Continuous heating furnace

Abstract

To improve maintainability of a turn roller.SOLUTION: A continuous heating furnace 1 comprises a furnace body 10, a plurality of conveying rollers 20, and a drive mechanism 40. The drive mechanism 40 for driving the conveying rollers 20, comprises a pair of support plates 41, 42, a plurality of shafts 43, a plurality of sprockets 44, a chain 45, a turn roller 46, and a support member 50. The support member 50 comprises a support shaft 53, storage members 51, 52, and fixing members 54, 55. The support shaft 53 is inserted into the turn roller 46. The pair of storage members 51, 52 store a part of the support shaft 53, and are attached to the pair of support plates 41, 42, respectively. The fixing members 54, 55 fix the support shaft 53 to the storage members 51, 52.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a continuous furnace. [Background technology]

[0002] JP 2019-172436 A discloses a heating furnace including a furnace body and a plurality of conveying rollers arranged at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction of the furnace body. A sprocket wheel is attached to the base end of each of the plurality of conveying rollers. A chain is wound around the sprocket wheel. Each conveying roller is rotationally driven via the chain and rotates at a uniform speed in the same direction. The chain is folded back at a sprocket attached to a support shaft. The support shaft is inserted through a first support plate and a second support plate, and is rotatably supported via bearings provided on the first support plate and the second support plate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-172436 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The loop path of the chain that rotates and drives a plurality of conveying rollers is set by a turn roller, etc. The present inventors wish to improve the maintainability of the turn roller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The continuous heating furnace disclosed herein includes a tunnel-shaped furnace body that encloses a space along the conveying direction, a plurality of conveying rollers that cross the tunnel-shaped furnace body and are arranged along the conveying direction, and a drive mechanism that is arranged on one side of the furnace body and drives the plurality of conveying rollers. The drive mechanism includes a pair of support plates, a plurality of shafts, a plurality of sprockets, a chain, a turn roller, and a support member. The pair of support plates are arranged on one side of the furnace body so as to face the furnace body and face each other with a gap. The plurality of shafts are arranged along the conveying direction so as to correspond to the ends of the plurality of conveying rollers. The plurality of shafts are respectively hung across the pair of support plates. The plurality of shafts are respectively supported by the pair of support plates so as to be rotatable via bearings. The plurality of shafts support one end of a corresponding one of the plurality of conveying rollers outside the furnace body. The plurality of sprockets are respectively attached to the plurality of shafts between the pair of support plates and arranged along the conveying direction. A path is set for the chain so that it meshes with the plurality of sprockets arranged along the conveying direction between the pair of support plates. The turn roller is a roller disposed between a pair of support plates, with a chain wound around at least one of the two sides on which a number of sprockets are arranged, and which turns the chain back in a predetermined direction. The support member includes a support shaft, a pair of accommodating members, and a fixing member. The support shaft is inserted through the turn roller. The pair of accommodating members accommodate a portion of the support shaft, and are attached to each of the pair of support plates. The fixing member fixes the support shaft to the accommodating members. In such a continuous heating furnace, the turn roller is easy to maintain. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a continuous heating furnace 1. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the continuous heating furnace 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a support structure of the transport roller 20 on the drive side. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the support member 50. As shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the housing member 51 and the fixing member 54. As shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a support structure of the driven side of the transport roller 20. As shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the support member 150. As shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the housing member 152 and the fixing member 155. As shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the housing member 151 and the fixing member 154. As shown in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the support member 150. As shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the housing member 251 and the fixing member 254. As shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Hereinafter, one of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote members and parts that perform the same function. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships (length, width, thickness, etc.) in each drawing do not reflect the actual dimensional relationships. The directions of up, down, left, right, front, and rear are respectively indicated by arrows U, D, L, R, F, and Rr in the drawings. Here, the directions of up, down, left, right, front, and rear are merely defined for the convenience of explanation, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a continuous heating furnace 1. FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section of the continuous heating furnace 1 along the conveying direction. FIG. 2 is a side view of the continuous heating furnace 1. FIG. 2 shows the driving side of the side surfaces of the continuous heating furnace 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a support structure of the driving side of the conveying roller 20.

[0009] <Continuous heating furnace 1> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the continuous heating furnace 1 comprises a furnace body 10, a plurality of conveying rollers 20, and a drive mechanism 40. The continuous heating furnace 1 is a heating furnace that continuously heats the workpiece A while conveying it along the conveying direction. The continuous heating furnace 1 is a so-called roller hearth kiln that heats the workpiece A while conveying it in the conveying direction (from rear Rr to front F) by the rotation of the conveying rollers. The arrow in the figure indicates the conveying direction in which the workpiece A is conveyed.

[0010] <Furnace body 10> As shown in Fig. 1, the furnace body 10 encloses a space 10i in which the workpiece A is transported along the transport direction. The furnace body 10 is formed in a tunnel shape. The furnace body 10 has a side wall 11, a side wall 12 (see Fig. 6), a bottom wall 13, and a ceiling wall 14. A transport roller 20 and a heater 30 are provided in the space 10i within the furnace body 10. The workpiece A is heat-treated by the heater 30 while being transported through the space 10i by the transport roller 20.

[0011] The heater 30 is a facility for heat-treating the workpiece A transported on the transport rollers 20. In this embodiment, a cylindrical ceramic heater is used as the heater 30. The heaters 30 are arranged above and below the multiple transport rollers 20 at a predetermined interval along the transport direction. The heaters 30 are hung across the side walls 11 and 12. The heater 30 is not particularly limited as long as it can heat the workpiece A. The type, shape, arrangement, etc. of the heater 30 are not particularly limited and can be selected according to the heating conditions, etc. As the heater, for example, a metal sheath heater, a plate-shaped panel heater, a burner-type heating device, etc. may be used. The number, output, etc. of the heaters 30 can be appropriately set according to the processing conditions of the workpiece A. By changing the number, output, etc. of the heaters 30, the workpiece A can be processed under different processing conditions along the transport direction.

[0012] A temperature sensor may be provided in the space 10i. A thermocouple, an infrared thermometer, or the like may be used as the temperature sensor. The temperature sensor measures the temperature of the space 10i heated by the heater 30. The output of the heater 30 may be controlled in accordance with the temperature of the space 10i measured by the temperature sensor. This allows the space 10i to be maintained at a preset temperature.

[0013] The furnace body 10 is made of a material that insulates the space 10i from heat and has fire resistance. The furnace body 10 may be made of an insulating material in which ceramic fiber boards formed into a predetermined shape are stacked in the thickness direction. The ceramic fiber board is, for example, a plate material formed into a plate shape by adding inorganic filler and inorganic / organic binder to so-called bulk fiber. The furnace body 10 may be made of heat-resistant bricks. The thickness of the furnace body 10 is set to a required thickness that sufficiently insulates the space 10i from heat. The outside of the furnace body 10 is covered with an outer wall 16. The outer wall 16 is made of a metal material that is excellent in rigidity and heat resistance. For example, stainless steel or the like can be used as the outer wall 16. A plurality of through holes 11a, 12a (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 6) are formed in the side walls 11, 12 of the furnace body 10 at a substantially uniform height with a substantially constant pitch. A conveying roller 20 is inserted into each of the through holes 11a, 12a.

[0014] The continuous heating furnace 1 may be a so-called atmospheric furnace in which the inlet for carrying the workpiece A and the outlet for carrying the workpiece A are open to the atmosphere. The continuous heating furnace 1 may be a so-called atmospheric furnace in which the atmospheric gas in the furnace body is adjusted. The furnace body may be provided with a gas supply pipe and a gas exhaust pipe. The gas supply pipe is a pipe for supplying the atmospheric gas into the furnace body. A gas cylinder for supplying the atmospheric gas may be connected to the gas supply pipe. Although not particularly limited, for example, nitrogen, argon, air, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, etc. may be used as the atmospheric gas. The atmospheric gas is appropriately selected according to the heating conditions of the workpiece, etc. The gas exhaust pipe is a pipe for exhausting the atmospheric gas from the furnace body. An exhaust device such as an exhaust pump may be connected to the gas exhaust pipe. When a reaction gas is generated from the workpiece, the reaction gas is exhausted from the gas exhaust pipe. By providing the gas supply pipe and the gas exhaust pipe in the furnace body 10, the atmosphere in the furnace body can be adjusted. Furthermore, within the furnace body 10, partitions may be provided that divide the space 10i into regions along the conveying direction.

[0015] <Multiple conveying rollers 20> The multiple transport rollers 20 each cross the tunnel-shaped furnace body 10. The multiple transport rollers 20 are arranged in the transport direction. The multiple transport rollers 20 are each a hollow shaft member. In other words, the transport rollers 20 are cylindrical rollers. In this embodiment, a ceramic roller is used as the transport roller 20. The transport roller 20 is not limited to being made of ceramic, and may be made of metal. The transport rollers 20 are aligned at the same height so as to support the workpiece A, and are arranged in the space 10i at a predetermined pitch.

[0016] The multiple transport rollers 20 are inserted into the through holes 11a, 12a of the pair of side walls 11, 12, respectively (see Figs. 3 and 6). Ends of the multiple transport rollers 20 protrude from the through holes 11a, 12a to the outside of the furnace body 10, respectively. The multiple transport rollers 20 are driven by a drive mechanism 40 (see Figs. 2 and 3). As a result, the workpiece A placed on the multiple transport rollers 20 is transported along the transport direction. The drive mechanism 40 is provided outside the furnace body 10. The multiple transport rollers 20 rotate at approximately the same timing and speed, and transport the workpiece A along the transport direction.

[0017] <Drive mechanism 40> As shown in Fig. 3, the drive mechanism 40 includes support plates 41 and 42, a plurality of shafts 43, a plurality of sprockets 44, a chain 45, a turn roller 46, and a support member 50. The drive mechanism 40 includes a drive device 40a (see Fig. 2). In the drive mechanism 40, the drive force of the drive device 40a is transmitted to the conveying roller 20 via the chain 45, the sprocket 44, and the shaft 43.

[0018] <A pair of support plates 41, 42> The pair of support plates 41, 42 are members that support the shaft 43. The pair of support plates 41, 42 are provided outside the side wall 11 of the furnace body 10. The pair of support plates 41, 42 are arranged on one side of the furnace body 10 so as to face the furnace body 10. The pair of support plates 41, 42 are supported by a support frame 40b attached to the outer wall 16. Although not shown, a collar is arranged between the pair of support plates 41, 42. The pair of support plates 41, 42 are connected by a connecting member 40c (see FIG. 2) inserted into the collar. The support plates 41, 42 are substantially rectangular plate-like and have substantially the same shape as each other. The pair of support plates 41, 42 face each other with a predetermined interval between them. The support plates 41, 42 extend substantially parallel to each other along the conveying direction.

[0019] The pair of support plates 41, 42 includes a first support plate 41 and a second support plate 42. In the width direction (left-right direction) of the furnace body 10, the first support plate 41 is disposed at a distance from the side wall 11 of the furnace body 10. The second support plate 42 is disposed at a distance from the first support plate 41 on the opposite side to the furnace body 10. The first support plate 41 is provided on the side closer to the furnace body 10, and the second support plate 42 is provided on the side farther from the furnace body 10. The support plates 41, 42 have opposing surfaces 41a, 42a that face the other support plate, respectively. A spacer or the like for maintaining the distance may be provided between the support plates 41, 42. A cover 47a is attached to the upper part of the support plates 41, 42.

[0020] A lid 47b is attached to the lower part of the support plates 41, 42. The lid 47b is configured to be detachable by a bolt 47c. The lids 47b are provided at intervals along the conveying direction (see FIG. 2). The lids 47b can prevent the chain 45 from falling off. A chain guide 47d is provided on the upper surface of the lid 47b. The chain guide 47d is a protrusion extending along the conveying direction and formed along the path of the chain 45. The chain guide 47d has a width narrower than the spacing between the plate portions 45a on the sides of the chain 45. In this embodiment, the chain guide 47d is formed at approximately the center of the lid 47b in the width direction. The chain guide 47d suppresses meandering of the chain 45 when the chain 45 is driven.

[0021] Mounting holes 41b, 42b are formed in the upper portions of the support plates 41, 42. The mounting holes 41b, 42b are formed at positions that overlap in the width direction. Bearings 41c, 42c are attached to the mounting holes 41b, 42b, respectively. A shaft 43 is attached to the support plates 41, 42 via the bearings 41c, 42c.

[0022] <Multiple Shafts 43> The multiple shafts 43 are arranged along the conveying direction so as to correspond to the ends of the multiple conveying rollers 20. The multiple shafts 43 are respectively hung across a pair of support plates 41, 42 and supported by the pair of support plates 41, 42. The multiple shafts 43 are respectively supported by the pair of support plates 41, 42 rotatably via bearings 41c, 42c. The shafts 43 are members that support the conveying rollers 20. Outside the furnace body 10, the multiple shafts 43 each support one end (in this embodiment, the left end) of a corresponding one of the multiple conveying rollers 20.

[0023] The shaft 43 extends along the width direction of the furnace body 10. The shaft 43 includes a base end 43a, a spring seat 43b, an insertion portion 43c, and a support portion 43d. The base end 43a is a portion disposed at a position far from the furnace body 10. The base end 43a is substantially cylindrical. The base end 43a is a portion attached to the support plates 41, 42 via the bearings 41c, 42c. The outer diameter of the base end 43a is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the bearings 41c, 42c. The length of the base end 43a is longer than the distance between the support plates 41, 42. The spring seat 43b is connected to the base end 43a.

[0024] The spring seat 43b is provided on the shaft 43 closer to the furnace body 10 than the base end 43a. The spring seat 43b is a substantially disk-shaped portion having an outer diameter larger than that of the base end 43a. The spring seat 43b is a portion against which one end of the coil spring 25 abuts. An insertion portion 43c extends from the spring seat 43b.

[0025] The insertion portion 43c is a portion through which the coil spring 25 is inserted. The insertion portion 43c extends from the spring seat portion 43b toward the furnace body 10. The outer diameter of the insertion portion 43c is smaller than the outer diameter of the spring seat portion 43b and the inner diameter of the coil spring 25 through which it is inserted. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the insertion portion 43c at the base end side (the spring seat portion 43b side) is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the coil spring 25. This makes it easier for the coil spring 25 to be fixed to the shaft 43, and makes it difficult for the position of the coil spring 25 to shift. A step is formed in the insertion portion 43c so that it becomes thinner toward the tip side. A support portion 43d is provided at the tip of the insertion portion 43c.

[0026] The support portion 43d is a portion that supports the conveying roller 20. The support portion 43d is substantially spherical except for both flat ends. The support portion 43d is inserted into the hollow conveying roller 20. The support portion 43d inserted into the conveying roller 20 supports the conveying roller 20 from the inside. The outer diameter of the support portion 43d is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the conveying roller 20. This makes it difficult for a large load to be applied to these members even if the conveying roller 20 and the shaft 43 thermally expand as the continuous heating furnace 1 operates.

[0027] The conveying roller 20 is supported by the shaft 43 via a coil spring 25. The coil spring 25 is disposed between the conveying roller 20 and the spring seat 43b of the shaft 43. Here, a coil spring 25 having a natural length longer than the gap between the conveying roller 20 and the spring seat 43b of the shaft 43 is used. Therefore, both ends of the coil spring 25 abut against the end of the conveying roller 20 and the spring seat 43b of the shaft 43, respectively. The elastic force of the compressed coil spring 25 acts on the end of the conveying roller 20 and the end of the spring seat 43b. As a result, the conveying roller 20 rotates with the rotation of the shaft 43. A sprocket 44 is attached to the shaft 43.

[0028] <Multiple Sprockets 44> The multiple sprockets 44 are each attached to the shaft 43 between a pair of support plates 41, 42. In this embodiment, the sprockets 44 are attached to the base end 43a of the shaft 43. The position of the sprocket 44 is determined by a cylindrical collar 44a through which the base end 43a is inserted. The multiple sprockets 44 are attached to the base end 43a of the shaft 43 so that they are arranged in overlapping positions in the conveying direction. Therefore, the multiple sprockets 44 are lined up along the conveying direction. A chain 45 is hung on the sprockets 44.

[0029] <Chain 45> The chain 45 transmits the driving force of the driving device 40a to the sprockets 44. The chain 45 includes a pair of plate portions 45a and a roller portion 45b connecting the plate portions 45a. The chain 45 is formed in a ring shape. As shown in FIG. 2, in the driving mechanism 40, a path along which the chain 45 passes is determined in advance. The chain 45 passes under a plurality of sprockets 44 (see FIG. 3) attached to each of the plurality of shafts 43. The path of the chain 45 is set so that the chain 45 meshes with the plurality of sprockets 44 arranged along the conveying direction between the pair of support plates 41, 42. A turn roller 46 is provided at an end of the path of the chain 45 along the conveying direction.

[0030] The chain 45 may be hung on a guide roller 48, a tension roller 49, etc. that set a loop path of the chain 45, in addition to the sprocket 44 and the turn roller 46. The drive mechanism 40 may be provided with a chain rail 40d that follows the loop path of the chain 45. The chain rail 40d may be provided, for example, on the opposing surfaces 41a, 42a of one of the pair of support plates 41, 42. The chain 45 is connected to the drive device 40a with a required tension applied by the tension roller 49. For example, a motor or the like may be used as the drive device 40a. The drive device may be connected to the chain 45 via a reducer, a clutch, a coupling, etc. The chain 45 rotates along a predetermined path by the power of the drive device. The sprocket 44 rotates in conjunction with the chain 45, and the shafts 43 inserted through the multiple conveyor rollers 20 rotate. The rotation of the shaft 43 is transmitted to the conveyor rollers 20 via the coil springs 25, and the conveyor rollers 20 rotate in conjunction with the shaft 43. As a result, the multiple transport rollers 20 rotate at approximately the same timing and speed. In this manner, the multiple transport rollers 20 are driven from the end on the side wall 11 side. It is not necessary that all shafts 43 are provided with sprockets 44. There may be a shaft that is not provided with a sprocket 44 so that it is not driven by the chain 45 and rotates in conjunction with the transport of the workpiece A.

[0031] <Turn Roller 46> The turn roller 46 is a roller that turns the chain 45 in a predetermined direction. The turn roller 46 is provided at an end of the path of the chain 45 in the conveying direction. The turn roller 46 is disposed between the pair of support plates 41, 42, and is preferably disposed on at least one of both sides on which the multiple sprockets 44 are arranged. The chain 45 is wound around the turn roller 46. The direction and angle at which the chain 45 turns back are not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the chain 45 is turned back in a direction substantially opposite to the conveying direction.

[0032] In this embodiment, a guide roller having a flange portion 46a (see FIG. 3) is used as the turn roller 46. The flange portion 46a has a larger diameter on one side in the axial direction. The flange portion 46a is continuous in the circumferential direction of the turn roller 46. The plate portion 45a of the chain 45 is arranged to sandwich the flange portion 46a, so that the chain 45 is unlikely to fall off the turn roller 46. The turn roller 46 is not particularly limited as long as it has a shape that allows the chain 45 to be hung. For example, a guide roller with a flat outer circumferential surface, a guide roller provided with flange portions on both sides in the axial direction, a guide roller provided with a groove, a sprocket, or the like may be used as the turn roller 46. As shown in FIG. 3, the turn roller 46 is supported by a support member 50 via a bearing 46b.

[0033] <<Support member 50>> The support member 50 includes a pair of storage members 51 and 52, a support shaft 53, and fixed members 54 and 55. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the support member 50. In FIG. 4, the support member 50 is shown as seen along the conveying direction. In FIG. 4, the chain 45, the lid 47b, and the like are omitted. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the storage member 51 and the fixed member 54. In FIG. 5, the storage member 51 and the fixed member 54 are shown as seen along the axial direction of the turn roller 46. In FIG. 5, the position of the turn roller 46 is virtually indicated by a two-dot chain line. The storage member 52 and the fixed member 55 can be configured in the same manner as the storage member 51 and the fixed member 54, and therefore are not shown.

[0034] <Support shaft 53> As shown in FIG. 4, the support shaft 53 is a member that is inserted into the turn roller 46. The support shaft 53 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The length of the support shaft 53 is shorter than the distance between the pair of support plates 41, 42. Notches are formed at both ends of the support shaft 53, and flat surfaces 53a are formed along the axial direction at the locations where the notches are formed. The flat surfaces 53a are directed downward. The support shaft 53 is inserted into a collar 53b that positions the turn roller 46.

[0035] <A pair of storage members 51, 52> As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the pair of storage members 51, 52 are members that store a part of the support shaft 53. The storage member 51 stores the right end of the support shaft 53 (the side closer to the side wall 11), and the storage member 52 stores the left end of the support shaft 53 (the side farther from the side wall 11). The pair of storage members 51, 52 are attached in a state of contact with the opposing surfaces 41a, 42a of the pair of support plates 41, 42, respectively. The storage members 51, 52 are substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped. In the width direction, the storage member 51 is longer than the storage member 52. The storage members 51, 52 have a part of the lower surface recessed upward in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Therefore, when viewed along the conveying direction, the storage members 51, 52 are substantially L-shaped. The recesses of the storage members 51, 52 are formed on the side facing the other storage member. The housing members 51 and 52 have first lower surfaces 51a and 52a and second lower surfaces 51b and 52b formed in portions recessed upward from the first lower surfaces 51a and 52a. The housing members 51 and 52 are formed with grooves 51c and 52c in which the support shaft 53 is accommodated.

[0036] The grooves 51c and 52c are formed along the surfaces facing the other housing member. The grooves 51c and 52c extend upward from the bottom of the housing members 51 and 52 with the second lower surfaces 51b and 52b as base ends. The end portions (upper ends) of the grooves 51c and 52c are formed in an arc shape corresponding to the outer peripheral shape of the support shaft 53 (see FIG. 5). The support shaft 53 is accommodated in the housing members 51 and 52 from the bottom to the top along the grooves 51c and 52c. The depths of the grooves 51c and 52c are set so that the second lower surfaces 51b and 52b and the flat surface 53a of the support shaft 53 are arranged on approximately the same plane when the support shaft 53 reaches the upper ends of the grooves 51c and 52c. The fixing members 54 and 55 are attached to the housing members 51 and 52 with the end portions of the support shaft 53 accommodated in the housing members 51 and 52. Since the second lower surfaces 51b, 52b of the housing members 51, 52 and the flat surface 53a of the support shaft 53 are substantially on the same plane, the support shaft 53 is less likely to become misaligned.

[0037] <Fixing members 54, 55> The fixing members 54, 55 are members that fix the support shaft 53 to the housing members 51, 52. The fixing members 54, 55 are substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped. The height of the fixing members 54, 55 is greater than the height between the first lower surfaces 51a, 52a and the second lower surfaces 51b, 52b of the housing members 51, 52. In addition, in the axial direction of the support shaft 53, the width of the second lower surfaces 51b, 52b of the housing members 51, 52 and the thickness of the fixing members 54, 55 are substantially the same. Therefore, the upper ends of the fixing members 54, 55 are received in the recesses of the housing members 51, 52 and positioned.

[0038] The fixing members 54, 55 are attached to the housing members 51, 52 with their upper ends in contact with the second lower surfaces 51b, 52b of the housing members 51, 52. The fixing members 54, 55 have through holes 54a, 55a formed along the height direction. Although not particularly limited, the through holes 54a, 55a are formed at two locations, a front end and a rear end in the conveying direction (see FIG. 5). The second lower surfaces 51b, 52b of the housing members 51, 52 have mounting holes 51b1, 52b1 formed at positions corresponding to the through holes 54a, 55a. The fixing members 54, 55 are attached to the housing members 51, 52 by bolts 54b, 55b inserted through the through holes 54a, 55a and mounted in the mounting holes 51b1, 52b1. Note that the members for attaching the fixing members 54, 55 to the housing members 51, 52 are not limited to bolts. The fixing members 54, 55 may be attached to the housing members 51, 52 by, for example, lock nuts or the like.

[0039] In this embodiment, the fixing members 54, 55 are overlapped with the housing members 51, 52 from below. The fixing members 54, 55 are attached to the housing members 51, 52 in a state where they are overlapped with the second lower surfaces 51b, 52b of the housing members 51, 52 on which the grooves 51c, 52c are formed. The lower ends of the fixing members 54, 55 protrude downward from the lower ends of the housing members 51, 52. This makes it easier for an operator to confirm the positions of the fixing members 54, 55, improving workability. The lower ends of the fixing members 54, 55 can be set at positions that do not interfere with the lid 47b. Here, the fixing members 54, 55 can be set to a length that does not protrude downward from the lower ends of the support plates 41, 42.

[0040] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the support structure of the driven side of the conveying roller 20. As shown in FIG. 6, a pair of support plates 61, 62 are provided on the outside of the side wall 12. The pair of support plates 61, 62 are supported by a support frame 60. A collar 64 is disposed between the pair of support plates 61, 62. The pair of support plates 61, 62 are connected by a connecting member 63 inserted through the collar 64. The pair of support plates 61, 62 are formed with through holes 61a, 62a. A shaft 43 is attached to the through holes 61a, 62a via bearings 61b, 62b. The driven side shaft 43 supported by the pair of support plates 61, 62 has the same configuration as the drive side shaft 43 described above, except that the sprocket 44 (see FIG. 3) is not attached, so detailed description will be omitted. As with the drive side shaft 43, the insertion portion 43c of the driven side shaft 43 is inserted through the coil spring 25 in a compressed state. The coil spring 25 is compressed by the spring seat 43b and the end of the conveying roller 20, and the driven shaft 43 rotates in conjunction with the conveying roller 20. The driven shaft 43 rotates in conjunction with the driving shaft 43 driven by the driving mechanism 40.

[0041] In the continuous heating furnace, the turn roller for turning back the chain may be damaged with long-term use. According to the findings of the present invention, for example, the tension of the chain may be applied, or the wear of the turn roller may progress when the chain is driven. In addition, there is a concern that the deterioration of the turn roller arranged near the furnace body may progress due to the heat inside the furnace being transmitted to the outside of the furnace. Furthermore, when the chain is driven, the tension of the chain may act on the support shaft supporting the turn roller. In this case, there is a concern that the support shaft may bend. In addition, there is a concern that the equipment arranged near the furnace body may be corroded if corrosive gas is generated in the furnace. In the case where the bearing is fixed to the shaft driving the conveying roller due to corrosion, the tension of the chain may act strongly on the turn roller and the support shaft. If the turn roller, the support shaft, etc. are damaged, the driving mechanism may be affected, such as the running of the chain. As a result, there is a risk of poor conveyance of the workpiece.

[0042] In the above-described embodiment, the continuous heating furnace 1 includes a furnace body 10, a plurality of conveying rollers 20, and a driving mechanism 40. As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the driving mechanism 40 for driving the conveying rollers 20 includes a pair of support plates 41, 42, a plurality of shafts 43, a plurality of sprockets 44, a chain 45, a turn roller 46, and a support member 50. The support member 50 includes a support shaft 53, housing members 51, 52, and fixing members 54, 55. The support shaft 53 is inserted through the turn roller 46. The pair of housing members 51, 52 house a part of the support shaft 53 and are attached to the pair of support plates 41, 42, respectively. The fixing members 54, 55 fix the support shaft 53 to the housing members 51, 52. In the continuous heating furnace 1 having such a configuration, the support shaft 53 can be removed from the support member 50 by removing the fixing members 54, 55. Therefore, the turn roller 46 can be removed together with the support shaft 53 without requiring a complicated operation such as removing either of the pair of support plates 41, 42. As a result, maintenance such as replacement of the turn roller 46 becomes easy.

[0043] In the embodiment described above, the length of the support shaft 53 is shorter than the distance between the pair of support plates 41, 42 (see FIG. 3). The pair of housing members 51, 52 are attached to the opposing surfaces 41a, 42a of the pair of support plates 41, 42, respectively. This allows the support shaft 53 and the turn roller 46 to be removed at the same time, improving workability.

[0044] Grooves 51c, 52c in which the support shaft 53 is accommodated are formed in the housing members 51, 52. The fixing members 54, 55 are placed on the surfaces of the housing members 51, 52 on which the grooves 51c, 52c are formed. This allows the support member 50 to be configured so that the support shaft 53 can be removed along the radial direction. For example, the support shaft 53 can be removed only from the direction (below in this embodiment), which can improve workability.

[0045] In the continuous heating furnace 1 described above, the turn roller 46 can be replaced, for example, by the following procedure. The lid 47b (see FIG. 3) attached to the lower end of the support plates 41, 42 is removed. The tension roller 49 (see FIG. 2) is driven upward to loosen the chain 45 (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 3). The bolts 54b, 55b fixing the fixing members 54, 55 are removed, and the fixing members 54, 55 are removed from the housing members 51, 52. The support shaft 53 is pulled out of the grooves 51c, 52c of the housing members 51, 52, and the turn roller 46 together with the support shaft 53 is removed. The turn roller 46 is replaced, and the continuous heating furnace 1 is restored by reversing the above procedure. The procedure for replacing the turn roller 46 may differ depending on the configuration of the support member 50, etc.

[0046] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the pair of housing members 51, 52 are attached to the pair of support plates 41, 42 by fastening members 56, 57, respectively. Here, the fastening members 56, 57 are bolts. The housing members 51, 52 are formed with mounting holes 51d, 52d to which the fastening members 56, 57 are attached. The fastening members 56, 57 are inserted into the through holes 41d, 42d of the support plates 41, 42 and attached to the mounting holes 51d, 52d of the housing members 51, 52, thereby attaching the housing members 51, 52 to the support plates 41, 42. The housing members 51, 52 are configured to be detachable from the support plates 41, 42 by the fastening members 56, 57. In this manner, maintenance may be performed in a state where not only the support shaft 53 and the turn roller 46 but also the support member 50 is removed from the support plates 41, 42.

[0047] The support member is not limited to the above-described support member 50. Support members 150 and 250 according to other embodiments will be described below. In the following drawings, the same reference numerals are appropriately used for members and parts having the same functions, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0048] <<Support member 150>> FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the support member 150. In FIG. 7, the support member 150 is shown as seen along the conveying direction. In FIG. 7, the chain 45, the lid 47b, and the like are omitted, as in FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the storage member 152 and the fixed member 155. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the storage member 151 and the fixed member 154. In FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the storage members 151, 152 and the fixed members 154, 155 are shown as seen along the axial direction of the turn roller 46. As shown in FIG. 7, the support member 150 includes a pair of storage members 151, 152, a support shaft 53, and fixed members 154, 155.

[0049] <A pair of storage members 151, 152> The pair of storage members 151, 152 are members that store a part of the support shaft 53. The storage member 151 stores the right end of the support shaft 53, and the storage member 152 stores the left end of the support shaft 53. The upper ends of the storage members 151 and 152 are at approximately the same height, but the lower end of the storage member 152 is located lower than the lower end of the storage member 151. The storage members 151, 152 are approximately rectangular parallelepiped. In the storage members 151, 152, a part of the front surface is recessed toward the rear in an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape (see Figs. 8 and 9). In the storage member 151, the left side of the front surface is recessed toward the rear in an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. The storage member 152 is thinner than the storage member 151 and is longer in the height direction. The storage members 151, 152 are formed with mounting holes 151d, 152d into which the fastening members 56, 57 are mounted. The mounting hole 151d is formed at a position overlapping the support shaft 53 in the width direction. The mounting hole 152d is formed below the support shaft 53 in the height direction so as not to interfere with the support shaft 53. The storage member 152 has a recess formed at a position corresponding to the recess of the storage member 151. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the storage members 151 and 152 have first front faces 151a and 152a and second front faces 151b and 152b at positions recessed rearward from the first front faces 151a and 152a. The storage members 151 and 152 have grooves 151c and 152c in which the support shaft 53 is accommodated.

[0050] The grooves 151c and 152c are formed along the surface facing the other housing member. The grooves 151c and 152c extend from the front to the rear of the housing members 151 and 152 with the second front faces 151b and 152b as base ends. The end portions (rear ends) of the grooves 151c and 152c are formed in an arc shape corresponding to the outer peripheral shape of the support shaft 53. The support shaft 53 is accommodated in the grooves 151c and 152c. The depths of the grooves 151c and 152c are set so that the second front faces 151b and 152b and the flat surface 53a of the support shaft 53 are arranged on approximately the same plane when the support shaft 53 reaches the end of the grooves 151c and 152c. The fixing members 154 and 155 are attached to the housing members 151 and 152 with the end of the support shaft 53 accommodated in the housing members 151 and 152.

[0051] <Fixing members 154, 155> The fixing members 154, 155 are members that fix the support shaft 53 to the housing members 151, 152. The fixing members 154, 155 are substantially rectangular parallelepiped in shape. The fixing members 154, 155 have dimensions that allow them to be housed in the recesses of the housing members 151, 152.

[0052] The fixing members 154, 155 are attached to the housing members 151, 152 in a state of contacting the second front faces 151b, 152b of the housing members 151, 152. The fixing members 154, 155 have through holes 154a, 155a formed along the front-rear direction. The through holes 154a, 155a are formed at two locations, the upper and lower parts of the fixing members 154, 155 in the height direction. The second front faces 151b, 152b of the housing members 151, 152 have mounting holes 151b1, 152b1 formed at positions corresponding to the through holes 154a, 155a. The fixing members 154, 155 are attached to the housing members 151, 152 by bolts 154b, 155b inserted through the through holes 154a, 155a and mounted in the mounting holes 151b1, 152b1.

[0053] The fixing members 154, 155 are placed against the side surfaces (second front surfaces 151b, 152b in this embodiment) of the storage members 151, 152 and attached to the storage members 151, 152. Therefore, the fixing members 154, 155 and the support shaft 53 are attached and detached along the front-rear direction (conveyance direction). Since the grooves 151c, 152c extend in the front-rear direction, the support shaft 53 is unlikely to fall off from the storage members 151, 152 even when the fixing members 154, 155 are removed. As a result, the maintenance when replacing the turn roller 46 is easy.

[0054] <<Support member 250>> FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the support member 250. In FIG. 10, the support member 250 is shown as seen along the conveying direction. In FIG. 10, the chain 45, the lid 47b, and the like are omitted from illustration, as in FIG. 4. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the storage member 251 and the fixed member 254. In FIG. 11, the storage member 251 and the fixed member 254 are shown as seen along the axial direction of the turn roller 46. The storage member 252 and the fixed member 255 can be formed in the same shape as the storage member 251 and the fixed member 254, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 10, the support member 250 includes a pair of storage members 251 and 252, a support shaft 53, and fixed members 254 and 255.

[0055] <A pair of storage members 251, 252> The pair of storage members 251, 252 are members that store a part of the support shaft 53. The storage members 151, 152 have mounting holes 151d, 152d in which the fastening members 56, 57 are mounted. The storage member 251 stores the right end of the support shaft 53, and the storage member 252 stores the left end of the support shaft 53. The storage members 251, 252 are substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped. In the storage members 251, 252, a part of the upper surface is recessed downward in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The recesses of the storage members 251, 252 are formed on the sides where the storage members 251, 252 face each other in the width direction. The storage members 251, 252 have first upper surfaces 251a, 252a and second upper surfaces 251b, 252b formed in the areas recessed downward from the first upper surfaces 251a, 252a. The housing members 251 and 252 are formed with grooves 251c and 252c in which the support shaft 53 is housed.

[0056] The grooves 251c and 252c are formed along the surface facing the other housing member. The grooves 251c and 252c extend downward from the upper side of the housing member 251 and 252 with the second upper surface 251b and 252b as the base end. The end portion (lower end) of the grooves 251c and 252c is formed in an arc shape corresponding to the outer peripheral shape of the support shaft 53. The support shaft 53 is accommodated in the grooves 251c and 252c. The depth of the grooves 251c and 252c is set to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the support shaft 53. The fixing members 254 and 255 are attached to the housing members 251 and 252 with the end portion of the support shaft 53 accommodated in the housing members 251 and 252.

[0057] <Fixing members 254, 255> The fixing members 254, 255 are members that fix the support shaft 53 to the housing members 251, 252. The fixing members 254, 255 are substantially rectangular parallelepiped in shape. The fixing members 254, 255 have dimensions that allow them to be housed in the recesses of the housing members 251, 252.

[0058] The fixing members 254, 255 are attached to the storage members 251, 252 in a state of contacting the second upper surfaces 251b, 252b of the storage members 251, 252. The fixing members 254, 255 have through holes 254a, 255a formed along the height direction. The through hole 254a is formed at two locations, a front end and a rear end in the conveying direction (see FIG. 11). The through hole 255a is also formed at two locations, a front end and a rear end in the conveying direction. The second upper surfaces 251b, 252b of the storage members 251, 252 have mounting holes 251b1, 252b1 formed at positions corresponding to the through holes 254a, 255a. The fixing members 254, 255 are attached to the housing members 251, 252 by bolts 254b, 255b which are inserted into the through holes 254a, 255a and attached to the mounting holes 251b1, 252b1.

[0059] The fixing members 254, 255 are placed on the upper surfaces (second upper surfaces 251b, 252b in this embodiment) of the housing members 251, 252 and attached to the housing members 251, 252. Therefore, the fixing members 154, 155 and the support shaft 53 are attached and detached on the upper surfaces of the housing members 251, 252. Therefore, even if the fixing members 254, 255 are removed, the support shaft 53 does not fall off from the housing members 251, 252. Note that in this embodiment, during maintenance of the turn roller 46, the turn roller 46 and the support shaft 53 can be removed in a state in which the shaft 43 above the turn roller 46 is removed. Such a support member 250 can be used, for example, in a continuous heating furnace in which a sprocket 44 (see FIG. 3) is provided above the turn roller 46.

[0060] Although a detailed description has been given above with reference to specific embodiments, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. Thus, the technology described in the claims includes various modifications and alterations of the above-described embodiments.

[0061] This specification includes the following items 1 to 4. The following items 1 to 4 are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0062] Section 1: A tunnel-shaped furnace body that encloses a space along the conveying direction; A plurality of conveying rollers arranged along the conveying direction and crossing the tunnel-shaped furnace body, a drive mechanism disposed on one side of the furnace body and configured to drive the plurality of conveying rollers; Equipped with The drive mechanism includes a pair of support plates, a plurality of shafts, a plurality of sprockets, a chain, a turn roller, and a support member. A pair of support plates are arranged on one side of the furnace body so as to face the furnace body and face each other with a gap therebetween, The plurality of shafts include are arranged along the conveying direction so as to correspond to ends of the plurality of conveying rollers, The pair of support plates are respectively hung, The pair of support plates are rotatably supported by the pair of support plates via bearings, and Supporting one end of each of the plurality of conveying rollers outside the furnace body; The plurality of sprockets are respectively attached to the plurality of shafts between the pair of support plates and are aligned along the conveying direction, a path is set for the chain to mesh with the plurality of sprockets arranged along the conveying direction between the pair of support plates, the turn roller is a roller that is disposed between the pair of support plates, around which the chain is wound on at least one of the sides on which the plurality of sprockets are arranged, and that turns back the chain in a predetermined direction; The support member is A support shaft inserted into the turn roller; a pair of housing members that house a portion of the support shaft and are attached to the pair of support plates, respectively; a fixing member that fixes the support shaft to the housing member; Equipped with Continuous heating furnace.

[0063] Section 2: The length of the support shaft is shorter than the distance between the pair of support plates, Item 2. The continuous heating furnace according to item 1, wherein the pair of accommodation members are attached to opposing surfaces of the pair of support plates facing each other.

[0064] Section 3: The housing member has a groove formed therein in which the support shaft is housed, Item 3. The continuous heating furnace according to item 2, wherein the fixing member is placed on a surface of the accommodation member on which the groove is formed.

[0065] Section 4: 4. The continuous heating furnace according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the support member further includes a fastening member for attaching the housing member to the pair of support plates. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] A. Material to be processed 1 Continuous heating furnace 10 Furnace body 10i space 11,12 side wall 11a,12a through hole 20 Conveyor roller 40 Drive mechanism 40a Drive unit 40b Support frame 40c Connection member 40d chain rail 41,42 Support plate 41a,42a Opposite side 41b, 42b Mounting holes 41c, 42c Bearings 41d,42d Through hole 43 Shaft 43a Proximal end 43b Seat part 43c Insertion part 43d Support part 44 Sprocket 44a Color 45 Chain 45a Plate section 45b Roller part 46 Turn Roller 46a Flange part 46b Bearing 47a Cover 47b Lid 47c bolt 47d chain guide 48 Guide roller 49 Tension roller 50,150,250 Support member 51, 52 Storage member 51a,52a 1st bottom surface 51b,52b 2nd bottom surface 51b1, 52b1 Mounting holes 51c,52c groove 51d, 52d Mounting holes 53 Support shaft 53a flat surface 54,55 Fixing member 54a,55a through hole 54b,55b Bolts 56,57 Fastening members 60 Support Frame 61,62 Support plate 61a,62a through hole 61b, 62b Bearing 63 Connection parts 64 Color

Claims

1. A tunnel-shaped furnace body that encloses a space along the conveying direction; A plurality of conveying rollers arranged along the conveying direction and crossing the tunnel-shaped furnace body, a drive mechanism disposed on one side of the furnace body and configured to drive the plurality of conveying rollers; Equipped with The drive mechanism includes a pair of support plates, a plurality of shafts, a plurality of sprockets, a chain, a turn roller, and a support member. A pair of support plates are arranged on one side of the furnace body so as to face the furnace body and face each other with a gap therebetween, The plurality of shafts include are arranged along the conveying direction so as to correspond to ends of the plurality of conveying rollers, The pair of support plates are respectively hung, The pair of support plates are rotatably supported by the pair of support plates via bearings, and Supporting one end of each of the plurality of conveying rollers outside the furnace body; The plurality of sprockets are respectively attached to the plurality of shafts between the pair of support plates and are aligned along the conveying direction, a path is set for the chain to mesh with the plurality of sprockets arranged along the conveying direction between the pair of support plates, the turn roller is a roller that is disposed between the pair of support plates, around which the chain is wound on at least one of the sides on which the plurality of sprockets are arranged, and that turns back the chain in a predetermined direction; The support member is A support shaft inserted into the turn roller; a pair of housing members that house a portion of the support shaft and are attached to the pair of support plates, respectively; a fixing member that fixes the support shaft to the housing member; Equipped with Continuous heating furnace.

2. The length of the support shaft is shorter than the distance between the pair of support plates, 2. The continuous heating furnace according to claim 1, wherein the pair of housing members are attached to opposing surfaces of the pair of support plates, the opposing surfaces being opposed to each other.

3. The housing member has a groove formed therein in which the support shaft is housed, The continuous heating furnace according to claim 2 , wherein the fixing member is placed over a surface of the accommodation member on which the groove is formed.

4. 4. The continuous heating furnace according to claim 1, wherein the support member further comprises fastening members for attaching the housing member to the pair of support plates.

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