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 48, and a support member 70. The support member 70 comprises a support shaft 71, a holding member 72, and a fixing member 73. The support shaft 71 is inserted into the turn roller 48. The holding member 72 holds one end 71a of the support shaft 71. The fixing member 73 is connected to the other end 71b of the support shaft 71. The holding member 72 is attached to an opposing surface 41a of one support plate 41 of the pair of support plates 41, 42, which faces the other support plate 42. The fixing member 73 is fixed to the other support plate 42.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 constant speed in the same direction. The path of the chain is set by a guide sprocket wheel or the like. [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 chain that rotates and drives the multiple conveyor rollers is wound around the turn roller. When the continuous heating furnace is in use, the support shaft that supports the turn roller is likely to be subjected to a load. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The continuous heating furnace disclosed herein includes a furnace body, a plurality of conveying rollers, and a drive mechanism. The furnace body is tunnel-shaped and surrounds a space along the conveying direction. The plurality of conveying rollers cross the tunnel-shaped furnace body and are arranged along the conveying direction. The drive mechanism 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 therebetween. 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 each 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 are arranged along the conveying direction. The chain has a path set between a pair of support plates so as to mesh with a number of sprockets lined up along the conveying direction. The turn roller is a roller disposed between the pair of support plates, around which the chain is wound and which turns the chain back in a predetermined direction. The support member includes a support shaft inserted into the turn roller, a holding member which holds one end of the support shaft, and a fixing member which is connected to the other end of the support shaft. The holding member is attached to an opposing surface of one of the pair of support plates which faces the other support plate. The fixing member is fixed to the other support plate. In such a continuous heating furnace, the strength of the support shaft can be improved. [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 showing the support structure of the turn roller 48. As shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a support structure for the turn roller 48. 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. 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, turn rollers 46 and 48 (see Fig. 2), and a support member 70. The drive mechanism 40 includes a drive unit 40a (see Fig. 2). In the drive mechanism 40, the drive force of the drive unit 40a is transmitted to the conveying roller 20 via the chain 45, the sprockets 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 base parts 41A, 42A and the lower parts 41B, 42B are on approximately the same plane. The pair of support plates 41, 42 face each other with a predetermined interval. The support plates 41, 42 are plate-shaped and have approximately the same shape. In this embodiment, the support plates 41, 42 include roughly shaped base portions 41A, 42A (see Figs. 3 and 5) and lower portions 41B, 42B (see Fig. 2). The base portions 41A, 42A extend along the conveying direction so as to sandwich the sprockets 44 aligned along the conveying direction. The lower portions 41B, 42B protrude downward from the base portions 41A, 42A. In this embodiment, the lower portions 41B, 42B are provided at positions covering the side of the chain 45 that is set to face the driving device 40a (see Fig. 2).

[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 base parts 41A, 42A of the support plates 41, 42. The lid 47b is configured to be detachable by bolts 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 interval between the plate parts 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 bases 41A, 42A 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 a pair of support plates 41, 42 (in this embodiment, bases 41A, 42A). 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 roller portions 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 lined up along the conveying direction between the pair of support plates 41, 42.

[0030] The chain 45 is hung on the sprocket 44, turn rollers 46, 48, tension roller 49, etc., and a path is set. The drive mechanism 40 may be provided with a chain rail 40d along 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 respectively. 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 disposed between the bases 41A, 42A of the pair of support plates 41, 42. The chain 45 is wound around the turn roller 48. The turn roller 46 is provided at an end of the path of the chain 45 in the conveying direction. The direction and angle at which the chain 45 is turned back are not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the chain 45 is turned back by the turn roller 46 in a direction substantially opposite to the conveying direction.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, 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 less likely 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. The turn roller 46 is supported by a support shaft 53 attached to the support plates 41 and 42. The turn roller 46 is attached to the support shaft 53 via a bearing 46b. The support shaft 53 is inserted into a collar 53a that adjusts the gap between the bearing 46b and the support plates 41 and 42.

[0033] <Turn Roller 48> As shown in FIG. 2, the turn roller 48 is a roller that turns the chain 45 in a predetermined direction. Like the turn roller 46, the turn roller 48 has a flange portion 48a (see FIG. 4) that is sandwiched by the plate portion 45a of the chain 45 on one side in the axial direction. The turn roller 48 is disposed between the lower portions 41B and 42B of the pair of support plates 41 and 42. The chain 45 is wound around the turn roller 48. The turn roller 48 is a roller that turns the chain 45 in a direction different from the direction along the conveying direction. The angle at which the turn roller 48 turns the chain 45 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the turn roller 48 turns the chain 45 approximately vertically. The turn roller 48 turns the chain 45 extending along the conveying direction downward. In other words, the turn roller 48 turns the chain 45 extending along the up-down direction in the conveying direction. The turn roller 48 turns the chain 45 toward the tension roller 49. The turn roller 48 is supported by a support member 70 .

[0034] <<Support member 70>> The support member 70 includes a support shaft 71, a holding member 72, and a fixing member 73. Figures 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams showing the support structure of the turn roller 48. Figure 4 shows the support structure of the turn roller 48 as seen along the conveying direction. In Figure 4, the chain 45 and the like are omitted. Figure 5 shows the support structure of the turn roller 48 as seen along the axial direction of the turn roller 48. In Figure 5, the position of the turn roller 48 is virtually indicated by a two-dot chain line.

[0035] <Support shaft 71> As shown in FIG. 4, the support shaft 71 is a member inserted into the turn roller 48. The turn roller 48 is attached to the support shaft 71 via a bearing 48b. The support shaft 71 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The length of the support shaft 71 is shorter than the distance between the pair of support plates 41, 42. The support shaft 71 is inserted into a collar 74 that positions the turn roller 48. One end 71a of the support shaft 71 is held by a holding member 72.

[0036] <Retaining member 72> The holding member 72 is a member that holds one end of the support shaft 71. The holding member 72 may be attached to one of the pair of support plates 41, 42. In this embodiment, the holding member 72 is attached to the support plate 41, which is closer to the furnace body 10, of the pair of support plates 41, 42.

[0037] In this embodiment, the holding member 72 is detachably attached to the support plate 41. The holding member 72 has a male screw 72c on a surface opposite to a surface 72a on which the insertion hole 72b is formed. The support plate 41 has a female screw 41d formed therein that corresponds to the male screw 72c of the holding member 72. The holding member 72 is attached to the support plate 41 by the male screw 72c. Note that the attachment structure of the holding member 72 to the support plate 41 is not particularly limited. For example, the holding member 72 may be attached to the support plate by a fastening member such as a bolt.

[0038] The holding member 72 holds the end 71a on the right side (the side close to the side wall 11) of the support shaft 53. The holding member 72 is attached to the opposing surface 41a of the support plate 41 that faces the support plate 42. The holding member 72 is substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped. The holding member 72 has an insertion hole 72b formed in the surface 72a that faces the support plate 42. The insertion hole 72b is a cylindrical hole recessed from the surface 72a that faces the support plate 42. The inner diameter of the insertion hole 72b is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the support shaft 71. The end 71a of the support shaft 71 is held in a state where it is inserted through the insertion hole 72b of the holding member 72. As a result, the end 71a of the support shaft 71 is held in a state where it does not reach the support plate 41. The other end 71b of the support shaft 71 is fixed to the support plate 42 in a state where it is attached to the fixing member 73.

[0039] <Fixing member 73> The fixing member 73 is a member that fixes the support shaft 71 to the support plate 42. The fixing member 73 is connected to the end portion 71b of the support shaft 71. The fixing member 73 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this embodiment, the support plate 42 is formed with a through hole 42d through which the support shaft 71 is inserted. The fixing member 73 attached to the end portion 71b of the support shaft 71 is fixed to a surface 42e of the support plate 42 opposite to the opposing surface 42a with the support shaft 71 inserted through the through hole 42d.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 5, the through hole 42d through which the support shaft 71 is inserted is a hole in which the large diameter portion 42d1 and the small diameter portion 42d2 are connected. The through hole 42d has a shape of a so-called potbellied hole. The large diameter portion 42d1 is a hole having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the turn roller 48. The small diameter portion 42d2 is a hole having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the turn roller 48. The small diameter portion 42d2 is a hole having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the support shaft 71. The large diameter portion 42d1 and the small diameter portion 42d2 are holes that open in a substantially circular shape except for the portions where they are connected to each other. Here, the large diameter portion 42d1 constitutes the lower portion of the through hole 42d, and the small diameter portion 42d2 constitutes the upper portion of the through hole 42d. When the fixing member 73 is fixed to the support plate 42, the support shaft 71 is inserted through the small diameter portion 42d2. The fixing member 73 can be set to a size that covers the small diameter portion 42d2. A cover 73b is provided on the lower part of the fixing member 73. The cover 73b is set to a size that covers the large diameter portion 42d1. Since the cover 73b covers the large diameter portion 42d1, the running chain 45 is not exposed to the outside even when the continuous heating furnace 1 is in operation, and other safety features are good. In this embodiment, the cover 73b is detachably attached to the fixing member 73 by a bolt 73c. ​​The cover 73b may be formed integrally with the fixing member 73. The fixing member 73 may have a size that covers the through hole 42d.

[0041] The support shaft 71 is connected to approximately the center of the fixed member 73 in the conveying direction. The fixed member 73 has holes formed in two locations on either side of the position where the support shaft 71 is connected in the conveying direction. The fixed member 73 is fixed to the support plate 42 by two fastening members 73a that are inserted into the holes, respectively. This allows the support shaft 71 to be stably fixed to the support plate 42. In this embodiment, the fastening members 73a are bolts. The fastening members 73a are not limited to bolts.

[0042] 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.

[0043] Incidentally, when a continuous heating furnace is used, the support shaft supporting the turn roller is likely to be loaded. For example, when the chain is driven, tension is likely to act on the support shaft that turns the chain back. As a result, there is a concern that the support shaft may bend. When tension acts on the support shaft from the chain during operation of the continuous heating furnace, the longer the length between the position where the support shaft is held and the position where the turn roller is attached, the larger the moment acting on the support shaft is likely to be. In addition, there is a concern that the equipment located near the furnace body may deteriorate or corrode due to heat, gas, etc. transmitted from inside the furnace to the outside of the furnace. If 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. As a result, the support shaft is likely to be damaged. If the support shaft is damaged, it may affect the driving mechanism, such as affecting the running of the chain. As a result, there is a risk of poor conveyance of the treated material. For this reason, maintenance such as replacing the support shaft, turn roller, etc. may be required. However, in cases where the support shaft is fixed by being spanned across a pair of support plates, it may be difficult to replace the support shaft and turn roller.

[0044] 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 48, and a support member 70. The support member 70 includes a support shaft 71, a holding member 72, and a fixing member 73. The support shaft 71 is inserted through the turn roller 48. The holding member 72 holds one end 71a of the support shaft 71. The fixing member 73 is connected to the other end 71b of the support shaft 71. The holding member 72 is attached to the opposing surface 41a of one support plate 41 of the pair of support plates 41, 42, which faces the other support plate 42. The fixing member 73 is fixed to the other support plate 42.

[0045] In the continuous heating furnace 1 having such a configuration, a holding member 72 that holds the support shaft 71 is attached to the opposing surface 41a of the support plate 41. As a result, the holding member 72 protrudes from the opposing surface 41a of the support plate 41 to the other support plate 42. This allows the length of the support shaft 71 to be shortened. For example, the length of the support shaft 71 can be made shorter than the distance between the pair of support plates 41, 42. This shortens the length between the position where the turn roller 48 is attached and the position where it is held (in this embodiment, the ends 71a, 71b) on the support shaft 71. As a result, the moment acting on the support shaft 71 can be reduced. As a result, the risk of the support shaft 71 being damaged is reduced, and the durability of the support shaft 71 is improved.

[0046] In the above-described embodiment, the support plate 42 is formed with a through hole 42d through which the support shaft 71 is inserted. Therefore, by removing the fixing member 73 from the support plate 42, the support shaft 71 can be removed from the through hole 42d. This makes it easier to perform maintenance such as replacing the support shaft 71. Furthermore, if the through hole 42d is larger than the outer diameter of the turn roller 48, the turn roller 48 can be removed in addition to the support shaft 71, which improves maintainability.

[0047] In the above-described embodiment, the through hole 42d is a hole in which the large diameter portion 42d1, which is larger than the outer diameter of the turn roller 48, and the small diameter portion 42d2, which is smaller than the outer diameter of the turn roller 48, are connected. The fixing member 73 is fixed to the support plate 42 in a state in which the support shaft 71 is inserted into the small diameter portion 42d2. In this embodiment, the turn roller 48 and the support shaft 71 can be attached and detached from the large diameter portion 42d1, and the support shaft 71 inserted into the small diameter portion 42d2 can be fixed by the fixing member 73. Since the through hole 42d has the large diameter portion 42d1 and the small diameter portion 42d2, the work of attaching, detaching, and fixing the support shaft 71 and the turn roller 48 can be easily performed. As a result, the workability during maintenance of the support shaft 71 and the turn roller 48 can be improved.

[0048] The shape of the through hole 42d is not limited to this shape. The positional relationship between the large diameter portion 42d1 and the small diameter portion 42d2 is not particularly limited, and for example, the large diameter portion 42d1 may form the upper part of the through hole 42d, and the small diameter portion 42d2 may form the lower part of the through hole 42d. In addition, the large diameter portion and the small diameter portion do not necessarily have to be substantially circular, and may be, for example, a polygonal shape such as a square, or may be an elliptical shape. In addition, the through hole 42d may be oval, and may be, for example, a so-called egg shape in which the width is different at both ends of the major axis.

[0049] In the embodiment described above, the fixing member 73 has a cover 73b that covers the large diameter portion 42d1 when the support shaft 71 is inserted through the small diameter portion 42d2. This makes it difficult for the support shaft 71 to tilt when, for example, removing the support shaft 71 from the holding member 72. This makes it difficult for a load to be applied in a direction that bends the support shaft 71 during maintenance work on the support shaft 71 or the turn roller 48.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the holding member 72 is provided on the support plate 41, which is closer to the furnace body 10, of the pair of support plates 41, 42. Therefore, the support shaft 71 is removed in a direction away from the furnace body 10. Therefore, the worker can work from the outer support plate 42 side, where the working space is less restricted, and the workability is good.

[0051] When the tension of the chain 45 acts on the support shaft 71, a load may also be applied to the holding member 72 that holds the support shaft 71. For example, when the chain 45 runs, tension may be applied to the support shaft 71 in a direction from the position where the chain 45 is hung toward the inner diameter. At this time, a load is also applied to the holding member 72 in approximately the same direction via the support shaft 71. This may cause a concern that the holding member 72 may be deformed, such as the insertion hole 72b through which the support shaft 71 is inserted expanding. If the insertion hole 72b is deformed, the position of the rotating shaft (support shaft 71) of the turn roller 48 becomes less stable, and as a result, the path of the chain 45 may meander, which may affect the transportation of the workpiece A. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the holding member 72 is detachably attached to the support plate 41. This allows maintenance such as replacing not only the support shaft 71 and the turn roller 48 but also the holding member 72.

[0052] In the continuous heating furnace 1 described above, the procedure for replacing the turn roller 48 and the support shaft 71 can be performed, for example, in the following manner. The fastening member 73a of the support plate 42 is removed. The fixing member 73 is moved forward (to the left in FIG. 4) to remove the support shaft 71 from the insertion hole 72b of the holding member 72. The fixing member 73 is moved downward to move the support shaft 71 from the position of the small diameter portion 42d2 to the position of the large diameter portion 42d1. The fixing member 73 is moved forward to remove the support shaft 71 together with the turn roller 48 from the large diameter portion 42d1, and the turn roller 48 and the support shaft 71 are removed from the support plates 41 and 42. The turn roller 48 and the support shaft 71 are replaced, and the continuous heating furnace 1 is restored in the reverse order to the above. The procedure for replacing the turn roller 48 and the support shaft 71 can vary depending on the configuration of the support member 70, etc.

[0053] Although the detailed description has been given above with reference to specific embodiments, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The configuration for supporting the turn roller 48 by the support member 70 described above may be provided on the turn roller 46 side. Thus, the technology described in the claims includes various modifications and alterations of the above-described embodiments.

[0054] This specification includes the following items 1 to 6. The following items 1 to 6 are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0055] 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 disposed between the pair of support plates, the chain is wound around the turn roller, and the turn roller turns the chain back in a predetermined direction; The support member is A support shaft inserted into the turn roller; A holding member for holding one end of the support shaft; a fixing member connected to the other end of the support shaft; Equipped with The holding member is attached to an opposing surface of one of the pair of support plates that faces the other support plate, The fixing member is fixed to the other support plate. Continuous heating furnace.

[0056] Section 2: Item 2. The continuous heating furnace according to item 1, wherein the other support plate has a through hole through which the support shaft is inserted.

[0057] Section 3: the through hole is a hole that connects a large diameter portion that is larger than the outer diameter of the turn roller and a small diameter portion that is smaller than the outer diameter of the turn roller, Item 3. The continuous heating furnace according to item 2, wherein the fixing member is fixed to the other support plate with the support shaft inserted into the small diameter portion.

[0058] Section 4: Item 4. The continuous heating furnace according to item 3, wherein the fixing member has a cover that covers the large diameter portion when the support shaft is inserted into the small diameter portion.

[0059] Section 5: 5. The continuous heating furnace according to any one of items 1 to 4, wherein the holding member is provided on one of the support plates, the support plate being closer to the furnace body.

[0060] Item 6: 6. The continuous heating furnace according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the holding member is detachably attached to the one of the support plates. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] A. Processing object 1 Continuous heating furnace 10 Furnace body 10i space 11,12 side wall 11a,12a through hole 13 Bottom wall 14 Ceiling Wall 16 Exterior Wall 20 Conveyor roller 30 Heater 40 Drive mechanism 40a Drive unit 40b Support frame 40c Connection member 40d chain rail 41,42 Support plate 41A,42A base 41B, 42B Lower 41a,42a Opposite side 41b, 42b Mounting holes 41c, 42c Bearings 41d Female thread 42d Through hole 42d1 Large diameter section 42d2 Small diameter section 42e side 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 46,48 Turn roller 47a Cover 47b Lid 47c bolt 47d chain guide 48a Flange part 48b Bearing 49 Tension roller 50 Support member 53 Support shaft 60 Support Frame 61,62 Support plate 63 Connection parts 64 Color 70 Support member 71 Support shaft 71a,71b End 72 Retaining member 72a side 72b Insertion hole 72c male thread 73 Fixing member 73a Fastening members 73b Cover 73c Bolt 74 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 disposed between the pair of support plates, the chain is wound around the turn roller, and the turn roller turns the chain back in a predetermined direction; The support member is A support shaft inserted into the turn roller; A holding member for holding one end of the support shaft; a fixing member connected to the other end of the support shaft; Equipped with The holding member is attached to an opposing surface of one of the pair of support plates that faces the other support plate, The fixing member is fixed to the other support plate. Continuous heating furnace.

2. 2. The continuous heating furnace according to claim 1, wherein the other support plate is formed with a through hole through which the support shaft is inserted.

3. the through hole is a hole that connects a large diameter portion that is larger than the outer diameter of the turn roller and a small diameter portion that is smaller than the outer diameter of the turn roller, 3. The continuous heating furnace according to claim 2, wherein the fixing member is fixed to the other support plate with the support shaft inserted through the small diameter portion.

4. 4. The continuous heating furnace according to claim 3, wherein the fixing member has a cover that covers the large diameter portion when the support shaft is inserted into the small diameter portion.

5. 5. The continuous heating furnace according to claim 1, wherein the holding member is provided on one of the support plates which is closer to the furnace body.

6. 5. The continuous heating furnace according to claim 1, wherein the holding member is detachably attached to the one of the support plates.

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