, the wall having a laterally extending surface in an upper portion thereof and being constructed of refractory bricks arranged in stacked relation to one another, the system comprising: (a) a plurality of compressive members, each of said compressive members engaging the laterally extending surface so as to apply a downwardly directed compressive force on the wall, the force being applied through the laterally extending surface; and (b) a plurality of support members proximate the furnace, wherein each of the compressive members is connected to one of said support members; wherein the force applied by the compressive member is sufficient to control vertical expansion of the wall and substantially prevent vertical expansion of the wall due to infiltration of material into joints between the refractory bricks during operation of the furnace; wherein the laterally extending surface comprises a metal beam which is supported on top of the wall and extends continuously along a length of the wall, each of the compressive members engaging said metal beam; and wherein the compressive members are spaced regularly along the length of the wall so as to apply an evenly distributed compressive force along substantially the entire length of the wall.